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I am back from our lovely little trip to Montreal and Ottawa, which we really enjoyed. We took the Adirondack both ways to and from Montreal, and it was the usual gorgeous ride sitting on the right side northbound after Albany and the left side southbound. It is a much longer trip than driving, but considering the views, who cares? Border crossing was thorough but prompt in both directions this time, and we were only 1/2 hour late heading in to Montreal (caused when we had to wait a bit for the southbound to pass us outside Westport) and only 20 minutes late returning from Montreal.
Our VIA Rail trip to Ottawa but short but pleasant. The train was new, and the train station nice in a modern way, though I must say, the distance from downtown was a surprise--I do wish they had kept using that nice old station near the Chateau Laurier!!! (The whole idea of taking a train in my opinion is to bring people right downtown, not to the suburbs!!!)
We did not have time to take the steam train in Hull--it was also pretty pricey, and after the long ride on the Adirondack, we were more interested in taking a boat ride, which was lovely. I do wish we had more time to explore the area of Gatineau we passed on the boat, it looked very pretty! But we really enjoyed what we did see, most especially the Museum of Civilization in Hull (and it was fun walking and across the bridge! and the FOOD--tres delicious!). At the Museum of Civilization, I was esp taken with the coverage of the Canadian railroad in the history of Canada section, which included a very fascinating film that has made me determined to take the Trans-Canada when I can afford it (if ever! I think I will have to go coach!)
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Glad you enjoyed your trip. Ottawa has long been a favorite place for me. I particularly enjoy the Rideau Canal, with that stairstep lock arrangement right by the Chateau Laurier.
Your comments about the "modern" train station are right on. I, too, remember the old station from a 1965 visit (boy, am I getting old!), but I have to point out that the "new" station is now more than 30 years old. I first took a train from it in 1972!
And having taken both the CN and CP transcon routes, I can tell you it's a wonderful trip, truly the trip of a lifetime, and well worth the money. Tip: try to do it in late spring before the summer fares kick in but while the days are long enough to see stuff. May would be a good time.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Thanks for the tip, rresor. I am thinking maybe I could get the Canadian Rail Pass and use it to travel at least one way on VIA Rail (is that what you mean by CN and CP?), and go one way on Amtrak, where I can use some Guest Reward points. If I go just one way, do you recommend eastbound or westbound? I kind of like the idea of going out on the Canadian train to get the experience of the pioneers coming to the Rockies--it just seems more exciting going across the flat Plains and then getting to the Canadian Rockies. But I'd choose to go eastbound if you think that way is more scenic . . . Given the prices, I think I would have to use my pass and travel coach in Canada and make my stayovers in towns and cities, which I think would be cheaper in the long run than paying for the sleepers (esp as VIA Rail sleepers don't seem to include meals), plus more interesting as I'd get to see the towns. (For instance, I have always wanted to see Kamloops and Medicine Hat. OK, I just like the NAMES!! But then I can say I've been to Kamloops. Does the train still stop in Medicine Hat?) If I go out on VIA Rail, I could go up on the Adirondack to Montreal or on the Maple Leaf to Toronto and start in either place. What stops would you recommend? I am having trouble figuring out all the possible stops; the VIA Rail website just has a skeleton map with a few key cities--I definitely want to see Jasper and Edmonton, but I think I want to make more stops in the Canadian Rockies, e.g. Banff and that other town, is it called Lake Louise? They do not appear on that skeleton map, but I know the train stops at them. And are there places further east I should stop that aren't on the map (I think the map just has Winnepeg and Saskatoon)? Also, are there stops the train makes only in summer? If that is the case, maybe I should not go in May???
Also, if anyone has any input on some good, convenient, less expensive places to stay at any of these Canadian stops, feel free to include that info.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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The Canadian takes essentially an all-CN route between Toronto and Vancouver, except for some directional running on CP eastbound near Vancouver and soon a similar arrangement south of Sudbury, Ont. The CN route goes through Hornepayne, Sioux lookout, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Kamloops en route to Vancouver. Regrettably there is no service on the CPR route through Thunder Bay, Regina, Moose Jaw, Medicine Hat, Calgary, Banff and Lake Louise. To get to Calgary and Banff by train, one would have to take the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver, with an overnight stop in Kamloops.
Check www.brewster.ca for motorcoach service from Jasper to points on the CPR line to the south. The bus leaves from what Brewster calls the "bus station" which is actually the VIA station in Jasper.
