Who takes a train for a long-distance trip?
I was thinking about taking a train from Minneapolis to Seattle. Amtrak (for two adults) has a basic round-trip coach fare for US$600. I thought I'd check ViaRail for a comparison (Winnipeg to Vancouver) and a basic round-trip coach fare (again, for two adults) is about CD$700. So, roughly comparable (although the Amtrak trip is about 36 hours and the ViaRail trip takes about 45 hours).
I then looked into a double-occupancy bedroom. Amtrak: US$1,700 (round-trip, two adults) and ViaRail: CN$2,800 (ditto).
Next comparison: Just hoping on an airplane for a three-hour flight from Minneapolis to Seattle: US$200 per person (on Northwest Airlines).
So, I'm thinking a person (1) has to have a lot of time to kill in order to take a train and (2) takes a train to enjoy the trip (not as a means of simply getting from Point A to Point B).
If I was retired and had all the time in the world, it might make sense to spend the extra money to take a train and enjoy the trip. But, when time (and money) is limited, who takes a train?
How do you like that? "CN" says they are "North America's railway" Who thought of that one, Bill Gates? Next think we know, fat-cat majority shareholders in Air Canada living in the U.S. will be referring to it as just "AC", and "North America's airline" It's a good thing we only have colonial administrators and stoogeocrats up here in Ottawa land, or your billionaire oligarchs down there would really be screwed, Sven. Next thing we know they'll be scooping up the CBC and Canada Post at a rummage sale.
I'm shocked that it's comparable in price, Sven. Amtrak is a WAY, WAY better deal than VIA here in the east. I can take a round-trip train from Toronto to New York for around $200 - it's a 12-14 hour trip. I can take a round-trip train from Toronto to Kingston for slightly less - a 2.5 hour trip. It really ticks me off.
That said, if the prices are comparable, take VIA. I find the trains themselves to be more pleasant if you're going coach. Newer cars, more comfy coach seats. And VIA has finally come into the 20th century and they have outlets for every seat now. And they have Wifi too (you have to pay extra for it though) which Amtrak doesn't have available.
I'm shocked at that price you found for VIA, as well, Sven. You're sure it's round trip? Seems to me that's the price for a one-way fare. Interesting to hear Michelle rating VIA above Amtrak for quality, though. I haven't taken VIA in a very long time.
Travelling coach is not comfortable, and for me a sleeping berth is so far not affordable, but otherwise I do enjoy train travel. As I've said in some other thread somewhere, I like hanging out in the snack car. On Amtrak. The greasy snacks and cheap coffee - which you need because you haven't slept. I wonder how VIA compares. Probably less greasy and higher price.
I don't think many people take a train just to get somewhere. The train itself is part of the travel experience and worth it. You might want to consider what part of the continent you want to train across, though. Doing the prairies on a train as a first experience is maybe not as interesting, especially in winter.
Another option might be to train there and fly back?
For trips that are less than 6 hours, the train is the most comfortable and the least expensive, even with VIA's ridiculous prices. "Most comfortable" is compared with the bus, and "least expensive" is compared with flying. I'm talking distances like from Toronto to Montreal, or to Ottawa.
Recently I've taken the bus to London and Guelph, and for those trips (around 2 hours) the bus is definitely cheaper, and with a better schedule.
The longest train trip I've taken was going home to Toronto from a small town outside Thunder Bay. I believe it was 30 or 35 hours. I had no sleeping berth, just tilted the old seat back and started snoozing. That was an adventure I wouldn't want to repeat, but I was also by myself. It could be fun with someone else with you.
For trips that are less than 6 hours, the train is the most comfortable and the least expensive, even with VIA's ridiculous prices. "Most comfortable" is compared with the bus, and "least expensive" is compared with flying. I'm talking distances like from Toronto to Montreal, or to Ottawa.
Recently I've taken the bus to London and Guelph, and for those trips (around 2 hours) the bus is definitely cheaper, and with a better schedule.
The longest train trip I've taken was going home to Toronto from a small town outside Thunder Bay. I believe it was 30 or 35 hours. I had no sleeping berth, just tilted the old seat back and started snoozing. That was an adventure I wouldn't want to repeat, but I was also by myself. It could be fun with someone else with you.
I took VIA from Toronto to Ottawa a couple of years ago. Nice, comfy trip, the price wasn't outrageous, and it was pretty much hassle-free.
Ms. Sven and I took a niece (and a friend of hers) to Chicago for a long weekend about three years ago and we took the Amtrak there (about 9 hours). It was fun...more for the "adventure" of a train trip than anything. But, normally, airfare to Chicago is dirt cheap (cheaper than Amtrak and, obviously, a whole lot quicker).
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Eleutherophobics of the World...Unite!!!
I had a great trip from New York to Toronto earlier this year on Amtrak. I took business class (which is only an extra $25 or so) and, as jas was saying, chatted with the server in the snack car quite a bit. She had some interesting ideas about Canada (that we all speak French, for instance), but she was really interesting and had lots to say about the American election (well, the primaries at that point).
Population base and subsidies: two possible factors for the differential.
We have long distances with far fewer inhabitants over all.
It's irritating to pay so much for a sleeper between the Maritimes and Montreal, but it's definitely the civilized way to go.
Between Halifax and Moncton, the schedule is inconvenient but it is a very nice trip, especially in the fall. Winter too. I wouldn't dream of driving to Halifax in the winter. Bus or train, period.
Just a couple of thoughts from down east. Happy holidays, everyone.
The other reason is to reduce your carbon footprint.
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One struggle, many fronts.
Thinking, reading an entire book, clearing and organizing files on laptop...
Plus, if the weather is bad, the worst that can happen on a long trip is that one is stranded, say, in the woods of northern N.B. for several hours. Not bad, provided the food and heating don't run out.
Many years ago I was on a couple of train trips where the heating broke down. It was no fun. But I'd take 8 hours stuck on a motionless train over 8 hours in an airport or on a runway getting poisoned by fumes or de-icing fluid.
We considered taking the train to Vancouver and back, even though we'd have to drive to Melville to actually catch the train. Wow. Pricey. More than double the airfare for the four of us.
We might go one way some year, fly home, just for the adventure of it, but it is not an affordable way to travel.
I took an overnight train in China last month and quite enjoyed it.
No shit. I am about 3 hours plus a ferry from the VIA mainline but after I win the lottery the train is how I will be travelling.
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One struggle, many fronts.
I've generally stuck to the Greyhound, or renting a car, for trips within the province. I've actually never taken the VIA, because I find the pricing to be too steep, given that you're really only shaving a small amount of time off the commute, depending on where you're going. I'd love to do Canada by train, but I've yet to find a deal within my price range.