Canadian bucket trip

[wishful thinkin']

I am planning a trip on the Canadian, probably starting in Vancouver, actually from Seattle. I will be traveling alone. I read somewhere there is a ferry/ bus ride combo that is a pretty neat way to get to Van. Can this be done from Sea? any idea on the cost? I am used to travelling in a roomette on Amtrak with my spouse (RIP) but now I will be alone. What is the closest sleeping accommodation on VIA that will accommodate one person but still give me the same privacy of an Amtrak roomette? I plan on travelling in Oct. if I can catch a good Xpress deal, and would be travelling all the way through to TOR and then heading back south to my home town in Texas on Amtrak.

 

[zephyr17]

There is twice daily train service, Amtrak Cascades, from Seattle to Vancouver, BC, plus some Amtrak Thruway buses. The Cascades is a very scenic ride, and runs along Puget Sound quite a bit. Taking the morning train will give you most of the day in Vancouver (train 510 arrives at about 11:40am, Canadian leaves at 8:30pm). There is no ferry service because both Seattle and Vancouver are on the mainland, perhaps you were thinking of Victoria, BC, which is on Vancouver Island. Victoria is nice but has nothing to do with catching the Canadian.

A "cabin for 1" on Via's Canadian is a "real" roomette, the roomette style that Pullman and the RRs designed. It is a private accomodation for one, with one bed that folds out from the wall like a Murphy bed (or slides out from under the adjacent roomette if you have "duplex roomette" in a Chateau series sleeper). It has a washbasin and a toilet. The toilet is under the foot of the bed at night, so you have to either raise the bed or go down the hall to the public restroom at night. It has the same privacy or more privacy than an Amtrak "roomette" because there is no window to the hall. It is a smidge smaller than a Superliner roomette. There is not a lot of room for luggage, and there is not a common rack like in the Superliners, although if you make a bad call on the size of your luggage, the attendant may take pity on you and find a place to stash your bag that won't fit or takes up every inch of floorspace, like mine did.

You are perhaps thinking of the non-private open berth section accomodations. Think of "Some Like It Hot". Those are cheaper than the private roomettes, although they do come with all the amenities of "Sleeper Plus" service.

For the last year or so, the Express Deals have not gone below 50% off for the Canadian, unlike prior days when the Express Deals were as much as 75% off. Via runs regular 50% off sales (one just finished 8/15). Unlike the Express Deals, regular 50% off sales allow you to chose almost any departure within the sale period and you can plan much more flexibly and further in advance. I'd go for one of those instead of the Express Deals, which only apply to specific departures and are only released about 6weeks in advance. Ironically, I haven't seen them as much in the winter months since they cut the Canadian back to twice weekly in the winter. They ran a bunch of 50% off sales this summer. I booked a Toronto-Vancouver trip in a roomette for late September using a 50% off sale.

 

[wishful thinking]

Thanks for that great information. Now That brings up another question. Would the east to west Toronto to Vancouver be a better choice? Which way provides the best daytime scenery? What are the best ways to cross the borders? I understand border crossing on Amtrak can be quite time consuming, turning out to be a huge waste of time. Thanks

 

[zephyr17]

I went eastbound about 2 years ago (75% off Express Deal which couldn't be beat) and am going westbound next month. From what I can see of the schedule, the scenery is pretty much the same, although westbound you have a chance of seeing the Frasier River Canyon coming into Vancouver if the train is running a bit late.

I don't have direct experience crossing the border on the Maple Leaf to/from Toronto or the Adirondack to/from Montreal, other posters can speak to that. However, I do cross the border to Vancouver on the Cascades frequently. It is probably the easiest and fastest way to cross here (road traffic backups at the border can be pretty bad). The train runs sealed from the border with no Canadian stops except the terminus in Vancouver. All Canadian Customs and Immigration is done inside the Vancouver station, much like an airport. It is usually 20-25 minutes at most from the time the train arrives until I am on the street in Vancouver.

Returning to the US, US Immigration is done before boarding in Vancouver station, too. You need to show up at the station 40-60 minutes early to allow for that. However, the southbound train stops at the border at Blaine, WA and US Customs folks walk through and pick up the customs forms. It is pretty painless and pretty quick (about 10 minutes or so).

 

[zephyr17]

Oh, one additional thing. Fares on the Cascades SEA-VAC range roughly $30-60 one way. Upgrading to Business Class is like $18 additional. Going southbound, I think it is worth it and usually buy it, pretty much for line cutting privildges. You get to use the Business Class check-in with a much shorter line in Vancouver for check-in/immigration rather than the long coach line that snakes around the waiting room.

