VIA Canadian sleeper questions

[Bob Dylan]

If i'm going to riding on the canadian 1 person. what is best room for that trip? if i'm willing to pay extra money.. but not go crazyness with 10k lol..

A Cabin for 1 ( Roomette) is a what most would book, but if you have the $$$ a Cabin for 2 ( Bedroom) is nice.

If you want so save some Money and still be comfortable on the 4 day/4 Night Trip,a Lower Section Berth is perfectly acceptable if you're by yourself.

 

[jiml]

Just watched yesterday a recent YouTube video on the Grounded Life Travel channel where they did a room tour of a "Cabin for 2" on the Canadian. It sounded really nice!
Here it is:

The complete trip video is now up. It offers visual answers to a lot of the questions about accommodation and The Canadian in wintertime:

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

The complete trip video is now up. It offers visual answers to a lot of the questions about accommodation and The Canadian in wintertime:

My husband and I were watching that this morning. I saw that during one of the longer "fresh air breaks" (multiple hours), the Grounded Life Travel couple took refuge in a Tim Hortons with a hot breakfast.

 

[jiml]

So sad to see the buffer car trailing the Park (as discussed elsewhere).

 

[moosejunky99]

A Cabin for 1 ( Roomette) is a what most would book, but if you have the $$$ a Cabin for 2 ( Bedroom) is nice.

If you want so save some Money and still be comfortable on the 4 day/4 Night Trip,a Lower Section Berth is perfectly acceptable if you're by yourself.

Ya i'm planning on doing both directions and staying 5 days in Vancover.. So, it is going to be a mega trip in 3 years if i have the funds haha!

 

[zephyr17]

If i'm going to riding on the canadian 1 person. what is best room for that trip? if i'm willing to pay extra money.. but not go crazyness with 10k lol..

Roomette, "cabin for 1", in VIA-ese.

You ought to be able to get one for in the neighborhood of $2500 CAD in the off season. Too lazy to look it up for a precise number right now, though.

 

[Rasputin]

So sad to see the buffer car trailing the Park (as discussed elsewhere).

Perhaps someone can write a children's book about the little buffer car that gets no respect.

 

[Northwestern]

Could anyone please tell me how to find out the fare for Vancouver to Jasper on the VIA website. Would the fare be the same as for Vancouver to Toronto, or a little less? The VIA website may be easier to comprehend than quantum mechanics, but I'm not so sure. Do you have to log in to the VIA website to get fare quotes?

I would like to compare prices for a "cabin for one" and a "cabin or two" for Vancouver to Jasper.

Thanks.

Richard

 

[fdaley]

Could anyone please tell me how to find out the fare for Vancouver to Jasper on the VIA website. Would the fare be the same as for Vancouver to Toronto, or a little less? The VIA website may be easier to comprehend than quantum mechanics, but I'm not so sure. Do you have to log in to the VIA website to get fare quotes?

I would like to compare prices for a "cabin for one" and a "cabin or two" for Vancouver to Jasper.

Thanks.

Richard

So, when I went to the VIA site just now, I clicked on the "tickets" tab on the home page and put in "Vancouver" as the origin point and "Jasper" as the destination, and specified one adult departing Monday, 3/13, with no return date. I was quoted the following prices, taxes not included:

-- Lower berth, C$585
-- Cabin for one (roomette), C$882
-- Cabin for two (bedroom), C$1,323
-- Prestige cabin, C$4,040

To convert to USD, knock off about 25 percent, so about $662 for a roomette and $992 for a bedroom.

I didn't have to log on to get the quotes in Canadian currency. All of these, except Prestige, were listed as discounted fares. When I tried the preceding Friday's departure (March 10), all of the roomettes and bedrooms were sold out. I did notice previously, when I was looking at prices for a possible trip this winter, that the Friday departures from Vancouver seem to be much more heavily booked than the Monday departures.

 

[BarbW]

Has anyone traveled in Prestige Class? I would love to hear about your experience. I am a little concerned about the bed, does it really sleep two adults?

Yes. The room is beautiful and the service was absolutely superb. It was our trip of a lifetime. The bed is truly a double (full size) bed. Not large people, we slept fine, even though we were used to sleeping on a king at home. Some large folks might have trouble with the size of the bed.

 

[joelkfla]

CAA members get 10% off "best available fare" on cabins on the Canadian and the Ocean. Discounts are higher for berths & coach. I was told by a VIARail phone agent that the discounts also apply to AAA members, though I can't confirm by experience.

I think AAA dues vary by state; in FL it's $59 a year. If the discounts are indeed available to AAA members, you could get back sustantially more than that on a Canadian cabin for 1.

CAA members offers | VIA Rail

CAA members offers, enjoy exclusive travel discounts all year.

www.viarail.ca

 

[danasgoodstuff]

So, when I went to the VIA site just now, I clicked on the "tickets" tab on the home page and put in "Vancouver" as the origin point and "Jasper" as the destination, and specified one adult departing Monday, 3/13, with no return date. I was quoted the following prices, taxes not included:

-- Lower berth, C$585
-- Cabin for one (roomette), C$882
-- Cabin for two (bedroom), C$1,323
-- Prestige cabin, C$4,040

To convert to USD, knock off about 25 percent, so about $662 for a roomette and $992 for a bedroom.

I didn't have to log on to get the quotes in Canadian currency. All of these, except Prestige, were listed as discounted fares. When I tried the preceding Friday's departure (March 10), all of the roomettes and bedrooms were sold out. I did notice previously, when I was looking at prices for a possible trip this winter, that the Friday departures from Vancouver seem to be much more heavily booked than the Monday departures.

