VIA Rail Canadian and the Canadians

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Just started its back-up manoeuvre into Vancouver Pacific Central, so going to arrive just over 5 hours late having been over 13 hours behind schedule at one time.
Lots of padding in the Canadians Schedule.

I've been aboard when we were as much as 16 Hours Late out on the Praries, but still arrived into Toronto only a few Hours Late!

Same thing heading West into Vancouver!

VIA gets no Respect from the Dispatchers!
 
Less than a month until my trip on the Canadian! A few questions:

How much cash should I have on hand? I'm in sleeper, so if I want alcoholic drinks, I think I have to pay. Can they handle credit cards on-board or does the lack of cell coverage over a large part of the route mean that all transactions are in cash? Also is it customary to tip and how much is considered reasonable?

What's the weather like along the route in the second week of November? I looked up climate summaries for Toronto, Edmonton, Jasper and Vancouver, and it seems like it can get downright wintry in Jasper and Edmonton, but pretty mild, though rainy, in Vancouver. I don't want to pack too much winter gear, but I would like to step off the train in some of the northern stops. I guess I'll have to pick up a genuine Candian "toque" or "tuque" or however it's speed when I'm in Toronto.
 
Sounds like a great trip. My two trips on the Canadian have been during the summer months. The winter scenery should be something to look forward to. I have to think you will not have any trouble using a credit card. I suggest a small, wool blanket or extra sweater if you get a sleeper. It can snow from late Sept. through late May (no exaggeration) so it could really be cold if you step outside the train.

Canadian toque? How about:

 
They take credit cards. My experience this summer was that they also take American money as payment but change is given in Canadian. That may change from crew to crew ala Amtrak.
 
What's the weather like along the route in the second week of November? I looked up climate summaries for Toronto, Edmonton, Jasper and Vancouver, and it seems like it can get downright wintry in Jasper and Edmonton, but pretty mild, though rainy, in Vancouver. I don't want to pack too much winter gear, but I would like to step off the train in some of the northern stops.
I traveled the first week in December 10+ years ago. It was 15 below in Winnipeg and even with my idea of winter clothing, I did not last too long outdoors until the temperature warmed up to 1 below.
 
The only stops you might be Cold if getting off the Train will probably be Jasper,Edmonton,( nothing there really/ its out in the Boonie) and Winnipeg.

As you said, Vancouver won't be that Cold,but it'll probably be Wet and Grey.

Don't really think you'll need a Toque, but a down filled jacket,cap and gloves would be a good idea.Layers work great !( you'll be plenty warm on the Train, perhaps Chilly in the Domes).

Since the US Dollar is strog against the Loonie, I'm sure the OBS would love tips in Greenbacks, but all Major Cards are accepted.

remember you change Crews in Winnipeg so you'll be dealing with a New SCA and other OBS between there and Vancouver!
 
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They take credit cards. My experience this summer was that they also take American money as payment but change is given in Canadian. That may change from crew to crew ala Amtrak.
I don’t understand how tourists from virtually every other nationality than the United States seem to grasp and effortlessly adapt to this, but unless you are traveling through a country with rampant inflation or manipulated exchange rates (like Cuba, Egypt or Argentina), the general expectation is that you pay or tip in the local currency rather than a foreign one, which happens to be readily available at any ATM…

Greetings from Montreal (local currency: Canadian Dollars),
Urban Sky
 
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Less than a month until my trip on the Canadian! A few questions:

How much cash should I have on hand? I'm in sleeper, so if I want alcoholic drinks, I think I have to pay. Can they handle credit cards on-board or does the lack of cell coverage over a large part of the route mean that all transactions are in cash? Also is it customary to tip and how much is considered reasonable?

