Blog > Moving From Ottawa to Brockville: Can You Commute to Work by Train?
Not for a regular nine-to-five. On VIA Rail's published timetable, the first train from Brockville toward Ottawa leaves at 10:00 a.m. and reaches Ottawa station at 11:21 a.m., and the last train from Ottawa that stops in Brockville leaves at 3:25 p.m.
The train can still work for an occasional office day, a late-start hybrid schedule, or someone living in Ottawa and working in Brockville. If you need to be at a desk in Ottawa five mornings a week, plan on driving and buy with that in mind.
Why the train looks like an option at first
Brockville sits on VIA's Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa line, and the station on Perth Street is staffed during the day. VIA lists the rail distance to Ottawa at about 110 km, and the trains we looked at take roughly an hour and twenty minutes. On paper, that compares well with the drive.
The catch is when the trains run. This line is built around trips between Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa, not around a morning commute from Brockville into Ottawa. Most of the trains that stop in Brockville heading toward Ottawa have come up from Toronto, so they reach Brockville later in the day.
What the weekday schedule actually looks like
These are the weekday trains that stop in Brockville on VIA's published Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa timetables, read on November 11, 2026. Most also stop at Fallowfield station in Barrhaven before Ottawa station on Tremblay Road.
| Direction | Weekday trains (leave, then arrive) | What it means for an Ottawa job |
|---|---|---|
| Brockville to Ottawa, daytime | 10:00 a.m. to 11:21 a.m. (Fallowfield 11:01 a.m.), daily. 12:00 p.m. to 1:32 p.m., daily. | The earliest you reach Ottawa is late morning. |
| Brockville to Ottawa, evening | 5:27 p.m. (Tuesdays only), 6:48 p.m. daily, 9:02 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 10:46 p.m. Sunday to Friday. | Useful for getting to Ottawa the night before, not for a morning start. |
| Ottawa to Brockville | 4:56 a.m. to 6:15 a.m. (Monday to Saturday), 8:29 a.m. to 9:49 a.m., 11:43 a.m. to 1:01 p.m. (Sunday to Friday), 12:43 p.m. to 2:14 p.m., 3:25 p.m. to 4:43 p.m. | The last train home that stops in Brockville leaves Ottawa at 3:25 p.m. |
| Time in Ottawa on a train-only day | Arrive 11:21 a.m., leave 3:25 p.m. | About four hours downtown, before getting from the station to your office and back. |
VIA changes schedules from time to time, and its trip planner can show different trains for a specific date than the general timetable does. Treat this as a picture of how the service is shaped, and check the exact trains for the days you would travel before you count on them.
Who the train actually works for
The honest way to think about it is to match the schedule to how you work, rather than asking whether there is a train at all.
- Full-time in an Ottawa office. The train does not get you there in the morning or home in the evening. You are commuting by car, and the house you choose should make that drive as easy as possible.
- Hybrid with mostly remote days. For a meeting day or a late start, a mid-morning train in and the 3:25 p.m. train home can work. For a full office day it usually does not.
- Occasional trips into the city. Appointments, events or a day downtown are where the train fits best, since you skip the drive and the parking.
- Living in Ottawa and working in Brockville. The reverse trip lines up better: an 8:29 a.m. train reaches Brockville at 9:49 a.m., and the 6:48 p.m. train gets back to Ottawa at 8:06 p.m.
For most households moving from Ottawa, that means the car is the commute and the train is a nice extra. Our Ottawa to Brockville buyer's guide covers the drive along the 401 and 416 in more detail.
Before you buy in Brockville expecting to use the train
- Write down which days you actually need to be in Ottawa and what time you need to arrive and leave.
- Check VIA's trip planner for those exact days, not just the general timetable.
- Ask your employer how firm your office days and hours are, and whether a late start on train days would be accepted.
- Work out the last leg in Ottawa. Ottawa station is on Tremblay Road and VIA lists the O-Train among local transit options. Fallowfield is in Barrhaven.
- Look at parking at the Brockville station, which VIA lists as run by Indigo, or how you would get there from the homes you are considering.
- Do a practice run on a weekday before you firm up, ideally the same day of the week you expect to travel.
If you need transit for a daily Ottawa commute
If a daily transit commute is a must, Brockville may not be the right fit, and that is worth knowing before you fall for a house. Kemptville is closer and has a scheduled commuter bus into Ottawa's O-Train network. Our Ottawa to Kemptville commute guide walks through how that works.
Common follow-up questions
Is there a train from Brockville to Ottawa every day?
Yes. The 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 6:48 p.m. trains toward Ottawa are listed as running every day on VIA's published timetable. Some other trains run only on certain days, so check the day you need.
How much does the train cost?
Fares vary by date and train. When we checked VIA's Brockville to Ottawa page on November 11, 2026, one-way fares for mid-November dates started between $31 and $48 before tax. That works for the odd trip. Whether it makes sense as a regular expense depends on how often you would travel.
Thinking about leaving Ottawa for Brockville and trying to figure out how the commute would really work for your schedule?
I am happy to talk it through and help you narrow down where to look. Get in touch. No pressure either way.
Sources: VIA Rail, Toronto - Kingston - Ottawa timetable; VIA Rail, Ottawa - Kingston - Toronto timetable; VIA Rail, Brockville station. VIA's Ottawa, Fallowfield and Brockville to Ottawa pages were also used. All were read November 11, 2026.
Train times and fares change. Confirm current schedules with VIA Rail before you rely on them for a purchase or a job decision.