Washington Proposes New Passport-Data Rules for Canada–U.S. Train Passengers

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Crossing the Canada–U.S. border by train could soon involve more advance screening, even before passengers approach a customs officer. Washington has proposed new rules requiring railway operators to electronically submit detailed identification and travel information to U.S. border authorities before international trains reach the border.

The proposal, published October 13, 2026, would make advance passenger reporting mandatory for trains entering or leaving the United States. It covers Canadian routes connecting Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver with American destinations, as well as other international rail services. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the changes would strengthen security and could shorten border delays. For Canadian travellers, however, they also raise questions about personal information, identification requirements and how much data must be shared before a journey begins.

Washington Wants Passenger Information Before Trains Reach the Border

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed a major change to how international rail passengers are screened. Under a notice published in the Federal Register on October 13, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, wants rail operators to submit electronic information about every passenger and crew member crossing the American border. The requirements would apply to trains arriving in the United States and those departing for another country, including Canada. The rule would also cover certain trains passing through American territory.

The change would replace a largely voluntary advance-reporting arrangement with mandatory requirements. CBP has operated a voluntary rail passenger-information program since 2005, but says participation remains limited. Only one railway operator currently submits information through that program. Officials argue that incomplete or late submissions leave border officers without enough time to assess potential security concerns. The new proposal would create consistent reporting obligations, although it has not been finalized and does not yet change existing legal requirements for travellers.

Passport Numbers Would Be Only One Part of the Required Information

The proposed rules reach well beyond the basic identification details commonly associated with crossing an international border. Railway operators would have to provide passengers’ full names, dates of birth, sex, citizenship and country of residence. Where an approved travel document is required, its type, number, issuing country and expiration date would also have to be reported. CBP would additionally receive each traveller’s complete itinerary, including the stations where the journey begins and ends, along with an address in the United States unless the traveller is simply passing through.

Other requested information could include reservation reference numbers, baggage-tag details, carriage and seat numbers, immigration registration numbers where applicable, and trusted-traveller or redress numbers. Operators would also have to request a contact telephone number and email address, but would transmit them only when provided. That distinction matters because not every field is mandatory for every person. The proposal does not mean every Canadian must obtain a traditional passport: other Homeland Security-approved travel documents may still qualify under existing border rules.

A 24-Hour Notice and a 60-Minute Deadline Would Reshape Reporting

The proposed reporting system includes two important deadlines, and they apply to different information. Railway operators would be required to notify CBP about an international train at least 24 hours before its expected arrival at the U.S. border crossing. That notice would identify the railway company, train and carriage numbers, origin, destination, scheduled stops and expected crossing time. Operators would also provide contact information for someone familiar with the journey and available during an emergency.

Passenger and crew information would operate on a shorter timeline. CBP proposes requiring those electronic manifests at least 60 minutes before the train’s departure from its final station or stop before crossing the border. This does not automatically establish a 24-hour advance-booking requirement for passengers. Railway companies would still have obligations to submit corrections when details change, including when passengers board or leave before reaching the crossing. The system is intended to give border officers time to examine information before the train arrives, while accommodating changes to actual passenger lists.

Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver Routes Could All Be Affected

For Canadian travellers, the most recognizable services include three major cross-border rail corridors. The Maple Leaf connects Toronto with New York through Niagara Falls and Buffalo, while the Adirondack links Montreal and New York through upstate New York. On the West Coast, Amtrak Cascades connects Vancouver with Seattle and other Pacific Northwest destinations. These services carry people visiting relatives, attending business meetings or travelling for leisure, making changes to border procedures relevant well beyond railway operators themselves.

The experience already differs between routes. Amtrak advises Toronto passengers that border inspections take place at Niagara Falls, where travellers leave the train with their baggage before reboarding. Vancouver has a different arrangement: in June 2026, Amtrak introduced U.S. passenger-rail preclearance at Pacific Central Station, allowing southbound travellers to complete American border checks before boarding. The proposed electronic-reporting requirements are broader than either local inspection procedure. They would apply nationally to international trains, including services crossing the U.S.–Mexico border and freight trains carrying crew members.

U.S. Officials Say Voluntary Rail Screening Leaves a Security Gap

The American government’s justification centres on a difference between rail travel and other modes of international transportation. Airlines and commercial passenger vessels already operate under mandatory advance-information reporting systems. Rail companies, however, have largely been allowed to provide similar passenger information voluntarily. CBP says that arrangement can leave officers learning important details only when a train reaches a border checkpoint, limiting their opportunity to investigate potential concerns before passengers arrive.

The agency says three passenger rail operators have participated in its voluntary program since 2005, although only one remains involved today. Officials argue that mandatory reporting could help identify travellers requiring closer examination for immigration, customs or security reasons. The agency cites an incident in 2008 in which advance manifest information helped identify a Canadian citizen whose record matched a terrorism-screening dataset; the individual was refused entry. That example illustrates CBP’s reasoning, but it does not establish that ordinary cross-border rail travel is inherently dangerous. The government presents the proposal as a precautionary measure designed to close an information gap.