 

[Bob Dylan]

:hi: Nice trip, I'm envious even though I rode Train #2 from VAC-TWO in Feb.! ^_^ In my experience the Flights to Seattle are much cheaper than those to Toronto, I got a $118 All in Fare from Austin-SEA in FEB on Alaska Airlines, rode the Light rail from the Airport to Downtown for 75 Cents :wub: (ORCA Card/Senior Fare). spent the night two Blocks from King Street Station in China Town @ the Hosteling International for $38, then took the Morning Train to Vancouver,(much better than a Bus) rode the Sky Train around Vancouver sightseeing, had Lunch and Dinner (the VIA folks let me check my Luggage @ their Desk for Free!)then when the Panorama Lounge Opened had Refreshments and met some of my fellow Travelers while waiting to Board the Canadian! There is a nice Wine and Snack reception in the Park Car for First Class Passengers after you board the train, first meal in the Diner is breakfast the next morningon the way to Jasper in the Mountains! I had a Cabin for One on an Express fare ($620 CDN) and after the Winnipeg Stop (you change Crews in Winnipeg including all the OBS!!)the SCA let me spend a Night in a Lower Section Berth which is much more Comfortable than the Amtrak Beds and even the cabin for One! As was said, you get to enjoy all the First Class Amenities ina Section (the YUpper is similar to a Upper Berth in a Superliner but has more room and is more Comfortable but the Lower has a Window and is better!)

\

The Border crossing on the train to Toronto (the Naple Leaf) is @ the Niagara Falls, ONtario VIA Station where the train turns into a VIA Train from Amtrak even though the Equipment is still Amtrak! it takes Longer and coming Back South Bound the US Checks are in Niagara Falls , NY @ the Amtrak Station and every time Ive done this it takes awhile and the agents are Not Friendly or Fast!

Accordingly Id do the Vancouver-Toronto Route and consider flying home from Toronto if you get a Good Fare, the US Governemnt People are @ the Toronto Airprot and its a very Pleasant and Easy experience if your Paper work is in Order!!!

Hope this helps, keep checking via.ca for Good Sales on Fares!!

 

[wishful thinkin']

Could you please give a little more detail as far as the difference in a YUpper berth, Lower berth, and cabin for one? Do they all have big windows like Amtrak roomettes? Aren't some of them just separated by a curtain? I have been told I snore loud which should I get so as not to bother other folks? Is the endpoint at TWO and Toronto union station the same place? How hard is it to get from there to the actual Niagara Falls from there?

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Could you please give a little more detail as far as the difference in a YUpper berth, Lower berth, and cabin for one? Do they all have big windows like Amtrak roomettes? Aren't some of them just separated by a curtain? I have been told I snore loud which should I get so as not to bother other folks? Is the endpoint at TWO and Toronto union station the same place? How hard is it to get from there to the actual Niagara Falls from there?

OK, the upper and lower berths are just like the sections in old American trains. Watch it on "Some Like It Hot." It's like an Amtrak Roomette but with a curtain instead of a door. Obviously, there is no restroom, or people would be able to peek in.

The Cabin for One is an actual private, fully enclosed cabin with a plush seat that fold into a bed at night. There is a toilet and washbasin uncerneath a cover. This was the original Roomette, and was designed for businees travellers. It's very similar to modern International Business Class on flights, but more comfortable. I think very few people still use it for business purposes.

VIA Rail has interactive, 360-degree slideshows of all the accomodations, see here: http://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail/our-fleet

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Could you please give a little more detail as far as the difference in a YUpper berth, Lower berth, and cabin for one? Do they all have big windows like Amtrak roomettes? Aren't some of them just separated by a curtain? I have been told I snore loud which should I get so as not to bother other folks? Is the endpoint at TWO and Toronto union station the same place? How hard is it to get from there to the actual Niagara Falls from there?

Here’s a link to the original CPR “Canadian” equipment which is the same as the cars VIA is using today except extensively refurbished.

