RailPass-Most efficient way to go Chicago to Churchill

[Everydaymatters]

OK - here I go daydreaming again. Maybe, someday, I'll do this. There's a railpass for $638 off peak for seniors for 30 days, which must include ViaRail. First of all, the ViaRail website intimidates me because I don't know anything about Canada or it's best places to go, or the currency exchange rate, or the names of its cities.

I've always wanted to go to Churchill. If I were to do the railpass, what would be the most efficient way to go from Chicago to Churchill? When would be the best time to go to Churchill? After Churchill, where could I go from there? What's the next best place to visit in Canada? In the U.S., the only places I haven't visited, other than Hawaii, are the Northeastern states. It would be nice to be able to say I've gone to 49 of the 50 states.

Just daydreaming, but who knows? I never thought I'd get to Alaska and I did!

 

[yarrow]

i have always wanted to take "the muskeg express" to churchill too. i think though if i had the choice i would go toronto to vancouver. vancouver is a wonderful place to visit and the trip through jasper and the rockies should be magnificent.

 

[Ancient Annie]

OK - here I go daydreaming again. Maybe, someday, I'll do this. There's a railpass for $638 off peak for seniors for 30 days, which must include ViaRail. First of all, the ViaRail website intimidates me because I don't know anything about Canada or it's best places to go, or the currency exchange rate, or the names of its cities.
I've always wanted to go to Churchill. If I were to do the railpass, what would be the most efficient way to go from Chicago to Churchill? When would be the best time to go to Churchill? After Churchill, where could I go from there? What's the next best place to visit in Canada? In the U.S., the only places I haven't visited, other than Hawaii, are the Northeastern states. It would be nice to be able to say I've gone to 49 of the 50 states.

Just daydreaming, but who knows? I never thought I'd get to Alaska and I did!

I did Railpass last year. Took a bus (Jefferson lines) from Grand Forks ND to Winnipeg. A 3-4 hour ride-think about $20. Didn't do Chiurchill and am sorry now. Think Churchill train starts in Winnipeg. The Via staff who do Railpass were VERY helpful to me in planning my trip.

 

[Rafi]

OK - here I go daydreaming again. Maybe, someday, I'll do this. There's a railpass for $638 off peak for seniors for 30 days, which must include ViaRail. First of all, the ViaRail website intimidates me because I don't know anything about Canada or it's best places to go, or the currency exchange rate, or the names of its cities.
I've always wanted to go to Churchill. If I were to do the railpass, what would be the most efficient way to go from Chicago to Churchill? When would be the best time to go to Churchill? After Churchill, where could I go from there? What's the next best place to visit in Canada? In the U.S., the only places I haven't visited, other than Hawaii, are the Northeastern states. It would be nice to be able to say I've gone to 49 of the 50 states.

Just daydreaming, but who knows? I never thought I'd get to Alaska and I did!

I'm no VIA Rail expert, but in looking at Amtrak's map in the timetable, it looks like you have four viable options without doing some very serious backtracking (if you were to go via Montreal or Vancouver, BC):

1). Ride to Detroit or Port Huron on the Michigan services, catch a cab across the border to Canada (Detroit-Windsor or Port Huron-Sarnia), ride to Toronto, then transfer to a train to Winnipeg, and finally, transfer to the train to Churchill.

2). Ride to Buffalo via the Lake Shore Limited, transfer to the Maple Leaf to Toronto, and then continue with the above itinerary out of Toronto to Winnipeg and Churchill. This is the only Rail-Only option I can come up with, short of going to Montreal or Vancouver.

3). Ride the Pere Marquette to Grand Rapids, and catch the connecting bus the next day to St. Ignace, MI, where you would rent a car and drive to Sault St. Marie, Ontario (keep in mind I have no idea if you can A). Rent a car in St. Ignace, and B ). if you can physically drive to Sault St. Marie from there). From there, you'd board the Algoma Central Railway, and go to Oba, Ontario, connecting to the train to Winnipeg, and then to Churchill.

4). Ride the Empire Builder to Grand Forks, ND (watch it—it's an early morning arrival), rent a car, and drive up to Winnipeg, where you catch the train to Churchill.

Again, I'm getting this by just looking at Amtrak's VIA Rail route map. I have no idea of the feasibility of these suggestions, but they look reasonable, at least on a map.

