Canadian and Ocean cancelled

[jiml]

 

[Bob Dylan]

To date the Prestige class is only offered during summer months. Currently they are only selling coach seats on the resumed service. One source expects Sleeper Plus class to be restored, however all classes but Economy are currently "zeroed out" (which I can confirm based on several trial dates into January).

Thanks, even though it's only Winnipeg to Vancouver, ( comparable to one of the 2 Night Western Trains)@ my age I'd still have to pass on riding in Coach, something I did many times "..when I wore a younger man's clothes"..

 

[NS VIA Fan]

VIA has replied to a question posted to their Facebook page that Sleepers will be available on the Canadian resuming on Dec 11th. They've been constantly updating info over the past day so I imagine you'll be able to book sleeper space shortly.

And they note again there will be NO access to the Park Car but there is a Diner. So it's basic transportation with coach, sleeper and meals available.

 

[jiml]

VIA has replied to a question posted to their Facebook page that Sleepers will be available on the Canadian resuming on Dec 11th. They've been constantly updating info over the past day so I imagine you'll be able to book sleeper space shortly.

And they note again there will be NO access to the Park Car but there is a Diner. So it's basic transportation with coach, sleeper and meals available.

Thanks, that confirms the one account that stated that as fact. (Oddly it wasn't from VIA.) I wonder if there will even be Park car in the consist (crew dorm?) or if the picture you've posted above will be a fairly accurate representation of the "new Canadian". Senior economy fare from Winnipeg to Vancouver is $292 pre-tax btw, which seems high for off-season, but so are coach airfares a few months down the road.

 

[neroden]

What VIA really needs and I can never stress it enough is statutory rights similar to Amtrak's to force CP and CN to actually take the trains, and run them efficiently.

VIA's management has come to the same conclusion some of us Amtrak advocates have -- it needs its own tracks, or tracks owned by public agencies for the purpose of passenger service. One of VIA's biggest problems is that it has no statutory basis at all -- it was established by executive action ("order in council") and never actually had a law establishing it.

 

[joelkfla]

I can understand the difficulty of social distancing in the limited seating of the partial domes, but to me, the dome was an essential part of the experience. That, and the possibility of not getting into the diner, would make it a no-go for me.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

It's not looking good for a return of the Ocean anytime soon as the 'Atlantic Bubble' has burst . The Bubble had allowed residents of the Atlantic Provinces to move freely between the four provinces without isolating. Now there's been a spike in cases here (but still nowhere near the cases in other areas).....so they've locked us down fast. In Nova Scotia on Nov 27th there were 9 new cases and New Brunswick: 13 new cases Now anyone going from NS to NB is required to isolate for 14 days and as before...anyone coming into NB from Quebec is also required to isolate.

 

[jiml]

I had planned to visit my cousin in NB this month.

I wonder if VIA has had to revisit their planned resumption of the Canadian out west.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

We have that many New Cases every Second here in this Third World Country, er Home of the Best Medical Care in the World!......

Other areas of the country are higher with Ontario, Quebec and Alberta reporting about 1200 to 1500 new cases each per day. Manitoba is very high on a per capita basis so I'm skeptical the Canadian will re-launch in December.

And I'm not going to get complacent here. We have no cases locally.....they are mainly in the Halifax region but all it would take are a few to do that Christmas shopping trip to Costco......and then it will be here too!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Other areas of the country are higher with Ontario, Quebec and Alberta reporting about 1200 to 1500 new cases each per day. Manitoba is very high on a per capita basis so I'm skeptical the Canadian will re-launch in December.

And I'm not going to get complacent here. We have no cases locally.....they are mainly in the Halifax region but all it would take are a few to do a that Christmas shopping trip to Costco......and then it will be here too!

Stay Safe!

 

[Mailliw]

Australia & New Zealand have the advantages of being islands and they closed their borders early on.

 

[Gemuser]

Australia & New Zealand have the advantages of being islands and they closed their borders early on.

The key point is "they closed their borders early on". Mind you there were major stuff ups, especially early on. Just Google - Ruby Princes + Sydney for one case.

 

[Exvalley]

After two cancelled attempts (May and October), I am thinking about re-booking on the Ocean.

Is there a particular direction that is best? I was originally booked to ride from Montreal to Halifax, but on the weekend I would like to travel there is no room with a shower available in that direction - but a shower room is available traveling from Halifax to Montreal.

It's not a huge deal if I go one day without a shower, but all things being equal I'd prefer the trip with one.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

I like travelling eastbound especially in May or June as you'll get daylight in the early morning and a chance to see the Matapedia Valley that is usually in darkness. Here's a link to my post from a couple of years ago

http://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/good-morning-breakfast-on-the-ocean.73170/#post-761490

 

[jiml]

The rooms without showers, including those in Budd cars, have access to a shower. On our last trip they had a Renaissance bedroom with a shower set aside for that purpose two cars forward of ours.

 

[Exvalley]

The rooms without showers, including those in Budd cars, have access to a shower.

Ah, I did not realize that.

Thanks.

 

[Exvalley]

I like travelling eastbound especially in May or June as you'll get daylight in the early morning and a chance to see the Matapedia Valley that is usually in darkness. Here's a link to my post from a couple of years ago

http://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/good-morning-breakfast-on-the-ocean.73170/#post-761490

Hmm... I was thinking about booking Labour Day weekend, but there is a room with a shower on the weekend of U.S. Memorial Day, which is in late May.

But will the border be open by then? Something tells me that I may be pushing my luck. This could be the third time that my trip is cancelled...

 

[Bob Dylan]

Hmm... I was thinking about booking Labour Day weekend, but there is a room with a shower on the weekend of U.S. Memorial Day, which is in late May.

But will the border be open by then? Something tells me that I may be pushing my luck. This could be the third time that my trip is cancelled...

It doesnt look promising for the Canadian/US border to be "Open" until perhaps Summer, and VIA isnt going to rush into restoring LD Service, ditto for Amtrak.

I'd wait until maybe September( after our Labor Day) to book.

 

[Exvalley]

It doesnt look good for the Canadian/US border to be "Open" until perhaps Summer, and VIA isnt going to rush into restoring LD Service, ditto for Amtrak.

My thoughts exactly. I think that I will hold off for a while.

Mind you, I have a flight to Europe booked out of Montreal that departs on June 27th - so I REALLY hope that the border is open to me by then. My hope was that if we can get vaccinated by then Canada will allow us entry.

The good news is that I can take a credit for the full amount of the airfare if I am unable to make my flight. Air Transat has some very good cancellation policies right now. I would just use the credit for a 2021/2022 winter getaway.

 

[TheMalahat]

Canadian did leave Vancouver tonight, for the fist time in ten months! And, as per tradition, already late.

 

[jiml]

Canadian did leave Vancouver tonight, for the fist time in ten months! And, as per tradition, already late.

Going only as far as Winnipeg IIRC, then turning around.

 

[toddinde]

Another example of our Cousins North of the Border being Smarter than us!!!

Their trains serve a different purpose. Our long distance trains are transportation. The Canadian especially is a land cruise. No need for a land cruise now, but transportation to Amtrak served communities is essential.

 

[Mailliw]

I think local Martimers use/d the Ocean as transport.

 

[jiml]

I think local Martimers use/d the Ocean as transport.

With the recent cuts in flights to Maritime destinations, you would be even more accurate than previous years.

 

[TheMalahat]

Going only as far as Winnipeg IIRC, then turning around.

Yup. One train set running back and forth was the plan I believe? But with its current schedule keeping even the massive schedule padding is insufficient for that.