Design studio PriestmanGoode developed the styling for the push-pull trainsets which Siemens Mobility is supplying for VIA Rail’s Québec City – Windsor Corridor service, focusing on a ‘sleek, modern’ appearance, ‘accessibility, comfort, and personal space’ and the use of durable materials.

‘Our goal was to deliver a design that represents a new icon for transportation in Canada – and one the rest of the world will envy’, said Chairman Paul Priestman. ‘The new interiors, as well as the livery and nose design, all acknowledge the unique role that transport design can play as an emblem of a city or country.’

The trains have business and economy classes, with bespoke seats designed to offer comfort and personal space, including armrests, coat hooks, tables and charging points. A neutral to mid-grey colour scheme was selected, in a bright cabin environment with ‘hints of warm Canadian maple’.

Business class includes raised partitions for privacy.

The toilets feature decorative foils depicting the Canadian landscape, and ‘touches of Canadian maple ensure that natural materials are represented within the interiors and sit alongside branded panels’.

Accessibility features include wheelchair lifts, five mobility aid spaces per trainset, large accessible toilets and braille signage.

Sustainability was a requirement of the design brief, and the interiors feature water refill points to help eliminate single-use plastic water bottles. Materials in high-touch areas were selected to withstand wear-and-tear and the variation in climatic conditions.

PriestmanGoode also designed the livery which it explains ‘draws upon Canada’s rich history of bold graphic design and carries that heritage forward’. The nose detail is intended to provide a visual impact as a train arrives at a station.

The first of the trainsets is expected to enter service in Q4 2022.

• VIA Rail has awarded Icomera a 10-year contract to deploy and manage wi-fi on the new trains and contribute to the development of an onboard media platform.