Canada: The Trains and Routes

Introducing Canadian Rail Travel

The Canadian state rail operator is Via Rail which serves 410 locations across Canada.

Via Rail in effect operates three types of trains:

1: Daytime express trains which travel in 'The Corridor' -  a chain of rail routes between the cities of Quebec and Windsor through the provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
Two of these trains are jointly managed with Amtrak and cross the Canada / USA border
- The Maple Leaf: Toronto ↔ New York via Niagara Falls, Buffalo and Albany.
- The Adirondack: Montreal ↔ New York via Saratoga Springs and Albany.

2: Longer distance sleeper trains including The Canadian and The Ocean.

3: What Via Rail calls its ' Scenic Adventure Routes' = Rural routes to locations enjoyed by those who enjoy the natural world.

There are two other services which aren't managed by Via Rail
- The Amtrak Cascades service which takes a Vancouver - Seattle - Portland route.
- The Rocky Mountaineer holiday package routes from Vancouver.

There are also local / commuter networks of mainline trains in:
- Montreal, managed by Exo
- Toronto, managed by Go Transit - one of its routes serves Pearson Airport and another serves Niagara Falls.
- Vancouver, managed by Translink
Each of these three cities also have Metro networks.

The 'Corridor' trains and routes

Via Rail doesn't use Inter City or any other specific branding for its services which operate in 'The Corridor', which is the most populous area of Canada.
All of the trains are pulled by locomotives and Via Rail is in the midst of introducing a new fleet of coaches very similar to those used on Railjet services in Europe - which are among Europe's top tier rail services.

It is isn't possible to ascertain which specific departures will use the new trains and which still comprise the older LRC coaches, but the plan is for the LRC fleet to be replaced by the end of 2025.

The trains operating in The Corridor have Economy and Business Class.
The additional benefits of Business Class are:
- Spacious seats with more leg room
- Meal and bar services (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) included
- Business lounge access (departing stations)
- Priority boarding
Plus the option to book a Premium seat for an additional $7.

Both Economy and Business Class offer Wi-Fi and access to an electrical outlet.

The routes

Via Rail does not offer a turn up and go service, none of its services operate to regular interval timetables with trains leaving every other hour etc.

In summary its services in the Corridor offer these schedules:
- Québec City ↔ Ottawa: Typical journey time = 5hr 40mins; 4 x trains per day
- Québec City ↔ Montreal*: Typical journey time = 2hr 5mins; 5 x trains per day
- Montreal ↔ Ottawa*: Typical journey time = 3hr 15mins; 5 x trains per day
- Montreal ↔ Toronto**: Typical journey time = 5hr 20mins; 6 x trains per day
- Ottawa ↔ Toronto: Typical journey time = 4hr 25mins; 6 or 7 x trains per day
- Toronto ↔ Windsor via London: Typical journey time = 4hr 20mins; 6 x trains per day
- Toronto ↔ Sarnia via London: Typical journey time = 5hrs; 1 x train per day

*= Note that 4 x trains per day travel Québec City ↔ Ottawa, but 1 x additional train per day only travels Québec City ↔ Montreal; and 1 x additional train per day only travels Montreal ↔ Ottawa

**= Note that a change of train is required when travelling Québec City ↔ Toronto.

The Canadian

The Canadian makes an epic four night journey on a Toronto ↔ Winnipeg - Saskatoon Edmonton - Jasper  - Kamloops ↔ Vancouver route.
It is the only train which serves Edmonton, as it is the only service between Jasper and Toronto; Trains operated by  Rocky Mountaineer solely for tourists, also travel between Jasper and Vancouver. 
It also calls at dozens of smaller towns during its journey.

The timetable

When operating on the usual schedule, The Canadian is available twice per week, departing Toronto on Wednesdays and Sundays and departing Vancouver on Mondays and Fridays.
The westbound train arrives in Vancouver on Mondays and Thursdays; the eastbound train arrives in Toronto on Fridays and Tuesdays.

