The planned cancellation of VIA Rail’s early-morning Train 641 is drawing renewed criticism from Northumberland officials and residents who rely on the service from Cobourg and Port Hope.
The Toronto Star recently highlighted the issue, including comments from Brighton Mayor Brian Ostrander, who questioned the decision and said publicly funded rail service should help connect communities with Toronto.
Train 641 is scheduled to make its final run Oct. 25. The weekday service provided an early arrival at Toronto’s Union Station, but VIA says a later train will continue operating, arriving around 9:37 a.m.
Northumberland County has spent years advocating for the early service, including a 2021 survey of more than 2,800 residents. County officials said the findings demonstrated significant demand among commuters and potential users.
The county also launched its Commuter Connect pilot in 2022 to help residents reach GO Transit in Oshawa while lobbying for the VIA service to return. That program was discontinued in 2024 after VIA restored Train 641.
The county is encouraging residents, businesses and communities to provide feedback through its “Keeping Your Commute On Track” engagement campaign.
(Richard Evans)
