Book by March 31 for Discounted Travel Aboard VIA’s Western and Eastern Routes

VIA Rail Canada is offering all the fun for half the price this season on three of its most popular tourism services: the Toronto-Jasper-Vancouver Canadian, Montréal-Halifax Ocean and Montréal-Gaspé Chaleur. The discount is valid in both Comfort (Economy) and Sleeper Class services.

Voted by the International Society of Railway Travelers as one of the top 25 trains to experience, VIA’s flagship Canadian is a four-night journey that provides travelers with a glimpse into history itself. From the majestic Rocky Mountains, through the vast expanses of the Canadian Prairies to the Canadian Shield and lake lands of Northern Ontario, travellers can experience all this and more at a savings of 50% off the regular peak fare when you travel no later than May 31, 2009. Tickets must be purchased at least three days prior to departure or by March 31 whichever comes first.

Passengers can experience the entire cross country odyssey or opt for an overnight trip from Vancouver to the town of Jasper, Alberta in the heart of the Rockies. Choose from VIA’s economical Comfort class or let yourself be pampered with Silver & Blue sleeper class. Regional cuisine prepared freshly by an on-board chef and accommodation are included in the price of Silver & Blue class along with access to the train’s 360 degrees panorama dome car.

Prices for a one-way trip on the Canadian between Toronto and Vancouver start at CAD $662 for an upper berth. An overnight journey in a double bedroom from Vancouver to Jasper is available for CAD $447 plus tax, per person for double occupancy.

For travellers looking to experience the charm of Eastern Canada, VIA’s Ocean service between Montreal and Halifax, Nova Scotia and the Chaleur between Montreal and the beautiful Gaspe region of Quebec are just the ticket. And with savings of 50% on trips for travel until June 13, 2009, these are sites worth seeing. Tickets must be purchased at least three days prior to departure or by March 31 whichever comes first.

On VIA Rail’s eastern services, passengers wander through the beautiful towns along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River before descending through the Notre Dame Mountains in the Matapédia Valley. From there, the Chaleur continues to Gaspé while the Ocean travels through New Brunswick en route to Nova Scotia. Passengers can choose from VIA’s Comfort Sleeper or the economical Comfort Class.

Prices for this overnight journey in Comfort Sleeper Class on the Ocean in a standard double bedroom between Montréal and Halifax start at CAD $187 plus tax, per person for double occupancy. One-way travel in Comfort Sleeper Class on the Chaleur between Montréal and Gaspé in a double bedroom is available from CAD $164.50 plus tax, per person. Meals are extra on these two services.

To take advantage of this offer, for more information, or to book a trip on any VIA service customers can visit viarail.ca or call (888) VIA-RAIL. (1 888 842-7245), or TTY 1 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired), or through theirtravel agent.

Only VIA Rail, Canada’s national passenger rail service, offers an original and unique rail experience across Canada’s wondrous landscape for travelers who value the journey as much as the destination.

All VIA Rail Canada rates quoted are per person, not including applicable taxes. Fares (and fare conditions) are subject to change without notice. Some fare plans require advance purchase and are subject to limited-availability. Other conditions may apply.

For further information: Media Contacts: Catherine Kaloutsky, (647) 228-1127, Catherine_kaloutsky@viarail.ca; Malcolm Andrews, (514) 871-6604,
Malcolm_andrews@viarail.ca

VANCOUVER, Dec. 26  – VIA Rail Canada wishes to advise travellers that due to a derailment in the Vancouver terminal blocking the main rail line, and which will not be cleared until Saturday morning, it has cancelled today’s departure of the eastbound Canadian between Vancouver and Toronto.

The derailment occurred during the servicing of the train and as such there were no passengers or crew on board the train at the time of the derailment.

As a result, VIA is making plans to accommodate all passengers on the next departure of train No.2 which is scheduled to depart Vancouver on Sunday, December 28, 2008.

Regular service between Vancouver and Toronto will resume from Vancouver, on Sunday, December 28th, at 8:30 p.m. VIA is attempting to contact all affected passengers to advise them of the change.

VIA wishes to apologize for any inconvenience this disruption may cause to its passengers. Customers wishing further information may visit our website viarail.ca or call 1 888-VIA RAIL (842-7245) or 1 888-842-6348. Further updates will be issued as required.