-Rafi

 

[Guest]

You could take either the Cardinal to NYP, or the Capital Limited to WAS and a regional to NYP, then take the Adirondack to Montreal, connecting into VIA there. This would get you a bunch of Northeastern states. I suppose you could also take the Vermonter to St. Albans, then a bus to Montreal, since that would be less of New York, and gain you NH and VT, and would have every state but Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. I suppose you could take the regional and Downeaster up and back though.

 

[Guest]

I would advise against oba. oba is just an unstaffed station at the junction between the ac and the cn.

 

[MrFSS]

If you want to read an excellent report on going to Churchill, check this LINK. There is then a link to his Blog with all the info and pictures. It will give you an idea about using the rail pass and its possibilities.

 

[AlanB]

I suppose you could also take the Vermonter to St. Albans, then a bus to Montreal, since that would be less of New York, and gain you NH and VT, and would have every state but Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

You could do that if Amtrak was still running the connecting bus, but they aren't anymore. I believe that they dropped the connection about 2 years ago.

 

[Guest]

I suppose you could also take the Vermonter to St. Albans, then a bus to Montreal, since that would be less of New York, and gain you NH and VT, and would have every state but Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

You could do that if Amtrak was still running the connecting bus, but they aren't anymore. I believe that they dropped the connection about 2 years ago.

Really? It's still on the maps though. I suppose you could rent a car or something then.

 

[AlanB]

I suppose you could also take the Vermonter to St. Albans, then a bus to Montreal, since that would be less of New York, and gain you NH and VT, and would have every state but Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

You could do that if Amtrak was still running the connecting bus, but they aren't anymore. I believe that they dropped the connection about 2 years ago.

Really? It's still on the maps though. I suppose you could rent a car or something then.

Well it's not on the online map, but I can't speak to other maps. And it's not on the schedule or bookable anymore thru the online system. People didn't like the idea of boarding the bus in Montreal at 4:30 in the morning.

 

[Guest]

I suppose you could also take the Vermonter to St. Albans, then a bus to Montreal, since that would be less of New York, and gain you NH and VT, and would have every state but Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

You could do that if Amtrak was still running the connecting bus, but they aren't anymore. I believe that they dropped the connection about 2 years ago.

Really? It's still on the maps though. I suppose you could rent a car or something then.

Well it's not on the online map, but I can't speak to other maps. And it's not on the schedule or bookable anymore thru the online system. People didn't like the idea of boarding the bus in Montreal at 4:30 in the morning.

At this map on amtrak.com it shows a green connection line.

 

[AlanB]

I suppose you could also take the Vermonter to St. Albans, then a bus to Montreal, since that would be less of New York, and gain you NH and VT, and would have every state but Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

You could do that if Amtrak was still running the connecting bus, but they aren't anymore. I believe that they dropped the connection about 2 years ago.

Really? It's still on the maps though. I suppose you could rent a car or something then.

Well it's not on the online map, but I can't speak to other maps. And it's not on the schedule or bookable anymore thru the online system. People didn't like the idea of boarding the bus in Montreal at 4:30 in the morning.

At this map on amtrak.com it shows a green connection line.

Go to the PDF version here and it's not. And as I said, just try to book it.

 

[RKA]

I spent the last of August and the first part of September last year (2006) getting to Churchill and returning to Winnipeg. In fact the day that I spent in Churchill was September 1, 2006. You can see everything there is to see in Churchill easily in one day.

The scenery is not very interesting since it never changes very much. I am glad that I went but I wouldn't want to go back. The best way to get there is to get to Winnipeg however you choose and catch the Churchill train

from there.

I totally agree that the best train trip in Canada and one of the best in the world is Toronto to Vancouver and then back to Toronto if you can swing it. I have made both trips and I recommend both trips, however, if you can only make one I would choose the Canadian.

It is absolutely necessary on either of these trips to have a bedroom (a double if possible).

Good Luck!

RB

 

[Everydaymatters]

Would renting a car in Grand Forks be a problem? Is there another way from Grand Forks to Winnepeg? Someone mentioned taking a bus. Does it still run?

 

[Rafi]

Would renting a car in Grand Forks be a problem? Is there another way from Grand Forks to Winnepeg? Someone mentioned taking a bus. Does it still run?

