r/ViaRail

The article is about more than just passenger rail, but I thought I would share an excerpt that would interest this Reddit community.

>Sarkara agreed that passenger rail is also vital to Northern Ontario, and while the first portion of the Northlander is now operational, work is continuing to partner with the Northlander to determine where more opportunities exist and what tracks exist, he said.  

>He blamed the NDP for choosing not to support the Northlander in 2012, one of the reasons why that project was cancelled, he said.  

>“We are bringing that back because we appreciate the need for passenger rail service in the North and appreciate looking at other places like Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and Thunder Bay where we can get access for passenger rail as well,” he said.  

I’m currently on the train from Ottawa to Toronto, we’ve been stopped for about 35 mins due two freight trains that will be passing. Why do we have to wait if they’re 35 mins behind?
My train to Ottawa from Toronto was almost 2 hours late. I’m done with VIA, it’s super frustrating.

I'm taking Train 1 this Sunday to Winnipeg (last minute deal, random place to see, and I like trains).

I can't seem to find what the first meal service is, would it be lunch? With the departure time breakfast seems unlikely, but I'm not sure.

Took the train the whole way from Vancouver a few years ago, looking forward to passing a couple of days on it and checking out Winnipeg, since last time we got there in the middle of the night!

I'm wondering if anyone has had the low-fat meal option in business class recently? I need to choose that option for health reasons and I'm just wondering what to expect. Thank you!

I'll be going in winter, February, would love to hear your packing list if you've done this trip. Toronto to Vancouver.

Wondering how sparse I can pack. At least with a hotel you can wash some clothes and hang them, assuming you can't do that on the train. Also where I won't be doing a lot of walking I'm not going to dirty as quickly. I am a women if this helps. I haven't been one to over pack, but also not used to winter travel.

Below are things I'm just listing for my sanity, and maybe it will help others, I have questions for others.

Thinking I should bring at least a couple short and couple long sleeve shirts. Should I add to this?

Couple pairs of pants.

Pair of boots for outside and sneakers inside. Is there a place to store the boots when not being worn? Under bed with rest of luggage? If yes, it would be good to know if I need to bring a plastic bag to keep the wet separate from luggage.

Long jacket. Are there coat hooks near/in the berth?

Hat and mitts/gloves

Long sleep wear

Does the train get so cold that I will need a base layer?

Fleece sweater

Shell/rain jacket

Multiple pairs of underwear and socks

The reason I ask is because I will need to pack taking into consideration a few days more days as I'm starting in Halifax, but I do have a place to stay for a couple nights in Montreal if i really need to do laundry. In total I'll be gone 12 days.

Also, I'm concerned with a long winter jacket, it will be fine on the east coast, but the west coast has very different temps. Will only be on west coast for 2 nights. I am used to nasty winter weather, so I wonder if I can get away with layering and the shell jacket.

Hopefully this is ok to ask here and like I mentioned maybe it could help someone else out. Thanks!!

If my ticket with PQWL/2 doesn't get confirmed then is it ok to board train and pay penalty to TT but not miss out on important journey

I took the VIA Rail train route between Toronto and Montreal many times over the past four years. Many of those times, I have had a window seat - either "A" or "D". Whenever I had a window seat under "D", it was always labelled as correct.

I booked a trip on the Economy class from Toronto to Montreal, and I paid extra to select a window seat. On the visual seating map that is available on the VIA rail's own website, it shows seat "D" as being a window seat.

Come travel time, with a twenty minute boarding delay ať Union, I get on the train and take my seat. Only for some guy with a ticket that has seat "C" on it come and tell me that he has a window seat. He went to asked the attendant, who told him that he is correct. I went to ask this said attendant, and he said that that's the way that the seats are numbered. I told him that when I booked the ticket, the visual seating map showed the seat that I selected as being a window seat and he told me that he doesn't see that seating map (VIA rail's own website material), and that I would have to call customer service (and in the meantime, I had to move). He also suggested to me that perhaps, there is some system issue with me specifically (like the website loads the seating map wrong for me, just for me?!), and that when I call customer service in the future, I should ask them to clearly clarify which seat is a window seat (the seat I purchased is economy and you can only reserve it online, it's not possible to even reserve this one by phone).

So my question is: how can you know that what you purchase (a window seat, as attested by VIA's own website, with a visual map) will be honoured if the train attendant can just invalidate it just like that, and then proceed to tell me that even if he did saw the actual visual map as it is displayed on VIA's website, he cannot do anything about it (meaning I still have to move)?

