Canada Trip.co.uk

So, you’re in Canada! How will you be getting around? – There’s the great idea of hiring a car, which is fine – but what if you wanted to take a more varied Tour of Canada? Travel from one city to the next? – You may want to think of how best to travel round the country – whether you want to go by air, rail, bus, car or even a campervan – otherwise known in Canada as RV!

This is a pretty big section, so we’re going to split it into two parts – the second part coming up in a few days time! – But here in part one – we’ll cover Air and Rail!

BY AIR

Regularly scheduled service between major Canadian cities is offered by a number of airlines… Air Canada (888/247-2262) serves the most cities, with many flights operated by affiliated airlines including Air Canada Jazz, linking regional centers throughout Canada.

Canada’s second-largest airline is WestJet (403/444-2484 or 800/538-5956). Based in Calgary, this carrier is one of the success stories of the airline industry, having grown to become one of the world’s most profitable airlines while offering extremely competitive fares, friendly and efficient service, and expanding to serve all of Canada, all since its inaugural flight in 1996. It serves all major Canadian cities, as well as smaller hubs such as Abbotsford, 72 km (45 miles) east of downtown Vancouver.

BY RAIL

This form of transportation, which opened up the West to settlers, began to fade with the advent of efficient air services. Today, however, improved service, a refitting of carriages, a competitive pricing structure, and the luxurious privately operated Rocky Mountaineer have helped trains regain popularity in Canada.

VIA Rail
One of the many trains is the Canadian, which runs between Toronto and Vancouver via Edmonton and Jasper three days a week in either direction and provides two classes of travel: Economy, which features lots of leg room, reclining seats, reading lights, pillows and blankets, and a Skyline Car complete with bar service; and Silver and Blue, which is more luxurious, featuring a variety of sleeping room configurations, daytime seating, a domed lounge and dining car reserved exclusively for passengers in this class, shower kits for all passengers, and all meals.

For all VIA Rail travel, discounts of 25 percent (40 percent if booked seven days in advance) apply to travel October through June (applicable to all classes). Those travelers older than 60 and younger than 25 receive a 10 percent discount, which can be combined with other seasonal fares. Check for advance-purchase restrictions on all discount tickets.

The Canrailpass allows unlimited travel anywhere on the VIA Rail system for 12 days within any given 30-day period. During high season (May 15-September 15) the pass is $719, and $448 the rest of the year. Extra days are $61 and $39, respectively. Even if you plan limited train travel, the pass is an excellent deal–but remember, if you travel on a service that, for example, departs at 10 p.m. and arrives at 2 a.m., it counts as two days of travel. VIA Rail has recently cooperated with Amtrak to offer a North America Rail Pass, with all of the same seasonal dates and discounts as the Canrailpass. The cost is CDN$975 for 30 days of unlimited travel anywhere in North America. (For Amtrak information, call 800/872-7245.)

Pick up a train schedule at any VIA Rail station or call 416/366-8411 or 800/561-8630. In the United States, call any travel agent. The VIA Rail website provides route, schedule, and fare information as well as links to towns and sights en route.

Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer Vacations (604/606-2245 or 800/665-7245) operates a summer-only luxurious rail trip through the spectacular interior mountain ranges of British Columbia between Vancouver and Banff or Jasper. Travel is during daylight hours only, so you don’t miss anything. Trains depart in either direction in the morning (every second or third day), overnighting at Kamloops. One-way travel in Signature Service, which includes light meals, nonalcoholic drinks, and Kamloops accommodations, costs $669 per person between Vancouver and either Banff or Jasper, and $729 from Calgary. GoldLeaf Service is the ultimate in luxury. Passengers ride in a two-story, glass-domed car, eat in a separate dining area, and stay in Kamloops’ most luxurious accommodations. GoldLeaf costs $1,299 from Vancouver to Banff or Jasper and $1,399 to Calgary. During value season (mid-April to May), fares are reduced by $120-300.

SO! that’s the end of part one! Keep your eye out for part two coming up in a couple of days!

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 17th, 2009 at 10:33 am and is filed under Flights/Car Parking/Hire etc. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.