Booking Mistakes Could Become More Important Under the New System

For passengers, one practical concern involves the accuracy of reservation information. Amtrak already requires people booking cross-border journeys to provide details about citizenship, date of birth and the identification they intend to carry. It advises travellers to bring the same valid document identified during booking. Under the proposed federal rules, operators would have a formal responsibility to compare passengers’ documents with the information transmitted to CBP and confirm that the documents appear valid and belong to the travellers presenting them.

The proposal also explains how officials would respond to possible problems. After reviewing a passenger manifest, CBP would tell the railway either that the transmission was accepted or that the company must contact the agency. A misspelled name or incorrect document number could require clarification. If a security, immigration or other law-enforcement concern remains unresolved, CBP could recommend that the passenger not be transported, although the carrier would retain the decision about boarding. For passengers, this makes accurate booking information particularly important, even when the underlying issue is simply an administrative mistake.

Washington Predicts Shorter Border Delays, but Savings Are Estimates

One of the proposal’s most appealing claims is that stronger advance screening could make train journeys faster. CBP estimates that receiving complete passenger information before a train arrives could reduce border processing delays by an average of approximately 30 minutes. Its analysis assumes that trains arriving without advance manifests might otherwise spend about an hour waiting for officers to process passengers. Reviewing information earlier would allow inspectors to concentrate on people needing additional attention rather than beginning every examination from scratch.

The agency attaches an economic value to those potential time savings. Its regulatory analysis estimates approximately US$8.17 million in annual benefits to international rail passengers, measured primarily through the value of time saved rather than money returned to travellers. That figure is a forecast, not a realized saving. It also relies on historical train-crossing assumptions and processing-time estimates developed before the proposal. Weather, staffing shortages, security concerns and other disruptions could still affect journeys. Faster processing is therefore a possible benefit of the new system, not a promise that every train will reach its destination earlier.

Railway Companies Would Face New Costs and Reporting Obligations

The proposed system would place its main administrative burden on railway operators, not individual passengers. CBP’s analysis uses estimates of approximately 3,497 international passenger-train crossings and 70,215 freight-train crossings annually. Those figures are modelling assumptions based on historical activity, rather than verified totals for 2026. The agency estimates annual reporting costs of approximately US$58,430 for passenger rail carriers and US$380,495 for freight rail carriers, expressed in 2024 U.S. dollars.

Companies could transmit data using certified electronic systems or approved options such as CBP’s existing eAPIS portal. That could reduce the need for expensive new software, but employees would still have to prepare manifests, verify documents and update inaccurate records. Operators using certain interactive systems would also have to submit a final passenger confirmation within 30 minutes after departure. The proposal includes potential civil penalties for reporting violations and additional consequences for intentional misconduct, while recognizing that emergencies may prevent normal reporting. For smaller operators, the challenge could involve staffing and coordination as much as technology.

Sharing More Travel Information Raises Important Privacy Questions

The proposed requirements would place a substantial amount of personal information in American government systems before passengers physically cross the border. Passport or approved-document numbers, travel itineraries, U.S. addresses and potentially contact details would become part of standardized electronic submissions. That creates an obvious privacy question for Canadians: how much information should a foreign government receive about an ordinary train journey, and what safeguards govern its subsequent use?

CBP says the information would be handled under the U.S. Privacy Act of 1974. It also states that, if the rule is finalized, the agency will issue or update necessary privacy assessments and records notices to explain the applicable protections. Existing Advance Passenger Information System documentation already addresses voluntary rail-data collection, but the proposal does not itself establish a detailed new retention schedule for every information category. Questions about storage, authorized access and the correction of inaccurate records remain relevant to the public debate. The trade-off is between more extensive advance screening and the government’s stated goal of making legitimate travel safer and more efficient.

Canadians Have Until December 14 to Comment on the Proposal

The new requirements are not yet final. CBP published the proposal on October 13, 2026, and set December 14, 2026, as the deadline for public comments. Interested individuals, railway companies and organizations can submit their views through the U.S. federal rulemaking portal under docket number USCBP-2026-0992. The agency is asking for evidence about the economic and operational effects of the proposed requirements, including possible costs that its initial analysis may have overlooked.

Submissions become part of the public regulatory record, so commenters are warned that personal details included in their submissions may be published. After reviewing responses, American authorities could revise the requirements before issuing any final rule. CBP is also considering similar reporting obligations for international bus travel, suggesting a wider effort to standardize land-border screening. For Canadians travelling by rail, the immediate reality is that existing documentation rules remain in place. The longer-term question is whether more extensive advance data collection will produce the smoother crossings Washington anticipates without creating unnecessary privacy concerns or complications for passengers.

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