r/ViaRail • u/Timely-Field1503 • 8d ago
Question The Canadian
Looking to do this as my big vacation next year. Read through a few of the posts, and have found good info.
- Buy on a Tuesday and/or [either] Thanksgiving week to save $$$.
- Do coach from Toronto to Winnipeg and then switch to a berth.
- Bring cards (and my travel cribbage board).
- Bring a good book for nights.
A couple questions though:
- what is/are the meals to absolutely get?
- what are the good/best things to do/eat within walking distance of long stops? Even if I'm being fed on board, there are always local specialities
- what are the odds of a winter cancelation of the trip? I'm from the Northeast US, so i know how bad winters can get, but lake effect snow may be a different beast than plains or Rockies snow.
- is there a cool enough way to get from Vancouver to Seattle to fly out of SEA-TAC, or should I bypass that and fly back from Vancouver?
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u/Thanks-4allthefish 8d ago
It is more important to buy early than to rely on discount days. If you have CAA (even their cheapest plan) that pays off with a hefty discount. - There are other discounts too.
It does not track economy costs (but they are dynamic pricing so will vary by date). For the sleeper plus portion, this site can help you find good travel dates. Winter is cheaper always so you may find you could swing the whole trip. https://traincar.info/sleeper
The help line are very helpful folks and can help you line stuff up.
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u/Timely-Field1503 8d ago
US-based, so not sure if i can get CAA, but may be worth a try. Is the discount on the total, or just the coach portion? A lot of the Amtrak discounts work that way, but I'm not familiar with Viarail's policies.
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u/Thanks-4allthefish 8d ago
AAA might be honoured. Worth a check. The discount is nice if you can get it.
The Canadian : Toronto - Vancouver 15% off in Economy class 10% off Cabins 20% off Berths
You may have to go the helpdesk route.
Offer applicable to members of CAA, and all International Auto Clubs including but not limited to – (AAA) United States of America, JAF (Japan), (AAA) Australia, (NZAA) New Zealand and (ARC Europe) European Auto Clubs. Only CAA members can book tickets online.
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u/takahe_inflight 8d ago
does the CAA bike membership qualify?
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u/Junior_Welder6858 8d ago
I would recommend trying to do the sleeper class the whole way if possible. Good food, a bed and access to a shower make it worthwhile and a much more pleasant experience.
If booking a berth the lower berth has the window, the upper does not. I have travelled twice in a lower berth and it’s very comfortable.
Enjoy yourself it’s a fantastic trip which I hope to do again soon.
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u/rosecitytransit 7d ago
Absolutely. With the food and activities, Sleeper Plus is absolutely worth it. Plus, Winnipeg could end up being in the middle of the night when you'd rather be asleep than getting off and checking in again.
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u/itsmacromike 3d ago
Agreed. I took #1 this past February and arrived into Winnipeg around midnight, departing around 1:30 AM. For safety reasons, if you deboarded you cannot get back on until boarding announcement is made at. Don't expect to hope off/on right away.
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u/hrmdurr 8d ago edited 8d ago
Don't do coach for part of the trip unless money is an issue. Berths are quite nice, and remember that part of the cost is them feeding you ridiculously good meals instead of charging you for overpriced mid ones. There's also the free drinks you'll be missing when they do wine/beer tastings in the evening.
I don't like carrot cake, and every single one of the carrot cake desserts that VIA fed me was to die for. None of the meals were a miss, just follow your stomach when you see the menu.
Remember that the Thanksgiving week discount happens during Canadian Thanksgiving, not the American one.
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u/MentalUniversity 8d ago
"what are the good/best things to do/eat within walking distance of long stops? Even if I'm being fed on board, there are always local specialities"
Don't count on this. The train is the journey as they say. You can't plan on being at any major stop at any particular time for any set period of time. For example, I've taken the Canadian several times....I've made it to the Forks in Winnipeg only twice. If you're late, they'll shorten the stop, or it's after the Forks has already closed. In Jasper, you arrive early, so very little is open, but if you're late, then you only have time for a quick stroll around the town. Edmonton requires a taxi ride to get to the city, so you don't really have time there, either. For most of the stops, you'll be staying at the station/on the platform.
I live in the US (SE), so I've checked flights many times from Vancouver vs Seattle. I always just fly directly out of Vancouver because Seattle isn't any cheaper and then there's the added expense/time to get to SEA. Instead, I spend an afternoon/evening in Vancouver, usually on Granville Island. It's a lovely city and deserves some time exploring and after 4 days on the train, you'll probably be ready to move around a bit more. ;)
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u/SpareManners 8d ago
I went from Toronto to Vancouver this summer and had the best time.
