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NEW! RAILS ACROSS CANADA A fully escorted tour from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Shore May 14-25, 2010 Tour from $2999.00 HURRY! Tour closes March 26, 2010. All Prices Are in US Dollars
One of the world’s most remarkable railway experiences is completely crossing the North American continent on the trains of VIA Rail Canada. Following the Canadian National Railway (CNR) from Vancouver to Halifax encompasses a journey of 3946 miles, four time zones, countless mountains, great cities and unforgettable horizons. For 2010 we are offering a fully escorted trip from coast to coast, led by Rail Travel Center President Wil Doak. Best of all, VIA Rail’s spring season fares allow us to offer this great adventure for an exceptionally low price We enjoy three different trains on VIA Rail Canada. First we ride the CANADIAN, the classic 1950s vista-domeliner, in upgraded Touring Sleeper Class (formerly known as Silver and Blue Class). This service includes “choice of the menu” meals in the diner. We ride first from Vancouver to Jasper, tour in Jasper National Park, and continue from Jasper to Toronto. The new train schedule puts the entire crossing of the Rockies by day. From Toronto to Montreal, we experience VIA’s 105mph high-speed LRC Corridor Service in upgraded Business Class (formerly known as VIA One). Finally we travel from Montreal to Halifax on the legendary OCEAN LIMITED, the longest continuously operated train in Canada. The route features new Renaissance Cars, originally built in Great Britain for service through the tunnel under the English Channel, the “Chunnel”. Our tour traverses a continent of ever-changing landscapes viewed from the train. We cross over Yellowhead Pass and view Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Later we continue past the Gates of the Mountains, travel onto the vast prairies of eastern Alberta, and descend the escarpment into Saskatchewan’s Qu’Apelle Valley.
East of Winnipeg, we traverse the endless forests, granite headlands, fast-flowing rivers and crystalline lakes of Ontario’s Canadian Shield. At one point, no paved road crosses our wilderness rails for over 200 miles. From Toronto to Montreal, on VIA Rail’s “Lakeshore” route, we follow the north shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Entering the Maritime Provinces, we see the Appalachian Mountains reflected across the beautiful Bay of Chaleur, then view the tidal flats of the Bay of Fundy and the rugged forested hills of central Nova Scotia. VIA's lovely "Lakeshore" Line
The tour includes excellent off-train sightseeing. In Jasper National Park, we view beautiful Pyramid and Patricia Lakes, explore the yawning abyss of the Maligne Canyon, and photograph thundering Athabasca Falls, before taking a tracked “Snow Coach” onto the Columbia Icefields. We tour Toronto by streetcar and explore the exceptional Royal Ontario Museum. In Montreal, we marvel at the vista from Mount Royal and visit the 18th century precincts of Old Montreal and the amazing Notre Dame cathedral. Finally, we explore the historic port city of Halifax, tour the Maritime Museum, and travel along the south shore to the fishing village of Peggy’s Cove on the rock-bound coast. The tour travels one-way by train across the continent, but air fares to connect into Vancouver and home from Halifax can be exceptionally reasonable. At press time, the cost on Air Canada from New York to Vancouver, returning from Halifax to New York is only $553.00USD. Ask us for a quote or call your local travel agent when you book. Complete details follow. All aboard! Day One, Friday, May 14 Arrive
Vancouver; board VIA’s CANADIAN.
Day Two, Saturday, May 15 (B,L) VIA across the Canadian Rockies to Jasper. The new schedule of the CANADIAN includes the full crossing of the Canadian Rockies by day when traveling eastbound. For best viewing, the train has several glass-topped dome cars. Most elegant is the “Park” observation-lounge car at the rear of the train, and there is also the “Skyline” dome-lounge car mid-train. We depart Kamloops at 6:00AM and closely follow the canyon of the North Thompson River as it ascends toward its source in the peaks beyond Blue River. There are wonderful views of rapids and waterfalls, and the mountains soar closely above us. In the early afternoon, towering Mount Robson marks our ascent to the summit of the Continental Divide at Yellowhead Pass.
