So is it my imagination or is VIA Rail Canada charging approx the same price one way for the Prestige Service on the Canadian as they are the Bedroom for 2?? I thought the Prestige service was a premium service and if so........shouldn't it be more expensive than the regular sleeper service for 2?
I wonder if they had issues selling it at a higher price. At the lower price it is sold out on quite a few trains in the Summer.
I've been kicking around the idea of taking the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver around the end of the year ever since the Airline Guy cut meal service on the Lake Shore out of Boston. I just costed it out for December 4th, one way, senior fare, and the Presitge class is C$ 9,392.56. The discounted cabin for 2 (bedroom) is C$3,667.98, and the regular cabin price is C$3,891.72. Umm, I don't know where you got your prices but I got them directly from VIA's website, and the bedroom price is about 41% of the prestige price.
I took the senior pricing because we're both well over 65 so you'll have to increase that for 2 adults, but then again you'll decrease everything for the foreign currency exchange rate, which is 0.7745 US$ for one C$. Doing the math, Presige class costs $7,274.56 USD and a bedroom would cost $3,014.14 USD.
What would Amtrak cost, LSL to Chicago, then EB to Seattle and on up to Vancouver? $3000 to 7274 seem a lot of a premium to pay for one hot meal. Then again, the Amtrak fare is a lot to pay for the privilege of some good views over the three-day ride vs. flying.
charlie hebdo What would Amtrak cost, LSL to Chicago, then EB to Seattle and on up to Vancouver?
Rio Grande Valley, CFI,CFII
GN_Fan I've been kicking around the idea of taking the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver around the end of the year ever since the Airline Guy cut meal service on the Lake Shore out of Boston. I just costed it out for December 4th, one way, senior fare, and the Presitge class is C$ 9,392.56. The discounted cabin for 2 (bedroom) is C$3,667.98, and the regular cabin price is C$3,891.72. Umm, I don't know where you got your prices but I got them directly from VIA's website, and the bedroom price is about 41% of the prestige price. I took the senior pricing because we're both well over 65 so you'll have to increase that for 2 adults, but then again you'll decrease everything for the foreign currency exchange rate, which is 0.7745 US$ for one C$. Doing the math, Presige class costs $7,274.56 USD and a bedroom would cost $3,014.14 USD.
So first your using DISCOUNTED bedroom for 2 which of course would be available during the winter........it wasn't when I checked for summer or spring. Your also pricing a non peak time for bedroom for 2 on top of the discounted rate.
I was on the VIA website as well. You'll notice if you spend a little time on there the fare changes depending on dates booked and how far in advance you book. It was probably a promo fare for Prestige that now is gone OR they changed the fare structure since.
DISCOUNTED CABIN was not available for the dates I was checking and the PRESTIGE CABINS were marked sold out.............now they are all open. Regardless I got Prestige down to under $7k one way on thsi most recent visit (next Spring) just by playing with future dates, advance purchase and day of departure. So apparently it is also based on historical as well as projected demand.
The date I picked had a LOT to do with when I want to travel, which is not in any way connected to when you want to travel. We want to be with our son on his 50th birthday and to stay with him for Christmas. First off, I have to state that we're both older, retired farts living the expat life in northern Italy that travel to the US more or less every year to see relatives in Maine and our son in the Bay Area. We have been using the LSL and the CZ, or the LSL, EB, and the CS in a roomette the entire distance. The recent antics by the airplane guy who cut the Parlour car off the Starlight, reduced the senior discount, and finanally gave me a cold burito and a pickle for dinner instead of a nice steak drove me to Canada. I've always wanted to take that train, and the Airplane Guy gave me the ticket to do so. The fact that both of us get excellent free medical care and also enjoy super public transport gives us the wherewithall to go Emporer class if we can swing it financially. Without medical or car expenses, living on social security is relatively easy here. Neither of have worked for well over a decade, so vacation time is not an issue, nor is season of travel since our ony kid is 49, soon to be 50. In actuality, winter thru the Canadian Rockies would be fantastic as neither of us has seen a good snowfall for at least 35 years. Getting an inch of snow here makes TV, but a week or so in Maine may cure our snow itch. As for Prestige cabins being sold out, they were sold out thru mid-November when I checked in early May. Must be a lot of emporer wannabes traveling. Don't forget that Via's prices are quoted in Canadian dollars, so you must convert that tho US dollars. The current exchange rate is quted in my previous post.
GN_Fan The date I picked had a LOT to do with when I want to travel, which is not in any way connected to when you want to travel. We want to be with our son on his 50th birthday and to stay with him for Christmas. First off, I have to state that we're both older, retired farts living the expat life in northern Italy that travel to the US more or less every year to see relatives in Maine and our son in the Bay Area. We have been using the LSL and the CZ, or the LSL, EB, and the CS in a roomette the entire distance. The recent antics by the airplane guy who cut the Parlour car off the Starlight, reduced the senior discount, and finanally gave me a cold burito and a pickle for dinner instead of a nice steak drove me to Canada. I've always wanted to take that train, and the Airplane Guy gave me the ticket to do so. The fact that both of us get excellent free medical care and also enjoy super public transport gives us the wherewithall to go Emporer class if we can swing it financially. Without medical or car expenses, living on social security is relatively easy here. Neither of have worked for well over a decade, so vacation time is not an issue, nor is season of travel since our ony kid is 49, soon to be 50. In actuality, winter thru the Canadian Rockies would be fantastic as neither of us has seen a good snowfall for at least 35 years. Getting an inch of snow here makes TV, but a week or so in Maine may cure our snow itch. As for Prestige cabins being sold out, they were sold out thru mid-November when I checked in early May. Must be a lot of emporer wannabes traveling. Don't forget that Via's prices are quoted in Canadian dollars, so you must convert that tho US dollars. The current exchange rate is quted in my previous post.
I'd vote the Skeena higher in bang for your buck versus the Canadian. Though you will not get a sleeper or full dining car. Scenery is top notch and the train only runs during daylight hours. Totem Class or whatever it is called today will give you full run of the train plus they will bring the meal to your seat. It usually has a park series car on the back and the train is fairly empty (no crowds). Only downside is Prince George is kind of a shady lumber town and you'll want to get to your hotel to check in before dark.
Nothing can beat the old char-broil grill still in service at the restuarant in the Crest Hotel or the beautiful views of the harbor, bald eagles, etc.... Where else can you get a 1950's era hamburger?
https://www.cresthotel.bc.ca/
I traveled in Canada before and know the GST is refundable as well as the exchange rate deal.
I enjoyed my trip to Prince Rupert in October of 2014, taking the higher priced trip westbound and coach eastpound. Going west, we arrived in Prince George 1:02 late (at 8:10), and it was dark. Coming back, we also arrived tghere after dark.
A part of the trip was a roundtrip to Port Hardy by ferry, overnight both ways. I was unable to get a cabin going south, but I did have that luxury going back to Prince Rupert.
Johnny
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