# VIA questions



## Seaboard92 (Sep 15, 2015)

Hey guys. Looks like I'm very lucky and have come into some money. And I've been longing to try Canadian trains(I love real streamliners). And I have a few questions.

1. For two people to travel in a double. Is it like amtrak with one accommodation charge or do they have two.

2. Is the CANRAIL pass worth anything at all.

3. Which route do you recommend and why. The Ocean, the Canadian, and the Hudson Bay.

4. Are the meals any good.

5. If I meet someone I want to talk to from coach can I invite them to my room to sit and chat.

6. Which cities would you recommend me going to.

7. How can I get the cheapest rates for a sleeper or coach.

Thank you so much. I've been longing for this for a long time. And I might just make it happen.


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## zephyr17 (Sep 16, 2015)

Here are answers:

1. Unlike Amtrak, VIA prices sleeping car accommodations PER PERSON. If two people are traveling, add the fares together.

2. Don't know. Not good for sleepers, so of no interest to me.

3. The Canadian, hands down. Best scenery, best equipment. The Ocean doesn't have Budd streamlined equipment any more, except for the Park car on the end. The Hudson Bay is kind of a unique experience, but a REALLY boring ride. 2 days of flat tree tunnel through the Canadian taiga.

4. The meals on the Canadian are very good. Orders of magnitude better than Amtrak. And they change the menus every day, so the endless choice of only Flatiron Steak, Baked Chicken Half or Vegetarian Lasagne isn't an issue.

5. No. The division between sleeper and coach is more tightly policed than Amtrak

6. Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal. I love both Vancouver and Toronto, great towns.

7. Travel in the off season, and if you don't have to have a private room, book a berth. All the perks of Sleeper Plus, but a lower fare. Book on Discount Tuesday when they run 50% off specials. Those specials only go like 4-6 weeks out, though. You have to be prepared to travel at relative short notice. VIA doesn't yield manage like Amtrak so you don't have to know and watch for the buckets. The fares are either Discount, Full or the Discount Tuesday. They used to run regular 50% sales where you could book a number of months in advance, but those haven't been nearly as common as they once were for about the last year. I found I preferred the off-season anyway, because the train feels like an actual train, not the bloated 26 car monster it is in the summer. Plus, actual Canadians ride it then.

Sign up for the frequent traveler program, VIA Preference. You can as an American, and you'll get emails about any specials they are running. Also, if you spend over $1,000 CAD, you get elite status, and one of the perks is a 50% off (of full fare) coupon that is good at ANY TIME. Almost any Toronto-Vancouver fare in a room will be over $1000, even at 50% off. So it is kind of like getting on (expensive) endless merry-go-round. THe Canadian is kind of like crack for passenger rail fans.

One last piece of advice, if you choose the Canadian, go EASTBOUND. Westbound if the train is late, you will miss most of the Rockies, and the train is almost always significantly late by Jasper (CN makes UP look great at handling passenger trains). Eastbound the train is more likely to be on time or reasonably close to it through the mountains, and you spend most of the day in the mountains, although the really pretty part is the last 45 minutes or so west of Jasper.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 16, 2015)

Which direction do most people take on the Canadian. I would assume westbound. After pricing the trains. The Canadian is the most expensive. Do you know what the accommodation charges are if I would get the rail pass with the discounted accommodation charge. And which is the corridor trains uses budd card


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## zephyr17 (Sep 16, 2015)

Yes, the Canadian is by far the most expensive. It is also the longest ride and the best views and best equipment. Don't know which corridor trains run Budd versus LRC. In March I took train 64 and it had LRC Business Class cars and Budd coaches. Be warned that the interior of the Budd coaches have been entirely renovated. The corridor trains do not have the feel of a classic streamliner even with the Budd equipment and the scenery is nothing to write home about on the corridor.

