13 day big circle trip

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KC Ghost Rider

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Hi all,

I used to post with the same name but as a guest and always got excellent information from this forum. Anyway, I am planning a trip from Kansas City, Missouri, to Toronto, Canada at the end of November this year. After that, I ride the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver, BC, Canada. At this point I take a bus to Seattle, Washington, to catch the train to Emeryville, California. After spending a day, I take the train from Emeryville to Galesburg, Illinois, and finally back to Kansas City, Missouri. It will take 13 days and 9 of them is aboard train heading along this circle route. Has anyone done this before? Is there any problems along the way, such as at the Canadian border crossing? How about this bus early in the Morning (5:30am) from Vancouver, BC, heading towards Seattle? Any suggestions? I like to make this as smooth as possible.

The Ghost :)
 
Hi,

Welcome, sounds a great trip.

My understanding is that you need a pretty clean record to visit Canada, provided you don't have any issues with that you should be fine.

I loved my summertime Canadian ride from Toronto to Vancouver a few years back, great food and lots of free champaign to sample. Even saw a baby bear trackside. Flew to Canada from UK, so no info about Vancouver to Seattle. Winter looks a good time to go from a scenic perspective, but I would maybe think about building some slack into the timetable... I know you are not on trains all the time, but as you are no doubt aware, delays are all too possible...

Ed :cool:
 
Definitely sounds like a great ride. If you have the time I might suggest a few layovers to enjoy some of the country you'll be riding through.

For border crossings, bring your passport. And never, ever give a customs official a hard time. That include jokes.

A Montanan who enjoys trail travel.
 
I have built in some layovers into the Schedule. There are 2 nights in Toronto at the Royal York Hotel. This was a necessary layover to wait on the Canadian and a day to see the city. The second stop is in Vancouver, BC, at the Hotel Vancouver for 2 nights. Again, to see the sights. The third stoppage is an overnight at the Hyatt House in Emeryville, California. My concern is the bus from Vancouver to Seattle to catch the CS. Hopefully, it isn't a big deal and everything is within time keeping standards. Additionally, I have my fingers crossed that the PPC's are still on the train. I so wanted to visit one just this once. :)

The Ghost
 
:hi: Wonderful Trip, I'm envious too, and I've been on all these Trains many times! ^_^ The Royal York (a Grand Railroad Hotel/I believe now a Fairmont??) used to have a Tunnel Connecting it to Union Station (I think with the Construction going on in and around Union Station you may have to cross over to the Station @ Ground Level?) Toronto is a Wonderful City, the New York of Canada! Remember you can use the Panorama Lounge @ Union Station while waiting on the Canadian, a Nice Perk for First Class Passengers!Vancouver is also a Very Special City, my Favorite on the West Coast! (MY late wife was Canadian and we lived in Vancouver for a Year!) The Hotel Vancouver is another of the Grand Old Rail Road Hotels in Canada! Be sure and buy a Day Pass for the Sky Train (subway/light Rail Combo), you can tour the Greater Vancouver Area from the Airport to the eastern Suburbs, the Elevated Station by the Pacific Central Station where the Canadian Arrives/Departs is Right out Front!

As for the Bus, it's a Dedicated AmBus, just be on time to Catch it, the Border Crossing is Fairly Easy with your Passport, especially that Time of Morning! THe Hyatt House in Emeryville is across the Tracks from the Amtrak Station via an Elevated Bridge! Your chances of having the PPC on the Starlight are Excellent! Enjoy this Memory Book Trip and please keep us Posted! ;)
 
On my first trip on the Canadian (2001), I used a North America Rail Pass (30 days). Since I was in coach, I took a break in Winnipeg. When I arrived back at the station, I was told that the next Canadian was delayed by a snowstorm even though it had not snowed at all in Winnipeg. The train arrived the next morning 16 hours late. I slept along with many others on the floor of the Winnipeg station. This trip was at the end of October - not yet November. We arrived in Jasper about 3AM. The passengers that were ticketed to points west of Jasper were transported by bus to their destinations including Vancouver.

I had planned on spending 2 or 3 nights in Jasper anyway. I saw the most amazing Northern Lights of my life on the taxi ride out to the HI Hostel.

Take the time to see the beautiful city of Vancouver.

When heading east on the CZ in coach, I like to take a 24 hour break in Glenwood Springs Colorado.
 
Thank you all for the information, especially JimHudson and the_traveler. As always, this forum provides a very useful service...helping people. In fact, I have been using your collective knowledge since 2009 when I discovered its existence. Someone did mention needing a very clean record to enter Canada, without seeming silly, I do have a moving violation from 1997. Any cause for concern?
 