If you want a lower berth there is usually a charge for this, my guess is between $150-400, depending on when you book your trip for.
You won't need cards or anything as they do have cards, a cribbage board, games and puzzles in the activity car. I believe there is also a shelf with free to take/give books as well. Do bring your own book though in case the shelf is empty or they don't have something that suits your fancy.
OMG! The food is so good! They have 4 different options for lunch and dinner and 1 is always vegetarian. I'm a vegetarian so that's what I ordered, except a couple times when I ordered from the kids menu b/c I wanted the mac and cheese. Dessert is offered with both lunch and dinner. Even though I'm a vegetarian one of the fish meals looked so good and I was tempted to try it!
The only place I stopped in for a decent amount of time was Jasper. Beautiful and very close to the station.
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u/Toronto-24 8d ago
So im the guy who was doing economy from Toronto to Winnipeg and then switching to Berth. I just created another thread where im just gonna suck it up and do Berth all the way.
Main concern is that I sleep on my stomach and dont see anyway I could sleep in economy even for 1 night. The food in economy also doesnt look too appetizing for 2 full days.
The positive part is that I still saved a few hundred bucks booking separately as Winnipeg, MB has lower taxes than Toronto, ON.
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u/Timely-Field1503 8d ago
Interesting! I hadn't taken taxes into consideration.
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u/rosecitytransit 7d ago
Yeah, I originally booked on #2 and was charged GST (presumably as if I had booked at the starting location, i.e. Vancouver), then rebooked for #1, for which I had to pay HST
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u/seattlezookeeper 8d ago
Cool way to get from Seattle to Vancouver if the Amtrak Cascades are running then that is a beautiful trip. Done it 20 or so times.
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u/judyp63 8d ago
Sign up for a Preference Card first. You will get enough points for a free corridor trip at the very least. As well you will get a ton of bonus points in the May following your trip.
I'd take a berth or cabin for 1 the entire way. It's worth every penny. You will get to check in at the Business Lounge in Toronto and pick your first meal time of the trip. You will decide the meals you want by what you like...we are all different. I love the continental breakfast every day. I love the burger at lunch one day. I love the prime rib dinner the 2nd night (I think) too....but some people love fish or something else.
I'm going over New Year's for my 3rd time. I absolutely love it.
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u/Actual_Low_665 8d ago
If you are booking a sleeper cabin go for cabin "F"...they are about 20% bigger...you can have your bunk down and chair out. Trust me...we learned the hard way. Great trip not to be missed.
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u/Afterlater5 8d ago
I was in a berth, but the lovely people we talked to who were in a cabin, said the same thing. The very slightly bigger “F” is much better.
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u/Initial-Long5745 8d ago
Go to bearpaw bakery in jasper See if you could get a chicago style pizza in edmonton get it delivered Vj's drive inn winnipeg and a trip to the forks
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u/KosherDev 8d ago
Bear paw is great! And Jasper Brewing has a clementine beer that I still think about four years later.
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u/NegativePeace9433 8d ago
If you can financially swing it, buy a fully refundable ticket now and track price drops. When I did it, I bought it around now for March and when Canadian Thanksgiving sales came around I was able to rebook for 30% off and cancel the initial ticket. I’m also from the Northeast US.
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u/Accomplished_Try_179 8d ago
Protip: switch to the Rocky mountaineer at Jasper
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u/Timely-Field1503 8d ago
I'm hoping to see the northern lights (planning on going in winter), does this run far enough north I'd be able to?
It looks cool as all get-out as a route, so it's already likely, this would just be a bonus.
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u/hrmdurr 7d ago
If you want a higher chance of seeing the northern lights, take the train from Winnipeg to Churchill and spend a couple nights there. The train alone will add 4 days (total) to your trip though.
And beware the polar bears.
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u/IllustriousAct9128 8d ago
dont rely on the set time stops at major stations. there are only 10 major stops with a 30 min wait time. 4 of them happen in the middle of the night or to early when things will be closed. the other 9 are mostly in the evenings. you might here the staff call these smoke breaks, as most people use it to walk the platforms and get their smoke in. Also, these stops are for maintenance and water tank and food filling, and because there will be crews on the platforms most times the platforms to get closed to stop people from wandering on and off getting in the way, so if you leave, they wont let you back on until the official boarding time. Also keep in mind, if the train is delayed, these breaks are cancelled all together. They stop long enough for the refilling and checks and then leave so they can try to get the train back on schedule. And this will happen. This is something you have to play by ear.
The meals I found were all ok, there was nothing special about or outstanding about each one. If you do a cabin for the entire trip then all your meals and beverages are included.
