The Winnipeg–Churchill train (formerly known as the Hudson Bay and, before that, Northern Spirits) is a twice weekly passenger train operated by Via Rail Canada between Winnipeg and Churchill, Manitoba. It is the only dry-land connection between Churchill and the rest of Canada.
The service, which runs through Manitoba and Saskatchewan, travels on the Canadian National Railway line north to The Pas, where it transfers to the Hudson Bay Railway, passing through Wabowden, Manitoba, with a spur from Sipiwesk to Thompson, and Gillam on its way to the Port of Churchill on Hudson Bay.
Schedule The northbound train leaves Winnipeg at 12:05 on Tuesdays and Sundays and is scheduled to arrive in Churchill two days later at 09:00. The southbound service departs Churchill at 19:30 on Thursday and Saturday evenings and reaches Winnipeg at 16:45 two days later. An additional weekly service operates in each direction between The Pas (departure at 02:30 on Fridays) and Churchill (departure at 19:30 on Tuesdays). The trip takes approximately 45 hours each way.
History
An unnamed mixed passenger train connecting with the Winnipeg–Churchill train at The Pas previously served Lynn Lake, but this service was truncated to Pukatawagan in 2003 by the then track owners OmniTRAX citing a loss in freight traffic making the service unprofitable. Via still operates twice weekly service from The Pas to Pukatawagan on behalf of the Keewatin Railway which now owns the Sherridon Subdivision.
2017 flooding Service between Gillam and Churchill was suspended on May 23, 2017, when flooding heavily damaged the track bed and bridges. Because supplies had to be flown in by air when train service was suspended, prices skyrocketed in Churchill.
Repairs of the track began on September 8, 2018. By October 31, 2018, the track was repaired, and passenger services resumed with train 693 on December 2.
List of stations Name Province CoordinatesWinnipeg MB Portage la Prairie MB Gladstone MB Plumas MB Glenella MB McCreary MB Laurier MB Ochre River MB Dauphin MB Gilbert Plains MB Grandview MB Roblin MB Togo SK Kamsack SK Veregin SK Mikado SK Canora SK Sturgis SK Endeavour SK Reserve SK Hudson Bay SK The Pas MB Tremaudan MB Orok MB Dering MB Finger MB Budd MB Halcrow MB Cormorant MB Dering MB Rawebb MB Dyce MB Paterson MB Wekusko MB Turnbull MB Ponton MB Button MB Dunlop MB Pipun MB Wabowden MB Lyddal MB Odhill MB Earchman MB La Perouse MB Hockin MB Thicket Portage MB Leven MB Thompson MB Sipiwesk MB Pikwitonei MB Bridgar MB Wilde MB Arnot MB Boyd MB Pit Siding MB Munk MB Ilford MB Nonsuch MB Wivenhoe MB Luke MB Gillam MB Bird MB Amery MB Weir River MB Thibaudeau MB Herchmer MB O'Day MB M'Clintock MB Tidal MB Churchill MB
References
External links
Winnipeg-Churchill train at Via Rail Canada