L
longrun
Guest
Greetings, I recently returned from a cross Canada trip and wanted to pass on some of my experiences. I won’t try to post a curve by curve account and will try not to make too many comparisons to Amtrak. Just the “nuts and bolts” of the journey and hope it will answer some of the questions I had before making the trip.
I booked an upper berth in a section, Vancouver to Toronto.
Pre Boarding Vancouver - I arrived early at the CP station and found the VIA staff friendly and helpful. I received my ticket and was able to leave my bags, which were then placed on the train in my section. I spent the better part of the day exploring Vancouver.
The CP station is in a good part of town, a 15-20 minute walk to the upscale Yaletown area and Chinatown, both with stores, restaurants, sporting events, theater, etc. The Vancouver light rail is across the street should you want to venture further. Bars, restaurants, attractions in the immediate area. The station its self is comfortable, there is some light remodeling going on in the Amtrak area. There is a McDonalds, coffee bar, sushi bar, currency exchange, news stand in the station and a nice park across the street.
The Panorama Lounge, for the Sleeping/Touring passengers, was opened around 5:30pm.
Coffee, tea, water and snacks were set out, free wi-fi was available. Additionally an outside covered patio, with tables and chairs, was opened up with a lounge type singer/musician playing. It was fun watching the workers prepare the train and the music was a nice touch.
Boarding - began about 8:15pm for the 8:30pm departure. Coach passengers boarded first and VIA rail staff had carts for any folks who needed a ride to their car. It was a long walk out to my car as there were 26 total cars on this consist (several cars deadheading east). I arrived at my car and was greeted by the attendant, who pointed the way to my section, she said she would stop by when underway to brief me on the car and to answer any questions. I found my assigned section and my bags were waiting for me, along with a VIA bag that contained towels and toiletries. My first impressions were of how clean and well maintained the car was, that the windows were clean and how cool the stainless steel is. The attendant stopped by and after an orientation and answering my questions invited me to the champagne send off in the Dome car. The on board staff were friendly and younger then I expected. The passengers I met and saw were a mix of families, 30 somethings, middle aged and older couples. The majority being retired couples, many on board as a part of tour groups.
On Board - my car was in the middle of the train, with a Dome and diner in front of me and a pair behind me as well. The Park car was at the end. The 3 sections were located in the front of the car and the 2 washrooms located just forward of the sections. The washrooms were on each side of the car, 1 for men and 1 for women and were used almost exclusively by the section passengers. This was a Manor car and the cabins had their own washrooms. I stayed up late in the Dome car and when I returned to my section about 2:00am my berth was made up and ready for sleep.
Breakfast was served first come/first served starting at 6:30am. At breakfast you are asked to chose your lunch and dinner seating - 1st, 2nd or last. Lunch ran from approximately 11:00 to 1:00 and dinner 5:00 to 8:00pm. The seating system worked very well, with all those assigned to a seating being served together, the dining area being completely cleaned and set up before the next seating time. It is relaxing as there is no coming and going through out the meal. Unless you are with a group of 4 you can expect to eat with others. Meals were freshly prepared, with a choice of 3 or 4 entrees each meal. A steward oversaw the dining car, the wait staff young and friendly. I wouldn’t consider it a 5 star dining experience but the meals were very good and the menus creative and flavorful. Beer, wine or cocktails could be purchased during a meal.
Beds and cabins were generally put up during breakfast time and the seating area and windows were wiped down each time. Fresh linens were used each night and the beds prepared during the dinner meal time. Washrooms were clean and trash removed through out the day.
The entire train was available to explore. The Dome/Park car seating was open all hours, lounge service until 11:30pm. The lounge had snacks, drinks, etc and also had events if you wanted to join in - discussions, movies, bingo, wine/beer tasting. Complimentary coffee, juice, water, fruit, cookies and rolls were available all day in the lounge as well as breakfast cereals in the morning. There were tables with chairs and seats in the lounge/Dome/Park car and electrical outlets. Dome seats were comfortable and the windows cleaned through out the trip. An observation car of modern design was part of the consist and traveled until Edmonton. I would guess that during the course of the day that most people spent some time in a Dome car. That being said it was never crowded and a seat could always be found in one of the 2 Domes or in the Park car. The coach seats were similar to Amtrak with similar leg room, they had bolsters on the side of the headrests.