East to West:
The total journey time heading west to Vancouver is 97hrs 5 mins, with four nights on the train, as the arrival into Vancouver is scheduled for 08:00am - the departure time from Toronto Union Station is 09:55: 
Note that when heading west, the train travels through the night on what would be scenic sections of the route, Edmonton - Jasper and Kamloops - Vancouver.
- Toronto to Winnipeg = 22hr 35min; the train is due into Winnipeg at 19:30 on Day Two.
- Toronto to Edmonton = 60hr 55min; the train is due into Edmonton at 20:50 on Day Three.
- Toronto to Jasper =70hr 35min, the train is due into Jasper at 06:30 on Day Four.

West to East:
The total journey time heading east to Vancouver is 92hrs 24 mins, with four nights on the train, with the departure from Vancouver at 15:00 and a scheduled arrival time into Toronto of 14:29.
Note that when heading east the train travels overnight on what would be scenic sections of the route, North Bend to Valemont and Edmonton to Saskatoon.
- Vancouver to Jasper = 19hrs; the train is due into Jasper at 10:00 on Day Two.
- Vancouver to Edmonton = 26hr 50min, the train is due into Edmonton at 18:50 on Day Two.
- Vancouver to Winnipeg =53hrs; the train is due into Winnipeg at 22:00 on Day Three.

Note that the train travels between four time zones and whether by coincidence or design, the timetable makes it seem as though the total journey times have parity, regardless of whether travelling east or west.
However, once you factor in the time zones, the journey time towards Vancouver is longer than in the opposite direction, towards Toronto.

On Board

The Canadian uses the Manor train sets plus it additionally includes one or more dining cars, at least one Skyline (dome) car per class, a Panorama car (west of Edmonton), and a Park Car.  
These cars are constructed from Stainless-Steel, which can also be referred to as the 'Hep fleet'.

The train offers classes of service:
1) Economy
2) Sleeper Plus
3) Prestiige

Economy Class:
Economy offers reclining seats, plus travellers have access to a cafe car with light meals available for purchase
There is one one washroom per car and Economy Class passengers have access to their own Skyline car. 

Sleeper Plus Class
What becomes clear when booking a journey is that there are multiple types of cabin available on The Canadian.

(1) Berths, which are similar to the Roomettes offered by Amtrak on its USA sleeper routes. They can accommodate up to two people, with the chairs that face each other converted into the lower of the two beds.
Note that unlike Amtrak's reservation policy, solo travellers who opt to travel in a Berth are likely to find themselves sharing it with somebody else.
Towels, soap, shampoo, pillows, sheets and blankets available from on-board personnel.
Access to a shower in the car.

(2) Sleeping Cabins for One, live up to their name as they are for the exclusive use of solo travellers, but they are larger than berths and have in cabin washing facilities.
Drinking water and towels, soap, shampoo, pillows, sheets and blankets supplied.
Access to a shower in the car.

(3) Sleeper Cabins for two, so travel parties of 2 can opt to travel in a shared Berth cabin or Sleeper Cabin -  when looking up a journey on Via Rail the prices will be per person. There is a wash room in the cabin with a sink. When traveling in parties of 3 or 4, two adjoining cabins can be opened up to form a larger shared space.
Drinking water and towels, soap, shampoo, pillows, sheets and blankets supplied.Access to a shower in the car.  

(4) Prestige - Larger than the Sleeper Cabin for two, a sofa is available for daytime use, the cabin has a TV and the washroom contains a shower.
Towels, hair dryer, soap, shampoo, and other premium items are supplied

Complimentary travel benefits for those booking Sleeper Plus class:

Berth + Sleeping Cabins for One or Two =
- Three meals per day in the Sleeper Plus Dining Car inc non-acloholic drinks.
- 24hr access to snacks and soft drinks from the on board Concierge.
-  Access to a Skyline car for the exclusive use of Sleeper Plus travellers + Access to a Panorama Car between Vancouver and Edmonton.
- Priority Boarding + Access to Station Lounges in Toronto and Vancouver.

Prestige =
- Three meals per day in the  Sleeper Plus Dining Car inc Alcoholic Drinks, served at reserved seating.
- Full bar service from the on board Concierge inc Alcoholic Drinks
- Access to a Skyline car for the exclusive use of Prestige travellers + Access to a Panorama Car between Vancouver and Edmonton + Access to the lounge in the Park car at the rear of of the train.
- Priority Boarding + Access to a dedicated Business Class Area at the Station Lounges in Toronto and Vancouver.

