Hi,

So I'm thinking of taking a train from Toronto to Vancouver instead of taking a flight. I know it's a long journey, but I've always wanted to do it! & plus I'm getting a really cheap economy class ticket. Now, the question is.. how comfortable is the journey? & I'd appreciate any other good/bad experiences with VIA rail.

Thanks

this might sound dumb.. but is it economy as in just a seat the whole way (no cabin/bed?).. if so, that might be uncomfortable. 4 hours on via starts to get uncomfortable for me, i wouldnt want to go for like 3 days! if youre getting a cabin though thatd be awesome. ive only taken via in the corridor (not across canada or anything) but ive loved all my experiences so far, my only complaints are the price increases and inconvenient departure times haha!

the economy class would be similar to flying in a plane(you basically have a chair to sit on)
You won't have your own cabin so it could get uncomfortable.
But you will get to seem some pretty nice scenery if you get a window seat.

Originally Posted by ishk33

Hi,

So I'm thinking of taking a train from Toronto to Vancouver instead of taking a flight. I know it's a long journey, but I've always wanted to do it! & plus I'm getting a really cheap economy class ticket. Now, the question is.. how comfortable is the journey? & I'd appreciate any other good/bad experiences with VIA rail.

Thanks

If you don't mind me asking, how much is it costing you?

Hi! I did the same trip on a VIA train (The Canadian) about three years ago, but I would expect it to be the same if not similar. If your not in a rush to get to Vancouver then train is the way to go imo. The pros greatly outweigh the cons!

We also traveled economy class the whole way, BUT this does not mean you are restricted to your seat! There is a special viewing cabin every few cars which you have access to. This cabin has a glass roof and is elevated above the other cars so you have an pretty impressive view all around you. Although the seats aren't as comfortable as your regular seats there fine to stay in for a few hours and to check out the scenery (which there is plenty of btw). There is also a VIA worker in the cabin explaining some history and points out places of interest stuff like that so you learn a few things as you travel across Canada. There is also a sort of 'games' cabin where they have tables for board games and stuff like that. You also have access to the dining cabin, but as you would expect its crazy expensive (bison burger is epic if you do try it out). Anyways as for your seats they aren't too bad actually. I didn't have too much trouble sleeping in them for 3 nights. They recline back quite a bit and there is plenty of leg room. They also have plugs only at the ends of each cabin so get a seat at the end. Then you can bring your laptop with movies/tvshows if you do get bored. Also, the train does stop at a lot of locations sometimes in the middle of the woods (cottage supplies) for a few minutes, to a few hours in certain cities such as Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Jasper. So you will get plenty of opportunities to get off the train and stretch out or even if there is enough time to go out into the city!

As for the cons, VIA imo is notoriously bad for not being on schedule. Going to Vancouver we were delayed 12 hours and then returning back to Toronto we were delayed 24 hours. We did get free McDonalds and a reimbursement but it is still kind of frustrating. This has been consistent with going to Quebec City although not a huge delay maybe 30 mins or so, but is has happened every time I've traveled with them. Bad luck maybe? Also, bring your own food/snacks because as you would expect it's pretty expensive (I survived on the overpriced Mr. Noodle cups lol never again....).

Anyways, it was a fun experience! I got to see quite a bit of Canada!

Originally Posted by apples12

If you don't mind me asking, how much is it costing you?

It's about $223 one way!

Originally Posted by ishk33

It's about $223 one way!

Wow that sounds amazing! How did you get it at that price? I say, go for it. It'll be a good experience! I've always wanted to do this. Isn't it usually more than $600? :o

Originally Posted by apples12

Wow that sounds amazing! How did you get it at that price? I say, go for it. It'll be a good experience! I've always wanted to do this. Isn't it usually more than $600? :o

They have Express Deals on their website (i.e. for the Toronto-Vancouver trip, you can get Economy for $200 and Sleeper Plus Cabin for $825)

Originally Posted by TheCrucible

They have Express Deals on their website (i.e. for the Toronto-Vancouver trip, you can get Economy for $200 and Sleeper Plus Cabin for $825)

Out of curiosity, where did you find this? I just looked it up and a round trip came to $1200...

Originally Posted by Snowman

Out of curiosity, where did you find this? I just looked it up and a round trip came to $1200...

On the homepage header menu, click on "Fares" --> Express Deals

Originally Posted by TheCrucible

On the homepage header menu, click on "Fares" --> Express Deals

Those are actually quite interesting. I may look into that for reading week in the spring. It is much cheaper than I thought

Took the bus from Toronto to Calgary then Calgary to LA on Greyhound in 2 weeks this summer and it was awesome. Much more rewarding than flying it really feels like you've covered so much ground. Sleeping was quite easy as well surprisingly.