This is a triple water divide! West of the pass, rivers flow to the Pacific. To the east, all waters flow either to the Arctic Sea or to the Hudson Bay, an arm of the North Atlantic. Here we pass from the endless highlands of British Columbia into the mountain grandeur of Alberta’s Jasper National Park. We detrain at Jasper station for a two-night stay at the comfortable Marmot Lodge downtown. Day Three, Sunday, May 16 Columbia Icefields Parkway; “Snow Coach” onto the Athabasca Glacier. We enjoy a remarkable drive deep into the heart of the Canadian Rockies on what may be Canada’s most scenic highway, the Columbia Icefields Parkway. The route takes us south along the rapids of the Athabasca River. We see Athabasca Falls, then drive to the viewpoint for the Columbia Icefields. This mountain-top ice cap feeds rivers that flow to three oceans. We board a huge tracked “Snow Coach”, driving onto the face of the Athabasca Glacier where we can walk on the glacier! "Snow Coach" on the Columbia Icefields
Returning to Jasper, the balance of the day is free to shop and explore the village. Day Four, Monday, May 17 (D) Tour Jasper; ride east on VIA’s CANADIAN. The Jasper General Drive takes us on a very scenic trip through the Maligne River Valley to view emerald-green glacial lakes. We explore the narrow chasm of Maligne Canyon and enjoy the panorama of mountains behind Pyramid and Patricia Lakes.
We have additional free time in Jasper village before re-boarding the CANADIAN late this afternoon. The train follows the Athabasca River east beneath immense stony peaks, passing into the forested foothills at the Gates of the Mountains near Hinton.
Patricia Lake: Jasper National Park
The Gates of the Mountains Overnight we cross the prairies of eastern Alberta into Saskatchewan. We overnight in our choice of Pullman sleepers for the next three nights. Day Five, Tuesday, May 18 (B,L,D) Across Saskatchewan and Manitoba. This morning we leave Saskatoon and speed east across the vast farm lands of Saskatchewan. Initially, this is a land of immense horizons and towering grain elevators; however, the Canadian prairies are not just flat country. Departing Melville, the scenery becomes dramatically more interesting as we begin the descent of the great Qu’Apelle Valley. The tracks cross several trestles (one over a quarter-mile long) as the line follows the north rim of this great rift valley. We cross into Manitoba and arrive in Winnipeg, where the train makes a three-hour stop for servicing after dinner. We can detrain to view the magnificent Canadian National station or take a walk in the adjacent Forks district along the Red River.
Day Six, Wednesday, May 19 (B,L,D) The Canadian Shield Wilderness. Northern Ontario is one of the largest areas of wilderness in North America. This is the beautiful glacially-scoured landscape of the Canadian Shield. The train spends the entire day rarely encountering a town of more than a few hundred residents as it winds along fast-flowing rivers, deep blue lakes and rugged stone hills. The forest here is an eternal sea of spruce and birch. The luxurious CANADIAN is the incongruous lifeline of this wild landscape, occasionally stopping beside a remote lake to unload a trapper, his canoe and supplies at an isolated cabin. This is both a relaxing and remarkable day! Day Seven, Thursday, May 20 (B) Arrive and tour Toronto. The train arrives in Toronto, Canada’s great metropolis, just after breakfast. After the wilderness of Ontario’s northlands, the contrast with the towering skyscrapers of Toronto is truly remarkable. The Toronto Skyline
Toronto has what may be North America’s finest public transportation system. This afternoon we tour the city using streetcars and the immaculate TTC subway. We ride the Waterfront/Spadina trolley line past views of Lake Ontario and through the streets of Chinatown, ending at the Royal Ontario Museum, our main stop. This is one of the world’s finest natural history, anthropology and science museums. Later we return to Union Station on the TTC subway. Our hotel tonight is the former Canadian Pacific Railway landmark, the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, located directly across the street from Union Station. Day Eight, Friday, May 21 (B,L) VIA “Lakeshore”
route to Montreal.
The morning is free to
further explore Toronto. The vast TTC streetcar network is the largest
in North America and can be used for an ad-hoc tour.
Just before noon we depart on VIA’s high-speed LRC Corridor service to Montreal. On the straight CNR “Lakeshore” route, these trains can reach speeds of up to 105mph. A choice of the menu hot lunch with wine and cocktails is included at seat en route. The line closely follows the north shore of Lake Ontario, then descends the St. Lawrence River into Quebec Province before an early evening arrival at Montreal. Here we enjoy accommodations at another former Canadian railway grand hotel, the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, which actually is incorporated into Central Station. Beautiful Montreal
Day Nine, Saturday, May 22 (B) Tour Montreal; VIA OCEAN LIMITED. After an exceptional breakfast buffet at the Queen Elizabeth, we tour one of Canada’s premiere French-speaking cities. Montreal is one of the most beautiful great cities in the world. From Mount Royal we have a sweeping vista over the city and south into the Green Mountains of Vermont. The narrow 18th century streets of Old Montreal take us to the remarkable Notre Dame Cathedral, which has a stunning wood-carved and hand-painted interior. We also view the Olympic Stadium and see the superb architecture downtown. There is free time this afternoon to shop and further explore.