The Ocean

The Canadian is the Via Rail travel route which heads to and from The Pacific Ocean, but The Ocean is the train which connects Québec with The Atlantic coast.

It is the only passenger train service along its  Montreal - Sainte-Foy* - Campbellton - Bathurst - Miramichi - Moncton - Halifax route; *= connect for Québec City in Sainte-Foye.

The timetable

When operating to its usual schedule The Ocean is available three days per week, it departs from both Montreal and Halifax on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

West to East:
The train departs from Montreal Central Station at 18:30 and the total journey time to Halifax from Montreal is 22hr 36min.
The arrival time in Halifax Train Station is scheduled to be 18:06 (the journey time is impacted by the transition from from Eastern Time to Atlantic Time along the route).

East to West:
The train departs from Halifax Train Station at 11:30am and the total journey time to Montreal from Halifax is 23hr 37min, the arrival time in Montreal is scheduled to be 09:53am

Crossing Canada from Coast to Coast:
If you'll want to travel across Canada from the Pacific to Atlantic Ocean without breaking the journey to stay in a hotel or an apartment, the route is
- Depart Vancouver on The Canadian which leaves on a Monday
- Take a train from Toronto to Montreal
- Take The Ocean which departs Montreal on a Friday
It isn't possible to avoid breaking the journey in the opposite direction, as The Canadian departs Toronto before the first train of the day will arrive from Montreal.

On Board

The Ocean uses the Renaissance train sets, which comprises Economy Class cars with seating, and Sleeper Cars.

The train formation also includes a restaurant - Note that the Park Car observation car is no longer attached to the rear of the train.
In the summer months, Manor Sleeping Cars can be added to the trains formation to provide additional capacity - when booking with Via Rail they are labelled as Hep cars.

The train offers two classes of service:
1) Economy
2) Sleeper Plus

Economy Class:
Economy offers reclining seats, plus travellers have access to a cafe car with light meals available for purchase.

 Sleeper Plus Class:
The type of accommodation is dependent on the type of cabin included in the train's formation.

(1) The Renaissance Sleeping Cabins are available year round on all departures, but they tend to sell out faster when the Manor Sleeping Cars are also available
They have full washroom in the cabin with a shower - which isn't available in the Hep / Manor cabins.
They have two bunk style berths, but solo travellers pay a higher price person, as they will have sole occupancy when booked.
Towels, hair dryer, soap, shampoo, drinking water, pillows, sheets and blankets supplied.

(2) The Hep / Manor cabins have one, two or three berths and have washing facilities - the two and three bed cabins have separate washrooms with sinks.
Towels, soap, shampoo, drinking water, pillows, sheets and blankets supplied.
Access to a shower in the car.  

Regardless of the type of Sleeper Plus Cabins booked, the complimentary benefits are:
  - Three meals per day in the Sleeper Plus Dining Car inc non-acloholic drinks.
 - 24hr access to snacks and soft drinks from the on board Concierge.
-  Priority Boarding.
- Access to the Station Lounge when departing from Montreal.

The Scenic Adventure Routes

There are five of these Scenic Adventure routes each of which used to have named train services.
Via Rail no longer uses these names but they can be commonly referred to by these former titles, hence their inclusion below.

(1) Winnipeg ↔ Churchill (aka 'The Hudson Bay')
(2) Prince Rupert ↔ Jasper (aka 'The Skeena')

(3) Sudbury ↔ White River (aka 'The Lake Superior train')
(4) Montreal ↔ Seneterre (aka 'The Abitibi')
(5) Montreal ↔ Jonquière (aka 'The Saguenay')

Winnipeg ↔ Churchill:

The timetable / schedule:

The train departs Winnipeg at 12:05pm on Tuesday and Sunday between early March and late October; And is scheduled to arrive in Churchill at 09:00am on Friday and Tuesday after a two night journey.
Connections with The Canadian on its Toronto ↔ Vancouver route aren't particularly convenient - it is scheduled to arrive in Winnipeg from Toronto at 19:30 on Monday and Thursday; and from Vancouver at 22:00 on Wednesday and Sunday

In the other direction it departs Churchill at 20:30 on Thursday and Saturday between mid March and late October and is scheduled to arrive in Winnipeg at 16:45 on Saturday and Monday.
In this direction there is a convenient connection with The Canadian to Vancouver, as it is scheduled to depart at 19:30 on Mondays (and Thursdays).
Though The Canadian towards Toronto is scheduled to depart Winnipeg at 23:30 on Wednesdays and Sundays.

