The Canadian Prestige Class - Tipping

[JohnW]

We are traveling this summer from Toronto to Vancouver in Prestige calls, and were wondering what the appropriate tips were:

1) Our Car Attendant - We know they switch out half way thru
2) Dining car staff
3) Lounge car staff - When and how much?

 

[railiner]

I’d be interested in that info as well, although in ordinary sleeper next week…

 

[Bob Dylan]

We are traveling this summer from Toronto to Vancouver in Prestige calls, and were wondering what the appropriate tips were:

1) Our Car Attendant - We know they switch out half way thru
2) Dining car staff
3) Lounge car staff - When and how much?

Since you are paying a Premium Price for your room in Prestige Class, your SCA,Server and Lounge Attendant should be tipped according to the level of service they provide( along with their attitude).

This could range from 0 to $25 a night ( $100 CDN)for the SCAs, 0 to $10 a Meal for your Server,and 0 to $5 for each Service for the Lounge Attendant.( no hard and fast rule, just a suggestion)

Most VIA OBS are vert professional and friendly and provide good service.

 

[joelkfla]

Since you are paying a Premium Price for your room in Prestige Class, your SCA,Server and Lounge Attendant should be tipped according to the level of service they provide( along with their attitude).

This could range from 0 to $25 a night ( $100 CDN)for the SCAs, 0 to $10 a Meal for your Server,and 0 to $5 for each Service for the Lounge Attendant.( no hard and fast rule, just a suggestion)

Most VIA OBS are vert professional and friendly and provide good service.

Why $100 Canadian? $25 USD is worth about $34 CAD.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Why $100 Canadian? $25 USD is worth about $34 CAD.

That's for 4 Days( $25 Day CDN)

 

[railiner]

That's for 4 Nights( $25 Night CDN)

I hope my trip doesn't extend to 4 nights aboard...

Not that I would mind the extra time so much, but I have an Amtrak connection to make at VCVR

 

[Bob Dylan]

I hope my trip doesn't extend to 4 nights aboard...

Not that I would mind the extra time so much, but I have an Amtrak connection to make at VCVR

Corrected!( though the Canadian is often Late to Very Late!)

 

[railiner]

Corrected!( though the Canadian is often Late to Very Late!)

That's what I hear, hope 8 hours and 45 minutes is enough time to connect...

 

[Urban Sky]

That's what I hear, hope 8 hours and 45 minutes is enough time to connect...

Excessive delays have become drastically less epidemic since the timetable changes of July 2018 and April 2019, which lengthened the trip time and especially the turnaround time in Toronto, and you are now much much more likely to arrive early than late in Toronto or Vancouver.

Nevertheless, multi-hour delays are still common en-route (especially in the Prairies) and I would always allow for a 24 hour delay before scheduling anything you really don’t want (or can’t afford) to miss, as you don’t want to get antsy when the train gets six or more hours late en-route (as happened to my last trip when arriving in Saskatoon - and we still arrived more than one hour early in Toronto).

Don’t let aggressive scheduling introduce any kind of anxiety into what should be a trip where the regular mealtime and time zone change reminders are the only reason to bother what time it is on board the train…