# New Canadian Schedule Effective 6/26



## zephyr17

While I don't see a big announcement, and the PDF schedules have not been updated, new schedules have been loaded in the interactive schedule tool on the website, and also show when doing dummy bookings.

Effective on both the Vancouver and Toronto departures next Tuesday, 6/26, the Canadian will be running on a new schedule that is roughly 9 hours longer westbound and 13 hours longer eastbound. 1 will still leave Toronto at 10:00 pm but Vancouver arrival will be 6:00 pm. 2 will now leave Vancouver at 12 noon, and arrive Toronto at 2:00 pm. The schedule is 3 days, 23 hours in both directions.

Fraiser River Canyon will be in daylight both directions. Prime Rocky Mountain scenery between Valemount and Jasper will be basically at dawn and sunset in the summer months, in the winter it will be largely full dark in each direction.

For me, the big downside is that it breaks the connection with the morning Cascades (516) from Seattle, which is what I use to catch it. 15 minutes is way too tight, even if customs clearance was not a factor. So now an eastbound trip will involve laying over in Vancouver. I usually do not do the Canadian in both directions, so driving up doesn't make any sense for the parking fees alone, and then there's the fact that l'd have to go back to Canada to pick up my car.

Hopefully, CN can keep to this schedule, at least for awhile (they did okay with the last schedule extension at first).

Now I have to decide whether or not I want to trust CN to keep the new schedule and stay with my usual one night layover in Toronto before onward travel on my upcoming late October/November trip, or build in a 3 day buffer in Toronto like I was planning before I caught wind of the schedule change.


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## bretton88

Losing the Rockies scenery is a huge negative. That takes away one of the charms of the train.


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## Eric S

Did you dig into whether days of operation changed? Curious as to how much turn-around time there is in Toronto and Vancouver.


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## zephyr17

Same days of operation. Toronto turnaround is 8 hours (2pm to 10 pm)


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## Dakota 400

I appreciate zephyr17's information and will have to look at the new schedule. _The Canadian_ is still on my 
"to do" list. Now, I am thinking about Fall, after High Season.


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## zephyr17

New schedule PDF up for the westbound. Old one up still up for the eastbound.

In Vancouver, 1 arrives at 6:00 pm Monday (summer only), Wednesday and Saturday. 2 leaves at 12:00 noon Tuesday, Friday and Sunday (summer only). So it has a 18 hour turnaround Monday to Tuesday and Saturday to Sunday, and a 42 hour turnaround Wednesday to Friday.

In the winter, it has a generous Saturday to Tuesday turnaround of 66 hours, and the same 42 hour Wednesday to Friday as in the summer. Vancouver is the real maintenance base for the train, BTW. Toronto is the "away" terminal where they mostly just turn it around. Not even that, really, as they don't physically turn it in Toronto. Clean, restock, take care of minor maintenance.

One thing I wonder is with the short 8 hour turnaround whether or not they will take the time to take it to the yard at Mimico, which is like 7 or 8 miles away, or just service it in the station (assuming GO Transit would let them just sit and take up a station track there through evening rush hour).


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## zephyr17

Dakota 400 said:


> I appreciate zephyr17's information and will have to look at the new schedule. _The Canadian_ is still on my
> 
> "to do" list. Now, I am thinking about Fall, after High Season.


Best standard discount price will be when you get into the full winter pricing in November. October is still at summer fares. Also, the Park car time restrictions for Sleeper Plus come off after October 11th. I highly recommend the train in the off season rather than the summer. For one thing it is normal sized train (8 cars seems the minimum consist) not a 26 car monster, and it is not nearly as crowded.


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## Dakota 400

zephyr17 said:


> Dakota 400 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I appreciate zephyr17's information and will have to look at the new schedule. _The Canadian_ is still on my
> 
> "to do" list. Now, I am thinking about Fall, after High Season.
> 
> 
> 
> Best standard discount price will be when you get into the full winter pricing in November. October is still at summer fares. Also, the Park car time restrictions for Sleeper Plus come off after October 11th. I highly recommend the train in the off season rather than the summer. For one thing it is normal sized train (8 cars seems the minimum consist) not a 26 car monster, and it is not nearly as crowded.
Click to expand...

As a potential Sleeper Plus customer, access to the Park Car is important. The price differential between Off Season and the Summer Season fare is a price I am not willing to pay. But.

