A Schedule Change for VIA’s Tran-Canada Train
A trans-Canada rail trip aboard VIA Rail‘s premier train, the Canadian, is a “must-do” for anyone who really enjoys long-distance train travel. I’ve made the trip three times and heartily recommend it. This is a very popular train, especially from May through October, operating three times a week between Toronto and Vancouver, a 2800-mile journey.
You travel in classic single-level stainless steel rail cars, originally built in the 1950s, but very nicely reconditioned and very comfortable. Each consist includes coaches, sleeping cars, dome cars for a wonderful view of the passing scenery, dining cars (two or three, depending on how big the train is), and a classic bullet-shaped observation car bringing up the rear.
VIA Rail has just announced a change in schedule for the Canadian that took effect on December 1st. Instead of the traditional mid-morning departure from Toronto, Train # 1, the westbound Canadian, now leaves at 10:00 p.m. and travels at a somewhat more leisurely pace. Similarly, the eastbound train, Train # 2, now departs Vancouver at 10:30 in the evening instead of late afternoon. The schedule change brings about two rather significant differences in the whole Canadian experience.
First, both trains will now be spending more daylight hours traveling through the spectacular Canadian Rockies. That’s a big plus, because that stretch is clearly the scenic highlight of the trip.
The second change is also significant: this has now become a four-night trip. For me personally, this is not a problem because I enjoy the experience of sleeping on the train. But, frankly, I’m not sure how passengers less familiar with long-distance train travel will react to the extra night aboard. Time will tell.
In any event, the schedule change merely provides me with one more excuse to make another trip on this wonderful train. And next time — although my wife thinks I’m crazy! – I’d like to experience this trip in the dead of winter. Sound like fun?
Thanks for the elaboration … and you are quite right, of course. On my last trip I met a woman going to a conference in Saskatoon (or it might have been Calgary) and she had to leave the train in the wee hours. This new schedule will certainly be more convenient for people traveling shorter segments between some of the larger cities. And, as I said, the additional night is fine with me.
You talk about taking the train all the way from Toronto to Vancouver. Not too many passeners do that.
If one takes a look at the new schedule, one of the big features is convenient day and overnight travel between major cities. And no arrivals at major cities in the middle of the night.
For example, Toronto to Sudbury becomes an overnight trip. The next morning the train arrives at Winnipeg at 0801. It then arrives at Saskatoon at 2322. The next morning it arrives in Edmonton at 0637. That evening it arrives in Kamloops at 2309 and the following morning in Vancouver at 0942.
If I’m going on a business trip from Saskatoon to Edmonton, the way that takes the least amount of time out of my work day is to take the train. Then on the way back, it leaves Edmonton at 2345 and arrives in Saskatoon the next morning at 0845. Again, no time taken out of the working day.
Of course, to be most useful for business purposes, it really should run every day, but that’s another story!