Are Sleeper Class discounts gone for good?

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Marbleski

Marbleski

Train Attendant
Joined
Oct 26, 2020
Messages
91
Location
Newfoundland Canada
The last number of weeks I noticed the VIA website no longer offers select Sleeper Class discounts. The page is still available but no discounts .

Anyone here know if this is a seasonal thing?
 
OBS said:
I was wondering the same thing...Although the trains I was looking at for Sept. were pretty much sold out, so that might explain why....
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Yes most dates only have berths available. Earlier this summer the berths were showing up on the discount page showing great discounts, even in July and August.

I figured the same discounts would show up for October and November … but no go the last three weeks. Maybe sales are booming.
 
The Sleeper Class Discount page is a distressed inventory sale. My reaction is it probably means they currently do not have any distressed inventory.

The general "discount" fare level is there, but it is nowhere cheap as the fire sales on the Sleeper Discount page.
 
Devil's Advocate said:
Some VIA trains only travel twice a week and they reduce car counts for winter so the total compartments available is much smaller than it used to be.
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I called VIA yesterday for Oct 10 price. They still have discounted upper and lowers. They have 9 lower berths remaining. They also have space in Car 218 which I think means they are running a full consist as during my May trip this was the last sleeper car before the dome, diner and prestige cars.
 
I am in 218 on October 31st. I requested the car furthest back. Was pretty surprised they're running that many sleepers that late.

Of course, VIA has traditionally adjusted consists pretty regularly based on sales, so I am not sure that car will stay on. I am, however, confident that VIA will reaccommodate me in another car, if they do pull it. Unlike Amtrak, they seem competent in their equipment and personnel management.
 
zephyr17 said:
Well, it actually happened. Just checked my reservations and have been moved to car 211.
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That happened to us in May. We were in Car 218 from Vancouver to Jasper. We had 218 booked on the following train after our three day stopover. When we got the station cars 217 and 218 were completely empty. We were moved to Car 212. Prior to boarding I asked if I could get car 216 and they moved me. We had the entire section to ourselves.

Are you in a room or berth?
 
Marbleski said:
That happened to us in May. We were in Car 218 from Vancouver to Jasper. We had 218 booked on the following train after our three day stopover. When we got the station cars 217 and 218 were completely empty. We were moved to Car 212. Prior to boarding I asked if I could get car 216 and they moved me. We had the entire section to ourselves.

Are you in a room or berth?
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Roomette
 
Bob Dylan said:
So nice to know that VIA runs enough Sleepers on the Canadian so you don't get Cancelled on short notice like Amtrak is currently doing to folks!
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They adjust the consist to sales, not arbitrarily like Amtrak. And it is a long standing practice at VIA that they have much experience with. Not the "duh, we just figured out don't have the cars and/or staff to run what we committed to" Amtrak approach.
 
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PNW Pax said:
What differences are there between sleeper class plus discounted cabin for 1 and a nondiscounted cabin for 1 other than price?
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There is no difference. They sell X number of rooms at the discounted rate. When the X number of berths sell out you have to pay the higher rate.

Maybe someone on here knows the number for X.
 
PNW Pax said:
What differences are there between sleeper class plus discounted cabin for 1 and a nondiscounted cabin for 1 other than price?
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Discounted Sleeper Plus tickets are charged a 10% service fee for refunds or exchanges. Regular fare Sleeper Plus tickets are refundable or exchangeable at no cost.
 
I didn't want to start a new thread for my somewhat silly question / observation.

But I am booking my family from Toronto to Halifax. Business on the corridor, and I want two renaissance rooms on the Ocean because our young child is a (figurative) giant.

I am assuming when I get the quote for the three of us together, we are getting a quote for one room.

When I do two separate quotes, first for one adult / one child, and the second for one adult I am obviously getting two rooms. This quote is $20 less. It's so strange!

I am going to do the two bookings and just call in to ask for the rooms together. Am hoping they'll add a "Room for Three" on our trip, but I gather that would be like immediately prior to our departure.
 
Not sure when you are booked, but some additional HEP cars seem to have been added into the reservation system:
It has taken more than a month, but Budd space on #15 has now
been made available for August 2 to October 8 inclusive.

[…]

Until recently, there were never more than 3 upper or lower berths
and 1 drawing room available, which suggested that only one
Château was in revenue service. That has now changed. There are
departures on and after June 2 in both directions where the
availability of space shows that there will be at least two
Châteaux carrying passengers.
Click to expand...
https://groups.io/g/Canadian-Passenger-Rail/message/96144
 
Urban Sky said:
I‘ve never seen Prestige rooms discounted. It‘s the same fare for everyone (even VIA employees travelling for Leisure)…
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I didn’t even check the Prestige
Rooms, as their base fares are so high. I think you could almost book a private car for less, on a per person basis, if VIA would carry them as Amtrak does…🤷‍♂️
 
It appears VIA's fare strategies are far different than Amtrak's. Curious about this: Let's say after one buys an off peak Sleeper Plus fare they happen to have a sale, will VIA rebook at the lower fare and refund the difference as Amtrak does or is one stuck with the higher fare? Is there ay rhyme or reason to when VIA might have such a sale?
 
It's the time of year when I try to persuade my spouse to do a February Canadian run. Usually early to midwinter there are some "distressed inventory" deals, but nothing at the moment. Does anyone have an update on when/if they might be offered again? The standard "discount" fare is $2k per person for a 2 person room, which is a bit steep for us.

https://www.viarail.ca/en/offers/sleeper-plus-class-deals/
(no deals at this time)
 

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