Cadence at the heart of the largest railway project in Canadian history

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that the Cadence consortium has been selected to design, build, and operate the future Alto high-speed train, under the management of the state-owned company Alto TGV. This historic project, the most ambitious ever undertaken in Canada, will transform mobility between Quebec and Toronto by reducing travel time to just three hours, down from over five today. 

Keolis, a member of the consortium alongside CDPQ Infra, AtkinsRéalis, SYSTRA, SNCF Voyageurs, and Air Canada, will apply its expertise in public transport and customer experience to a project that redefines the future of long-distance travel. 

The Alto project, regarded as the most significant infrastructure project in the country's history, ushers in a new era for Canadian rail transport. By connecting strategic cities such as Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto, it will promote seamless and sustainable mobility. This project will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, stimulate local investment, and encourage innovation in the transport sector. It will provide Canadians with an efficient and environmentally friendly alternative for long-distance travel, thereby helping to reduce the country's carbon footprint.

For over 20 years, Keolis has established itself as a key player in mobility in Canada, operating bus and coach networks in Quebec City, Montreal, and Ottawa. Following the acquisition of two business divisions, Transit and Motorcoach from Pacific Western Transportation Ltd. (PWT), Keolis is taking a new step with this project by deploying its multimodal expertise for Canada’s first high-speed train. With its experience in operations and passenger experience, Keolis will ensure optimal performance and seamless service at the heart of a modern rail network. 

Read the press release