And if they can invalidate your seat, for which you paid, can they not refuse you the service altogether because of "system issues"? I mean, let's say that their card reader doesn't work or something, they can just say the same thing as this guy did ("even if you showed me that seating map, I can't do anything about it, call customer service") - they could just say "even if you show me your ticket, I can't do anything about it, you are not allowed to travel on the train, call customer service"??? (This actually happened to me on Union-Pearson Express in January 2020 - I tapped my Presto card before leaving the Pearson airport and the fare was correctly deducted, but the train attendant at UP Express had a card reader that couldn't read my card, so in front of all the other passengers on board, she accused me of not paying my fare, wouldn't let me explain anything but cut me off when I tried to explain that I've had problems with my card before, and threatened to kick me off the train, but had "gracefully" allowed me to remain on after this public humiliation, with the stipulation that my Presto card will be checked at Union. And when we arrived at Union and I dutifully went to the UP desk there to surrender my card for inspection and voilà - it showed that I actually did tap on and paid - she didn't even apologize to me, but started to make herself look like a victim on front of the desk side attendant there. Presto changed their card terminals and readers not too long after this).

So, what is to ensure that you actually get the service you request? The $7 "reserve a seat" seems to be just a scam, I paid for it only for some other guy to take my seat while I had to move my stuff around while the train was already in motion. (Then I was moved again, to another car, as a show of "good customer service").

We are looking at Jan or Feb 2027 for a train trip from the East to the West of Canada. Ideally looking for something luxurious for a special wedding anniversary.

Flying from the UK.

Hello! I didn’t want to piggyback on the other person’s question. When you are in a berth, do you check your large suitcase and then just take your bag of personal items you need on the trip on the train with you? Seems like “yes of course, dum dum” but I’m just checking. As I’m going to see family for a length of time I will probably take a pretty large suitcase, a soft duffel sort of carry on, and a larger crossbody purse.

Thanks to all the info in this sub I purchased a lower berth instead of a single cabin for one, and I am super excited! Of course the ticket isn’t until next March- but because booked that far in advance my ticket, with my discount, was $560, including the upgrade to a lower berth. You can’t fly for that much any more (Ottawa to Saskatoon). Of course I still have to get to Toronto and stay overnight but we will gloss over that fact for now. I have enough points for the trip to Toronto in business.

Does anybody have any experience commuting once a week Windsor to London for work?

I'm considering taking a job in London and while it is mostly remote, I am obligated to go to the office once a week. Currently living in Windsor and I know it takes roughly two hours to transit. I don't mind the long commute and the cost for it since I can catch some extra Zs during the ride.

Are delays are frequent for VIA rail? I'm trying to gauge how much buffer room I need to give myself for the commute to and back.

Is it ever an issue getting a rental car once the Canadian rolls into Vancouver? It seems there is a Hertz at the station and online it shows it's not open Sundays when our train comes in. We are arriving January 3 but trying to plan out our itinerary now.

So what’s the deal with all the old locomotives and LRC coaches still in service? I recall a thread on here where they were supposed to be phased out entirely by “early-2026”. Does anyone know why VIA is still using this rolling stock over the Ventures exclusively?

My senior mother with mobility limitations has taken the train from Kitchener to visit me in Ottawa once or twice a year for the last 3 years. Without fail, every single time, her first train from Kitchener to Toronto is delayed by literally hours.

Her initial itinerary always includes a 2+ hour layover in Toronto. Should be lots of buffer right? And yet, every. single. time. she needs her connection rebooked. She's supposed to arrive at 8pm but she has never arrived before 10. When I call Via Rail, they tell me "her second train [rebooked] arrived within the 60 minute window, so she doesn't qualify for a 50% off coupon". But she was only rebooked because the first train was HOURS late and her whole itinerary needed to be adjusted! (I have fought this every time and they eventually do issue the coupon.)

I know this route is notoriously unreliable, but seriously??

Why does Via Rail even bother with a schedule?

Thank you for reading my pointless yelling into the void.

/vent

(She tried taking the GO train to Toronto once, and it got fully cancelled so she had to book with Via anyway at same day prices $$$)

For those who have stayed in a berth, what is your go to luggage? I will be flying home and I can take a carry-on. Because of this, I'm debating either something like an Osprey 40L/similar backpack Or a roller luggage/duffle. What would make more sense for the space I will have in the berth? I am also planning on bringing a smaller backpack as my personal item. Thanks!!

Edit: I'll be in a bottom berth if that makes a difference.

Hey all, found a great deal for a trip in business on trains 52 -> 26 for a trip from Toronto to Montreal. Wondering if you get served both Breakfast and Lunch? Breakfast on 52 and lunch on 26.

Thanks!