VIA Rail's Canadian - A Trans-Canada Train Odyssey (Vancouver to Toronto , March 2022)

[@gregorykayne6054]

I am going to do the Canadian in the Summer for my 70th Birthday in September 2023. East to West. Thanks for this incredible video!

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@annkretzschmar5085]

I did this too. Maybe we were on the same train.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my video!

[@suddenlysolo2170]

Thanks for the great video. I went from Vancouver to Alberta in 1986 when I was in my 20's....I'm going to do the Canadian from Edmonton to Toronto - and back - this Christmas at 62. After losing my wife recently, I want to check off a bucket list trip while I can

[@feritkurt5198]

I think this is the most beautiful country in the world and I wish to live there🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@vfkbyj]

Can only imagine how gorgeous the views are in summer

[@hiawathapete426]

BTW-Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@58bigjim]

LUV, LUV this video my friend keep up the good works and bringing good things for our eyes to see!!

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@hildelisagonzalez2881]

Gracias… very good Video and tren, yo quisiera estar ahí, es very nice, belloooo..!!!

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks!

[@dragonflyviz6546]

Thank you Pete for the excellent documentary. I especially appreciated seeing the car schematics detailing the configurations of the rooms etc. I have travelled the Canadian several times from Edmonton to Vancouver and hope to one day go across Canada. I really enjoyed the video...happy rails.

[@hiawathapete426]

BTW-Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@mikelamonte7928]

I did this 7 years ago by car. In july. Was a great experience

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@BoydXplorer]

Great Trans-Canadian Train journey. Beautiful view along the way. Tnx4sharing full watched.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks!

[@annkretzschmar5085]

Brought back memories of fall 2023. Id love to do it again in the winter.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my video!

[@neilgs5183]

This trip is part of a dream trip that is on my bucket list. Fly Winnipeg to Toronto; Take the Canadian Toronto to Vancouver; Fly Vancouver to Prince Rupert; Take the Skeena from Rupert to Jasper; Take the Canadian Jasper to Edmonton and fly back to Winnipeg. I hope I can do that trip one day. This video has just made me all the more determined to do so. Thanks for posting it.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my vid, sounds like an awesome trip! We did Toronto-Edmonton on the Canadian, then Jasper-Prince Rupert on the Skeena, then rental car & ferry Prince Rupert-Vancouver Island-Vancouver, then the Canadian Vancouver-Toronto back in 2019: northamericabyrail.info/a-trip-on-via-rails-skeena-jasper-ab-prince-rupert-bc/

[@evelynjepson5955]

when on this trip we passed some older trains of the same ilk....my dad would have probably taken that train in 1964. He went out to work on the oil rigs in Alberta and found that you couldn't you had to be in their union, so he thought, hm...go home or go exploring as he had never been further west, so took the plunge and headed to Vancouver...just for a look around, mind, but thoroughly enjoyed himself, and talked about it alot in his lifetime.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for watching!

[@โจไบเดนที่รักDearJoeBiden]

i like via rail’s canada and amtrak ❤

[@m.a.maliawojciechowskichat6729]

🌴Aloha from Hawaii. Thank so much for fulfilling my bucket list. I lived in T.O. and visited Kelowna. I currently am home in Hawaii, my birthplace. 🤙

[@hiawathapete426]

No problem, thanks for watching!

[@mgrizz2386]

Your video is fantastic and brought back sooo many memories. I rode the train when it was priority over the freight and the mural lounge actually had murals and was known as the bar car and smoking lounge! Oh those were the days lol. My dream vacation is to ride from Edmonton to Halifax on the rails. Then maybe Winnipeg to Churchill. And finally on the skeena Rupert. I loved how you narrated it, thank you.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@chrisbridge134]

Brings back memories of 15 trips on this route. Great service, great trip every time. Used a roomette for 1, very comfortable. Checked big bag and brought small carry on to the roomette. Meals were 5 star.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for watching!

[@martinplamondon9245]

Sure brings back memories as I worked for the telecom dept for the CN from Armstrong to Toronto and made that trip several times in 1961/1962 but nothing original left but I still remember just about everything Thanks for the great video

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for watching!

[@enyab.6939]

Wonderful journey 🌺🎉🌺🎉🇨🇦 Safe travels and thanks for sharing your journey with us. 🌺🌺🌺🇨🇦

[@hiawathapete426]

You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed and thanks for viewing

[@dalebailey6162]

How fast was this 🚉 going on this whole trip great video

[@MrRobertcarnell]

Great video. I took The Ocean from Montreal to Moncton and back about 10 years ago. When I had breakfast in the morning I was talking to someone in the dining car for 5 minutes. When we realized we both lived in Kingston and somehow met up on this train in Northern New Brunswick. Small world.

