# Looking for Skeena-Related Recommendations



## Chicoan (Aug 4, 2016)

Hello -- would very much appreciate your thoughts on any or all of these questions:

1) Taking the Skeena one-way in mid-late Sept (scenery and weather)

2) Which direction? (I am currently thinking of ferry to Pr Rupert, Skeena eastbound to Jasper)

3) Overnight hotel in Pr George recommendations

4) Any other tips and thoughts. Thank you!


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## Dayliner381 (Aug 4, 2016)

Either direction would be fine. Taking the BC Ferry from Port Hardy up the Inside Passge to Prince Rupert and connecting to the eastbound Skeena would be a good plan. Try to book a train which offers Touring Class, if only because the catering in Economy is pretty limited, while Touring Class offers at your seat mea' service, as well as travel in an ex BC-rail sightseer car.. Not every depature has the upgrade.

Prince George is a blue collar town, and rougth aorund the edges, but perfecltry safe. Either the Ramada or the Coast Inn would be good hotel choices.


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## tricia (Aug 5, 2016)

Dayliner381 said:


> Either direction would be fine. Taking the BC Ferry from Port Hardy up the Inside Passge to Prince Rupert and connecting to the eastbound Skeena would be a good plan. Try to book a train which offers Touring Class, if only because the catering in Economy is pretty limited, while Touring Class offers at your seat mea' service, as well as travel in an ex BC-rail sightseer car.. Not every depature has the upgrade.
> 
> Prince George is a blue collar town, and rougth aorund the edges, but perfecltry safe. Either the Ramada or the Coast Inn would be good hotel choices.


Any suggestions on how to get to Port Hardy from either Victoria or Vancouver?


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## Dayliner381 (Aug 5, 2016)

There are flights from Vancouver to Port Hardy, and a bus from Victoria., Accommodation in both Port Hardy and Prince Rupert can be at a premium, which is why some people arrange this itinerary through a wholesale travel agent that specializes in Rail Tours, e.g. Fresh Tracks or John Steel.


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## zephyr17 (Aug 5, 2016)

There is bus service from Vancouver to Port Hardy (via a shuttle bus from Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay, then ferry to Nanaimo where you catch the bus to Port Hardy).

http://www.tofinobus.com/courtenay-campbell-river-port-hardy


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## williamn (Aug 5, 2016)

Has the Skenna always operated over two days or did it use to convey sleeping carriages?


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## Chicoan (Aug 5, 2016)

Thanks, folks!


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## zephyr17 (Aug 5, 2016)

williamn said:


> Has the Skenna always operated over two days or did it use to convey sleeping carriages?


At least in the late 80s, it carried sleepers and operated overnight pretty much Jasper-Prince George, I rode it. Of course, it also originated in Edmonton hooked on the back of the Super Continental and ran daily, too.

The switch to 2 days was in the last 10 years or so, I think.

Also, like every train VIA has except the Canadian and the Ocean, it lost its name and is no longer the "Skeena." It is now the "Jasper-Prince Rupert train".


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## Dayliner381 (Aug 5, 2016)

The Skeena operated on an overnight schedule with sleepers until 1993, when the present 2 day schedule went into effect. For a few years prior to the switch the sleeping accommodation for most of the year was in a 10 roomette combination baggage-dorm (converted from CN 22 roomette cars) so there was not much demand. There may have been a full sleeper in the summer peak.

The rationale for the switch was threefold:

1. reduce costs;

2. better meet the train's remote service mandate, which is to provide local service to communities without adequate alternative transportation; and

3. increase revenues on a little-used remote service, by developing a tourism product akin to the Rockies by Daylight/Rocky Mountaineer -

The Skeena named comes from the Skeena River, and is of comparatively recent origin, dating from when VIA created names for all of its trains. That was early in the VIA era. The CN predecessor service was unnamed, and the train was then known informally as the Rupert Rocket.

VIA reversed its marketing strategy because it was unable to copyright the train names, and because the names did not mean much to international tourists. However, you still see Railfans and even ordinary tourists referring to the train colloquially as the Skeena.


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## zephyr17 (Aug 5, 2016)

Thanks, it has been on the 2 day schedule longer than I thought. While I don't recall the exact car configuration, we did have a bedroom when we rode it in the fall of 1986, and it was all sleeper, not a combo. It was an ex-CN "Blue Fleet" car though.


