Canadian Railroads > 2022-2023 Ocean, Skeena and Churchill service...or lack

Sounds like Amtrak, how can they say Happy Summer. H=20pxappy Summer!
=20pxPeople are travelling again, and we are thrilled to welcome your passengers back onboard our trains.
=20pxWhile we collectively work through the industry’s recovery, our team=20px =20pxwanted to touch base with a
=20pxfew reminders and updates for this and next season:
=20pxTHE OCEAN=20px =20px(Montreal / Quebec City / Moncton / Halifax)
=20pxDue to operational reasons, the Ocean will operate indefinitely without a Dome Car=20px.=20px =20pxFor passengers
=20pxtravelling in Sleeper=20px =20pxPlus and Economy, two Club Cars will be available providing a social
=20pxenvironment=20px =20pxfor=20px =20pxpassengers=20px =20pxto=20px =20pxenjoy=20px =20pxduring=20px =20pxtheir=20px =20pxjourneys=20px =20pxcomplete=20px =20pxwith=20px =20pxbar=20px =20pxservice=20px =20pxand
=20pxcomplimentary Wi=20px-=20pxFi.
=20pxTHE SKEENA (=20pxJasper / Prince George / Prince Rupert=20px)
=20pxEconomy Class service inc=20pxlusive of Dome Car access will be the only service available for the
=20pxremainder of 2022 and all of 2023. Touring class will not be available.
=20pxCHURCHILL=20px =20px(Winnipeg / Churchill)
=20pxSleeper=20px =20pxClass=20px =20pxwill be=20px =20pxavailable in=20px =20px2023=20px;=20px =20pxhowever=20px,=20px =20pxa dining car will not be=20px =20pxoffered,=20px =20pxand=20px =20pxfood
=20pxservice=20pxs=20px =20pxwill be=20px =20pxlimited=20px =20pxusing economy class takeout menu.
=20px2023 RATES
=20pxAttached you=20px =20pxwill=20px =20pxfind VIA Rail’s full fare tour operator rate sheet for 2023. For accounts using the
=20pxbest available pricing model, please con=20pxsult the website for live pricing. Please note, 2023 prices
=20pxwill be in effect in our reservation system for 2023 bookings starting August 1=13.4pxst=20px, 2022.
=16.6pxShould you have any questions or concerns, please contact=16.6px:
=16.6pxJosephine Wasch=16.6px =16.6pxRyan Robutka=16.6px =16.6pxS=16.6pxtéphanie St=16.6px-=16.6pxPierre
=16.6pxSr. Advisor, Sales=16.6px =16.6pxSr. Manager, Sales=16.6px =16.6pxSales Coordinator, Sales
=16.6pxjosephine_wasch@viarail.ca=16.6px =16.6pxryan_robutka@viarail.ca=16.6px =16.6pxstephanie_st=16.6px-=16.6pxpierre@viarail.ca
=16.6px604=16.6px-=16.6px417=16.6px-=16.6px0466=16.6px =16.6px604=16.6px-=16.6px345=16.6px-=16.6px0278=16.6px =16.6px604=16.6px-=16.6px640=16.6px-=16.6px3768
=36.6pxNewsletter
=36.6pxQuarter=36.6px =36.6px3=36.6px, 2022 

Wow...so hard to read.  Can you try posting the text without the gobbledygook?

Thanks!

Agree!  Hard to read.  What is the real status of churchill train dining?

thatguyonthetrain Wrote:
...
> THE OCEAN (Montreal / Quebec City / Moncton /
> Halifax)
> Due to operational reasons, the Ocean will operate
> indefinitely without a Dome Car. For passengers
> travelling in Sleeper Plus and Economy, two Club
> Cars will be available providing a social
> environment for passengers to enjoy during their
> journeys complete with bar service and
> complimentary Wi-Fi.
...
As much as I like the Renaissance equipment, the lounge space offered in the two service cars (Club Cars?) is inadequate for this train. The layout of the equipment has coaches and sleepers in both the Renaissance and Budd sections of the train. Unless the Ren. coaches are not being used there is no possibility of a lounge for sleeper passengers. The sleeper fares, especially in summer, are not cheap. 

This past late November and early December I made a round trip to Halifax with  a fairly light passenger load.  The Ren. coaches were not needed and there was never a problem for our group of four to get seats in the lounge nearest the Ren. sleepers. But the amenities which sleeper passengers used to get in the Park car were not offered.  As long as coach and sleeper passengers are using the same lounges this is not likely to happen.

One of my friends wants to organise a trip to Halifax later this year. I have said no thanks. 

thatguyonthetrain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> THE SKEENA (Jasper / Prince George / Prince
> Rupert)
> Economy Class service inclusive of Dome Car access
> will be the only service available for the
> remainder of 2022 and all of 2023. Touring class
> will not be available.
> CHURCHILL (Winnipeg / Churchill)
> Sleeper Class will be available in 2023; however,
> a dining car will not be offered, and food
> services will be limited using economy class
> takeout menu.

I get that the trains to Prince Rupert (Skeena) and Churchill are "essential services," but it's still too bad that Touring Class is not returning to the Skeena. VIA had built up a nice service here - "daylight in the Rockies" and the Panorama Car with wrap around windows and meal service provided etc. With the whole idea of "touring" dropped, I have to wonder - would it just be better to operate the train straight on through Prince George, with a  sleeping car(s) in tow, as it used to pre-1990s? Operate more like the Churchill train with its "economy class takeout food?" That's also a tough ride.......Will there be a Skyline Dome for offering basic take out food service on the Churchill train? If the Skeena stopped at Prince George before midnight to/from Prince Rupert and somehow made a same day connection with the Canadian, it may actually help the service. 

Anyone know how passenger counts are going with the Skeena, Churchill, or The Canadian trains?

thatguyonthetrain Wrote:
...

> CHURCHILL (Winnipeg / Churchill)
> Sleeper Class will be available in 2023; however,
> a dining car will not be offered, and food
> services will be limited using economy class
> takeout menu.

There is a discrepancy between this notice and what appears on VIA's "Train service status" page.

"Due to equipment availability, meals for the Sleeper Class are not included until December 31st, 2022, and can be purchased from the Economy class menu."

 

I saw that too - and no reference to Touring Class not being offered yet on the website for the Skeena (Prince Rupert) service........Just reference to 2022. 

So maybe just as Amtrak, one hand does not know what the other hand is doing!

Where can I find a pdf file of ViA rails current services?  It does not appear easily accessible on their website.