[@hiawathapete426]

BTW-Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@Claudia-up6hr]

🙋Hi, Robert! I'm in Kingston, too. Hoping to take VIA from here to Toronto to Edmonton soon. Yes, an amazingly small world. As soon as I can arrange to have my dear husband's ashes put somehow into the water, I'll be off. He died in May & it's so lonely without him. I used to love Kingston but it's a nightmare living in this nursing home, thanks to COVID burnout putting terrible strain on the overworked staff. Saving up my OAP loonies so I can afford a sleeper 😴😂!

[@divox9pqr]

Thanks so much for this video log. It is very timely now after the height of the pandemic because Amtrak and VIA have restored two of their three connections, being Toronto to New York, and Seattle to Vancouver. We can again look forward to planning our transcontinental trips on “The Canadian”and on “The Ocean” trains.

[@hiawathapete426]

Awesome! I saw the news about the cross-border trains being restored. Thanks for watching!

[@harryradfordphoto]

Thank you so much for the informative video Pete, can I ask you some information about the scanner frequencies you have programed for the detectors. Ive programmed 160.200 but is there some more i really should have installed. I have a scanner with a rubber antenna on it but I do have a longer one if you think its worth packing it.. Can you tell Im a little excited lol.. Have a lovely evening, leaving from Edmonton to Toronto next week

[@hiawathapete426]

Hi Harry, the following link lists the recommended scanner frequencies for VIA's Canadian: www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?9,1441831 I only have the rubber ducky antenna & it works fine and is less obtrusive/less likely to poke someone than a long whip antenna if you are going to carry it through the train with you. Also I'd recommend earphones if using it in a public area outside your sleeping accommodation. Hope this helps.

[@romanstaszewski5329]

I was trying to book this trip but going the other way for almost 2 years over a year ago through the whole Covid mess but VIA cancelled everything multiple times. I just gave up and lost interest after the whole debacle. This video is a pretty good guide as to what to expect when I finally regain interest again. Thanks for making this Pierre.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for watching my vid Roman. VIA's services are running again now, so if/when you are interested in & able to take this trip, I say go for it - I highly recommend it. The video does not do justice to the real thing & it's impossible to record everything you will see, even in a 3hrs+ KZbin.

[@TrashedPandaProductions]

Did the trip before COVID hit and had my scanner which let me know when stops were coming up. Which I let all the smokers twitching for their nicotine know so they could grab a smoke lol

[@rebeccalerch3134]

Late 60’s up 80’riding Amtrak. The Bar all the way. Good memories. Thank you for sharing.

[@hiawathapete426]

BTW-Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@emilyl4062]

Thanks for posting this! Taking the Canadian to Toronto next week and I've been nerding out on QGIS making a fancy map. This was super helpful for trying to figure out which tracks the train uses going through Metro-Vancouver - I wasn't sure if it stayed along the river or went down through central Surrey.

[@hiawathapete426]

No problem, thanks for watching!

[@juliamcinnes4363]

Great video, we live in Ontario and have taken the train 3 times from Toronto to Edmonton, where we rent a car and drive to Terrace BC. Nice to see trip from Vancouver to Toronto.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks!

[@Claudia-up6hr]

Hi, Julia. I'm 78 years old, hoping to go from Kingston to Toronto to Edmonton as soon as I can save the money for a roomette. I use a walker & I'm concerned about getting to the dining car, on & off the train occasionally, etc. Any thoughts? Thanks!

[@juliamcinnes4363]

@@Claudia-up6hr The Staff are really helpful and I'm sure they can help you to dining car and on and off train at the various stops.Just explain your situation and they will defintiely help.

[@hiawathapete426]

​@@Claudia-up6hr Hi Claudia, As Julia said, the staff are very helpful and will most definitely on request help a person with a walker or cane on and off the train and even through the station when boarding or alighting, including at intermediate stops. In addition VIA have wheelchair/mobility scooter lifts and as an alternative, you can have all your meals delivered to you in your room. When you book your trip, tell VIA your situation and they will arrange assistance for you.

[@ldegmtrainspotter]

Super video! Great train ride and awesome landscapes and places! Good work! Thumbs Up & Subscribe Greeitngs from Romania Andrew

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks!

[@juniorbramble7760]

One of the B.EST.....Thanks Pete...✍🏿🇻🇨

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks!

[@ZoKitchen]

wow amazing place wish to be there

[@hiawathapete426]

BTW-Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@ChamplainDivision]

Nice ride

[@hiawathapete426]

BTW-Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@tylerhergott3893]

Great video! You were already in Toronto at the Old Cummer GO station, Leaside is a neighbourhood in Toronto.

