VIA Rail announced a new train schedule that will transport passengers from Ottawa to Toronto before 9 a.m.

Train number 641 will depart Ottawa at 4:19 a.m. from Monday to Thursday, with stops before reaching Cobourg and Brockville, arriving at Union Station in Toronto by 8:48 a.m.

Mario Pelocquin, the President and CEO of VIA Rail, stated: “In recent months, stakeholders and passengers from Eastern Ontario have emphasized the importance of VIA Rail's early morning services to their communities, and we have paid close attention to these comments and acted on them."

The new service will begin on May 27, and customers can book their trip on April 29.

The company stated that in addition to the new service schedule, train number 644, which currently operates between Ottawa and Toronto from Friday to Sunday, will operate daily once train 641 is in service.

VIA Rail added that it will closely monitor passenger response to the early morning schedule and will make adjustments as necessary.