I'll have to seriously consider the new schedule to see if I need to change my mind in order to obtain the best viewing opportunities during the trip.


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## zephyr17

Dakota 400 said:


> zephyr17 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dakota 400 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I appreciate zephyr17's information and will have to look at the new schedule. _The Canadian_ is still on my
> 
> "to do" list. Now, I am thinking about Fall, after High Season.
> 
> 
> 
> Best standard discount price will be when you get into the full winter pricing in November. October is still at summer fares. Also, the Park car time restrictions for Sleeper Plus come off after October 11th. I highly recommend the train in the off season rather than the summer. For one thing it is normal sized train (8 cars seems the minimum consist) not a 26 car monster, and it is not nearly as crowded.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> As a potential Sleeper Plus customer, access to the Park Car is important. The price differential between Off Season and the Summer Season fare is a price I am not willing to pay. But.
> 
> I'll have to seriously consider the new schedule to see if I need to change my mind in order to obtain the best viewing opportunities during the trip.
Click to expand...

In my mind, the Frasier River Canyon goes a long way towards making up for the couple of hours of the really good Rockies just west of Jasper. The Fraiser River Canyon is very scenic and the train goes through at a good time on the new schedule and spends a goodly amount of time in the canyon. And BC's Coast Mountains are nothing to sneeze at. They are as mighty as the Rockies.

The crossing of the Rockies over Yellowhead Pass on the CN line is not nearly as lengthy or dramatic as CPs route over Rogers Pass and Kicking Horse Pass. It also isn't as dramatic or scenic as the CZ up the Front Range and then through the canyons of the Western Slope (although you can't ride that in a Budd short dome anymore, which makes up for a lot).

You may want to take that with a grain of salt from me, though. The main attraction of the Canadian to me is the train itself. I am perfectly happy riding in the dome over the praries of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Plus hardly anybody is up there then.

If you can travel at relatively short notice (4-8 weeks) the best prices (about 40% off) can be had on the Sleeper Plus deals page at https://www.viarail.ca/en/deals .Those deals are only for specific city pairs on specific dates.


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## railiner

zephyr17 said:


> . Toronto is the "away" terminal where they mostly just turn it around. Not even that, really, as they don't physically turn it in Toronto. Clean, restock, take care of minor maintenance.
> 
> .


They don't actually turn the train? What do you mean by "mostly"...just turn the seats? I would hate to ride backwards that far in a seat or roomette...

As for the very long layover on one day...that would be the day to choose, for the best chance of an "on-time" departure, I suppose....

I haven't actually looked it up, but for a schedule that long between Vancouver and Toronto, it might be faster to cross the border twice, and take Amtrak the whole way via Buffalo, Chicago, and Seattle....maybe even cheaper....for those only looking for transportation, and not a 'cruise'.....


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## jebr

railiner said:


> I haven't actually looked it up, but for a schedule that long between Vancouver and Toronto, it might be faster to cross the border twice, and take Amtrak the whole way via Buffalo, Chicago, and Seattle....maybe even cheaper....for those only looking for transportation, and not a 'cruise'.....


It's faster (and bookable on amtrak.com) to go via Amtrak from Vancouver to Toronto. Comparing one date, December 14:

Amtrak: Leave Vancouver at 11:30 AM on the Thruway bus to Seattle. Connect to the 4:40 PM Empire Builder arriving in Chicago on December 16 at 3:55 PM. In Chicago, change to the 9:30 PM Lake Shore Limited, arriving in Buffalo at 8:46 AM on December 17. Take the 3:01 PM Maple Leaf to Toronto, arriving at 7:41 PM.

Thus, the departure from Vancouver is at 11:30 AM on December 14, with arrival in Toronto at 7:41 PM on December 17

VIA: Leave Vancouver at noon on December 14. Arrive in Toronto at 2 PM on December 18.

Amtrak is 18 hours and 19 minutes faster than VIA, and runs daily (though some days might require using the multi-city option if Amtrak didn't build it in ARROW.) That's including two border crossings and three transfers, two of which are around 6 hours long. That's extremely disappointing performance for VIA and CN.

(By the way, you could shave off another 7 hours by using the overnight Greyhound/Amtrak Thruway bus from Chicago to Toronto. That'd arrive at 1:05 PM on December 17, a full day earlier than VIA.)


