I'm a railroad brat. My grandfather was Yardmaster for the Milwaukee Road so I grew up riding the rails - many trips being between Milwaukee and the Twin Cities on the Hiawatha.
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Hi, I'm Pat and welcome to my blog, Life's A Trip!
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I love traveling, food and getting a great deal on anything - which is what this blog is about.
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I'll share not only my travel destinations including accommodations, dining hot spots, and top (and weird!) travel attractions with you - but how to make any trip more budget friendly.
I married another railroad brat whose father worked for the B&O Railroad in Ohio. We spent our honeymoon
at the Baltimore Railroad Museum and then joined an HO model railroading club upon our return home. We built on HO train setup downstairs. We were both nuts about trains so no surprise we decided to take a trip across Canada by rail - and splurge big time in the process.
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If you're going to take a train excursion that's more than a few hours or a day long, then I highly recommend contacting Vacations By Rail and working with one of their agents to tailor fit your trip to you.
canada
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I mention this because it was many years ago hubby and I took our Canadian rail trip and in researching this article I was reading TripAdvisor customer reviews on it. Many are complaining they experienced significant delays when they took the trip recently. I investigated this and learned VIA Rail does not own the track it operates on. It rents them from the Crown, which is primarily a freight hauler. Therefore, the freight trains have priority over passenger trains and this is what causes the delays. Hubby and I did not experience any signifcant delays...but if you're in a hurry, you might want to book a different train excursion.
PRESTIGE JOURNEY ACROSS CANADA
We booked the Prestige Journey Across Canada 11 day excursion through 8 Canadian provinces. This remarkable journey travels from the West Coast to the East (or vice versa, both options are available). The great thing about this trip is that you see scenery in the Rocky Mountain area you wouldn't likely see except by train.
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The trip begins in Vancouver, a spectacular coastal city between the deep blue Pacific and breathtaking rainforest and mountain scenes. We enjoyed a day to explore its endless contrasts before boarding VIA Rail's Canadian for our rail journey through the majestic Rocky Mountains and across the Canadian Shield to Toronto. We visited Niagara Falls as well. Stays in centrally located hotels and a wonderful mixture of guided sightseeing and leisure time allow you to connect with each location. Our trip would conclude in Toronto.
There are 3 'classes' of travel available: Economy, Sleeper Plus and Prestige. This was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us so hubby and I splurged and booked Prestige class. We were glad we spent the money to do this.
Booking Prestige class included:
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Tour Manager
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Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
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Transportation
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All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
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Private transfer to Vancouver rail station
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4 nights in Prestige Class aboard VIA Rail’s Canadian
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Accommodation
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4 nights’ 5-Star hotel accommodation
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Excursions & Entertainment
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All tour excursions
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Food & Drink
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4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
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Flights and airport transfers
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Private airport transfers
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The only things not covered were our flights to and from Canada, meals outside of the train and trip insurance.
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Note that travel agencies often buy up Prestige Class inventory during the peak summer period, so you may need to go through a travel agency if you’re unable to book directly.
The other 2 classes available on our specific trip were Economy and Sleeper Plus.
Economy is definitely no frills and I wouldn't suggest booking Economy except for very short trips because you do not get a bed with Economy. The seats recline slightly and you sleep in your seat.
That may be okay for an overnight trip but I certainly wouldn't want to sleep in a train seat for 4 nights or more.
Nor does Economy class include meals. Economy passengers can purchase food but expect cups of noodles and microwaveable mac 'n cheese. Basically, you get what you pay for and there's quite a $$ range between various class packages.
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Sleeper Plus is an economical way to go in that you basically get most of the amenities included in Prestige passage. One, two, three and 4 person accommodations are available. The drawbacks are your cabin is very tight, you share a shower with all passengers on the Super Plus cars that are located at the end of the train car, you do not get dining priority nor concierge service.
The biggest drawback is that your beds are bunk bed style births with privacy curtains that are basically located on a walkway through the car.
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Lower berths have a window, upper berths do not and some Sleeper Plus passengers told me this made them feel claustrophobic and disoriented. Having a lower berth with a window will cost you approximately $200 more.
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A cabin for 1 is actually a bunk bed arrangement berth with privacy curtain. Essentially you're sleeping in a walkway. However, there is a private toilet but it supports the weight of the bed when the seat is folded down to convert into a bed.
During the day the beds convert to bench seating, usually while you’re at breakfast service, and then back in the evening during dinner service. You will have access to the Prestige Park Car but only after 5 p.m.
Sleeper Plus folded out lower berth bed
​Other amenities for in a Cabin for One include a mirror, fan, air conditioning, drinking water and towels, pillows, sheets and blankets, as well as a 110V AC outlet.