[@hiawathapete426]

BTW-Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@tylerhergott3893]

@@hiawathapete426 I loved it, I watched all of it. I want to take the train to Vancouver and back, but I need to win the lotto for that to happen lol

[@hiawathapete426]

​@@tylerhergott3893 ​ Thanks again for watching my vid (the entire thing)! FYI, VIA has brought back their sleeper plus class deals: www.viarail.ca/en/offers/sleeper-plus-class-deals/ . Or a Canada Pass gives you round trip in economy - if it's something that interests you. Regardless, hope you get a chance to ride someday! 😁

[@TanyaOfMars]

I know the Amtrak routes through the Rockies in the U.S. both go through multi-mile-long tunnels on their journeys (Empire Builder and California Zephyr)-are there any super long tunnels on The Canadian’s route?

[@hiawathapete426]

When it ran on CP before 1990 the 'Canadian' ran through the 5 mi Connaught tunnel. The tunnels on the CN route currently used are much shorter.

[@barroningram7286]

they're passing the freight train in the siding at 1:18 , if that was amtrak it would be in the siding waiting for the freight train to pass 😕

[@pauljohansson288]

I just subscribed to your channel.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks!

[@TrashedPandaProductions]

Funny but hearing the people talking in the background was what I forgot about when I took my trip. It actually enhances the trip.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@gcorriveau6864]

Around the Thornton yard in Vancouver, did you switch sides for recording the video? ;-) Or did they change ends on your train?.... Nice 'off the normal grid' views. thanks for sharing - I'm at 25' in and will continue watching more later on.

[@hiawathapete426]

Hi, thanks for watching! I changed sides going through Thornton yard.

[@rickbennett5072]

The Yellowhead Highway #16 parrells the CN mainline between Jasper and Edmonton. Not the Trans Canada Highway. This highway follows the CP mainline in the southern part of Alberta/B.C.

[@hiawathapete426]

From Wikipedia: "Highway 16 is a highway in British Columbia, Canada. It is an important section of the Yellowhead Highway, a part of the Trans-Canada Highway that runs across Western Canada" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_16

[@TrashedPandaProductions]

To see what you missed between Boston Bar and Kamloops including the devastation at Litton I recommend watching Jumping off a Cliff video where he did the route in daytime... On a freight train!

[@mikelyons3117]

I am thinking of bringing my GPS aboard for our trip from Toronto to Jasper on May 29 . where did you mount your GPS and how long of a cord do i need to plug it in . Thanks for a great and detailed video .

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks! I mounted my GPS on the vanity window. As you can see at 55:28 it was very close to the outlet.

[@elishaloretta1833]

Blessing'z to the Most High God of all creation'z, thnx a Million for sharing this Breathtaking video of such historical view of Canada (🇨🇦) it'z so much amazing, just here sitting on my couch in BRAMPTON Canada(🇨🇦) honestly I'm just speechless, hoping one day soon I'll be able to take a trip on 🚉 to experience this incredible journey.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for watching my vid - glad you enjoyed!

[@GLICKMIRE]

Watched the entire video over the last 2 days. It is definitely on my bucket list of trains to ride while I can still travel. Hope to see you take a trip to Churchill by train some day.

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for checking out my vid! Churchill is on our bucket list

[@barrybeatty6139]

@@hiawathapete426. Coming from Parry Sound I enjoyed this video

[@davecannon1924]

my wife and I are planning a return trip from Toronto to Vancouver! would that be too much (cabin fever)..also what things should we take ...power bar etc. sleeper class for sure (berths) to save on money!

[@hiawathapete426]

We bring along the supplies you normally would when staying in a hotel (clothes, toiletries, masks & sanitizer in our case, laptop or tablet or smartphone with movies/books/songs downloaded, a magazine or book, maybe some snacks tho meals are included, ect). Plus your tickets. I like to bring a power bar with extra outlets & USB for my camera, ect. Note there are no outlets in the berths, only the cabins - we charged our phones in the adjacent restroom when travelling in berth. No cabin fever in our case, we were glued to the window/sightseeing pretty much the whole trip and almost never touched our reading/entertainment material except during the evening! Check for VIA sleeper plus class deals to save on berths or cabins at least a month in advance of your planned date (call VIA or check their web). Also I wouldn't book connecting travel on the same day the train is due to arrive -with the exception of a rental car - in order to account for any unforeseen delays. Hope this helps & thanks for checking out my vid!

[@davecannon1924]

Thanks for your response. Your video and what you've written will will help alot! We're very excited still haven't decided When yet... lol My wife and I weren't/are not into computers much... still can't figure out how to copy/paste..lol Planning trips now sure became a whole lot more fun and easier!! Thanks guys!!

[@Robbi496]

I am an optimist, but what about putting this train on a daily schedule again??