People take the Canadian pretty heavily both directions in the high season, it is also equally thin both directions in the winter, but again, I recommend eastbound. The heaviest load is always between Vancouver and Jasper. You leave at 8:30 pm, not 10 pm and you are pretty much guaranteed to see the Rockies. I would look at a shorter trip, like Vancouver-Edmonton with a lower berth if money is a concern. A discount lower Vancouver-Edmonton is $622.65 CAD in the off season including GST. Also right now the Canadian dollar is worth about $ 0.76, so that would work out to about $473 USD. The other trains are not near the experience The Canadian is. I say Edmonton because Jasper is a bit hard to access, unless you are doing a Vancouver-Jasper-Vancouver trip. Plus, you get dinner onboard, you wouldn't get any dinner onboard if you got off at Jasper, they don't serve dinner leaving Vancouver.

The Canadian really feels like a classic streamliner in the Super Chief tradition, especially in the off season when it isn't gargantuan. I can say that with some authority, having actually ridden the Santa Fe Super Chief (Via 1/2 still isn't as good as AT&SF 17/18, that train was in a very rarified class, but it isn't far off, either). It is the only train left on the continent that does. Next in line, but pretty big step down, is Amtrak's Coast Starlight when the PPC is running.

As to the accomodation charges you would get with a rail pass, that is easy. Zero. Canrailpass is not valid with anything but economy. Besides, that is not how Via prices sleepers anyway. They just have a fare for the sleeper, not rail fare + accomodation charge.

Oops, sorry, just saw the Canrailpass System Extra. That appears if you buy the Extra version of the pass, you get a 25% discount on the lowest available fare for Sleeper Plus. So you buy the pass and then pay for a Sleeper Plus ticket at 75% (Via does not price rail + accomodation like Amtrak does, they just have a different all-in sleeper fare). So let's say you get the "Extra" and go Vancouver-Toronto. You'd buy the "Extra" pass for 7 one way segments at $799, then apply one of the segments to a 25% discount on a Sleeper Plus lower berth Vancouver-Toronto off-season, which would bring the fare down from $1205.40 CAD to $904.05 CAD. If you do that, I hope you use the heck out of the other 6 segments, because you just spent $1703.05 CAD. Now, if you wanted to go on the Ocean or Hudson Bay, too, in a sleeper, the same thing applies. That adds up in a big hurry.

I don't know about you, but that math wouldn't work for me. If it were me, I'd fly to Vancouver and take the best part of the Canadian to Edmonton for a whole lot less money.


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## chakk (Sep 17, 2015)

I agree with Zephyr17 about riding the Canadian eastbound. You do want to see the Canadian Rockies in daylight, if possible. I rode it a couple Februaries ago from Vancouver to Toronto (4 nights) in an UPPER berth, to check that one off from my bucket list. And even though my train was more than 9 hours late into Toronto -- missing my last-flight-of-the-day back home to the West Coast USA -- I thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

Lots of Canadians on the train, and lots of Americans too. All were very friendly. The food served in the dining car was spectacular.

The only potential glitch for future trips on the Canadian is that the Park car (the dome observation car on the rear end of the train) may no longer be accessible for all sleeper passengers, but only for those purchasing the much higher priced Prestige service.

If that is true, then Boo! Hiss!


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## zephyr17 (Sep 17, 2015)

According to the official Via statements, the Park car is accessible to all Sleeper Plus passengers as well as Prestige. In any case, during the off-season, it is the only lounge for the sleepers, they don't run the sleeper section Skylines ("activity cars") during the off season, so if you are in the off season, there wouldn't be any problem in almost any case. I really prefer the train in the off season. Last March, departing Melville, MB, according to the radio report relayed from the Via onboard chief to the head end, we only had 17 sleeper pax. I basically had the Park dome to myself. Despite the light load, the service and food was great.

The only reason I didn't mention an upper (the very cheapest accomodation), is the upper does not have a window. I can't imagine not having a window.

PS-ALWAYS plan a layover in Toronto despite the purely theoretical "morning" arrival. Via and CN make Amtrak look like Deutsche Bahn.


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## Everydaymatters (Sep 17, 2015)

In reading this, I'm doing everything wrong! I'll be on the Canadian on Oct. 24 from Toronto to Vancouver. Wrong time of the year and wrong direction.

I did this for a couple of reasons; because I'm hoping to see snow (will I?) and I wanted to end up in Vancouver for a couple of days. I'm not at all familiar with Toronto and would feel more at ease spending the extra couple of days in Vancouver at the end of the trip.

