VIA Rail will pick up in Southwestern Ontario where U.S.-based Amtrak left off after the American rail passenger carrier cancels its Chicago-Toronto service next month.

Effective April 22, Amtrak is pulling its International run, which travelled twice daily between Chicago and Toronto, passing through Sarnia and London. The Amtrak service gave Southwestern Ontario another option for travel both in the region and to Chicago and Toronto.

However, VIA says Southwestern Ontario cities on the Amtrak run will continue to be served by two daily VIA runs, starting April 23, between Sarnia and Toronto and through London and Kitchener.

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley was relieved his city will get VIA service, though he was less than impressed overall with the announcement after pursuing greater rail improvements for the border city. "In September, I asked (VIA), at the very least, to replicate the Amtrak service if the Americans decided to withdraw it," he said. "And I'm pleased they're doing that, but I still think they should be doing more and adding more services to Sarnia beyond just two trains a day."

Bradley said he's like to see better train schedules and service frequency for Sarnia. "Sarnia has been cut in the last 15 years severely by the government and by VIA. We've gone from six trains to four trains, and now we're into two a day."

Amtrak, which is improving service between Michigan and its Chicago hub, has said ridership on its International run fell by 11 per cent in the railway's last fiscal year. Amtrak said the International's scheduled late-evening arrivals in Toronto and Chicago meant the service missed all daily long-distance connections in Chicago.

Southwestern Ontarians wanting to take the train to Chicago can still access Amtrak through Port Huron, Mich., across the border from Sarnia.