My wife cannont consider getting on a plane at this point and certainly not a non-stop coast to coast. We have highend reservations VIA Canada from Toronto to Vancouver and we have mixed reservations Boston-Chicago-Seattle. The Canandian trip is tremendously more expensive. Are the food, accommodations and viewing that much better in Canada? We need quick advice. Help would be appreciated.
Posted by Kent Loudon (Member # 902) on :
I have not ridden the CANADIAN, but I can assure you that:
1. The mattresses on VIA are twice a thick as Amtrak's.
2. Both routes traverse the most scenic western sections in darkness.
3. VIA has a better chance of operating on scehdule.
4. The VIA equipment, although refurbished 1950's stock, will be more dependable than Amtrak's.
5. VIA personnell are more likely to be customer-oriented than Amtrak's.
My choice would be VIA.
Posted by David (Member # 3) on :
As one who frequently travels aboard the "Canadian," I agree with most of what Kent Loudon says except for item #2. It is one of the great myths of transcontinental train travel in Canada that the best scenery is traversed in darkness. This happens only when a train is considerably late although, obviously, in mid-winter, viewing any scenery is somewhat limited by the extended hours of darkness. I have travelled through the Canadian Rockies perhaps 30 times (on both the CNR and CPR routes) and only once was the "Canadian" so late that the best scenery was missed.
Whilst the fares charged for sleepers in the peak season are fairly high, considerable discounts can be realised in the off-season, which commences on October 23rd. Until February Via is offering a two-for-one deal called a "Seniors' Free Companion Offer." Only one of the two people needs to be a senior (60 or over) and it is valid in sleepers as well as coach. The only "catch" on the "Canadian" is that bookings for this deal in sleepers can only be made 21 or fewer days in advance during the present peak fare season. In the off-season, bookings can be made at any time, but at least 10 days before travel.
Posted by royaltrain (Member # 622) on :
Regarding The Canadian, for U.S. residents you will also have the advantage of buying tickets with the cheap Canadian dollar. In other words U.S. residents will in effect receive about a 45% discount. To give you an interesting example, as a Canadian resident this coming Christmas season I will have to pay C$1152 (U$763) for a deluxe bedroom for 35 hours on the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle, yet only C$945 for a large double bedroom from Vancouver to Toronto for 72 hours on The Canadian. This does not include the cost of my N.A. Rail pass at C$702 and as well it is much cheaper to travel in the off-season. But all in all for U.S. residents Via is a particularly good bargain.