The new "Renaissance" OCEAN LIMITED At 6:30PM we depart for the Atlantic Ocean on VIA’s OCEAN LIMITED. The first departure of this flagship train was in 1904! We sleep tonight in new Renaissance sleepers in Bedrooms with private toilets. There is a mid-train dining car and two mid-train lounge cars, one reserved exclusively for sleeper passengers. Full meals are available for purchase in the diner, while the lounge cars sell drinks and lighter fare. Day Ten, Sunday, May 23 OCEAN LIMITED across the Maritimes to Halifax. Dawn finds us along the Restigouche River, one of the great Atlantic salmon streams, as we exit out of the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Quebec. At Campbellton we enter New Brunswick and follow the beautiful Bay of Chaleur. Across the bay, the great chain of Appalachians rolls east along the Gaspe Peninsula.
At Moncton we cross the tide-flats of the Bay of Fundy, then enter Nova Scotia, crossing the rugged hills enroute to Halifax. We arrive just before dinner at the great port of Atlantic Canada, having ridden the train all the way from the Pacific to the Atlantic! Our hotel for the next two nights is the comfortable contemporary Cambridge Suites Hotel in the heart of downtown Halifax. Day Eleven, Monday, May 24 (CB,D) Tour Halifax and Peggy’s Cove.
This afternoon we have a pretty
drive along the south coast to what may be the most photographed
fishing village in the world, Peggy’s Cove. With its classis wooden
houses, towering lighthouse and rocky coastline this is truly an
unforgettable spot. This evening we enjoy our Farewell Dinner at a
café in the Historic Precincts of Halifax. Day Twelve, Tuesday, May 25 (CB) Tour ends. We have independent departures from Halifax today. As noted above, excellent same-day air service is available from Halifax to virtually all North American cities. TOUR PRICES include all rail fares and coach fares; sleeping car surcharges in the room type selected; all hotels, sightseeing and meals noted as included above; tour manager services; transfers during the tour; and luggage handling. Not included are arrival and departure airport transfers (airporter bus service and taxis are available both at Vancouver and Halifax to/from the tour meeting points), other meals, and items of a personal nature such as alcoholic beverages and souvenirs. $2999.00 per person, double occupancy using a Section (upper and lower berth) on the CANADIAN $3499.00 single occupancy using a Section lower berth on the CANADIAN Optional Sleeper Upgrades on the CANADIAN There is a choice of sleeper rooms on the CANADIAN. The basic tour price shown above includes a Section lower berth for singles or a full Section with upper and lower berth for couples. Sections provide a very spacious daytime feeling, as they are open to the aisle. A very heavy secured curtain encloses the area for nighttime privacy. The three Sections in each car share two dressing rooms with toilet, one for men and one for women. For the additional cost noted below, participants can upgrade to single occupancy Roomettes or double occupancy Bedrooms on the CANADIAN. These private rooms include in-room toilet facilities. Each sleeping car on the CANADIAN contains a locking single occupancy shower room with towels, shampoo and soap provided for the use of sleeping car passengers on the car. On the new OCEAN LIMITED, all participants travel in standard Bedrooms with a private toilet. $290.00 per person, double occupancy, for a Bedroom or Roomette $290.00 for a single occupancy Roomette
All Prices Are in US Dollars
Conditions and Booking Information (the fine print) |
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Last modified: March 03, 2010 |
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This
morning we tour historic Halifax. The beautiful Public Gardens should
be at their spring peak. We see the mighty Citadel fortress and visit
the remarkable Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Rescuers from Halifax
recovered most of the bodies and much debris from the “Titanic”, and
the museum has a fascinating exhibit on the sinking. Here too is a
complete explanation of the terrible World War One Halifax disaster.
The fire and subsequent explosion of a Norwegian munitions ship in
Halifax harbor virtually leveled the inner city in 1917. 
