Vacation Planning with Chris for travel tips for VIA Rail.

Search:

Enter your search string and click the Go button

No data in the list.

VIA Rail - A More Human Way to Travel

Introduction
The Canadian
VIA Rail Routes
VIA Rail Gift Cards
Chris' Travel Notes

VIA say the train is “a more human way to travel” - and, if you believe that the journey is just as important as the destination, then riding the rails is definitely the right choice. VIA Rail is environmentally friendly. VIA Rail is sociable. VIA Rail is less stressful. VIA Rail takes you to some of the most beautiful parts of Canada. What could be better than that?

If you live in Ontario or Quebec then the trains in the Windsor - Québec City Corridor are probably most familiar.

Travel in comfort with VIA Rail’s delicious meals, great service - and enjoy more daily departures and FREE WIFI onboard. Plus VIA Rail has been investing in refurbishiing its trains and coaches to make your journey as smooth and comfortable as possible.

But did you know that VIA Rail also offer packages that include not just your train fare but your hotel, activities and tours as well? Take that long-deserved weekend away with VIA Rail’s all-inclusive packages for short urban Getaways of 1 - 4 days in lenght in Ontario and Quebec. Whether you want to shop in Toronto, take a gallery tour of Ottawa or enjoy a Spa experience in Montréal, your package will get you on your way with train travel, hotel accommodation and sightseeeing tours included.

And as VIA Rail reaches the most beautiful parts of Canada they also offer special Holiday Packages with travel, accommodations and activities for longer stays of 5 days or more. Check out the wide range of vacation packages on offer. For instance you can combine some of VIA’s most iconic routes in the Rockies with a BC Ferries cruise on the renowned Inside Passage. The Rails, Rockies and Oceans VIA Escape departs and returns from Vancouver. The comprehensive Itinerary takes you to Jasper, the Columbia Icefields, Prince George and on to Prince Rupert. Then you take the BC Ferries Inside Passage Cruise to Port Hardy, with beautiful views. Coach transfers are included to take you to Victoria on your arrival on Vancouver Island, and your tour ends with a ferry trip back to Vancouver for sightseeing.

VIA is also great value with special discounts for the over 60's, students and children! Book at www.viarail.ca for unbeatable “Escape” fares that you can only book online - and check the website for special offers. This summer bring the whole family – kids under two are FREE, kids under twelve travel half price. You can also check out VIA Rail passes that give you 7 one way trips at a discounted rate either Canada wide within a 60 day period or inside the Corridor within a 21 day period.

Probably the most iconic route of all is The Canadian - it is even featured on the back of Canada's $10 bill! It takes you from Toronto to Vancouver in a little under 4 days – beauty takes no shortcuts. One of the most renowned long-distance railway journeys in the world, the Canadian maximize daylight viewing of Rocky Mountain vistas that are only accessible by train. You’ll get to see the lush boreal forest, the lakes in Northern Ontario, the western Prairies, and the magnificent Rocky Mountains.

More than $22 million have gone into the modernization of the Canadian. The new Prestige Sleeper class provides simple elegance and premium comfort thanks to the completely revamped cars and accommodations, all delivered with personalized attention throughout this unparalleled experience.

A high-end Prestige Sleeper cabin offers stylish and modern decor. This elegant, comfortable cabin with private bathroom and shower offers a modular leather L-shaped couch by day and a Murphy bed for two by night facing a large window to admire the breathtaking sights of Canada’s diverse scenic beauty.

Sleeper Plus class offers several accommodation options: a berth, a cabin for one, two, three or four people, or a suite - all with in-car shower access. Your train is like an all inclusive hotel on wheels as both Sleeper Classes include your meals! Prestige Sleeper Class even includes all alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages.

During the summer, activities are offered on board the Skyline car. It also features a Scenic dome in which you can unwind, a coffee area for taking breaks, and a lounge where you can make new acquaintances.

Available in the summer on the trip between Edmonton and Vancouver, the Panorama car is a must if you want to feast your eyes on the scenery.

In addition with Prestige Sleeper Class you get exclusive access to the Prestige Park Car located at the back of the train. With Mural and Bullet lounges the Park car allows you to take in the sweeping landscape as you read a book. During the off-season, activities are offered on board this car.

The Dining Car is elegant but not pretentious – and the ambiance and gourmet cuisine truly complement the spectacular views of the Canadian landscape. Prestige Sleeper Class passengers also receive priority reservations in the Dining Car.

To cross this great land by train is truly one of the “must see” Canadian experiences and the train can take you to the small communities and vibrant cities to both East and West. VIA is makes the experience authentic – not just by providing “Canada’s best window” but through the authentic service on board as well.

Rail travel is exciting and while VIA offers all the modern amenities there is something nostalgic and charming about taking the train. Train travel is really romantic - and there is nothing more so than sleeping on a train. There is a real sense of adventure from going to sleep in one place and waking up at another, and there is an electricity in the stations, for example, as the iconic cross-Canada Canadian pulls in.

Via Rail routes cover both major cities and scenic wilderness:

Ontario and Quebec

These routes include the main Windsor to Quebec Corridor and your links between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

The Great Western Way

The route from Toronto to Vancouver is the quintessential Canadian experience and takes you to British Colombia and the majestic Rockies! You can do the entire route in 4 days or stop off along the way at Edmonton or Winnipeg. Jasper and Kamloops are other popular scenic stops – and Jasper links you to the exciting route north to Prince George and Prince Rupert.

The Maritime Way

Heading east from Montreal to Halifax, this route takes you to the delightful shores of Atlantic Canada. This route stops at Bathurst and Moncton on the way to the ocean.

Adventure Routes

There are also regional routes that take you into the wonderful countryside of Canada.

In Quebec there are routes from Montréal to Jonquière and Montreal to Senneterre meandering into the heart of Quebec.

In Ontario the Sudbury to White River route extends into the archetypal Canadian Shield country.

In British Columbia the route from Jasper to Prince Rupert takes you through spectacular scenery as you travel across Jasper National Park, through the Rockies and along the Pacific coast.