As one with a fondness for great hotels, I am not a good candidate to advise on budget accommodations, but the Whistler Inn across from the Jasper station is a good hotel at a modest price. in Winnipeg, the grand Fort Garry, formerly a Grand Trunk and CN hotel, is one block form the VIA station and is not the most pricey hotel in the city.
VIA's policy for meals for sleeping car passengers is inconsistent because of the different standards and pricing policies on different routes. On the expensive Canadian (Silver & Blue Class) all meals and snacks are included. On the Hudson Bay (Winnipeg - Churchill service) nothing - not even a cup of coffee - is included. The same applies to the Montreal-Gaspe train: the Chaleur. On the Ocean (Montreal-Halifax) there are two categories of sleeper in the summer season (June to Oct. incl.) The Easterly Class fares include breakfast and dinner and use of the "Park" dome car. The so-called Comfort Class sleeper fares do not. In the off-season no meals are included, not even the previously-offered continental breakfast.
Posts: 216 | From: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 2000
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In Banff and Lake Louise you need to check out the two "Grand" hotels. That would be the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. We had cocktails at the perfect table looking out at the Lake on a rainy afternoon. The food we saw looked good, too, and worth the price for the view.
One morning while looking out the window of our room at the Fairmont Palliser in Calgary I spotted one of the dome cars for the Rocky Mountaineer. The back rooms at the Palliser are great, by the way, if you want to do some trainspotting. Double glazed windows keep the noise to a minimum.
Frank in Sunny SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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I think I knew about Banff not being on the line but somehow forgot when I viewed the film at the Museum of Civilization and got all excited about going.
The trip I might make would be to go to Toronto, then VIA Rail to Winnepeg with a stopover, then on to Edmonton with another stopover, then Greyhound or some other bus to Calgary. Then I would want to take a tour from Calgary through Banff and Lake Louise to Jasper, and pick up VIA Rail again. Or I could do this eastbound, if the times/light works better. However, though www.brewster.com does have such a tour, it is pretty expensive--bus and 2 nights of hotels was over $700, without even including meals.
And what I'd REALLY like to do is take the Rocky Mountaineer AND the bus, super expensive, and might even involve some backtracking. Is it a good idea if I miss the VIA Rail leg between Edmonton and Jasper? And if I take a bus tour including Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper, do I need to also take the Rocky Mountaineer from Calgary or Banff to Vancouver (stopping in Kamloops overnight)? It's all very confusing and I probably cannot afford it anyways, at least not till 2008!!!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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sojourner, you are a person "after my own heart"!! I love place names. We drove that route and it follows the train pretty closely. It is spectacular. We stayed in Medicine Hat and also Moose Jaw simply because I loved those names. Did't get to Saskatoon because we were farther south,going through Regina. I suggest you click into www.bidontravel.com/amtrak route2.Then scroll down to the bottom to Amtrak and Visa western routes. You will find lots of info there such as make the trip east bound as the train gets into Jasper west bound late at night. We stayed in cottages right in the middle of town in a wooded area. Also in Jasper be prepared to share the place with moose who are all over the place. As you will see on the web site the train doesn't go through Banff or Lake Louise but there are tours there. We were there in May and the lake was frozen over.There were 6ft snow drifts along the road. If you have to decide between Jasper and edmonton I would choose Jasper. I was totally underwhelmed with Edmonton. If you get south in this country look for Oil Trough Ark and Peculiar Mo. Enjoy!!!!
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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Train Lady, do you know the poem "American Names" by Stephen Vincent Benet? I think you would like it. Not that I myself like only American names, as you can see, I like Canadian ones too, but I also like Asian, European, African, Latin American . . . not to mention more localized names, like London's "Threadneedle Street."
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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THANKS, SOJOURNER, FOR REMINDING ME ABOUT THE POEM. I HAVEN'T READ IT FOR A LONG TIME AND NOW SHALL GO BACK AND REREAD IT. DO YOU KNOW THE BOOK NAMES ON THE LAND? VERY INTERESTING. IF YOU GO ON YOUR TRIP AND TAKE A TOUR FROM JASPER TO BANFF TRY TO INCLUDE THE ATHABASKA GLACIER.IT IS QUITE AN EXPEIENCE. EVEN IN MAY IT STARTED TO SNOW WHILE WE WERE THERE. I WOULD GO BACK IN A HEART BEAT.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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