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Cookie Policy

The Cookie Policy (the “Policy”) is intended to inform you about how VIA Rail Canada (“VIA”) uses cookies and related technologies (pixels, tags or proximity beacons, collectively referred to as “cookies” or “cookie”) on the Website www.viarail.ca or its mobile application (collectively referred to as the “Site”) and in its electronic communications, allowing us or our partners to analyze a user’s browsing and device data.

Please take a few minutes to carefully read and understand the Policy, which should be read in conjunction with our Privacy Policy.

What are Cookies?

A cookie is a very small text file that is automatically stored by your browser on your computer or another mobile device used to access the Internet (collectively referred to as a “Device”). This file allows us to store certain information including a unique identifier (as described below) in order to recognize you when you visit our Site.

Cookie files can be session files or persistent files:

  • Session: files are deleted from your Device once your browsing session ends and your browser is closed.
  • Persistent: files are stored on your Device until they are deleted.

Cookies ensure the proper functioning of the Site, improve your browsing and provide VIA with certain information, particularly regarding Site traffic.

Cookies facilitate your browsing by allowing preferences to be saved, automatically filling in certain fields and adapting service content.

They improve your customer experience on our Site and across other plateforms by showing advertisements that are tailored to your interests, by collecting traffic statistics, behavioral data on our Site, on other sites and on social networks, and by facilitating the sharing of information on social networks.

What Types of Information Can Be Stored in a Cookie File?

With your consent (unless it is a necessary (essential) cookie file), a cookie file may store the following information on your Device on a temporary or persistent basis:

  • The source of your visit to our Site (e.g.: social networks, email, other Website, etc.)
  • Your activities on our Site (e.g.: the date and time your visit began and ended, pages viewed, clicks, forms started or completed to sign up for a product, etc.)
  • The advertisements and links you click on
  • The type and version of the browser you use (e.g.: Chrome or Firefox)
  • The type and version of your Device’s operating system (e.g.: Microsoft or iOS)
  • The type and model of your Device (e.g.: phone, tablet or computer)
  • Any other information you provide to us by using our Site (e.g.: preferred language and login credentials) or that allows us to respect your preferences regarding the use of cookie files.

What Types of Cookies are Used?

Depending on their purpose, the cookies used on the Site are generally divided into the following categories:

Strictly Necessary Cookies (essential) – always active

These cookies are essential to the operation and security of the Site. They cannot be disabled through our cookie management tools. In particular, they allow: to secure your connection, to facilitate browsing, to ensure the proper functioning of the Site (e.g. load balancing), to enable forms to be filled out, and to retain your preferences regarding the use of data collection technologies.

You can configure your browser to block these cookies or to be notified of their presence, but this may affect certain parts of the Site.

Functional Cookies (preferences)

These cookies help improve and personalize certain features of the Site by remembering your choices (for example: language, certain settings, information that facilitates your interactions). If you do not accept these cookies, some or all of these features may not work properly. You can enable or disable this category at any time.

Finding your Nearest Station and Personalizing Your Experience

These cookies are used to estimate your approximate geographic location in order to :

  • identify the station closest to you;
  • adapt the content displayed and the information provided based on that station;
  • improve your browsing experience.

For this purpose, we may use your IP address or other location technologies. This information does not allow you to be directly identified and is not saved. You can enable or disable this category at any time.

Performance Cookies (statistics/audience measurement)

These cookies allow us to measure Site traffic and usage (for example: number of visits, traffic sources, most/least viewed pages) in order to improve its performance and content. The information collected is generally aggregated. If you do not accept these cookies, we will have less information to measure and improve the Site’s performance. You can enable or disable this category at any time.

Targeting Cookies (marketing)

These cookies may be set on the Site by VIA and/or by our vendors list. They may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you more relevant advertisements, to create audiences (groups of users with common interests), to personalize advertising campaigns, and to measure their performance.

They do not necessarily store information that directly identifies you, but are based on the unique identifier of your browser and your Device. If you refuse these cookies, advertising may be less personalized. You can enable or disable this category at any time.

Google Analytics (Performance Cookies) and “Cookie-less” Signals

Subject to your choices, VIA uses audience measurement tools, including Google Analytics, to understand how the Site is used and to improve its performance and user experience (e.g. pages viewed, interactions, browsing paths).

Operation Based on Your Consent

If you accept Performance cookies (via our Custom Settings): Google Analytics may place and read audience measurement cookies, which allow us to obtain more complete statistics on the use of the Site.

If you refuse Performance cookies: We respect your choice and no performance cookie is placed for audience measurement purposes. However, due to our configuration, the Site may transmit “cookie-less” measurement signals (pings) to Google. These signals contain limited information and are used solely for aggregated audience measurement and modeling (to estimate performance and traffic without using performance cookies). They are not used for targeted advertising purposes.

Withdrawal of Consent (at any time)

You can modify your choices and withdraw your consent at any time in our Custom Settings by disabling the Performance cookies category. Withdrawal of consent does not prevent access to the Site but may limit our ability to measure and improve its performance.

Additional Option (opt-out browser add-on)

You can also install the opt-out browser add-on provided by Google: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/?hl=en

Can I Manage My Cookie Preferences?

Yes. You can manage your cookie preferences in different ways :

1) Through our “Custom Settings” in the consent banner or via the “Cookie Policy” link at the bottom of the Site’s page

You can accept or reject certain categories of cookies. Strictly necessary (essential) cookies are always active and cannot be disabled, as they are required for the Site’s operation and security.

You can modify your choices at any time via the Custom Settings.

2) Through your Browser Settings

Most browsers allow you to delete or disable all or some cookies, to block them from being stored or to receive a warning before a cookie is stored. However, if you block certain types of cookies, your browsing experience and certain services or features of the Site may be affected.

How Long Do We Retain Your Cookie File Preferences?

We store your cookie preferences on a Device for 6 months. Once this period expires, you will see the banner explaining our use of cookie files again.

This period may differ for certain browsers such as Safari or Firefox. After a set number of days, these browsers automatically delete cookie files, including the one used to remember your cookie file preferences. You may therefore see our banner displayed more frequently if you use one of these browsers. For more details, consult your browser’s user guide.

You may see the banner again if you manually delete cookie files, if you enable private browsing on your Web browser, or if we make changes to our Websites.

Social Media Platforms and Third-Party Sites

We are present on certain social media platforms, such as Meta and LinkedIn. When you interact with us through social media, you do so in accordance with the terms and policies specific to those platforms.

Our Site may contain links to Websites or services that we do not own. When you leave our Site, this Policy no longer applies.

Read carefully the privacy policy and cookie file policy associated with social media platforms, or other Websites and services before providing them with personal information.

Contact Us

For any questions or suggestions regarding this Policy, please contact us at the following address: ATIP@viarail.ca.

Last update: July 15, 2026