Now I'm having second thoughts, but everything is done and I'm going to do it anyhow.

Sorry to read the activities are suspended for the off season.


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## The Davy Crockett (Sep 17, 2015)

Everydaymatters,

Don't fret too much! You should still have a great trip!

You should see snow, though western Canada is experiencing a drought like the western US, so you will have to let us know what you find. Vancouver is a great town. As long as you are not too late you will still see some of the Rockies. The Canadian will make you realize what passenger rail once was like in the US, and how bad things have gotten for Amtrak passengers. Be sure to get off the train in Winnipeg and check out the station and the Fort Garry Hotel across the street, and get off the train in Jasper to check out the station and the town if you have enough time.

Don't second guess yourself, just look forward to the trip and enjoy the journey!


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## Everydaymatters (Sep 17, 2015)

I went back to see my above post before I signed in. I was greatly disturbed to see the advertising beneath it.

I deleted my post rather than have that ad on it. I hope Group Builders takes note and does something about it. Ads like that should not be permitted on Amtrak Unlimited!


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## zephyr17 (Sep 17, 2015)

Everydaymatters said:


> In reading this, I'm doing everything wrong! I'll be on the Canadian on Oct. 24 from Toronto to Vancouver. Wrong time of the year and wrong direction.
> 
> I did this for a couple of reasons; because I'm hoping to see snow (will I?) and I wanted to end up in Vancouver for a couple of days. I'm not at all familiar with Toronto and would feel more at ease spending the extra couple of days in Vancouver at the end of the trip.
> 
> ...


They just do the "activities" in the Park Car in the off-season, they don't not do them. They just run one Skyline as the lounge/dome for coach passengers, and just the Park for Sleeper Plus and Prestige.

Be sure and sign up for Via Preference before you go, so you are on the books, and get your number added to your reservation. The one trip will qualify you as an elite member (Privilege) and that gives you a 50% off (peak fare, unfortunately) coupon good any time. That means you can get a room Vancouver-Toronto at a little over $1200 CAD any time you want it.


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## Everydaymatters (Sep 17, 2015)

I believe I have signed up for Via Preference. I'll check to make sure. I'm happy they will have the activities.

I've read about ViaRail having 28 cars on The Canadian. I wonder how many will be on my train since I suppose it might be considered the shoulder season.


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## The Davy Crockett (Sep 17, 2015)

It will be in 'winter consist' and won't be 28 cars. Likely less than 15, and likely less than that.


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 17, 2015)

It won't be a very long train Betty unless a Large Group books. After Canadian Thanksgiving in October the tourism really slows down and the consist is cut way down from like 20+ cars to maybe 12-14! (as is the schedule to twice a week!)

As Scott said, don't worry, just kick back and be the Queen for the 4 Wonderful days and Nights of the journey!


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## Everydaymatters (Sep 17, 2015)

I can hardly wait! Planning is half the fun. I have a long wait, but my spare bedroom is already wall-to-wall with things I want to take.

I know I have to cut back, but it's so hard.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 17, 2015)

I'm thinking that the Canadian might be my train of choice. I have two thousand to spend. So I could easily do it. I'm debating getting two sections for my group or getting a double.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 17, 2015)

What season would be the best for me. The most scenery as far as daylight wise. And low loadings so I can use the dome freely


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## jebr (Sep 17, 2015)

Late spring worked out pretty well for me. The train was longer and the train was pretty full, but I could always get a seat at the dome (in one of the Skyline cars) and in the end of the Park Car (to see out of the back of the train.) I took off a few days just before Memorial Day weekend and did it westbound from Winnipeg. We ran a few hours late and still had plenty of sunlight.


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## Everydaymatters (Sep 17, 2015)

Jeb, did you drive across the border?


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## zephyr17 (Sep 17, 2015)

Mid-March last year we only had 8 cars. It was while the train was annulled east of Winnepeg because of the Gogama oil train derailment though, so that may have affected ridership.

When I rode it a couple of years ago in September and had the 26 car behemoth, I seldom had trouble getting a seat in a dome, but not always in the Park car. I wasn't able to stake a near permanent claim on the railfan seat (right front) like I could in March ride, though.

