Alto opens a new era in Canadian rail—and one with continental ramifications—as North America’s first high-speed rail line. On 19 February 2025, Canada’s prime minister announced that the Cadence consortium had been selected to design, develop and operate this HST line connecting Quebec and Toronto.

Keolis has been delivering vital bus and coach services in Canada for over 20 years, while SNCF Voyageurs is a world-class expert in high-speed rail passenger transport. Both are key members of the Cadence team. And for SNCF Voyageurs, this will be its first experience operating a high-speed rail service outside Europe.

Alto will slash travel time between Quebec and Toronto from over 5 to just 3 hours. And by linking strategic cities including Montreal, Trois-Rivières and Ottawa, it is also set to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, while offering Canadian passengers an efficient and eco-friendly alternative for long-distance travel, helping reduce the nation’s carbon footprint.