Train travel is a great option for flexible travellers. In North America, the popularity of this travel mode has declined in past decades. This has resulted in fewer routes and in our area, a split in the industry, with a luxury option, the Rocky Mountaineer, and a public carrier, VIA Rail. I have travelled on both and on the U.S. carrier Amtrak.
Train travel demands patience, beginning with the planning process. The Rocky Mountaineer operates only April to October, to limited destinations in B.C. and Alberta. A three-day excursion costs in the range of $2,000 per person. This includes top shelf food, accommodation and touring services.
One can travel Canada coast to coast on VIA. The downside: a trip from Vancouver to Edmonton takes a full day, as opposed to flying, which takes an hour.
VIA’s routes run in south and central B.C., in a line through the Prairies from Jasper to Winnipeg, through southern and other areas of Ontario and Quebec as well as to the Maritimes. Connections to Amtrak’s U.S. destinations are possible at major terminals like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.
VIA offers two classes of service: economy and sleeper. Economy tickets are usually less than airfare for the same trip. They get you a seat and baggage transport. You pay extra for food and drinks from a snack bar and share common washroom facilities. You can also bring your own snacks and electronic devices (headphones recommended) to pass the time.
I prefer to travel sleeper class. At a minimum, this triples the cost of travel over economy. Sleeper class can range from berth (a seat that transitions into a bed in a semi-private car with a shared washroom) to private cabins, basic to deluxe, with their own washrooms.
Sleeper class passengers get meals served in a lovely dining car. They also can access a lounge and domed-top viewing car. Meals are ample, following a set menu with entrée choices. Menu information is available on viarail.ca. If you let them know in advance about special dietary needs, they will try to accommodate.
Alcohol in the lounge or with meals is an additional cost. On certain departures, sleeper class customers are treated to complimentary wine and appies service for a brief period.
Sleeper class lets you sit back and enjoy great service along with the changing scenery. If delayed (which can happen due to weather, track conditions, traffic, etc.) your experience is extended. If you are not on a tight timeframe, this is just more time to enjoy the service.
Amtrak offers similar services to VIA’s, but the quality, in my view, is slightly lower. On the plus side, Amtrak has a vast network of routes, compared to VIA’s limited offerings.
The scenery is the same on each leg of a train trip; consider flying one way and taking the train the other. If schedules permit, rail travel can be a relaxing way to your destination.