Sleeper Plus class much better prices, but you can't be sure of getting what you want when you want it.

 

[Northwestern]

Thanks, Fdaley, for the information on fares for the Cabin for 1 and Cabin for 2. I did click "find train tickets" on the VIA website and got information, as you suggested.

I see your info was for March. I was curious as to the fare during peak summer months. Here is what I got for July:

Cabin for 1: $ 1597 (C)
Cabin for 2: $ 2515 (C)

I noticed that the price for Prestige Class wasn't included. I found, from the internet, this:

Compare fares by class | VIA Rail

*/

is.gd

$6261 (C) for Prestige Class seems exorbitant, to say the least. I think the Rocky Mountaineer would be a batter choice for a trip to Jasper. I don't understand, in the link above, why they only show Economy and Sleeper Plus, without showing Cabin 1 & Cabin 2 fares.

 

[Alice]

Thanks, Fdaley, for the information on fares for the Cabin for 1 and Cabin for 2. I did click "find train tickets" on the VIA website and got information, as you suggested.

I see your info was for March. I was curious as to the fare during peak summer months. Here is what I got for July:

Cabin for 1: $ 1597 (C)
Cabin for 2: $ 2515 (C)

I noticed that the price for Prestige Class wasn't included. I found, from the internet, this:

Compare fares by class | VIA Rail

*/

is.gd

$6261 (C) for Prestige Class seems exorbitant, to say the least. I think the Rocky Mountaineer would be a batter choice for a trip to Jasper. I don't understand, in the link above, why they only show Economy and Sleeper Plus, without showing Cabin 1 & Cabin 2 fares.

That is a very interesting chart. I kind of want to try Prestige Class for a short time then move to something more affordable and that chart will be helpful.

 

[zephyr17]

Could anyone please tell me how to find out the fare for Vancouver to Jasper on the VIA website. Would the fare be the same as for Vancouver to Toronto, or a little less? The VIA website may be easier to comprehend than quantum mechanics, but I'm not so sure. Do you have to log in to the VIA website to get fare quotes?

I would like to compare prices for a "cabin for one" and a "cabin or two" for Vancouver to Jasper.

Thanks.

Richard

You do not have to log in.

Viarail.ca lands you on the reservation page, at least on the mobile version of the site. Just start typing "Vancouver" in the origin field and a drop down with the official station selections will appear. Same for "Jasper" in the destination.

Choose a Monday or Friday for the departure dates, the only days it runs.

It will then take you to a page where you choose you accommodation type. It defaults to "Economy" but press the drop down arrow to get the rest. Chose the accommodation. VIA no longer follows the rail fare + accommodation charge traditional methodology that Amtrak still does, all prices are quoted per person, total number traveling.

Single occupancy of a Cabin for 2 is 150% of Cabin for 1 in the same fare class, btw.

If you are going directly to the Sleeper Plus Sale page, those fares are only between the points listed (on the days listed and accommodations listed). Vancouver-Jasper doesn't show up much on the Sale page because that is probably the most popular city pair.

 

[Rasputin]

Not sure where this should go but here it is:

I understand, based on some posts on another site, that during servicing/refueling stops on the VIA Canadian, that CN now prohibits passengers from walking on the platform to the rear of the Park car or to the front of the locomotives which of course limits photography opportunities. The comments seem to suggest that this prohibition is in effect at most if not all stops and that apparently announcements of the rule are made on the train. Is anyone able to confirm this?

The suggestion is that CN has stated that if the rule is violated, passengers will be required to remain on the train during stops.

 

[Bob Dylan]

That is a very interesting chart. I kind of want to try Prestige Class for a short time then move to something more affordable and that chart will be helpful.

"Moving on up to the East Side.."

Nice plan Alice, but that's still pretty Pricey for an Overnight trip from Vancouver to Jasper.( compare it to a Bedroom on the Empire Builder from Seattle to Glacier, which would be around $750)

I agree that the Rocky Mountaineer would be a better use of your Money for this trip if you want Luxury Travel.

 

[zephyr17]

Not sure where this should go but here it is:

I understand, based on some posts on another site, that during servicing/refueling stops on the VIA Canadian, that CN now prohibits passengers from walking on the platform to the rear of the Park car or to the front of the locomotives which of course limits photography opportunities. The comments seem to suggest that this prohibition is in effect at most if not all stops and that apparently announcements of the rule are made on the train. Is anyone able to confirm this?

The suggestion is that CN has stated that if the rule is violated, passengers will be required to remain on the train during stops.

I can confirm it pretty much applies at Kamloops, Saskatoon and Melville.

They seem especially touchy about it at Melville and Kamloops.

 

[TheMalahat]

I can confirm it pretty much applies at Kamloops, Saskatoon and Melville.

They seem especially touchy about it at Melville and Kamloops.

That was my recent experience as well after two trips Fall 2022. In Kamloops CN Police were even there; and, I get it in Kamloops. The train basically stops in what feels like the middle of the yard. Pretty ridiculous setup.

In Saskatoon I got to the front of the train after refueling was done. We were early at the time.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I can confirm it pretty much applies at Kamloops, Saskatoon and Melville.

They seem especially touchy about it at Melville and Kamloops.

WOW, is VIA turning into Amtrak???

 

[TheMalahat]

WOW, is VIA turning into Amtrak???

It's CN, here.

 

[zephyr17]

WOW, is VIA turning into Amtrak???

VIA at Kamloops is tighter now than any Amtrak stops. Then again, I do not know of anywhere on Amtrak's station is in the middle of an active yard, like VIA has at Kamloops North.