What's the weather like along the route in the second week of November? I looked up climate summaries for Toronto, Edmonton, Jasper and Vancouver, and it seems like it can get downright wintry in Jasper and Edmonton, but pretty mild, though rainy, in Vancouver. I don't want to pack too much winter gear, but I would like to step off the train in some of the northern stops. I guess I'll have to pick up a genuine Candian "toque" or "tuque" or however it's speed when I'm in Toronto.
I lived in Edmonton for nine years and in many years snow did not stick till after mid-November. It was cold and grey before that. We were on the flight path for the Remembrance Day flyover and could watch it against grey skies.

There was a bad snowstorm in October 1984, and I canceled the school buses, which frightened some school district bureaucrats. There was silence from them after the streets turned into destruction derby, as city crews were caught off guard and many motorists had not changed to winter tires.
 
I don’t understand how tourists from virtually every other nationality than the United States seem to grasp and effortlessly adapt to this, but unless you are traveling through a country with rampant inflation or manipulated exchange rates (like Cuba, Egypt or Argentina), the general expectation is that you pay or tip in the local currency rather than a foreign one, which happens to be readily available at any ATM…
If it makes you feel any better I once tipped an Amtrak SCA in Canadian. Am I even now? haha.
I lived in Edmonton for nine years
I picked Edmonton as my stopping point from Vancouver since I didn't want to go 2 nights in Coach and Edmonton was past the good scenery. I LOVED Edmonton - visited the Fort Edmonton Park and got to ride the steam train and ride a carousel hand-carved right there in Edmonton! What a lovely town. I hope to visit again soon the next time I ride the Canadian.
 
I don’t understand how tourists from virtually every other nationality than the United States seem to grasp and effortlessly adapt to this, but unless you are traveling through a country with rampant inflation or manipulated exchange rates (like Cuba, Egypt or Argentina), the general expectation is that you pay or tip in the local currency rather than a foreign one, which happens to be readily available at any ATM…

Greetings from Montreal (local currency: Canadian Dollars),
Urban Sky
I don't think the tendency to use US$ in Canada is due to any inability to grasp the concept of local currency :) but is more due to the fact that with a currently strong dollar people in Canada don't seem to mind receiving payment or tips in US$. I live in a border town where many Canadians come to shop and where residents here go over to Canada to patronize restaurants and tourist sites, so both kinds of money get used freely, although on the US side the CAD is generally discounted 15%. I can remember when I lived in Canada in the 1950s the opposite situation was true where the CAD was worth more than the USD and US money was discounted. It all depends on the exchange rate.
 
My experience with a very late Canadian was in late October 2001. The westbound train was scheduled to arrive around 4PM in Winnipeg. I and many other people slept on the hard floor of the Winnipeg station. The train arrived at 8AM, 16 hours late. It had not snowed a flake in Winnipeg but there had been a snowstorm somewhere west of Sioux Lookout which took out the signals and all trains stopped. My destination was Jasper. The train was terminated at Jasper and those going farther west were bussed after getting a good breakfast. I got a middle of the night taxi ride out to the HI hostel and saw the best northern lights of my life on the trip out of town.
 
I saw some pretty enticing fares for lower berths in sections. I am not going to go this year, but for future reference, I was wondering where one could charge electronics. IIRC there are no plugs for passengers in the section area. I was thinking the bathroom would have a plug, but I don't remember if there are seats in a lounge area where you could keep an eye on your items being charged. I understand not having a cell signal, but I do enjoy listening to music with my headphones.
 
I saw some pretty enticing fares for lower berths in sections. I am not going to go this year, but for future reference, I was wondering where one could charge electronics. IIRC there are no plugs for passengers in the section area. I was thinking the bathroom would have a plug, but I don't remember if there are seats in a lounge area where you could keep an eye on your items being charged. I understand not having a cell signal, but I do enjoy listening to music with my headphones.
You can charge your devices in the Park Car, there are a couple of outlets that aren't apparent, but the Attendant can show you where they are!( not sure about the Prestige Rooms since the rehab?)

And the Cafe for the Coaches has an outlet, @ least the one in the consist I last rode ( Pre-Pandemic)on had one.
 