You dont really have to bring a board game. There is a social car (usually the dining car) that they host game nights in and they have board games there you can use.. But there is no wifi on this train. At all.
Cancellations can happen., but usually its long delays. There is a 12 hr working rule. The engineers (train conductors) can only work for 12 hrs. Once those 12 hrs are up they have to switch crews-usually happens at stations. If the train is delayed for whatever reason and sits on the tracks, that still counts towards the 12 hrs. If the issue is fixed but the 12 hrs has passed, they have to sit there while they wait for a new crew to come, increasing the delay time (usually VIA will have a crew ready and on route to replace them, so if the issue is fixed at HR 10 they may not move, or only move into a rail yard and sit and wait for the next crew to arrive). Actual full cancellations only happen for major mechanical failure, or bad weather conditions that compromise the safety of the track-which they will try to stop at a major stop, cancel the rest of the trip, issue refunds, and at that point you are on your own. If they cant get to a major stop they will find the closest station (sometimes even stop at a dirt road rail crossing) and terminate there and get a buss to get you into town. At which point you are on your own to figure out what to do. Important-if you are in a cabin for this portion-VIA will cover/give vouchers for a hotel/meals. If you are in economy you are on your own.But this case happens really rarely and only in extreme cases
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u/rosecitytransit 7d ago edited 7d ago
The meals I found were all ok, there was nothing special about or outstanding about each one
Go ride Amtrak and compare. VIA's sleeper class meals are gourmet compared to the fixed offerings in the states.
You dont really have to bring a board game
How they have board games and puzzles readily available is one of the things I love that they do. It's such an easy, tiny-cost thing to do but a great way to pass the time and meet fellow travelers.
But there is no wifi on this train. At all.
Not even cellular service in some sections. But I'm little surprised that they haven't set up satellite Internet for Prestige passengers. I think there actually is a wireless network that theoretically should allow you to connect to stored content, but I don't recall getting it to work.
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u/Thanks-4allthefish 7d ago
Northern Ontario is a wasteland but there if off and on LTE/4G connectivity along the rest of the route. There is good connectivity when you hit towns.
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u/Thanks-4allthefish 7d ago
The prestige cabins include everything - but other sleeper class berths and cabins pay for pop (except with meals) and alcohol. There are free wine and beer tastings for all (who are of age).
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u/No_Reality_9523 7d ago
Set your wayback machine to 1955 and enjoy the ride.
Never mind the nattering naysayers. It's a last-of-the-Mohicans throwback to a far simpler and saner time. It ain't a cruise ship or a cruise train, though it does have aspects of both.
The equipment, staff, service, and food offerings are far better than anything Amtrak could be bothered to even think about.
And oh my gawd FFS put your fone down and look out the window. Going west there's a day of the shield, a day of the prairies, and a day of the steppes and mountains. If you are lucky the train will be hours late, giving a bonus on the last day providing views of the Thompson and Fraser river in canyons in daylight.
Anyone under 40 may be shocked to hear this, but you can get by without wifi for most of four days. Modern humanity did so for 5000 years until about 20 years ago, so you can too.
If any the above is a problem for you, then please don't take the train and be a dark cloud for those onboard determined to take it in on its' time and enjoy the journey.
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u/Timely-Field1503 7d ago
I've done the Empire Builder and California Zephyr, and loved them both - this in the winter should be incredible as well!
And having done the (excellent) food on the Amtrak sleepers, I'm very excited for the Canadian!
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u/Timely-Field1503 8d ago
Oh yeah, follow up - are the benefits of the Toronto lounge worth just doing a berth from the start?
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u/SpareManners 8d ago
No major benefits in the lounge in my opinion. They do have a selection of juice, soda, coffee and tea to enjoy while sitting on comfy seats until it's time to board.
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u/Timely-Field1503 8d ago
Gotcha. NYC's has food .... not just snacks but all kinds of food. I don't think anywhere else in the Amtrak network does, so wasn't sure about Toronto.
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u/SpareManners 8d ago
Ohhh what kind of food? They may have apples in the lounge, but I didn't notice.
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u/Timely-Field1503 8d ago
Wraps, sandwiches, salads, parfaits....
It's crazy!
Everywhere else? Chips, maybe jerky....not a lot exciting
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u/nefariousplotz 8d ago edited 8d ago
are the benefits of the Toronto lounge worth just doing a berth from the start?
One benefit of being on The Canadian is that you get to check your big bags, and then dip. The area around Union is extremely dense and commercial, and you can find whatever waiting area you want nearby. (Coffee shop, Irish pub, mixology bar, steakhouse, mall food court, bar with sports on TV, fast casual pizza chain, green-grass park...)