The section seats were of leather and were comfortable, the size of a love seat. You could sit side ways with a pillow or stretch your legs across to the other side. There was room under the seats for your bags, although no other baggage storage. Sleeping in the berth was excellent. The berths are the widest beds on the train and unless you are well over 6’ tall you should have no problems fitting. I had the opportunity to sleep in both the upper and lower berths, heavy double upholstery fabric with snaps made for complete privacy and darkness. There were lights in both upper and lower berths and plenty of headroom in each. A 3 step ladder was required to reach the upper berth, the lower, of course, had the window with curtains. I did get a look at the cabins and they seems very nice and thoughtfully laid out. Comments I heard were that they were small and that the toilet was not usable with the bed put down.
En-Route - scheduled train stops are infrequent and it maybe as long as 10 hours between stops.
Stops are made at Division breaks where the crew changes out and last approximately 40 minutes, you can get out at these. Major cities - Jasper, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg are the other stops unless a flag stop has been scheduled.
Jasper, was the first major stop and was about 1.5 hrs in length. Many passengers departed here and many boarded, most being a part of the many tour groups. There is plenty of time to sight see in Jasper and stores are open. There is a period of time when the train is being serviced that you cannot get back on the train. The exterior windows were washed here.
Edmonton, late night east bound, approximately 2 hrs.
Saskatoon, approximately 30 mins, on outskirts of town, not much here.
Winnipeg, late night, 3 hrs. Nice station, downtown. There is a train museum that west bound passengers could check out, it was closed east bound. There is a lounge there for Sleeping/Touring passengers as there is a period where you cannot get back onto the train. The exterior windows were washed here. The on board staff changed out here.
The route is scenic, with the train even slowing down at highlights so that people can get a better look or photos.
The train is comfortable but not as quiet or smooth as Amtrak, the nature of the older Budd cars. I did like that the cars had doors that pushed or pulled open instead of sliding air doors, these made for the car being quiet. The cars, although old, are well taken care of. Some of the interior stainless steel has been painted yet it it clean and looks fresh. The washrooms roomy with porcelain and real on/off fixtures. The shower was tall with a glass door and plenty of headroom and hot water. It is obvious that these cars were made to last and there is a “pride of ownership” with the crews and staff.
Arrival Toronto - the train arrived a little late, the staff helpful in getting off and directing everyone to the station. Union Station is a central hub in Toronto and also houses local and regional transit. It is within walking distance of hotels, shops, restaurants, bars, museums, music, theater and sports venues. Clean city with a European flair, friendly, safe.
I hope this is helpful to those who may be considering this trip. Its really a great journey. Its not a “land cruise” yet it’s also not pre Amtrak or “golden age” American railroad. It stands alone as an outstanding ride through a varied and beautiful country and an opportunity to relax and slow time down just a bit.
I booked an upper berth in a section, Vancouver to Toronto.
Pre Boarding Vancouver - I arrived early at the CP station and found the VIA staff friendly and helpful. I received my ticket and was able to leave my bags, which were then placed on the train in my section. I spent the better part of the day exploring Vancouver.
The CP station is in a good part of town, a 15-20 minute walk to the upscale Yaletown area and Chinatown, both with stores, restaurants, sporting events, theater, etc. The Vancouver light rail is across the street should you want to venture further. Bars, restaurants, attractions in the immediate area. The station its self is comfortable, there is some light remodeling going on in the Amtrak area. There is a McDonalds, coffee bar, sushi bar, currency exchange, news stand in the station and a nice park across the street.
The Panorama Lounge, for the Sleeping/Touring passengers, was opened around 5:30pm.
Coffee, tea, water and snacks were set out, free wi-fi was available. Additionally an outside covered patio, with tables and chairs, was opened up with a lounge type singer/musician playing. It was fun watching the workers prepare the train and the music was a nice touch.
Boarding - began about 8:15pm for the 8:30pm departure. Coach passengers boarded first and VIA rail staff had carts for any folks who needed a ride to their car. It was a long walk out to my car as there were 26 total cars on this consist (several cars deadheading east). I arrived at my car and was greeted by the attendant, who pointed the way to my section, she said she would stop by when underway to brief me on the car and to answer any questions. I found my assigned section and my bags were waiting for me, along with a VIA bag that contained towels and toiletries. My first impressions were of how clean and well maintained the car was, that the windows were clean and how cool the stainless steel is. The attendant stopped by and after an orientation and answering my questions invited me to the champagne send off in the Dome car. The on board staff were friendly and younger then I expected. The passengers I met and saw were a mix of families, 30 somethings, middle aged and older couples. The majority being retired couples, many on board as a part of tour groups.
On Board - my car was in the middle of the train, with a Dome and diner in front of me and a pair behind me as well. The Park car was at the end. The 3 sections were located in the front of the car and the 2 washrooms located just forward of the sections. The washrooms were on each side of the car, 1 for men and 1 for women and were used almost exclusively by the section passengers. This was a Manor car and the cabins had their own washrooms. I stayed up late in the Dome car and when I returned to my section about 2:00am my berth was made up and ready for sleep.