When you buy the ticket on the Maple Leaf you have to provide your passport #. You should have no problem going into Canada. Don't lose your passport. You will need it to get back into the US.

The most common reason to be excluded from Canada is a DUI or other serious driving conviction. People have also been excluded for domestic violence convictions.
 
KC Ghost Rider said:
Thank you all for the information, especially JimHudson and the_traveler. As always, this forum provides a very useful service...helping people. In fact, I have been using your collective knowledge since 2009 when I discovered its existence. Someone did mention needing a very clean record to enter Canada, without seeming silly, I do have a moving violation from 1997. Any cause for concern?
Click to expand...
I had a moving violation for making a U-turn on the King's Highway in Ontario many years ago. I had read on a cruise forum about people being turned away at the border for things that had happened as teens and I didn't want that to happen to me. I actually went so far as to write to the Canadian Consulate, telling them of my moving violation. As I recall, I had been fined $25 or two days in jail, which I found out would have been the jail in the town I lived in. Of course, I paid the fine. At any rate, The consulate wrote back stating that I was clear to enter Canada.

Now all of you AUers know of my wicked past :eek: :) :blush:
 
tomfuller said:
When you buy the ticket on the Maple Leaf you have to provide your passport #. You should have no problem going into Canada. Don't lose your passport. You will need it to get back into the US.

The most common reason to be excluded from Canada is a DUI or other serious driving conviction. People have also been excluded for domestic violence convictions.
Click to expand...
Also Any Drug Related Crime is Grounds for Automatic Rejection!!! ("Is Pot really a Drug???" ^_^ Meg Ryan in "French Kiss" trying to get a Canadian Visa!)

And Betty, you can Title your Memoirs "My Wicked ,Wicked Ways!" like Earl Flynn did! :giggle:
 
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I understand completely. I do not have anything worse than a speeding ticket, therefore, the crossing should be uneventful. Thanks again for all the replies. :D
 
Note that there's a railway museum in Winnipeg Union Station. It may seem closed when the Canadian arrives, but they open up for the four hour layover.

Why don't you do a layover in Sacramento instead of Emeryville/San Francisco? There's the excellent California State Railroad Museum to visit.

Also I feel you should write to Via and Amtrak and complain about the missing direct train between Chicago and Toronto.
 
Sam314, Thank you for your information about the rail museums. The one in Winnipeg might be seen, if Mrs. Ghost doesn't want to go into town for a look see. As far as, Sacramento...Mrs. Ghost wants to see San Francisco and since it is our 25th wedding anniversary trip; I aim to please. I didn't see a direct connection between Chicago and Toronto on the Amtrak route atlas, however, I have family near Depew, NY, so this is an opportunity to see them. I do appreciate your kindly suggestions.
 
If Mrs. Ghost is like Mrs. Sam (actually it's still Miss Sam, but this would generate some confusion), then you will visit the museum in Winnipeg on your own. However, it's conveniently located next to the train and you can visit it in about an hour. About SFC: If your're fond of streetcars (not the cablecars) then the streetcar line F is the train to take:

http://www.streetcar.org/f-line.html

One single day in SFC is awfully short, so don't waste time waiting for a cable car, use them in the early morning or in the evening instead.

The International Limited has been cancelled in 2004, it's one of the trains I miss the most: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Limited

I still hope to motivate a few other people to ask for a reopening of the route.
 
Sam314 said:
If Mrs. Ghost is like Mrs. Sam (actually it's still Miss Sam, but this would generate some confusion), then you will visit the museum in Winnipeg on your own.

The International Limited has been cancelled in 2004, it's one of the trains I miss the most: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Limited

I still hope to motivate a few other people to ask for a reopening of the route.
Click to expand...
Mrs. Ghost enjoyed the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wi, but she likes to do new things too. I imagine she wants to take the tour bus they offer in Winnipeg and see the town.

It is a shame the powers to be cancelled that International Limited. Thanks for information as I found it most interesting. :hi:
 
I was fortunate enough to be in Winnipeg with my wife one of the days when the wine tasting was going on at "the Forks"). http://www.theforks.com/media/read,article/31/the-international-wine-festival-of-manitoba-celebrates-its-20th-anniversary

The Forks is directly behind the train station which you can see in the picture on the website. I do remember seeing the train museum in Winnipeg for about an hour.

In December we enjoyed the California Railroad Museum between the time we got off the CZ and the 5PM closing. We got on the northbound CS a little after midnight in SAC.
 
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