Can you tell me your experiences on TransCanada Rail?
I'm considering rail across Canada from East to West Coast. Please note places of interest, and suggest stops and hotels. If you've done this, was it with a tour group or did you make your own arrangements?
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I've travelled on VIA between Halifax and Edmonton a couple of times. You change trains in Montreal and Toronto, so those are convenient stops if you like large vibrant multicultural cities. If I was going to continue westwards to Vancouver, I'd also plan on stopping in Jasper, to spend some time in the Rockies. The bedrooms are comfortable -- more so on the stainless steel cars that are available from Toronto westwards than on the Renaissance cars that are used on the eastern trains in the summer. And the food in first class (Easterly ./ Silver and Blue) is wonderful.
I make my own arrangements, and make the reservations through the VIA Rail website. (Oh, and join VIA Preference - you get lots of points.)
I've crossed Canada by rail several times, and each time it is a brand new experience! I love taking the train!
Start in Halifax, and take the Ocean through the beautiful Maritimes, along the coast of the Atlantic ocean. Travel overnight, and arrive in Quebec City early the next morning.
Spend a day or two in Quebec, before continuing on to Montreal. After Montreal, take an early train to Ottawa, spend the day visiting the parliament buildings, and get on the last train of the evening to Toronto.
Take a few days to take in the city of Toronto, before boarding The Canadian.
Your major cities of interest are Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Jasper, and Vancouver.
All of these cities are great, but you should definitely stop in Jasper. There are many tours out of Jasper for the surrounding areas, including Lake Louise. This is one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
An interesting not-so-little sidetrip out of Winnipeg, for the more adventurous traveller, is to take the train up to Churchill. The north is an often neglected part of our country, but Hudson Bay is a great place to visit. If you go in the fall, you're likely to see some polar bears!
www.viarail.ca
Great trip; make reservations far in advance for the mountain passage in the West. Easiest to book through an agent, avoid groups and enjoy it on your own.