It is a great ride no matter which season you ride it though.

For a trade-off between day length and a low demand period, I think March works. In fact, I think it worked so well that I am doing it again this coming March.


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## zephyr17 (Sep 17, 2015)

Seaboard92 said:


> I'm thinking that the Canadian might be my train of choice. I have two thousand to spend. So I could easily do it. I'm debating getting two sections for my group or getting a double.


You have a group of 4? If you go for a "Cabin for 2" (Double Bedroom), you could get them en-suite like Amtrak Bedrooms. Also, one little secret is to ask for room F in a Manor car (which the Canadian runs pretty much exclusively with Manors now). That one is sold as a Cabin for 2 (Double Bedroom), but it actually a Compartment which is larger than a Double Bedroom. Back in the day it was a pricier accomodation. It looks like it can be opened en-suite with Bedroom E, but I won't swear to that.


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## zephyr17 (Sep 17, 2015)

Everydaymatters said:


> I can hardly wait! Planning is half the fun. I have a long wait, but my spare bedroom is already wall-to-wall with things I want to take.
> 
> I know I have to cut back, but it's so hard.


Remember there is relatively little luggage space available in your room. You need to have relatively small carry-ons and check big bags. I made the mistake of bringing my big suitcase onboard the first time I rode it. I always carry it on on Amtrak, and put it in the rack in Superliners and the above-door cubby in Viewliners. In the roomette on the Canadian the only place I could put it was on the floor and it took every inch of floor space. The attendent took pity on me and found some place to stow it, but I had to pull stuff out to last me the trip.


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## jebr (Sep 17, 2015)

Everydaymatters said:


> Jeb, did you drive across the border?


Yes. I drove to Winnipeg and took the train westbound from there.


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## Seaboard92 (Sep 17, 2015)

Is the complimentary stopover doable. If I do that do I pay two accommodation charges for the two separate trains or do I pay one


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## zephyr17 (Sep 18, 2015)

Again, Via does not quote their fares by rail+accommodation charge. You get one all in fare, per person fare. Via appears to allow one stopover, so you would have one all-in sleeper fare,with a stopover. Note that the stopover policy applies to all classes, although Sleeper Plus is not called out, although Business and Prestige are. You would have to be ticketed that way. Remember that the Canadian only runs 2 days a week in the off-season, 3 days a week in the high-season, so it would probably be a longish stopover.


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## NS VIA Fan (Sep 18, 2015)

[SIZE=11pt]I’ve always done the Canadian east to west.....the anticipation for the run through the mountains and the views from the dome builds as you head west across the country. Coming east, the mountains are gone after the first full day out......just seems anticlimactic to me.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Sure there’s the chance the train will be late (& a pretty good one lately!)….. and that it will enter the mountains after dark. But on a trip in Dec 2013 and nearly at the shortest day of the year.....we were three hours late arriving Jasper and still had mountain viewing.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]




[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt](Now what I’ve been hoping for……on one trip we will be so late that the run through the Thompson and Fraser River Canyons will be in daylight) [/SIZE]


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## The Davy Crockett (Sep 19, 2015)

And as your picture shows, sunset in the Rockies can be a spectacular experience when viewed from the Park Car!


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## tricia (Sep 26, 2015)

NS VIA Fan said:


> [SIZE=11pt](Now what I’ve been hoping for……on one trip we will be so late that the run through the Thompson and Fraser River Canyons will be in daylight) [/SIZE]


This DOES happen occasionally--saw it myself once, westbound, in February. Beautiful.


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## Everydaymatters (Sep 26, 2015)

I had planned to travel westbound, but changed it to eastbound. After I read and re-read all of these posts, and also saw that the westbound is now scheduled to leave at 1:30 a.m., 3 hours later than originally scheduled, the decision was relatively easy.

The drawbacks are that I'll be further from the Park Car and the Amtrak part is costing a little more, but the ViaRail part is costing a little less. I haven't figured out how much extra it saved or cost me, and I won't. Probably better off not knowing.

Now, instead of spending one extra day in Vancouver, I'll be spending two extra days in Toronto. I've never been there, so I'll have to check through Jim's pm's to me with his very helpful advice.


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