This train station has been a mess for far too long. The worst part is the limited number of trains per day--absolutely terrible for those who need to commute, with very few options available. They are trying to improve the station, but progress is slow. As I write this, the overhead announcement is reporting a delay. I guess that sums it up. read more

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Slow and can't stay on time. Such an inefficient option. Need new management. It is a waste of money and time.

Travelling by train is always a pleasure, especially in Ontario. I love the sights and I feel it's the only way to make up for the fact that i'll probably never enjoy one of those epic cross country road trips many partake in. But Via Rail has a lot of issues to work out. Mainly the INTERNET ACESS. ACCESS IS RESTRICTED (no streaming movies or downloading 'large' files, even an itunes purchase) and BLOTCHY CONNECTION (does not work consistently any of the way). On the upside, the staff are friendly and professional and it's a comfortable ride both in economy and in business. There is a complimentary waiting lounge for first class business travellers that is not indicated clearly anywhere and often goes to waste. Lastly the weight allowance is decent but don't think you can round your weight- like your bags, you're on your own. I RECOMMEND: Travelling ECONOMY. I recently opted for business and there is no notable difference except for avoiding the line and receiving some meal service of no exceptional value. EXTRA TIP: If you can pick your seat, sit on the odd-numbered side travelling east and on the even side travelling west- better views ;) read more

Via Rail Canada - Public Transportation Near Me - St Catharines, Ontario

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Horrible way to travel. Slow. 12 hour delay (so far) not allowed to leave train to get proper food (food in canteen is extremely poor). Hard to understand the mindset. Horror stories about airlines making people stay in airplanes for multiple hours... super easy to avoid those issues on a train, but Via Rail hasn't figured it out! read more

I was going from Detroit to Toronto for a day which is a 4.5 hour drive. I decided to go to Windsor and take the VIArail. I've never been on a train for a long period of time but I have watched TV before so I was expecting little rooms on the train just like Eurotrip. It wasn't the case. It was more like airline seats. Each seat was the size of a first-class airline seat and you got both seats. They had Wifi but it didn't work very well and they had a food cart that came by twice. The guy who works at the Windsor station rocked. He was very nice and hooked me up with the youth price after I used an invalid coupon code that required me to show some a physical Sun coupon available with the detergent. I guess this is some sort of magical detergent that gives you discounts on VIArail rides. In the end, because of the youth price, It was only a dollar more. Thanks for trying to fix things Windsor station guy. Most people would have not made an effort to keep people happy. I'll definitely be taking VIArail every time I go to Toronto. read more

I feel sort of bad for Via Rail. I get the sense that they would like to be better, but just can't. At least I hope that's their excuse. It's not their fault that Canada is so big and they have to compete with airlines and buses. I've taken two Toronto to Winnipeg round trips, a Toronto to Halifax RT and a Toronto to Gaspe RT. Not one left or arrived on time. Often they were hours off schedule. In economy there are no assigned seats. So if you get on in the middle of the route you'll have to push aside sleeping bodies to get a seat. They won't be happy with you, and who could blame them? It's not comfortable to sleep in that manner. After a few hours the washroom bins overflow with paper towels and don't look good. The food available to buy is overpriced, nasty and gas producing. In short, experiencing the romance of train travel is better in theory than in practice. Shorter trips (6 hours or less) are fine, but the long haul is not pleasant. read more

Via rail used to be great. Good service, reasonably comfortable seats, arrived at your destination on time ect... It's changed a great deal over the past few years. They replaced all the seats with the most uncomfortable used airline seats they could find, they routinely forget to bring you what you ordered​ and 3 out of the last four times I've travelled with them there have been mechanical issues or delays. While the leg room is still good you're better off avoiding it and taking the bus or plane. At least the seats have cushions or you don't have to sit on them as long. read more

Why North America has yet to jump on the high speed rail train is beyond me. Our national railway system is okay, but come on Canada, speed it up. First class is 4 stars, but I rarely treat myself to an upgrade. In coach they charge you $2 for drinks which really annoys me. The train goes slow, they know they're gonna get you. I'm too stubborn to to pay for the food so I don't have exact prices, but those are some sad looking sandwiches. They do get mega props for now having FREE Wifi in coach and working outlets at every seat for laptops. PEPPER POINTS: To my mom, Nancy, for making me insecure about this review. Well played. Nancy: What are you writing? Me: A review. Of Via Rail. Nancy: Toronto to Cobourg. Fascinating. (Leaves room laughing). read more

If you don't have the cash for Porter, take Via Rail. It's a painless experience from the online booking, to the Panorama Lounge to the big comfy seats. Pay the extra few bucks to kick it in business class: nice meal and free booze during your entire journey, I felt like it was old times. Free wi-fi, an easy booking process and a nice view out the window; not too shabby. The staff in Montreal are a bit harsh; when it's time to board, they are yelling out instructions, car numbers and whatever else in a very unorganised manner, it's definitely a tad rattling and completely unnecessary. I've never experienced a late train but I do have to say that the Ottawa station is boring as hell and makes Montreal's central station look like Sodom and Gomorrah in comparison. read more