I don't think the tendency to use US$ in Canada is due to any inability to grasp the concept of local currency :) but is more due to the fact that with a currently strong dollar people in Canada don't seem to mind receiving payment or tips in US$. I live in a border town where many Canadians come to shop and where residents here go over to Canada to patronize restaurants and tourist sites, so both kinds of money get used freely, although on the US side the CAD is generally discounted 15%. I can remember when I lived in Canada in the 1950s the opposite situation was true where the CAD was worth more than the USD and US money was discounted. It all depends on the exchange rate.
Unless you work for a business which accepts that foreign currency or regularly travel to a country where that foreign currency is a legal tender, dealing with said foreign currency is a hazzle. It is totally fine to pay with your local currency if you are just behind the border for a few hours or travelling on board a mode of transportation which crosses the border (especially if said vehicle/train/ship is operated by an American operator), but most American tourists traveling on board the Canadian spend at least a week on Canadian soil (or for that matter: trains), which is far beyond the point where you should have realized that your beloved greenback is not a legal tender. So if you really want to show your gratitude for the service you received while also showing consideration and respect for the people who warmly welcomed you into their country, you may want to tip the equivalent of whatever you would have tipped in USD in CAD instead…

Seriously, I‘ve been seeing Americans travelling across Europe (all Eurozone countries!) for weeks and having nothing but greenbacks in their wallets. I of course accepted their generous and unexpected tip (for offering my help with planning their day trip by rail along the Rhine valley), but I was seriously wondering on which detached planet these friendly and lovely people were living!
 
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I just booked my first trip on VIA Rail in several years, and their recent “Black Friday sale” encouraged me to pull the trigger.
Taking Number 1 all the way, on April 7th. Got 25% discount, in a Bedroom.
Really looking forward to it. I had hoped to do it for decades, and in light of precarious funding, decided I’d better do it, “while I could”.🙂
 
Unless you work for a business which accepts that foreign currency or regularly travel to a country where that foreign currency is a legal tender, dealing with said foreign currency is a hazzle. It is totally fine to pay with your local currency if you are just behind the border for a few hours or travelling on board a mode of transportation which crosses the border (especially if said vehicle/train/ship is operated by an American operator), but most American tourists traveling on board the Canadian spend at least a week on Canadian soil (or for that matter: trains), which is far beyond the point where you should have realized that your beloved greenback is not a legal tender. So if you really want to show your gratitude for the service you received while also showing consideration and respect for the people who warmly welcomed you into their country, you may want to tip whatever equivalent of what you would have tipped in USD in CAD instead…

Seriously, I‘ve been seeing Americans travelling across Europe (all Eurozone countries!) for weeks and having nothing but greenbacks in their wallets. I of course accepted their generous and unexpected tip (for offering my help with planning their day trip by rail along the Rhine valley), but I was seriously wondering on which detached planet these friendly and lovely people were living!
I'm figuring that Toronto Union Station has at least one ATM somewhere, so I should have no problem getting Canadian cash. I was just wondering how much I should get, at least for the train. I did an internet search about tipping customs in Canada and found that it's pretty similar to the US. Thus, I'm going to need $5 -$10 (Canadian) a night for the sleeping car attendant and $3-$5 a meal for the dining car staff. Plus, if I want to buy wine of beer, I may need some cash for that, although one respondent here said that VIA takes credit cards, though how they can connect to the network to validate the cards in some of the remote places they're passing through is a mystery to me. Come to think of it, that may also be an issue on the Empire Builder coming home, too. Using a credit card POS system on a train in the east never seems to have this problem, as cell service is pretty continuous along most of the routes.

There's also the issue that they change OBS crew in Winnipeg, So I will somehow have to remember to tip the sleeping car attendant who will be departing the train at Winnipeg. I'm not sure when or how people usually do this.
 
If it makes you feel any better I once tipped an Amtrak SCA in Canadian. Am I even now? haha.