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## cpotisch

jebr said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> 
> I haven't actually looked it up, but for a schedule that long between Vancouver and Toronto, it might be faster to cross the border twice, and take Amtrak the whole way via Buffalo, Chicago, and Seattle....maybe even cheaper....for those only looking for transportation, and not a 'cruise'.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's faster (and bookable on amtrak.com) to go via Amtrak from Vancouver to Toronto. Comparing one date, December 14:
> 
> Amtrak: Leave Vancouver at 11:30 AM on the Thruway bus to Seattle. Connect to the 4:40 PM Empire Builder arriving in Chicago on December 16 at 3:55 PM. In Chicago, change to the 9:30 PM Lake Shore Limited, arriving in Buffalo at 8:46 AM on December 17. Take the 3:01 PM Maple Leaf to Toronto, arriving at 7:41 PM.
> 
> Thus, the departure from Vancouver is at 11:30 AM on December 14, with arrival in Toronto at 7:41 PM on December 17
> 
> VIA: Leave Vancouver at noon on December 14. Arrive in Toronto at 2 PM on December 18.
> 
> Amtrak is 18 hours and 19 minutes faster than VIA, and runs daily (though some days might require using the multi-city option if Amtrak didn't build it in ARROW.) That's including two border crossings and three transfers, two of which are around 6 hours long. That's extremely disappointing performance for VIA and CN.
> 
> (By the way, you could shave off another 7 hours by using the overnight Greyhound/Amtrak Thruway bus from Chicago to Toronto. That'd arrive at 1:05 PM on December 17, a full day earlier than VIA.)
Click to expand...

Is the Amtrak option Maple Leaf to Lake Shore Limited to Empire Builder to Cascades?


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## Ryan

Vancouver to Toronto would be those trains in the opposite direction.


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## flitcraft

We just took the Canadian last week and were running late enough that we saw the Thompson-Fraser River portion of the trip in full daylight, and I have to say I thought it even more scenic than the Rockies portion, which is not at all to downplay the splendor of that route.

For me, the downside of a fall/winter trip is the limited hours of daylight. Traveling around the solstice, we got dawn beginning around 4 am and sunset well after nine!


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## zephyr17

railiner said:


> zephyr17 said:
> 
> 
> 
> . Toronto is the "away" terminal where they mostly just turn it around. Not even that, really, as they don't physically turn it in Toronto. Clean, restock, take care of minor maintenance.
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
> They don't actually turn the train? What do you mean by "mostly"...just turn the seats? I would hate to ride backwards that far in a seat or roomette...
> As for the very long layover on one day...that would be the day to choose, for the best chance of an "on-time" departure, I suppose....
> 
> I haven't actually looked it up, but for a schedule that long between Vancouver and Toronto, it might be faster to cross the border twice, and take Amtrak the whole way via Buffalo, Chicago, and Seattle....maybe even cheaper....for those only looking for transportation, and not a 'cruise'.....
Click to expand...

It takes a different route out of Toronto than it does coming in, so it in essence makes a big loop through the station.
Specifically, 2 arrives via CN's Bala Sub and pulls into Toronto Union Station heading west. 1 pulls out heading west onto CN's Newmarket Sub. The huge summer consist is too long to wye on any nearby facilities.


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## cpotisch

Ryan said:


> Vancouver to Toronto would be those trains in the opposite direction.


Thanks. Got the trip reversed in my head.


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## railiner

zephyr17 said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> zephyr17 said:
> 
> 
> 
> . Toronto is the "away" terminal where they mostly just turn it around. Not even that, really, as they don't physically turn it in Toronto. Clean, restock, take care of minor maintenance.
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
> They don't actually turn the train? What do you mean by "mostly"...just turn the seats? I would hate to ride backwards that far in a seat or roomette...
> As for the very long layover on one day...that would be the day to choose, for the best chance of an "on-time" departure, I suppose....
> 
> I haven't actually looked it up, but for a schedule that long between Vancouver and Toronto, it might be faster to cross the border twice, and take Amtrak the whole way via Buffalo, Chicago, and Seattle....maybe even cheaper....for those only looking for transportation, and not a 'cruise'.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It takes a different route out of Toronto than it does coming in, so it in essence makes a big loop through the station.
> Specifically, 2 arrives via CN's Bala Sub and pulls into Toronto Union Station heading west. 1 pulls out heading west onto CN's Newmarket Sub. The huge summer consist is too long to wye on any nearby facilities.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I heard about that, but forgot it...thanks for clarifying. I feel better now...