Shown are Day/Night configurations. First are the open sections or berths. Next are the Roomettes or “Cabin for 1” as VIA calls them. There are two types. Duplex as shown here or the Standard ones which are slightly larger and all on one level…..No step-up. Then the Bedrooms or “Cabin for 2”

http://members.kos.net/sdgagnon/canb.html

>>>>>>

Yes, TWO and Toronto Union are the same place. Niagara Falls is about 85 miles from Toronto. The jointly operated VIA/Amtrak Maple Leaf departs Toronto in the morning for Niagara Falls and returns in the evening or there is GO Transit with a combination train/bus service nearly every hour all day. Also train service all the way on summer weekends.

http://www.gotransit.com/timetables/en/PDF/Timetables/06130813/Table12.pdf

 

[zephyr17]

Could you please give a little more detail as far as the difference in a YUpper berth, Lower berth, and cabin for one? Do they all have big windows like Amtrak roomettes? Aren't some of them just separated by a curtain? I have been told I snore loud which should I get so as not to bother other folks? Is the endpoint at TWO and Toronto union station the same place? How hard is it to get from there to the actual Niagara Falls from there?

An "open section" consists two seats facing each other by day. The person with the lower berth has the seat facing forward, the person with the upper berth has the seat facing backward. The upper and lower berths can be sold separately to single travelers. There is a full floor-to-ceiling wall between it and section ahead or behind it. The section is completely open to the aisle during the day. There is a window in the section.
At night, the seats convert to the lower berth, and the upper berth is folded down from the the ceiling/wall above the window. Heavy, blackout-style curtains are hung between each berth and the aisle. At night, the lower berth has the section's window, the upper berth is windowless.

As we've mentioned, the scenes on the train going from Chicago to Florida in "Some Like It Hot" have a very accurate depiction of open sections (although the number of people they stuff in the upper during the "party" seems a bit much). Go rent or stream "Some Like It Hot" and you'll understand pretty much all there is to know about open sections.

What Via calls a "Cabin for 1", a roomette, is completely private for a single traveler, with a chair during the day and a bed that folds down at night. It also has its own window.

 

[white rabbitt]

Could you please give a little more detail as far as the difference in a YUpper berth, Lower berth, and cabin for one? Do they all have big windows like Amtrak roomettes? Aren't some of them just separated by a curtain? I have been told I snore loud which should I get so as not to bother other folks? Is the endpoint at TWO and Toronto union station the same place? How hard is it to get from there to the actual Niagara Falls from there?

An "open section" consists two seats facing each other by day. The person with the lower berth has the seat facing forward, the person with the upper berth has the seat facing backward. The upper and lower berths can be sold separately to single travelers. There is a full floor-to-ceiling wall between it and section ahead or behind it. The section is completely open to the aisle during the day. There is a window in the section.
At night, the seats convert to the lower berth, and the upper berth is folded down from the the ceiling/wall above the window. Heavy, blackout-style curtains are hung between each berth and the aisle. At night, the lower berth has the section's window, the upper berth is windowless.

As we've mentioned, the scenes on the train going from Chicago to Florida in "Some Like It Hot" have a very accurate depiction of open sections (although the number of people they stuff in the upper during the "party" seems a bit much). Go rent or stream "Some Like It Hot" and you'll understand pretty much all there is to know about open sections.

What Via calls a "Cabin for 1", a roomette, is completely private for a single traveler, with a chair during the day and a bed that folds down at night. It also has its own window.

is the Château sleeping car a roomette

 

[zephyr17]

Could you please give a little more detail as far as the difference in a YUpper berth, Lower berth, and cabin for one? Do they all have big windows like Amtrak roomettes? Aren't some of them just separated by a curtain? I have been told I snore loud which should I get so as not to bother other folks? Is the endpoint at TWO and Toronto union station the same place? How hard is it to get from there to the actual Niagara Falls from there?

An "open section" consists two seats facing each other by day. The person with the lower berth has the seat facing forward, the person with the upper berth has the seat facing backward. The upper and lower berths can be sold separately to single travelers. There is a full floor-to-ceiling wall between it and section ahead or behind it. The section is completely open to the aisle during the day. There is a window in the section.
At night, the seats convert to the lower berth, and the upper berth is folded down from the the ceiling/wall above the window. Heavy, blackout-style curtains are hung between each berth and the aisle. At night, the lower berth has the section's window, the upper berth is windowless.

As we've mentioned, the scenes on the train going from Chicago to Florida in "Some Like It Hot" have a very accurate depiction of open sections (although the number of people they stuff in the upper during the "party" seems a bit much). Go rent or stream "Some Like It Hot" and you'll understand pretty much all there is to know about open sections.