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## greatcats (Aug 6, 2016)

For what it is worth, as you did not ask, but I have stayed twice at the Crest Hotel in Prince Rupert. Very nice dining room. I did not take the train there, but had driven from Arizona to get the Alaska Ferry to my summer tour bus job in Ketchikan.


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## Chicoan (Aug 19, 2016)

Dayliner381 said:


> There are flights from Vancouver to Port Hardy, and a bus from Victoria., Accommodation in both Port Hardy and Prince Rupert can be at a premium, which is why some people arrange this itinerary through a wholesale travel agent that specializes in Rail Tours, e.g. Fresh Tracks or John Steel.


After I read this suggestion, I looked unsuccessfully online for Fresh Tracks. I did find John Steel which has great options on their website but they don't answer their phone or respond to messages!


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## Dayliner381 (Aug 20, 2016)

Fresh Tracks is based in Vancouver. Their website is freshtrackscanada.com. The toll free number is 877 210 5451. I believe the name refers to fresh tracks in the snow, not RR tracks, but they do a lot of customized train tours.


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## Heath Loxton (Aug 27, 2016)

Does the Skeena currently connect with the Canadian at Jasper?


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## zephyr17 (Aug 29, 2016)

Not really. On Wednesdays, the train leaves Jasper a few hours before the eastbound Canadian arrives. The other 2 days of the week it runs are Friday and Sunday, and the eastbound Canadian goes through Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. So the best connection would be arriving on the Canadian on Saturday and leaving on the Skeena on Sunday.

The westbound Canadian goes through Jasper on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It arrives after the Skeena leaves on Fridays and Sundays, so the best connection would be to arrive on the westbound Canadian on Tuesday leave on Wednesday's Skeena.

I can't help but think absolutely no thought was given to connections when determining this schedule.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 29, 2016)

Maybe VIA hired a failed Amtrak Exec to do the Schedules?


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## MikefromCrete (Aug 29, 2016)

zephyr17 said:


> Not really. On Wednesdays, the train leaves Jasper a few hours before the eastbound Canadian arrives. The other 2 days of the week it runs are Friday and Sunday, and the eastbound Canadian goes through Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. So the best connection would be arriving on the Canadian on Saturday and leaving on the Skeena on Sunday.
> 
> The westbound Canadian goes through Jasper on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It arrives after the Skeena leaves on Fridays and Sundays, so the best connection would be to arrive on the westbound Canadian on Tuesday leave on Wednesday's Skeena.
> 
> I can't help but think absolutely no thought was given to connections when determining this schedule.



Since the Canadian seldom runs on time, the overnight stay is probably better than holding the Skeena for hours, or missing the connection altogether.


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## zephyr17 (Aug 29, 2016)

Bob Dylan said:


> Maybe VIA hired a failed Amtrak Exec to do the Schedules?


Probably not. Amtrak is pretty good at scheduling trains to enable connections.


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## zephyr17 (Aug 29, 2016)

MikefromCrete said:


> zephyr17 said:
> 
> 
> > Not really. On Wednesdays, the train leaves Jasper a few hours before the eastbound Canadian arrives. The other 2 days of the week it runs are Friday and Sunday, and the eastbound Canadian goes through Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. So the best connection would be arriving on the Canadian on Saturday and leaving on the Skeena on Sunday.
> ...


Well, there is that...


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## Train2104 (Sep 7, 2016)

zephyr17 said:


> I can't help but think absolutely no thought was given to connections when determining this schedule.


This was asked during the Annual Public Meeting and they claimed most connecting passengers (tourists) preferred the layover. (or Jasper wanted the tourism dollars from overnighters)


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## Chicoan (Sep 7, 2016)

Chicoan said:


> Dayliner381 said:
> 
> 
> > There are flights from Vancouver to Port Hardy, and a bus from Victoria., Accommodation in both Port Hardy and Prince Rupert can be at a premium, which is why some people arrange this itinerary through a wholesale travel agent that specializes in Rail Tours, e.g. Fresh Tracks or John Steel.
> ...


Just wanted to mention that Wendy from John Steel has been ill, now back at work. I can't fault her for not replying to my interest since she was in the hospital!


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