[@alexandershatzko8748]

OH GOOD........was wondering if the train was going to Edmonton because , way back Calgary was mentioned---but think the train is too long to go thru the Field tunnels that wind down about 50 ft per mile

[@alexandershatzko8748]

---- Wonder if they mention ''NO-JACK''

[@alexandershatzko8748]

Devona--- never heard of it Hinton, and Edson are on HWY 16

[@alexandershatzko8748]

IT used to be a hour to drive from Edmonton to Jasper----- went horse back riding and the hot springs

[@alexandershatzko8748]

just after 2.03

[@hiawathapete426]

​@@alexandershatzko8748 It's a siding name: www.okthepk.ca/foamerFiles/cnEdson.htm

[@tinaandre9905]

I've always wanted to do a train trip like this. So are their other people on the trip or is it just you on the whole train? Is there an option?

[@hiawathapete426]

Thanks for watching my video. The train is public transportation so there will be other people on the train, but you can book a private cabin for just yourself as my wife & I did (they have cabins for 1, 2, or 3 people). There can be other people around in the public areas of the train like the domes, lounges & dining car, and also if you decide to travel in a berth or coach seat instead of a private room. So yes, you have the option to travel in a private room or with other people. Hope this helps.

[@tinaandre9905]

@@hiawathapete426 Thank you SO much for your response!!

[@Suzanne237]

Is it better to ride the Canadian east to west or west to east. Which one sees more of the mountains

[@hiawathapete426]

Going eastbound you see Jasper National Park in daylight, westbound passes through in darkness. Regardless, you will see a ton of mountains in either direction. Thanks for watching!

[@angeliner59]

Looking at the Roomette, where does one puts ones suitcase? It look like there's no room for one.

[@hiawathapete426]

I've traveled in roomettes before. You can bring, & there is room for, a carry-on sized suitcase under the seat. See also: www.viarail.ca/en/plan/baggages/carry-baggage Hope this helps.

[@mikemiskiman4743]

Also there is a area above the seat were you can put a airline size carry-on bag and a smaller gym bag, just so you know when the bed is down you can not use the toilet but each car has a washroom at the end of the car so at nite its the best option . hope this helps , i use to take the roomette a lot

[@Robbi496]

Also sad that this train does not have a section for Montreal, which would also serve Ottawa

[@hiawathapete426]

BTW-Thanks for checking out my vid!

[@hiawathapete426]

@Angeline Ruger I've traveled in roomettes before. You can bring, & there is room for, a carry-on sized suitcase under the seat. See also: www.viarail.ca/en/plan/baggages/carry-baggage Hope this helps.

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

are you standing between cars with your camera looking at the train movement?

[@hiawathapete426]

Other than the dome & dining car footage, the filming was done from our room or the hallway window across from our room. You're not supposed to linger in the vestibule between cars. Thanks for watching.

[@jamesdavid1626]

What train is at your right when you were at Pacific Central station ?

[@hiawathapete426]

I believe they are deadhead cars for VIA Rail's 'Skeena' (Jasper-Prince Rupert train). The Park car on that right-hand train is an unmodified original as evidenced by the blue (instead of black) stripe above the window, and these cars are used on the Skeena.

[@lynnappleby903]

What does it cost for a sleeper for one from Toronto to Vancouver ?

[@hiawathapete426]

The prices depend on the level of service, I give examples at 2:32:45 , or you can call VIA at 888 842 7245 or www.viarail.ca

[@sergeyy-ber]

tell us what happens in the last car where there are sofas? Is this a car with expensive tickets and do the passengers have such a rest room?

[@hiawathapete426]

The last car on the train is the 'Park Car' and all sleeping car passengers have access to its 'Bullet Lounge' with the sofas, as well as the bar & the upstairs dome - so you do not have to pay the more expensive "Prestige class" fare. Paying the regular "Sleeper plus" class fare will get you access to this car. However if you want to stay in the "Prestige class" cabins in the Park car (which are larger than the regular "Sleeper Plus" class cabins in other cars) then you will have to pay the higher Prestige class fare. All private rooms have their own toilet/rest room facilities, which is true for both "Prestige class" & "Sleeper Plus class" Hope this helps.

[@sergeyy-ber]

@@hiawathapete426 thank you very much for the information! I'm from Russia. There are no such trains with domes and Park car in Russia. great idea!!!

[@jacobsparry8525]

No safe in the bedrooms? Do they have bedrooms for ONE?

[@hiawathapete426]

Hotels have safes but not trains. Many suitcases have provision for a lock or I keep my valuables with me - but I've never had a concern about security of my possessions on the train. The bedrooms for 1 are called roomettes on VIA, see 49:20

[@StephanieH.-uo9nu]

All the graffiti I’ve ever seen on trains or on walls seen out train windows looks like it was done by the same person.

[@StephanieH.-uo9nu]

Wonder if they’ll ever be caught in the act.