What Via calls a "Cabin for 1", a roomette, is completely private for a single traveler, with a chair during the day and a bed that folds down at night. It also has its own window.

is the Château sleeping car a roomette

A "Chateau" series sleeping car has 8 "duplex" roomettes (cabin for 1), which are staggered up and down and accounts for the window pattern, 1 drawing room (cabin for 3), 3 double bedrooms (cabin for 2), and 3 sections (open berth). It used to be 4 sections, but they made one into the shower room.
Manor cars are more common on the Canadian (4 standard roomettes, 5 double bedrooms, 1 compartment-sold as "cabin for 2", a deal since it is bigger than a double bedroom, 3 sections). The standard roomettes on the Manors are slightly larger than the duplex roomettes on the Chateaus.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

The Chateau does feel pretty cool with the staggered windows that look like a Slumbercoach. Don't know if the Manor or Chateau is actually better. Where do the Chateaus mainly run these days? Maritimes?

 

[zephyr17]

It looks like a slumbercoach because slumbercoaches used a similar duplex arrangement.

They use Chateau cars to Hudson Bay. I think the Ocean is all Ren except for the Park car now. I heard that some of the Chateaus are getting tubed and turned into the all delux bedroom cars for the often delayed upgrade.

I like the Manor roomettes much better than the ones in the Chateau. They are a bit bigger and the window seems bigger. The sections are identical, as are the double bedrooms. The Manors also have the larger Compartment (room "F") that is sold as a "Cabin for 2" and so is choice for the same price. The cars were build by the same manufacturer as part of the same order so the same accomodation in either car is the same (the duplex roomettes and the standard roomettes were sold as two different accomodations, at least in the early days).

The Chateaus are also the only cars in the train with a Drawing Room besides the Park car.

For my upcoming trip, I called for reservations instead of booking on the website because I wanted a roomette in a Manor car (and close to the Park car), and didn't just want luck of the draw.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

It looks like a slumbercoach because slumbercoaches used a similar duplex arrangement.
They use Chateau cars to Hudson Bay. I think the Ocean is all Ren except for the Park car now. I heard that some of the Chateaus are getting tubed and turned into the all delux bedroom cars for the often delayed upgrade.

I like the Manor roomettes much better than the ones in the Chateau. They are a bit bigger and the window seems bigger. The sections are identical, as are the double bedrooms. The Manors also have the larger Compartment (F) that is sold as a "Cabin for 2" and so is choice for the same price. The cars were build by the same manufacturer as part of the same order so the same accomodation in either car is the same (the duplex roomettes and the standard roomettes were sold as two different accomodations, at least in the early days).

The Chateaus are also the only cars in the train with a Drawing Room besides the Park car.

For my upcoming trip, I called for reservations instead of booking on the website because I wanted a roomette in a Manor car (and close to the Park car), and didn't just want luck of the draw.

Thanks. Is there much difference between the sections in both those cars, as anything else seems outrageously expensive, even with a 25% Off Express Deal. Only a 50% Off could compensate for the huge prices of the other private rooms!

VIA Rail is really making these cruise trains with all-bedroom Sleepers.

 

[zephyr17]

The sections are identical between the two car types. Manor versus Chateau really only matters if you want a roomette or want to try to score the Compartment as "Cabin for 2".

The best thing for booking Via is when they run a 50% off sale (NOT "Express Deal"). With the sale, you can chose any travel date within the sale period, not just specific dates like "Express Deals" and you can chose dates further out than are typically offered with the "Express Deals". A sale just finished on 8/15.

The really good Express Deals (75% off!) don't seem to offered any more on the Canadian. I haven't seen those since last year. Those could be incredible deals. A couple of years ago I went Vancouver-Toronto in a roomette for under $600 in the September (not the dead of winter).

You might think about signing up for Via Preference just to get the sale notification emails.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

The sections are identical between the two car types. Manor versus Chateau really only matters if you want a roomette or want to try to score the Compartment as "Cabin for 2".
The best thing for booking Via is when they run a 50% off sale (NOT "Express Deal"). With the sale, you can chose any travel date within the sale period, not just specific dates like "Express Deals" and you can chose dates further out than are typically offered with the "Express Deals". A sale just finished on 8/15.

The really good Express Deals (75% off!) don't seem to offered any more on the Canadian. I haven't seen those since last year. Those could be incredible deals. A couple of years ago I went Vancouver-Toronto in a roomette for under $600 in the September (not the dead of winter).

You might think about signing up for Via Preference just to get the sale notification emails.

I'm sure interested, but I can't get to Canada very easily so I won't be looking for a Trans-Canada trip anytime soon. I was thinking that the Chateau might be better if you want a Drawing Room. I don't need it though.

 

[white rabbitt]

i like the soft couch's of the sleeper in the chateau car for day use