Breakfast was served first come/first served starting at 6:30am. At breakfast you are asked to chose your lunch and dinner seating - 1st, 2nd or last. Lunch ran from approximately 11:00 to 1:00 and dinner 5:00 to 8:00pm. The seating system worked very well, with all those assigned to a seating being served together, the dining area being completely cleaned and set up before the next seating time. It is relaxing as there is no coming and going through out the meal. Unless you are with a group of 4 you can expect to eat with others. Meals were freshly prepared, with a choice of 3 or 4 entrees each meal. A steward oversaw the dining car, the wait staff young and friendly. I wouldn’t consider it a 5 star dining experience but the meals were very good and the menus creative and flavorful. Beer, wine or cocktails could be purchased during a meal.
Beds and cabins were generally put up during breakfast time and the seating area and windows were wiped down each time. Fresh linens were used each night and the beds prepared during the dinner meal time. Washrooms were clean and trash removed through out the day.
The entire train was available to explore. The Dome/Park car seating was open all hours, lounge service until 11:30pm. The lounge had snacks, drinks, etc and also had events if you wanted to join in - discussions, movies, bingo, wine/beer tasting. Complimentary coffee, juice, water, fruit, cookies and rolls were available all day in the lounge as well as breakfast cereals in the morning. There were tables with chairs and seats in the lounge/Dome/Park car and electrical outlets. Dome seats were comfortable and the windows cleaned through out the trip. An observation car of modern design was part of the consist and traveled until Edmonton. I would guess that during the course of the day that most people spent some time in a Dome car. That being said it was never crowded and a seat could always be found in one of the 2 Domes or in the Park car. The coach seats were similar to Amtrak with similar leg room, they had bolsters on the side of the headrests.
The section seats were of leather and were comfortable, the size of a love seat. You could sit side ways with a pillow or stretch your legs across to the other side. There was room under the seats for your bags, although no other baggage storage. Sleeping in the berth was excellent. The berths are the widest beds on the train and unless you are well over 6’ tall you should have no problems fitting. I had the opportunity to sleep in both the upper and lower berths, heavy double upholstery fabric with snaps made for complete privacy and darkness. There were lights in both upper and lower berths and plenty of headroom in each. A 3 step ladder was required to reach the upper berth, the lower, of course, had the window with curtains. I did get a look at the cabins and they seems very nice and thoughtfully laid out. Comments I heard were that they were small and that the toilet was not usable with the bed put down.
En-Route - scheduled train stops are infrequent and it maybe as long as 10 hours between stops.
Stops are made at Division breaks where the crew changes out and last approximately 40 minutes, you can get out at these. Major cities - Jasper, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg are the other stops unless a flag stop has been scheduled.
Jasper, was the first major stop and was about 1.5 hrs in length. Many passengers departed here and many boarded, most being a part of the many tour groups. There is plenty of time to sight see in Jasper and stores are open. There is a period of time when the train is being serviced that you cannot get back on the train. The exterior windows were washed here.
Edmonton, late night east bound, approximately 2 hrs.
Saskatoon, approximately 30 mins, on outskirts of town, not much here.
Winnipeg, late night, 3 hrs. Nice station, downtown. There is a train museum that west bound passengers could check out, it was closed east bound. There is a lounge there for Sleeping/Touring passengers as there is a period where you cannot get back onto the train. The exterior windows were washed here. The on board staff changed out here.
The route is scenic, with the train even slowing down at highlights so that people can get a better look or photos.
The train is comfortable but not as quiet or smooth as Amtrak, the nature of the older Budd cars. I did like that the cars had doors that pushed or pulled open instead of sliding air doors, these made for the car being quiet. The cars, although old, are well taken care of. Some of the interior stainless steel has been painted yet it it clean and looks fresh. The washrooms roomy with porcelain and real on/off fixtures. The shower was tall with a glass door and plenty of headroom and hot water. It is obvious that these cars were made to last and there is a “pride of ownership” with the crews and staff.
Arrival Toronto - the train arrived a little late, the staff helpful in getting off and directing everyone to the station. Union Station is a central hub in Toronto and also houses local and regional transit. It is within walking distance of hotels, shops, restaurants, bars, museums, music, theater and sports venues. Clean city with a European flair, friendly, safe.
I hope this is helpful to those who may be considering this trip. Its really a great journey. Its not a “land cruise” yet it’s also not pre Amtrak or “golden age” American railroad. It stands alone as an outstanding ride through a varied and beautiful country and an opportunity to relax and slow time down just a bit.