Can't comment on the bus, but I see that Hertz has two locations in Grand Forks: Downtown and the Airport. The downtown location is probably much more convenient than the airport, but it's not open on Sundays. Here are the location details for both.

Grand Forks International Airport

2815 Airport Drive , Suite 4

Hours Of Operation: Mo-Fr 0730-2400, Sa 1000-1630 and 2130-2400, Su 1000-2400. Effective August 26, 2006 Mo-Fr 0730-2400, Sa 1000-1600, Su 1000-2400

Grand Forks Downtown HLE

1325 Demers Avenue

Hours Of Operation: Mo-Fr 0730-1800, Sa 0900-1200, Su Closed

And here are the locations in Winnipeg:

Winnipeg International Airport

In Terminal , Counter Located at East End of Skywalk

Hours Of Operation: Open 7 days a week, 07:00-24:00

1577 Erin Street

Hours Of Operation: Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat-Sun Closed

830 Waverley Street

Hours Of Operation: Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat 08:30-16:30, Sun 10:00-16:00

I also don't know what Hertz' policies for cross-border one-way rentals are, so you'll need to check into that as well.

-Rafi

 

[cp]

Yes, you can rent a car one way from GFK to WINNIPEG. I have done it two months ago when connecting from the Empire Builder to the Canadian. There is also a bus link, Jefferson Lines. You can search the web and you'll find them and their schedule. There is apparently a second bus company, Triangle trasportation that offers an eariler departure from GFK. Something worth looking into. Incidentally, I rented from Avis, but I think Hertz will do it too. The Avis counter in Winnipeg is two blocks from Via station.

 

[jamesontheroad]

The Amtrak Thruway bus between the Vermonter in St. Albans, VT and Montréal, QC is long gone. It had a few reprieves, but due to low ridership and an earlier southbound departure of the Vermonter, it's been cut.

Looking at the two rail maps, travelling from Chicago to Winnipeg (where the 'Hudson Bay' to Churchill sets off) entirely by train (and therefore within the cost of your railpass) will require a long detour, but doubtless an enjoyable experience of several trains. I know others can suggest taking buses to cut off the detour, but I don't know anything about those, and I usually like to take the longest option possible :lol:

From Chicago, I'd ride the Lake Shore Limited east to Buffalo, arrive early morning and spend a day there before catching the late afternoon northbound Maple Leaf to Toronto (you could of course go to New York City first and then on to Toronto). Stay overnight in Toronto and then take the morning departure westbound on the Canadian to Winnipeg, where you'll arrive the next day. The Canadian and the Hudson Bay only run three times a week, and if I recall correctly, the Canadian only arrives into Winnipeg for a same day departure on the Hudson Bay one day a week. I could be wrong, but I know you need to check the schedules if you want to avoid spending a night in Winnipeg, although that's hardly a big deal since it's a nice city that's easy to explore on foot from the centrally located station. Note also that three trains a week means you either arrive in Churchill in the morning and leave twelve hours later when the crew has had their break, or your stay at least two nights until the next service.

It's a long, slow forty hour ride from Winnipeg to Churchill, so take snacks and some good books. The Hudson Bay is the only VIA Rail service which doesn't include meals in the cost of your sleeper ticket. I believe that it is, however, one of the few trains with year round berths (sections). It gets very very popular in the depths of winter (for polar bear sightseeing) and the heights of summer (for the whale sightseeing) so book ahead. I travelled in the low season, when there were two HEP (stainless steel) coaches, a dining car and one sleeper (I was the only passenger). This can increase to several sleepers when it gets busy, but there's never a dome car because (in the words of a VIA Rail employee) "there really ain't nothing much to see". The landscape might become repitive to some, but the vast wilderness of the route is quite breath taking.

Thanks to MrFSS for plugging my travelogue: my trip from Winnipeg to Churchill and back is recounted in great detail there, although I'm afraid the blog doesn't make for easy navigation.

*j*

 

[MrFSS]

Thanks to MrFSS for plugging my travelogue: my trip from Winnipeg to Churchill and back is recounted in great detail there, although I'm afraid the blog doesn't make for easy navigation.
*j*

Getting from Chicago to Winnipeg isn't an easy navigation, either! :lol: