My husband and I took this kind of VIA rail train from Toronto to Vancouver, and it was a very comfortable train ride. Meals in the dining car were awesome. I would love to do it again, but unfortunately my husband passed away 9 years ago, so I would have to go alone this time. The beds were comfy and the motion of the train put me to sleep. My one and only complaint was the train whistle which you hear quite frequently because of train crossings. I made my husband use the top bunk because I’m up quite often in the night to use the bathroom and I didn’t feel comfortable using the ladder in the dark.
my husband passed 8 years ago and i traveled across the US on amtrak solo,, go for it ! but yes the constant whistleing was quite a surprise,, the charming train whistle you hear when the train is passing you becomes quite annoying when its every 5 minutes at night all night long when you are actually on the train trying to sleep,, (like constant fog horn on a cruise ship in bad weather) lol,, that was a real eye opener
Outstanding!! These cars were built during the '40's & '50's & are well maintained. My family & I will be making a one way trip next year on this route. I have concerns about armchairs with no leg rests or ways to put my feet up during the day for a 4 day cross-country trip. We may consider booking the Prestige Class sleeper rooms which offer more room for taller & larger people in my family. Comfort is crucial when travelling long distances like this which is considered a Bucket List item for many. I consider this a hotel on wheels. Upscale hotel chains average $250.00+/night. Pricey but worth it when rolling on rails.
The Prestige Class is the nicest room with an actual bed and tv in the room but it is not the biggest cabin like you may think, where that cabin still sleeps only 2 people. If you have a family of 3 or more going, you would want to look into the cabin for 4 people that sleeps 4 people and is significantly less of a price than Prestige Class too.
My wife and I had a cabin for 2 on The Canadian (train #2) from Vancouver to Toronto, since we wanted to take the train home and loved every moment of the experience. Totally recommend this to anyone who would love to see Canada in a distinctly different way.
The Canadian is my favourite North American train.. Nothing beats the nostalgia of the 50s era stainless steel Budd cars, the views and definitely the food. It never ever runs on time, but if you’re in no hurry and want to detach from the world for four days, this is one of the best ways to do it.
@@GroundedLifeTravel Glad you guys are enjoying it while you can because who knows how much logenger it will be running for since the budd cars are coming to their end of service and the future of the Canadian is uncertain.
The Canadian may be the second longest sleeper train in the world and take almost a hundred hours to get between Toronto and Vancouver but that doesn't stop me from wanting to try it! I've never been to Canada, but I've seen enough videos of VIA Rail to think that these Budd cars from the 1950s are awesome!
Not everyone enjoys the oldest, slowest, most expensive, most minimal sleeper train in the world with mediocre food, but Canadians love being degraded.
@@myleshagar9722 Canadians are proud and respectful people. And crossing Canada is the most amazing and wonderful place to see and such lovely people to meet. You sir are not welcome.
@@myleshagar9722 Canadians are kind, courteous and appreciative. Canadians are not high maintenance and don't need the world in a train to appreciate the beauty of our landscape. Sorry that you're so miserable that this is unfathomable to you.
The best time to take the Canadian is in the fall or winter as thats when the best scenic views are available. Do they still have the 24 hour restaurant ? That was always great for those that wanted tea or a light snack in the middle of the night? Nice video. Cheers
I love this video. I did this trip a few years ago. First on the Ocean, then on the Canadian. I loved it. Be interesting to hear your comments on the meals on the Canadian.
Thanks for the video was thinking of getting this room , except I didn't like the chairs with no leg rests. How did you deal with the chairs for 4 days
One of your best descriptive videos. Thank you for the update on the 'Canadian', obviously this train has had some technology upgrades in the last few years. Well demonstrated on your part.
I am so delighted you guys made this trip! It's the top of my to-do train list. Your channel has been informative and very inspiring. Thanks and keep up the good work. (Im riding the Zephyr 1/25 eastbound and 1/27 westbound, if any fellow fans of this channel care to join me in the dining car.)
You and your husband are so pleasant to watch for my viewing pleasure. You are both such sweet people. So eas6 on the eyes and ears . There is another man riding Amtrak and it's disappointing because he complains about so many things . You two always get a thumbs up. Had to give the other guy thumbs down just because I don't like touch negativity.Thanks for enriching my life . Had fun in Switzerland with you last night . Thanks to the sweetest travelers on RU-vid.
I think this is the nicest room you've had on any video of yours I've watched before. I really enjoy your videos. Do you travel specifically for video content, or is this your job with the railway companies? It looks like a lot of fun. Thank you for the videos.
@@GroundedLifeTravel it looks like you have a lot of fun. I enjoy your videos because it's like I get to take a little trip myself, which I've never done by train yet.
First….. Happy New Year🎉🎉🎉🎉🥂 It’s so good to see a new video of your travels ! Love the train your on!! I also MUST be looking at the way of travel or I will be sick. It’s fantastic you can move your seats!! That’s a life saver😂 Where are you headed? What about meals? Your room is fantastic….. so much better than Amtrak trains I’m so sorry to say! Looking forward to your next video….. hope it’s sooooon! Happy travels Washington State
5:06 Those are OLD cars... that "little locker" would have been where you would put your shoes that needed to be shined before you went to bed. Back in the day and especially in the days of old where sleeping car/Pullman porters were treated as glorified servants, your attendant would retrieve your shoes from the hall side of that "little locker" polish them and return them shined for you in the morning.
Hi Allie & Rob welcome to Vancouver & sorry about the rain that will be greeting you upon your arrival. A friend of mine is riding on your train & apparently he shared the dinner table with you both this evening. His name is Grant & is from Victoria. He's been on the train since Sunday out of Toronto I told him about your channel & that you could be both on this trip. Turns out like I said you were & he spoke real highly of you both. Looks like you both will be arriving here in Vancouver probably after 530am as the arrivals are usually ahead of schedule. Enjoy Vancouver & your reviews on VIA were fantastic. Thanks to you both for all your video's they are always fantastic!
Hi there Allie and Rob, greetings from Australia. Thanks so much for this very comprehensive tour of a cabin for 2. When booking from another country and having no familiarity with Canadian trains, it's daunting trying to work out whether a cabin is worth the extra $. I can see that it certainly is.
I hope you both had wonderful holidays! Happy New Year too!!! It is so wonderful to have a new video from you folks! I love this sleeping cabin. Well presented too. I am looking forward to continuing my vicarious travel adventures in 2023 with you both!!!
I rode the Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto in 2018 in April. I had a room just like this to myself. It was far and away the best train trip I've ever taken (and I've been riding trains since the 1960s). The dining car, at least when I took the trip in 2018, was breathtakingly excellent. Three meals a day for four days -- two or three entries for each meal, and I never saw the same menu twice. Actual tables and chairs in the dining car, starched white linen table cloths, superb food served by uniformed servers. The wines were excellent. Everything about that trip was to die for. My trip, in 2018, cost me about $2,000 US.
@@GroundedLifeTravel : Indeed. Although it was several years ago, VIA Rail told me at the time that it was a discount rate because I was travelling in mid-April -- during their "off-season". I also had to change compartments after the first night (which was easy, they did everything). Because of the time of year, the Park car was available to sleeping car passengers all the time. They had live entertainment on board and TWO dome/lounge cars in addition to the Park car.
Back in 1995, I took the Via train from Edmonton to Winnipeg with my mom who was still alive at the time. We took those staggered upper/lower roomette style cars where mine was the upper and it was pretty cozy up there. I understand my moms room was half below mine which explains why I had to step up to my room but the trip was fantastic! Even in the 90s, the Via crews were great, the food was great, and despite a few delays (freight traffic) we made it into Winnipeg 2 hours late, Via Rail is the best!!
Thank you for this video and I love the built-in fan! I have a portable one I bring with me on my train trips, it is quite bulky but very necessary. One might need some WD-40 for that squeaky sink-base cover. But how convenient to have a sink right there and a bathroom too! Safe journey and happy travels! 🌼 💞 🌼
I wish trains like this would make their rooms look more like hotels instead of looking so industrial/utilitarian. Make them more inviting and comfortable. Too much grey. Nice size room though.
Hi guys, great content by the way you might have interacted with one of my firends he is a chef on the Canadian he works from the Toronto to Winnipeg linne. Name of JF, sys he might have chatted with you a couple of times. I have done the Ocean and the Canadian is on my bucket list. Going to Europe in the spring and trying out a new Spanish HSL called Iryo its a partnership with Trainitalia I think and Ouigo from Barcelona to Paris looking forward to it, Thanks for the great content and keep up the good work
Hello thank you for the tour of your room and sleep space.Take care all hope and pray me and husband go one day before get too lod god willing amen enjoy!!!!
Curious has to how much this runs? We live in Michigan so we could take Via to Toronto and then out...do you do a round trip or do you take Amtrak (Empire Builder) back? Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year! I want to do this trip!
It's a little more than Amtrak, I think it was $3,000 US Toronto to Vancouver. We are taking Cascades from Vancouver to Seattle, Coast Starlight to LA and then Texas Eagle to Chicago. But yes, Empire Builder would be easier!
Hi! I love watching your travels. Inspired me enough to take Amtrak from Milwaukee all the way to LA and back. I had a blast, by myself! My question is, I noticed it seemed noisier in the sleeper in VIA than it was on Amtrak, rail noise…was it noisier? I’d love to try VIA soon. Thanks for your awesome videos ❤
Awesome video. You guys do such a great job. Thanks for sharing. I will have to show this to my wife as I think you may help sell her on taking the trip.
My wife and I took that train from Kamloops to Ottawa. Same room. It is tiny but functional. Best sleeps I’ve ever had. The food was excellent. But, as it’s a passenger train, it was constantly waiting on the side for freights, which make way more money. Because of these many delays, we could not get off the train to see any of the towns. We rolled into Toronto 16 hrs behind schedule at one in the morning and missed the connection to Ottawa. They handi darted us and the driver got lost. My friend picked us up at 4 am in Ottawa.
Very nice! Since I saw an earlier video where you mentioned taking the VIA Rail Canadian, I have been looking forward to seeing what it's like to be onboard that great train!
Are there shower facilities on the train? 4 nights/5 days is a little long for me to go without showering yet feel comfortable around others. (I know, very spoiled American!)
first time viewer. Loved the information. Can i suggest the use of a GoPro as it would provide a much better viewing angle and probably picture quality.
I have traveled on "The Canadian" 51x since 1964. I'm a "Train-a-holic" have amassed over 250,000 km by train here in Canada as well as Australia 1987 & UK 1990 (when Brit Rail still existed). The cubby-hole with a door was meant to put your shoes in. The porter would shine them @ night & put them back.
Thank you so much for this video! I have been curious about taking this train! Gives me a great idea what to expect! The comment section is helpful too.
@@GroundedLifeTravelThe cost of train travel in Canada is far too high. Most Canadians cannot afford a trip like this. But I do agree that riding a train is a great way to travel.
Hi guys! I really am enjoying your videos as a new subscriber, I was hoping for you or someone else to help me. I am starting my trip in Burbank Airport, with a thruway called 5917 Amtrak Connecting service. The little symbol shows a train.. but I am not sure if I am taking a bus or train to Bakersfield, so I need to know whether to wait at the bus stop or train stop. If someone could help me out I would really appreciate it.
Thanks! 5917 should be a bus, but you should call to verify where you need to be. Most Amtrak buses leave from the train station but I can't comment on Burbank as we haven't done it there.
I love the Canadian, have done it both from Winnipeg to Toronto and Toronto to Winnipeg and Winnipeg to Vancouver. One thing we learned is if you are spending more than a few hours/stops, spend the extra money to get a room or room ett or birth
Interestingly, Amtrak used to have movable seats in the deluxe bedrooms in the 90s and early early 2000s, but based on a wreck (I think it was the Auto Train in Crescent city, but I may be wrong) the NTSB cited that as a potential factor in passenger injuries and recommended Amtrak get rid of the movable seats and make them fixed.
Can u fit both chairs facing straight out of window? To avoid arguments lol Did u have wifi/phone signal? And thinking of taking a travel kettle for tea (I'm a Brit). Would that work do u think? Great video 🙂
Important: When booking a Cabin for 2, ask if a Room "F" is available. Of the six Cfor2 rooms on each sleeping car, "F" is larger than the others due to quirk in car design, but no extra charge!
You both did a great video of your travels. You inspired my daughter and I and we plan to do it this year! I have a few questions. I saw that you got out for a longer time at the West Edmonton Mall. Did they allow to have a day out there, or did you plan to go there and then was it a second ticket from there to Vancouver?
Hi! I just would like to know if it is ok to stay in the dome car or park car as much as one wishes. I’m m planning to book a cabin for two. I would appreciate your replying on my query.
Nice video 👍 I need to take the train out west. That looks so fun. Now that I’m retired..that kind of trip would be perfect. Detach,relax,enjoy the scenery and meeting nice people.
This video brought back some very nice memories for me.. My Dad and I travelled out to Edmonton just before the pandemic hit in March of 2020.. Was a great adventure.. the food was top notch and the train staff were awesome! We are hoping to do this trip again in the very near future likely May or June of this year and this time all the way to Vancouver... Glad you had an enjoyable trip!
Thank you for this interesting show-and-tell. At 00:32, 01:49, and 08:08, in the wall situated in the direction of travel, there is a vertical hinge and a handle, suggesting the existence of some sort of door. Does anyone know what is behind the door?
Those beds look so comfy and spacious. I think we may have enjoyed better sleep in a 2 berth cabin than the Prestige cabin we had in May. Very thorough room tour!
These cars were built in 1955, still a time when if you placed your shoes in the small locker when going to bed they would magically be found cleaned and polished in the morning! The 'magician' was the Porter(now 'Car Attendant') who had access to the lockers from the corridor, this service was part of his job during the night -- the sealed access doors can still be seen in the corridor.
Great room tour! Can’t wait to see your videos of the rest of the train, and the gorgeous mountain scenery. We are doing this trip in the spring. Quick question, is there a safe or any place to lock up passports, wallets, etc in the sleeper cabins?
@groundedlifetravle If you were going to ride the train for the first time I have a question what does it mean if it gives you the time that you’re going to be on the train and then it says transfer from one place to another and then it has a time that’s right by that can you explain what that means?
Lovely. Is this for transporting prisoners? I think they have more space at the Kingston penitentiary. I can't believe this is for 2 people. You put two people in that sardine can for 4 days and that train will soon turn into Murder on the Orient Express.
Think of your compartment as your bedroom at home; you sleep there, but you spend a lot of time away in the observation car, and plenty of time in the dining car and/or the bar car. It's not like a plane; you can walk all over the place, and at some stops, you can get off and walk around in the fresh air for a few minutes.
