Canadian Railroads > VIA Rail Discounts?

Hello all-

My wife and I will be taking a VIA Rail trip from Vancouver to Winnipeg and on to Toronto this fall (late Oct), and I was wondering if VIA usually offers any kind of late-season discount.  I don't mind paying full fare (I'm not yet a senior) but if it's likely that a discount opportunity may present itself, then I may hold off buying my tickets for awhile.  Any suggestions?

Thanks much!

Stan Hunter
Davis, CA

There is no need to pay full fare if booking well in advance.  There is always a "discounted" sleeper fare, although it is possible that the discounted fares can be sold out as there are limited numbers available.  VIA's off-peak fares for the Canadian apply from 22 October to 31 May.  VIA allows one free stopover, so you would pay the through rate from Vancouver to Toronto even though you will be stopping over in Winnipeg.  The Canadian runs only twice a week in the winter season, which starts on the 16th of October.  So a stopover in Winnipeg will be three or four days.

Until recently VIA had a lot of 50% sales, but they are not as frequent this year.  Keep checking with VIA as no-one knows when they will be offered.  You can sign-up for e-mail notifications or just keep checking the Website main-page or the Facebook page.

Every Tuesday there is a sale.  The dates offered seem to be within a month and the sale fares are not available on every train. You have to be very flexible in order to take advantage of those fares. As a point of interest, VIA offers a seniors discount only on full sleeper or full economy fares.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/16 19:05 by DrawingroomA.

I just finished a Vancouver to Toronto and back in May. Regular fare (I am a senior) in a cabin for one was 3245.00. Sale fare was I believe 2340.00 plus with American money the exchange rate at that time was 30% so saved another 700.00. Look on the VIA home page and there is a place to sign up and they will send you weekly specials every Tuesday morning.

DHF