I picked Edmonton as my stopping point from Vancouver since I didn't want to go 2 nights in Coach and Edmonton was past the good scenery. I LOVED Edmonton - visited the Fort Edmonton Park and got to ride the steam train and ride a carousel hand-carved right there in Edmonton! What a lovely town. I hope to visit again soon the next time I ride the Canadian.
Glad you got to Fort Edmonton. I was there when some of the big steps were taken, such as opening of the Ukrainian bookstore. It was a thrill when coming out of a night meeting in its upstairs room and seeing a vintage Edmonton streetcar coming around the corner of 1905/1920 Streets.

In the 1980's we still had some vintage operators, too.
1985 118.jpg
 
Glad you got to Fort Edmonton. I was there when some of the big steps were taken, such as opening of the Ukrainian bookstore. It was a thrill when coming out of a night meeting in its upstairs room and seeing a vintage Edmonton streetcar coming around the corner of 1905/1920 Streets.

In the 1980's we still had some vintage operators, too.
View attachment 34144
Edmonton is a real Gem of a City, worth spending a few days exploring it, but it's best in the Summer!😄
 
I'm figuring that Toronto Union Station has at least one ATM somewhere, so I should have no problem getting Canadian cash. I was just wondering how much I should get, at least for the train. I did an internet search about tipping customs in Canada and found that it's pretty similar to the US. Thus, I'm going to need $5 -$10 (Canadian) a night for the sleeping car attendant and $3-$5 a meal for the dining car staff. Plus, if I want to buy wine of beer, I may need some cash for that, although one respondent here said that VIA takes credit cards, though how they can connect to the network to validate the cards in some of the remote places they're passing through is a mystery to me. Come to think of it, that may also be an issue on the Empire Builder coming home, too. Using a credit card POS system on a train in the east never seems to have this problem, as cell service is pretty continuous along most of the routes.

There's also the issue that they change OBS crew in Winnipeg, So I will somehow have to remember to tip the sleeping car attendant who will be departing the train at Winnipeg. I'm not sure when or how people usually do this.
Amtrak's new POS systems will usually work even if you don't have a signal. However, it is always good to have cash in case the card reader doesn't work.
 
Plus, if I want to buy wine of beer, I may need some cash for that, although one respondent here said that VIA takes credit cards, though how they can connect to the network to validate the cards in some of the remote places they're passing through is a mystery to me.
On the route from Vancouver to Edmonton, there were only a few times I didn't have cell service. Plenty of people around me in the dome were using their phones as well. I used my credit card several times in the cafe car.
 
I don't know if this is where I should pose this question or not but the moderators can certainly move it if there is a better place.

I am curious about the current operation of the Canadian and the frequency of breaks ("smoke breaks" as some call them) where passengers are allowed to detrain onto the platform for a short time. My impression is that there are only a couple such breaks each day and those take place at crew change points. I am also under the impression that if the Canadian is held in a siding en route for several hours that passengers are not allowed to detrain at these extended stops. Thanks.
 
I don't know if this is where I should pose this question or not but the moderators can certainly move it if there is a better place.

I am curious about the current operation of the Canadian and the frequency of breaks ("smoke breaks" as some call them) where passengers are allowed to detrain onto the platform for a short time. My impression is that there are only a couple such breaks each day and those take place at crew change points. I am also under the impression that if the Canadian is held in a siding en route for several hours that passengers are not allowed to detrain at these extended stops. Thanks.
The stops that are not flag stops in the time table could likely be used as smoke breaks unless the crew specifies otherwise. North Sudberry, Sioux Lookout, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, Kamloops come to mind as stops that you can count on for fresh air.
 
regarding smoke / fresh air stops. Generally VIA trains stop for a while at most station stops, you can usually get off the train however there are long stretches where there are no station stops.

And no, if the train is stopped at a siding, you can't get off the train. Only at actual station stops.
 
Thanks for the replies. Based on various reports that I have seen, I get the impression that smoke/fresh air stops (obviously an oxymoron) are much less frequent on the VIA Canadian than on most Amtrak long distance trains.
 
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