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## NS VIA Fan

You will see mountains on the new schedule except during the shortest days of the year.....and now you gain the daylight run through the Fraser and Thompson River Canyons and IMHO.....scenery that rivals the mountain views.

Also keep in mind.....this is directional running territory. The eastbound Canadian is on the CPR for 250km from near Mission BC to south of Ashcroft. The westbound Canadian is on CN running down the opposite walls of the canyon....crossing the river a couple of times


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## NS VIA Fan

zephyr17 said:


> It takes a different route out of Toronto than it does coming in, so it in essence makes a big loop through the station.
> 
> Specifically, 2 arrives via CN's Bala Sub and pulls into Toronto Union Station heading west. 1 pulls out heading west onto CN's Newmarket Sub. The huge summer consist is too long to wye on any nearby facilities.


Here's a sketch showing the loop through Toronto I made from a trip about 10 years ago and is still route the Canadian follows today. To wye a train as long as the Canadian..it would have to head about 40 miles west on the Oakville Sub to Bayview on the route to London.


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## cpotisch

NS VIA Fan said:


> zephyr17 said:
> 
> 
> 
> It takes a different route out of Toronto than it does coming in, so it in essence makes a big loop through the station.
> 
> Specifically, 2 arrives via CN's Bala Sub and pulls into Toronto Union Station heading west. 1 pulls out heading west onto CN's Newmarket Sub. The huge summer consist is too long to wye on any nearby facilities.
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a sketch showing the loop through Toronto I made from a trip about 10 years ago and is still route the Canadian follows today. To wye a train as long as the Canadian..it would have to head about 40 miles west on the Oakville Sub to Bayview on the route to London.
Click to expand...

Wait, so they wye the train with passengers onboard, on the way out of Toronto? Find it surprising that they haven't felt it was worth it to put that track in and never have to wye it there again.


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## NS VIA Fan

cpotisch said:


> NS VIA Fan said:
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a sketch showing the loop through Toronto I made from a trip about 10 years ago and is still route the Canadian follows today. To wye a train as long as the Canadian..it would have to head about 40 miles west on the Oakville Sub to Bayview on the route to London.
> 
> 
> 
> Wait, so they wye the train with passengers onboard, on the way out of Toronto? Find it surprising that they haven't felt it was worth it to put that track in and never have to wye it there again.
Click to expand...

The train is not being 'wyed'.....it's just making a big loop around the city all in a forward direction except for a short back-up move at Snider to get from the Newmarket Sub to the York Sub. Today...there is no place to put a connecting track in the SE Quadrant at Snyder:

https://goo.gl/maps/9B6in744kgw

Wyeing or backing up with passengers aboard is certainly not unusual. The Ocean does it at Quebec City on each run. After running over the Quebec Bridge to reach the suburban Ste Foy station...it backs up 3 miles with the Park Car Dome Observation leading to regain the mainline to Halifax on the south shore of the St Lawrence River.


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## railiner

Seems like a waste of time to go over the bridge and back, since they don't go all the way into Gare Palais, anyway. Since they no longer have the line thru Levis, why not just stop at Charny, for Quebec City passenger's?


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## NS VIA Fan

railiner said:


> Seems like a waste of time to go over the bridge and back, since they don't go all the way into Gare Palais, anyway. Since they no longer have the line thru Levis, why not just stop at Charny, for Quebec City passenger's?


After the line through Levis was abandoned in '98......the Ocean had to run into or back out of Charny from the Montreal – Halifax mainline. Then the Charny station was closed....and the Ocean just continued on over the Quebec Bridge an additional 2 miles to the suburban station at Ste-Foy where full station services were available. To go all the way into Gare du Palais would add about an hour round-trip and the platforms there couldn't handle the 20 car + Oceans running today. Ste-Foy can.


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## zephyr17

If CN doesn't need it for freight movements, and apparently they do not, it won't happen. And Via doesn't have the money, or will, to do it for just 6 trains a week (max).


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## railiner

I am not familiar with the route...so they have to leave the mainline to go into and out of Charny as well?

If that is the case, isn't there some place along the mainline at its closest point to Quebec City where they could establish a station, to eliminate that move, as well?