For further information: VIA contacts: Catherine Kaloutsky, Corporate Communications, (647) 228-1127

Source Link: CBCNews.ca

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Railway Map Guide: British Columbia & Canadian Rockies

The award-winning British Columbia and Canadian Rockies Railway Map Guide is the definitive reference to the spectacular passenger railway routes across British Columbia and western Alberta. This full-colour souvenir map guide follows the present and historic mileposts of the legendary passenger railway routes of Canada’s rugged, mountainous far west. These are the historic railways that opened Canada’s west to settlement. In this map you’ll find:

• Rocky Mountaineer, and VIA Rail routes;
• Realistic 3-D perspective maps for instant orientation;
• Extensive charts of cities and towns along the way, highlighting distances between communities and other important information;
• A speed table to help you determine the speed of the train.

The Railway Map Guide covers everything you’ll need to know along the way, including railway signals and signs. It identifies 300 points of interest and over 200 majestic mountains (some visible from the train). Find rivers and their tributaries, tunnels, bridges, snowfields, glaciers, and much more!

The British Columbia and Canadian Rockies Railway Map Guide truly captures the essence of the enchanted landscape of Canada’s far west. Whether you travel by train, by car, or in your armchair, whether you are a visitor or a local commuter, this souvenir map guide will bring local geography to life.

Source Link: Memory McLeod, Leader-Post
REGINA — Despite more than 20,000 passengers using VIA Rail’s five stations in the province, most are from other provinces.

Now the company is hoping that a change in scheduling — allowing passengers in Saskatoon, Melville, Biggar, Unity and Watrous to board during daytime hours — will bring in more local fares.

“It’s likely that we will see more people opting to travel by train with the new changes. It’s too soon to tell what kind of impact it will have, but we are expecting to see in an uptake in passengers boarding at the stations,” said VIA Rail spokesperson Catherine Kalowtski.

As it stands now, The Canadian, a passenger train travelling from Toronto to Vancouver, runs through most of Saskatchewan in middle of the night. After the changeover takes effect Dec. 2 the reverse will happen with boarding times either in the morning or afternoon.

“We looked at how we could make trips more convenient for our passengers and looked at some of the other things we were hearing in feedback and so this new schedule will reflect that,” Kalowtski said.

Ronald Haskell believes the changes will be better for Canadians, particularily Reginans.

“Even for people who lived in places where VIA Rail stopped, (the previous schedule) was still an inconvenience, because with train times at 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. it made it difficult for (passengers) to start their journey in the middle of the night,” said Haskell, who is vice-president of Transport 2000 Prairie, a non-profit organization advocating for various transportation issues.

He pointed out that when the new boarding times take effect Reginans will be able to take a bus from the city and arrive in time to Melville to catch a train.

“The bottom line is that residents of Regina will have another option. Rather than just driving or flying to a destination in Canada, train travel will now be more accessible,” Haskell said.

One major request among travellers going west was for daylight viewing time through the Rockies, which the change will now offer.

“Travelling by train is the best way to see the landscape of our vast and beautiful country. Unfortunately the Rockies, being one of the greatest highlights of Canadian travel, is missed due to night travel,” Kalowtski explained.

Kalowtski also predicted that the new hours will also allow for more accurate scheduling times.

“Over time an increase in traffic on the main line caused delays and our advertised times were not accurate with actual arrival and departure times. So these changes address that and we are seeing this as a way to have more accuracy in our scheduling. It’s the same thing as Reginans are seeing when they compare the traffic today with what rush hour traffic was like five years ago,” Kalowtski said.

Same day connections will be offered in Toronto, where travellers currently have to wait overnight to board another train heading east the next day.

Another feature of the new plan is that tourists will have more time to visit centres such as Jasper, Alta. and Winnipeg.

“In places such as Winnipeg, the Forks, which is a tourist attraction there, is like a five-minute walk from the station. So there is a couple of hours there to explore and to have a look around at the city,” she said.

Kalowtski said that while there is interest in expanding the train line to a station in Regina, there are no immediate plans for such an expansion.

Via Rail has a second passenger train, The Hudson Bay, which dips into Saskatchewan through the towns of Canora and Hudson Bay before going continuing on to Churchhill, Man.