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In a Cabin for Two, the setup and amenities are similar: you have two comfortable chairs during the day that are then converted into beds at night (bunk style, like in the berths).
You get all the same amenities as in the Cabin for One, plus some extra bonuses like a small closet in the cabins for two, and a toilet that’s actually in its own tiny ensuite.
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There is also a cabin for for three that is set up in a similar fashion, with one sofa and two chairs during the day that become three beds (one upper and two lower) at night.
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Lastly, there’s a Cabin for four option that’s essentially two combined cabins for two with the dividing partitions removed.
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The perks of Sleeper Plus Class:
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At ~$1,200 it was $1,000(!) cheaper than a private cabin.
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It includes all meals.
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It includes access to showers, to the Panorama Car, and Prestige Park Car
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PRESTIGE CLASS
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A larger cabin (said to be 50% larger than the regular cabin for two)
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Larger windows (said to be 60% larger than the regular cabin for two)
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A modular L-shaped couch
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An actual double bed (Murphy bed, but still!) rather than upper/lower berth beds
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A private washroom with a shower
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A flat-screen monitor with video selection (There is no WIFI for 4 days)
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A minibar stocked with your choice of beverages
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All inclusive food, snacks, and beverages (including alcohol)
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A concierge w/ turndown service and enhanced amenities
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Access to lounges in Vancouver and Toronto both upon departure and arrival
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The Prestige car
This was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for hubby and I so we splurged on Prestige class since we'd be spending a considerable amount of time on the train. Prestige class will cost around $16,000 per person both ways, depending on how you tailor your trip. It's definitely not inexpensive but we were glad we'd spent the money. Not only were we far more comfortable but our Fresh Tracks agent ensured our trip went off without a hitch and everything was handled and arranged for us. Plus we could individually tailor our trip according to what we wanted to see and do along the way.
We flew into Vancouver and spent the night there, where we'd board The Canadian to begin our rail journey.
accommodations
All of our accommodations were at 5 star Fairmont Hotels:
Fairmont Hotel in downtown Vancouver
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper
In each of the hotels we had a Fairmont Gold King Suite.
Fairmont Vancouver Suite
Each of the hotels offered virtually any amenity you could want and all included numerous in-hotel restaurants at which to eat. I'd give the Fairmont Hotels a big thumbs up.
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We had some time to sightsee in Vancouver. While I'd been there before, hubby hadn't so I showed him some of the sights.
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DON'T MISS IN VANCOUVER
Stanley Park
Stanley Park is Vancouver's largest and most popular park. Explore the 400-hectare natural West Coast rainforest and enjoy scenic views of water, mountains, sky, and majestic trees along Stanley Park's famous Seawall. Discover kilometres of trails, beautiful beaches, local wildlife, great eats, natural, cultural and historical landmarks, along with many other adventures. The park offers a wide range of unforgettable experiences for all ages and interests, including Canada’s largest aquarium.
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We took a horsedrawn carriage ride to see the park.
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Vancouver Aquarium (in Stanley Park)​
​Canada's largest aquarium.
Gastown
The best things to do in Gastown are a great reflection of the area’s vagrant past and trendy, sophisticated present. This historic charm and pioneer spirit make it Vancouver’s answer to New York City’s Lower East Side or London’s Shoreditch.
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Be sure to catch a photo op with the old steam clock.
Gastown with old steam clock
Vancouver Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure
Watch for orcas, humpbacks, and other marine wildlife on a half-day whale-watching tour from Vancouver. Unlike open-air speed boats, this heated catamaran has indoor and outdoor viewing decks so you’ll enjoy a comfortable trip in any weather. Onboard naturalist guides will fill you in on animal identification, natural history, and more, all while you soak up the idyllic Pacific Northwest scenery. Trip lasts 5 hours.
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Avoid the hassle of renting a car with this day trip that shows off BC's fjords, inlets, and mountains, with included transportation and a ride on the Sea to Sky Gondola.
A guide provides commentary on the drive, and you'll enjoy photo stops as well as free time in Whistler Village.
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The Granville Island Public Market is the jewel in the Island’s crown. An indoor market featuring a fascinating assortment of colourful food, produce stores and farmers stalls, all fresh from the ocean, the oven or the field. Market Artisans showcase locally made, handcrafted products and the very finest in unique goods.
It's just fun to stroll through!
After taking in the Vancouver sights, we decided to take it easy and just have dinner in one of the hotel's restaurants, Notch8.
I had chicken schnitzel - a new one on me! It was delicious!