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## jis

railiner said:


> I am not familiar with the route...so they have to leave the mainline to go into and out of Charny as well?
> 
> If that is the case, isn't there some place along the mainline at its closest point to Quebec City where they could establish a station, to eliminate that move, as well?


With money from who or what? [emoji6]


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## railiner

jis said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> 
> I am not familiar with the route...so they have to leave the mainline to go into and out of Charny as well?
> 
> If that is the case, isn't there some place along the mainline at its closest point to Quebec City where they could establish a station, to eliminate that move, as well?
> 
> 
> 
> With money from who or what? [emoji6]
Click to expand...

I don't have the answer to that...perhaps some of the time and expense for the current 'detour' over the bridge and back?


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## Seaboard92

Even St Foy's platform isn't big enough for the Ocean. It's routinely a double spot. Or at least that's what they were doing when I ride the ocean this December.


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## jis

Seaboard92 said:


> Even St Foy's platform isn't big enough for the Ocean. It's routinely a double spot. Or at least that's what they were doing when I ride the ocean this December.


But at least you can double spot at a through station like St. Foy. It is kind of hard to do that at a terminal station like Palais.


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## Seaboard92

jis said:


> Seaboard92 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Even St Foy's platform isn't big enough for the Ocean. It's routinely a double spot. Or at least that's what they were doing when I ride the ocean this December.
> 
> 
> 
> But at least you can double spot at a through station like St. Foy. It is kind of hard to do that at a terminal station like Palais.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I was just pointing that out for a factual basis that even its a flawed station in some regards. It's just less flawed.


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## zephyr17

Via's information posted on their website has apparently been both incorrect and inconsistent up until now. They have now posted both the current and the new schedule PDFs with the current schedule now posted as running through 7/25 and the new schedule starting *7*/26, running through 10/7. What happens after 10/7?

However, the interactive schedule inquiry still shows the new schedule for all future departures, as it has from the start, although the booking engine is consistent with the PDFs. Via's rollout of this schedule on their website has been an absolute cluster. So 2 out 3 ain't bad?

They have found a way to make Amtrak's website look good.


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## Trogdor

After 10/7, it probably goes back to 2x/week.


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## zephyr17

True, was just looking at the heading. I looked at the schedule itself and it has the normal heading at the the top saying (following Via's odd custom of starting the week on Monday):

Oct 8, 2018 - April 27, 2019 1*2*34*5*67

Days

April 29, 2018 - Oct 7, 2018 1*2*34*5*6*7*

Apparently they couldn't be bothered with putting the actual start date on the new schedule, just left the date from the old schedule. They've been quite sloppy and unprofessional on this whole thing.


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## BCDoutaz

One further update, last evening's Train 2 left Vancouver at 20:35 (scheduled at 20:30), not noon, yet interestingly enough, most of the current trains are running reasonably close to schedule today. Yes, VIA's admin leaves a LOT to be desired.


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## railiner

BCDoutaz said:


> One further update, last evening's Train 2 left Vancouver at 20:35 (scheduled at 20:30), not noon, yet interestingly enough, most of the current trains are running reasonably close to schedule today. Yes, VIA's admin leaves a LOT to be desired.


Welcome to AU!


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## cpotisch

railiner said:


> BCDoutaz said:
> 
> 
> 
> One further update, last evening's Train 2 left Vancouver at 20:35 (scheduled at 20:30), not noon, yet interestingly enough, most of the current trains are running reasonably close to schedule today. Yes, VIA's admin leaves a LOT to be desired.
> 
> 
> 
> Welcome to AU!
Click to expand...

At first glance, it looks like he just joined, but has actually been a member since last August.


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## mcropod

VIA RAIL MODIFIES THE SCHEDULE OF THE CANADIAN BETWEEN TORONTO AND VANCOUVER
Friday, June 22nd 2018
MONTREAL, June 22 2018 – Effective July 26, 2018, the schedule of the Canadian, VIA Rail Canada’s (VIA Rail) train, which travels between Toronto and Vancouver, will be modified. This important mid-season modification was necessary in order to address significant and recurring delays in recent months, and provide passengers a more predictable route, both at departure and on arrival. This change also takes into account the opportunity for passengers to see the changing Canadian landscape during the daylight hours.

