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scott

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Hi guys,

just wondered if any of you have traveled on The Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver? I know this is an Amtrak forum, but it's all part of the North American system, and they do seem to have some great train rides, from what I hear from some of this past summer's Amtrak riders.

Any discussion boards out there?

Scott
 
From what I've heard VIA Long Distance service is a lot better than Amtrak's. They tend to offer a lot more amenities and accomadations at a reasonable price. You can choose Transcontinental Coach Class, Sleeping Berth, Roomette, Double Bedroom, Triple Bedroom, or a Romance Suite. VIA's equipment is all refurbished Budd Streamliners from the 1950's. VIA has done a great job keeping with that nostalgic atmosphere, but at the same time adding modern amenities. All passengers riding in a sleeping car get complemtary regional gourmet meal and use of the Park Lounge wich is an observation car that has a bullet nose end with big windows so you can get a nice paneramic view. Upsatirs in the Park Lounge is plenty of dome seating so you can take in all the views. There is also a Snack Bar Car with lounge and upper level dome seating. If you ride in Coach you do not have acesss to the Dining Car or Park Lounge and for a reasonable price you can by a light meal (VIA's meals are not microwaved, but freshly prepared onboard in a samll galley) in the Snack Bar Car.

As for the route I've heard that you see just about everything suburbs, plains, rolling hills, and magnificent mountains. VIA is known for having a good ontime record and a 4 day accros the North American continent should be an enjoyable one. You can go to www.viarail.com for much more info. Hope this helps. :)
 
Amfleet said:
VIA's equipment is all refurbished Budd Streamliners from the 1950's.
Actually, VIA has recently acquired some new sleeper equipment. They brought a bunch of cars that were built for England and then never used. These cars are now starting to see use on many of VIA's runs. I'm not sure if they are in use on the Canadian yet, but I do know that they are seeing use on the overnight run from Montreal to Toronto.
 
When I was in Montreal, I heard that VIA was going to use the new English cars on the Windsor-Toronto-Montreal corridor either supplementing or replacing their LRC's. Which would include the overnight Enterprise."
 
Thanks guys. I'm looking forward to the trip. Oh, Amfleet, I believe that coach passengers do get access to the dining car; they are barred only from the Park car. Another goodie is that there are 2 or 3 dome lounge cars on the Canadian, which I think is a good idea. At the height of summer, there were rarely enough seats in the lounge car on most of the 5 Amtrak trains I rode on. Still, I love Amtrak and hope they get the 1.2 billion. Or more.

Scott
 
I have ridden on the Canadian three times. Go first class. Go the whole way. Simply the best train ride in the world for scenery and quality of equpment combined. Food in the diner is always prettygood, but on a round trip the menu does repeat and is somewhat boring. Go off season like fall or late spring to get better rates and experience fewer crowds. Good luck.
 
Hi Steve,

Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately, have to go in the summer, though only late June so shouldn't be too bad yet. Can you tell me your impressions of the Park Car as well as how many skyline dome cars they ran? I've also heard that they allow smoking in parts of the Park Car and wonder if that's going to be a problem as I am (almost) allergic to smoke. Your thoughts?

Oh, I'll be going one way. :)

Scott
 
My girlfriend and I looked at booking a trip on the Canadian for next summer. With the best accommodations they have (since by all accounts this is the best train and when on the best you should have the best says my girlfriend :) ) the total seems to be around $4000 Cdn. Still if it's anything like I've heard it to be it will make a great graduation present in a couple of years.
 
hello

I recomend going from vancouver to toronto if you are only going to go one way. More hours of daylight going through the rockies.

Greatest train ride I have ever taken. During summer train will range from 20-30 cars. Will most likely have multiple domes and diners just for sleepers. The sleepers are great. I was just on the ocean and the park car was no smoking the other dome lounge was smoking.

hope this helps
 
Thanks, John and the rest of you. This sounds like one of the great rail journeys. I pray that Amtrak gets the money it needs to truly bring this quality of rail travel. QUESTION: I've looked at the timestables. It looks like traveling Vancouver to Toronto, one indeed gets an extra couple hours of light that aren't there for the Toronto to Vancouver portion, UNLESS you take time changes into account. Seems like you would lose an hour of light traveling east. Does this sound right?

Scott

P.s. Anyone ride the trans-siberian?? :)
 
I dont remember any smoke in the park car. I think smoking was restricted to the lounge that was directly underneath the dome. Smoking was never allowed in the dome, nore in the dovetail part of the car where you can look back down the tracks. The Park car was my favorite car on the Canadain. If you go first class, dont bother with the skyline cars, because, as I recall, they are always crowded and the downstairs part was more smokey.
 
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