Canadian Railroads > VIA vs. Amtrak

Why VIA - as the young folks would say - kinda sucks;)

#1:
Amtrak LA to Chicago one-way in a Roomette: $1007
VIA Vancouver to Toronto one-way in a "Cabin for one" (aka Roommette lol): $2268

#2:
http://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail/vias-professional-know-how/private-rail-car-moves
"...VIA Rail continues to haul private railcars at the tail end of some trains. Excluded are all trains with a panoramic dome car at its tail end, and those trains where it is not technically, economically or operationally feasible to couple a private railcar."

You get what you pay for. On VIA it's 4 nights in a bed. On Amtrak it's two. Food on VIA is restaurant quality. On Amtrak, it's ok, but not of the same standard. On average, VIA provides better service and a more first class experience with coach passengers not allowed into the sleeper section except to take meals during off season. That makes a huge difference in the ambiance of the trip. And VIA has domes. Amttrak doesn't. That alone is worth the extra cost!

Try a lower or upper section for a better price. Arguably, Amtrak's failure to provide that type of accommodation is a failing.

VIA is operating under a mandate to maximize its revenues from foreign tourists on its LDT, thus explaining the higher prices as well.

xcnsnake Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why VIA - as the young folks would say - kinda
> sucks;)
>
> #1:
> Amtrak LA to Chicago one-way in a Roomette: $1007
> VIA Vancouver to Toronto one-way in a "Cabin for
> one" (aka Roommette lol): $2268

Really no need to pay full fare. I've been on the Canadian several time and never have. Just check out the numerous Express Deals and keep checking back often. They're always being updated:

http://www.viarail.ca/en/deals

Is this an apples to apples comparison? has the VIA been converted to US dollars or is it in Canadian?

The Amtrak is in US$, VIA in CDN, so yes the VIA fare would be a few hundred less in American currency.

The Vancounver-Toronto run would be only three nights if CN didn't routinely murder the train with its hostile dispatching.

ghCBNS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> xcnsnake Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why VIA - as the young folks would say - kinda
> > sucks;)
> >
> > #1:
> > Amtrak LA to Chicago one-way in a Roomette:
> $1007
> > VIA Vancouver to Toronto one-way in a "Cabin
> for
> > one" (aka Roommette lol): $2268
>
> Really no need to pay full fare. I've been on the
> Canadian several time and never have. Just check
> out the numerous Express Deals and keep checking
> back often. They're always being updated:
>
> http://www.viarail.ca/en/deals

Indeed, most of the time only people booking close to departure need pay full fare. There are many ways to save. The latest Express Deals referred to above have cabins for $976 on some trains in August. In addition, there are frequent 50% sales. If no better fare is available, the Discounted peak fare is $1587. The full off-peak fare is $1701 and the Discounted fare is $1429. These are fares from Vancouver to Toronto including tax. Fares from Toronto are higher because of the HST (combined federal and provincial tax).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/14 17:49 by DrawingroomA.

And of course if you travel the train once a year like I do, you will probably have a half off "late credit" from the year before. Something Amtrak doesn't offer.

xcnsnake Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Amtrak is in US$, VIA in CDN, so yes the VIA
> fare would be a few hundred less in American
> currency.

Aren't the Loony and the Dollar pretty much at parity these days?

1 USD = 1.09 CAD currently. I'd pay triple the Amtrak fare to ride in VIA's Budd domes...but you sure don't have to. Deals abound on VIA and there really is no comparison as the Canadian is hands down the best passenger train in North America!

Does VIA take Discover It Card ? That will save you the 3% conversion fee.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does VIA take Discover It Card ? That will save
> you the 3% conversion fee.

These are the accepted cards:

http://www.viarail.ca/en/travel-info/booking/methods-payment

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does VIA take Discover It Card ? That will save
> you the 3% conversion fee.


I don't think very many businesses in Canada will accept the "Discover" card because the cards are not available here.
Amex, Visa and Mastercard are all available in Canada and are accepted by most businesses. Of the three major cards, Amex is accepted at fewer businesses than the others (Amex charges the merchant more so some refuse to accept it).

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

I guess not

"VIA Rail accepts the following credit cards:
American Express
MasterCard
Visa"

If you do Wikipedia on Discover Card, and some Blogs, it says the Canadian tourism industry accepts it where they expect a lot of Americans. So some hotels and restaurants in Montreal, yes, but not so much in Ottawa. So I am surprised VIA Rail does not given that the Canadian is run mainly for foreign tourists, and a lot of Americans ride "The Corridor".

That leaves you to one of Capital One's cards to escape the 3% fee, but that is a horrible bank to deal with.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I guess not
>
> "VIA Rail accepts the following credit cards:
> American Express
> MasterCard
> Visa"
>
> If you do Wikipedia on Discover Card, and some
> Blogs, it says the Canadian tourism industry
> accepts it where they expect a lot of Americans.
> So some hotels and restaurants in Montreal, yes,
> but not so much in Ottawa. So I am surprised VIA
> Rail does not given that the Canadian is run
> mainly for foreign tourists, and a lot of
> Americans ride "The Corridor".
>
> That leaves you to one of Capital One's cards to
> escape the 3% fee, but that is a horrible bank to
> deal with.


There are many cards these days that waive the 3% foreign currency fee, including Chase Sapphire and Chase United Explorer. In addition, one should always decline dynamic currency conversion on credit card transactions, where a vendor charges the cardholder in the cardholder's home currency....another opportunity for profit. It's best to pay in the currency of the country you are at.

Chase Sapphire doesn't really waive it - they just nail you a $95 cardholder fee as of the 2nd year.

My Delta Skymiles Amex card has waived the conversion fee but increased the annual fee. But well worth it if you do a lot of international travel.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Chase Sapphire doesn't really waive it - they just
> nail you a $95 cardholder fee as of the 2nd year.


The annual fee may be worthwhile, considering that the signup bonus of 45,000 points -- even at a value of just 1 cent per point -- is worth $450. Or, you may opt to nonrenew the card after the first year, and apply for it again -- collecting the handsome bonus a second time -- two or three years down the road.

Personally, I jump back and forth between various cards -- and never pay annual fees, while collecting all the benefits. The one exception is Southwest Airlines, where I opted for their card with the lower, up front $69 fee, but collected more than 50,000 points, enough to finance almost $900 in travel. A good return on a $69 expense.

I may decide to renew the Holiday Inn card next year -- at a modest cost of $49 -- but only because that will come with a one free night stay at any IHC property worldwide, including their top tier Intercontinental Hotels brand, which can easily run above $400 per night in expensive markets, like London. Fortuitously, I have a night planned in London in 2015.

Be careful jumping around like that: each app takes a small hit on your FICO score for a few months, like 5 or 10 "soft" points, then each new card shortens the overall average age of your credit cards, ergo your credit history, which then suppresses your FICO score.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/14 14:42 by joemvcnj.