Since the beginning of peak season in April, the Canadian has been subject to major delays that eventually forced the exceptional cancellation of two trips in May. This situation confirmed the necessity for VIA Rail and CN, the owner of the infrastructure, to revise the schedule. In addition, CN has begun significant work to increase the capacity of its infrastructure in Western Canada, which will improve the flow of its freight and VIA Rail passenger trains. The introduction of the new schedule was also guided by the desire to ensure that the trains pass at the best time of day for travellers to appreciate the beauty of the landscape.

“We hope that with the new schedule, as well as the important infrastructure investments by our partner CN, our travellers will experience a more predictable service, both at departure and on arrival, and a better opportunity to appreciate the greatness and beauty of our country at daylight. We appreciate CN’s support in improving the travel experience of thousands of Canadians and international tourists who, every summer, experience the trip of a lifetime by choosing to discover the vastness of Canada through a trip by rail. Just as importantly, this change will increase the reliability of schedules as sought by the various communities served along the route,” declared Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and Chief Executive Officer at VIA Rail.

“We continue to work closely with VIA Rail to provide their passengers with a more predictable and reliable travel experience,” said JJ Ruest, interim president and chief executive officer. “We are investing $400 million in new capacity on the busy corridors across Western Canada, used by VIA’s Canadian and the many freight trains carrying goods vital to moving our nation’s economy, to provide safe and efficient rail service.”


The modified schedules will come into effect on July 26 for train #1 from Toronto and July 27 for train #2 from Vancouver. The number of weekly departures remains the same.

Westbound schedule (train #1) as of July 26 | Departs Tuesdays, Thursdays* and Saturdays

Departs Toronto: 10PM

Arrives in Winnipeg: 8AM / Departs at 10AM

Arrives in Saskatoon: 11:20PM

Arrives in Edmonton: 8:22AM / Departs at 9:37AM

Arrives in Jasper: 4PM / Departs at 7:30PM

Arrives in Vancouver: 6PM (instead of 9:42AM) + 4 days


Eastbound schedule (train #2) as of July 27 | Departs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays*

Departs Vancouver: 12PM

Arrives in Jasper: 8AM / Departs at 10AM

Arrives in Edmonton: 4:20PM / Departs at 5:19PM

Arrives in Saskatoon: 4:40AM

Arrives in Winnipeg: 7PM / Departs at 10:30PM

Arrives in Toronto: 2PM (instead of 9:30AM) + 4 days

* In high season only, from May to October

VIA Rail is in communication with the ticket holders for departures as of July 26th. For more information, travellers are invited to contact a sales representative by phone, by dialing 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245) or 1 800 268-9503 (TTY for deaf or hard of hearing).

Source: https://www.viarail....hedule-canadian

Comment: Plus nine hours going west, plus 12 hours going east by my reckoning.


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## NS VIA Fan

The first #1 on the new schedule arrived ontime in Vancouver last evening (July 30). It was reported that the arrival actually delayed the departure of Amtrak's Cascade as the Canadian was so long it had to be split in two and backed into the station...blocking the Cascade's track.


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## jis

At this rate in a year or two they will be taking full 7 days to make it from Toronto to Vancouver.


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## railiner

jis said:


> At this rate in a year or two they will be taking full 7 days to make it from Toronto to Vancouver.


Hmmm....perhaps they will charge fares by the night, like a hotel, instead of by the mile....


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## cpotisch

railiner said:


> jis said:
> 
> 
> 
> At this rate in a year or two they will be taking full 7 days to make it from Toronto to Vancouver.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hmmm....perhaps they will charge fares by the night, like a hotel, instead of by the mile....
Click to expand...

Considering what VIA charges for Sleeper Plus and especially Prestige, the nightly rate would be orders of magnitude higher than probably any hotel in the country.


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## zephyr17

cpotisch said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> jis said:
> 
> 
> 
> At this rate in a year or two they will be taking full 7 days to make it from Toronto to Vancouver.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hmmm....perhaps they will charge fares by the night, like a hotel, instead of by the mile....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Considering what VIA charges for Sleeper Plus and especially Prestige, the nightly rate would be orders of magnitude higher than probably any hotel in the country.
Click to expand...

If you look for discounted fares, the special fares (formerly Tuesday specials but now available for Sleeper Plus all the time) between selected points roughly 4-8 weeks before departure, and shoulder and off-season rates and the exchange rate, you can make it for not a lot more than Amtrak.