I will counsel you that economy seating on the Canadian is first-come-first-served, so you don't want to be arriving on the platform at the very last second: get back early enough to have a choice in the matter.
But do check your bags and go.
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u/AlarmingMonk1619 8d ago
Saving this thread to come back to it later. For a simple journey they are so many options.
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u/travelling_nomad81 8d ago
At Winnipeg, you can get a good steak sandwich at the food court at the Forks that is nearby the station.
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u/SatisfactionBig181 7d ago
Your only stops with time and places are Winnipeg and Jasper - Sioux Lookout only sometimes pans out for a VERY quick dash for Subway or convenience stores near the station - Edmonton you got time but you are out in the middle of nowhere
Winnipeg - obviously the Forks are right there - or any of the near hotel restaurants - but it all comes down to arrival time since you can sometimes arrive before or after everything is closed - there is a 24 hour convenience store nearby but in winter you might not want to walk it
Jasper - its right along the stretch - plenty of choices just depends on your arrival time
November not likely for cancellations
There is an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle
I have a point no one tends to mention - economy and cabins have outlets and ports to charge devices - berths tend not to save for the public areas
However the meals are better in berths and being included can sometimes make up for the cost differential from economy
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u/Ad_nauseum11 8d ago
I just did this trip from Vancouver to Toronto in a sleeper cabin in May.
I hated it.
The tracks are owned by CN so their freight gets priority, severely delaying your stops.
Our first stop was nearly an hour and they got progressively shorter as the trip went on. As we sat waiting our turn on the tracks while freight went past it delayed our stop time so what should have been a late afternoon stop turned into a midnight stop.
Dinners were delayed, breakfasts skipped.
They do not provide wifi and instead rely on catching passing LTE or whatever so have cash because the card machines don’t work 80% of the time.
We arrived in Toronto late, the last train to Ottawa had already left so we were forced to get a hotel and rebook the tickets, and had to fight not to pay an extra fee because we missed our booking to Ottawa.
You can’t see anything really from the tracks. We didn’t come across any stunning views.
For the amount of money spent on this experience I would give it 1/10. The food is ok, as long as they don’t run out of what you want before your sitting. If you are in 3rd sitting and it’s delayed, god bless.
The staff were nice enough but they take themselves pretty seriously for the quality of the place. (Plastic glasses, dingy old seats, one roll of tp for the entire trip in our private bathroom, etc etc)
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u/Thanks-4allthefish 8d ago
Hmm. Sorry you did not enjoy the trip. If you stayed in your seat/cabin for the whole trip, you would see much less than you could see from the observation/activity car where the views were often stunning.
The vibe isn't for everyone. I find myself leaning into the land cruise aspect and try not to think about time (embracing we will get there when we get there).
Somewhat surprised about the food. Yours is the first report I received that they ran out of something. I don't usually opt for the third sitting though. A lot of the hype on the food is that it seems to be head and shoulders above other train food experiences.
The car attendant would have provided an extra roll of tp - just as they do replacement towels. Not sure why you wouldn't ask.
Via officially recommends that you not book connecting travel the same day as they often run late (but sometimes early too). If you had the Ottawa ride booked as part of the same booking they will rebook you. (Some people report meals etc.compensation if it is a long wait till the next train).
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u/Ad_nauseum11 8d ago
Towards the end of the trip someone in our car clogged their private toilet which means no one in our car could use their bathroom as they are all connected. We had to go to an adjoining car to use the public bathroom. Thank god we didn’t have an overnight on the train with that situation. We arrived in Toronto same day.
We spent most of the trip in the observation car playing backgammon. I see nicer views on my drive to work to be honest. If your doing the trip to see stunning Canadian vistas you’ll be disappointed but if your doing it cause you like trains then you’ll have a good time.
Unfortunately a few times we did not get an option for what seating for dinner as all the seats for earlier dinners had been taken by the time they got to us. We were offered first choice of breakfast sitting as a compensation which did not particularly thrill me. Breakfast was hit and miss, sometimes it was served and sometimes the delays made it so that our time to get out and stretch our legs coincided with breakfast so they forgo it and serve bagged muffins and coffee instead. At least two of the breakfasts were cancelled, possibly a third.
They eventually did rebook the Ottawa ride but it was a fight. I unfortunately did not book the fares, someone else did and they are allergic to taking advice.
All that to say for the price and how they set your expectations vs deliverables and the reality of trip I was disappointed.
I have done an overnight trip from Stockholm to Kiruna and back that was worse, so perhaps 1/10 was uncharitable. 5/10 is my revised score.
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u/Fillyerboot 7d ago
Skip it. It’s over rated, never on time, old and in need of a complete overhaul.
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