On Board:

The train conveys Economy Class coaches with reclining sets, plus Sleeper Plus cars.

There are multiple types of cabin available when travelling Sleeper Plus:

(1) Berths which can accommodate up to two people, with the chairs that face each other converted into the lower of the two beds.
Solo travellers who opt to travel in a Berth are likely to find themselves sharing it with somebody else.
Towels, soap, shampoo, pillows, sheets and blankets available from on-board personnel.
Access to a shower in the car.

2) Sleeping Cabins for One, Two or Three People
They have in cabin washing facilities, the two and three berth cabins have separate bathrooms with a sink.
Drinking water and towels, soap, shampoo, pillows, sheets and blankets supplied.
Access to a shower in the car
 
Note that the Sleeper Plus complimentary meal service from a restaurant car is not available on this route but all travellers have access to a cafe car with light meals available for purchase. 

Prince Rupert ↔ Jasper:

The timetable / schedule:

The train departs Prince Rupert at 08:00am on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and is scheduled to arrive in Jasper at 17:00 on Thursday, Saturday and Monday.
Connections with The Canadian on its Vancouver to Toronto route aren't particularly convenient, as heading east it is scheduled to depart Jasper at 12:30 on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Though there are good connections with The Canadian trains to Vancouver, which  are scheduled to depart Jasper at 21:30 on Monday and Thursday.

In the opposite direction the train departs Jasper at 10:45 Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and is scheduled to arrive in Prince Rupert at 20:25 on Thursday, Saturday and Monday.
However, The Canadian on its route from Toronto to Vancouver is scheduled to arrive in Jasper at 19:30 on Monday and Thursday; And it arrives from Vancouver at 22:00 on Wednesday and Sunday.

On Board:

Economy Class with reclining seats is the only accommodation on this route as the train doesn't travel through the night.
Instead it pauses during the journey at Prince George, where all passenger must leave the train on its arrival there in the evenings and rejoin it in the morning.
All travellers therefore need to book overnight accommodation in Prince George. 
Though a Park Car observation car is attached to the rear of the train and offers a takeaway meal service.

The train formation also typically includes a Skyline (dome) car.  

Sudbury ↔ White River:

This route is an oddity on the Via Rail network as it is isolated from all of the other services - the schedule makes clear that the station in Sudbury is 10 miles from Sudbury Junction, which is a stop on the route of The Canadian.
The lack of between station shuttle service is largely irrelevant as the schedule of the Canadian wouldn't offer convenient connections with this 'Lake Superior train' even if the two routes called at the same station.

The train departs Sudbury on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and the journey time to White River is 8hr 5min
In the opposite direction the train departs from White River on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.

 Montreal ↔ Senterre and  Montreal ↔ Jonquiére: 

These trains to Senterre and to Jonquiére are combined on departure from Montreal at 07:30 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, they are separated on departure from Hervey
Of these two routes into the scenic heart of Quebec, the journey time to Senterre is longer, as the train isn't scheduled to arrive there until 21:02; the arrival time in Jonquiére is scheduled to be 18:52.

In the opposite direction, the schedule varies according to the day of the week.
On Tuesday and Thursday, the trains which depart Jonquiére at 08:58; and from Senterre at 06:28, are due to arrive in Montreal at 19:46
Though this is after the final trains of the day depart Montreal on all other routes.
On Sundays the schedule operates three hours later.

The Rocky Mountaineer.

These services are not operated by Via Rail, as Rocky Mountaineer is in effect a tour operator.
The journeys by its trains into the Rocky Mountains on three routes from Vancouver, are part of holidays which combine the scenic journeys with hotel stays.
One of the three routes, Vancouver ↔ Jasper via Kamloop, is also taken by The Canadian - But because the Rocky Mountaineer trains don't travel overnight, it's 'Journey Through The Clouds' route makes the full journey between Vancouver and Kamloops by daylight.

On the two other routes:
- Rainforest to Gold Rush: Vancouver ↔ Jasper via Whistler
- First Passage to the West: Vancouver ↔ Banff, between Kamloops and Banff
Rocky Mountaineers is the only passenger train operator.