My next trip will be just under $1400 USD in an off season fare in November for a roomette Vancouver-Toronto. It isn't a discounted fare either, some tour operator scooped up too much capacity and there is no inventory in discount left. If I was able to get the discount fare, it would have been closer to $1200 USD.

Those prices are in the same rough ballpark as Amtrak is for 4 nights in a roomette. Just don't go in the summer. The train is better ride in the off season anyway, when it isn't 26 cars long and mobbed.

Prestige is a whole different matter. Personally I won't pay like $5000 extra for free booze and hors d'oeuvres (actually more for me since I travel by myself and the Prestige fares are only double occupancy, so it would be more like $11,000 extra). That's an awful lot of booze in 4 days to make up $11,000.


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## Trogdor

Starting with next summer's schedule, VIA will significantly change the Canadian's operation.

The full route will only be served twice weekly (i.e. same as winter), but the third frequency will run Vancouver-Edmonton only.

They are also significantly changing the scheduled times at stations along the route.

Details here: http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/10/02-via-shuffles-canadian-schedule-for-summer-of-2019


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## jis

So the Canadian has now been converted almost wholly to a tourist operation with ever diminishing core transportation purpose.


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## Bob Dylan

jis said:


> So the Canadian has now been converted almost wholly to a tourist operation with ever diminishing core transportation purpose.


Yep, looks like the Trudeau Government isn't a supporter of VIA. I'm Shocked!Shocked!
Ride it while you can!


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## railiner

jis said:


> So the Canadian has now been converted almost wholly to a tourist operation with ever diminishing core transportation purpose.


That, and Greyhound Canada abandoning all its routes west of Ontario on October 31st, will mean for many....fly or drive. (A hodgepodge of local bus carrier's have applied to replace them on the most lucrative routes).


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## jebr

The Winnipeg westbound departure is at 3:45 AM.

...doesn't look like I'll be riding the Canadian again anytime soon. That's just sad that they're relegating the timetable that much to sightseeing instead of trying to have some semblance of basic transportation.


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## cpotisch

jebr said:


> The Winnipeg westbound departure is at 3:45 AM.
> 
> ...doesn't look like I'll be riding the Canadian again anytime soon. That's just sad that they're relegating the timetable that much to sightseeing instead of trying to have some semblance of basic transportation.


What time did it depart Winnipeg before?


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## greatwestern

[SIZE=10.5pt]Current scheduled departure from Winnipeg 10:00am (previously 11:45am).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]I have just received new boarding pass from Via for a Sunday 2pm departure from Toronto next June (was originally booked on a Saturday 10pm departure). Now getting into Vancouver 1 day later than planned and I have to arrange an extra night's hotel in Toronto after my already booked flight in from the UK and cancel 1 night of my Vancouver hotel booking.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]I thought I had covered all the bases by giving myself more "dwell" time in Vancouver next year following my somewhat troublesome holiday on Via and Amtrak this year (see my July 2018 comments against the thread I started in January this year headed “Very late running of Via’s Canadian”).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]I didn’t see this sort of change coming (and presumably the Via rep whom I emailed prior to making my online booking had no inkling of this change).[/SIZE]


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## ParanoidAndroid

Take a look! The westbound 1 has been many hours late the past week or so! The new schedule doesn't seem to be helping on some runs that much.

https://reservia.viarail.ca/tsi/GetTrainStatus.aspx?l=en&TsiCCode=VIA&TsiTrainNumber=1-&TrainInstanceDate=2018-10-05

https://reservia.viarail.ca/tsi/GetTrainStatus.aspx?l=en&TsiCCode=VIA&TsiTrainNumber=1-&TrainInstanceDate=2018-10-02

https://reservia.viarail.ca/tsi/GetTrainStatus.aspx?l=en&TsiCCode=VIA&TsiTrainNumber=1-&TrainInstanceDate=2018-09-30

1. Originating Toronto on Oct 2 is currently 13.5 hours late in Alberta. As far I see, this is the latest of the trains in the past week.

2. Originating Toronto on Sept 29 arrived Vancouver 8:45 late, even with all the padding

3. Originating Toronto on Sept 27 arrived Vancouver 4.5 hours late. Delays mostly occurred in Alberta.

This seems to be just starting recently, but I fear another cycle of "Oh, let's lengthen the schedule again" after having done that a few times already by significant amounts. Combined that with the horribler schedule coming up, this just might be the last straw for the Canadian. Or at least among the last few straws. As long distance trains are in the Americas.


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