One of the best modes of transportation we have to travel to Montreal. The other is flying but I didn't have a few hundred bucks to burn for an hour flight. Taking advantage of their $69* deal to Montreal, I booked an economy class ticket with Via Rail and enjoyed a comfortable journey that didn't put a dent in my pocketbook. This was my first time on Via so I was looking forward to the experience. For long journeys, Via beats the Greyhound bus any day in terms of travel time and comfortability: six hours going there, five hours on the return home, with a few stops in between. If you're environmentally conscientious (or want to be), taking a train will reduce your carbon footprint. If I can instill one bit of advice is that you should arrive to the station early. I wasn't given an assigned seat on my way to Montreal (only on the way back) so while I didn't arrive late at Union Station, I did see a long line-up of people waiting. My plan to find a nice window seat to snooze to Montreal was dashed when all of the window seats were taken. Just my luck. Economy class is comfortable with the seats that are roomy enough and allow for you to recline. The large windows brought in a lot of light and you didn't feel boxed in like you would feel on a plane. I didn't have the opportunity to use the free Wi-Fi but I saw many people use their laptops. Since this was economy, the food offered weren't full meals but snacks like muffins, chips, and sandwiches. Plus it's expensive: six dollars for a plate of processed cheese and crackers wasn't exactly money well-spent but it did appease my hunger. Taking a cue from some of the other passengers, I bought healthier snacks for my ride home, saving my coins for beverages. I enjoyed a trouble-free journey with Via and one I'll repeat again. The staff was friendly and helpful and the ride felt quick and comfortable. I can only encourage more people to take the train more often as it is one of the better ways to travel in Canada. === * don't forget to include taxes too. read more

I've taken the VIA train plenty of times from Toronto to Montreal and back. I love VIA and will continue to use them in order to get between cities. The VIA staff are kind, cheerful, helpful & professional both on the phone and in person. Tickets: You can purchase tickets online, on the phone, or in person. Personally, I prefer purchasing tickets in person because you get your tickets in your hands right away. If you buy tickets online or over the phone, you will get an invoice emailed to you which you will have to bring to the station, most likely stand in a long line, and then trade in for a ticket which you will present before boarding the train. Bags: You're allowed two carry-on bags on the train that should meet the measurements that they tell you. Otherwise, there is a bag check area where you bring your luggage, and they take care of that. Economy class: I've taken the economy class once and never will again. It's less expensive to ride in economy class, but it's really uncomfortable. Before boarding the train, you stand in a long tiring line with all your bags. The seats on the train are so close together, there is very little leg space, the bathroom is disgusting and the train was very stuffy. Also, there was a guy smoking in the bathroom which stunk the entire place up. Sick! The service was good and the train had free wifi. Every half an hour or so the attendant came down the train aisle with a cart where you can purchase alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, sandwiches, coffee/tea, and much more. The drinks and food are over-priced and very small. Business class: More pricy to travel in this class but it's so worth it! Instead of standing with all your bags in a line before boarding the train as in economy class, you are taken to the VIA first-class lounge. This lounge is clean, has comfy couches, flat screen TV's, newspapers and magazines. They also have complimentary beverages such as a variety of cold drinks, juices, teas, and coffee (cappuccino, americano, macchiato etc) in the lounge. You also have wifi both in the lounge and on the train. In the lounge, announcements are made to notify you when your train is leaving and where to go in order to board the train. VIA staff on the platform makes sure you're in the right place and help your board the train and finds you your assigned seat. You receive a meal that consists of an appetizer, main, dessert and wine. You have a choice of three mains, and if you have some dietary restriction due to health or religious reasons, you should pre-order your meal before you get on the train since they have such options. You can do this when you purchase your ticket. The food is fresh, delicious and the VIA attendants provide great service. There is an unlimited amount of alcohol offered, and they even have a bar on the train. It was a joy sipping on classic cocktails while looking at the lake out the window. The seats are big and comfy, there is a good amount of leg space, the bathroom was clean and the journey was so comfortable. Personally, I love VIA. Do yourself a favour, dish out the extra dollars and take the business class; you won't regret it! read more

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As Lauren M., Nicola E., and myself sit here, waiting for our disabled train to leave the Kingston Stn after what seems like an damnable eternity, one thought echoes through my mind, over and over..'Next time, we're renting a car'! We've been stuck here for close to an hour. After our train lost power just outside of Kingston, we were told we could exit the train and 'stretch our legs', only to be told after we got off the train that they had lost power and didn't know how long we'd be stuck here! After baking in the hot sun (for some reason the heat is always mmore intense along a railway track),they restored the power and ordered us back on the train - YAY! Well, it's 45 minutes later and though power has been restored, we still sit here...why you ask? Your guess is as good as mine. Not a single Via Rail employee has come by to inform us as to why we are still delayed (now by over an an hour and 40 minutes). Yeah, the seats may be comfortable, but who gives a rat's ass about that if the train isn't moving! Customer service? That's the sole reason for the 3 stars I'm giving them. They've handed out free snacks and will be pproviding passengers with a voucher for 50% off their next Via Rail trip. Yay for that! And we are finally moving! read more

I love VIA Rail. Greyhound is hell, VIA is heaven. 'Nuff said. read more

I'm writing this review as I head back from T-Dot to Windsor on the train. I must say, after travelling Via Rail Business Class I'm pretty impressed with what they have to offer. The food was good. The appetizer was prosciutto which I'm normally not a huge fan of, because it can have that odd after taste, but this was good. I ordered the curry beef as a main dish, it was the equivalent to an economy meal on a plane, pretty good. Alcohol was all free, they pass out chocolates after dinner, free WiFi throughout the entire train, and it's comfortable. If you can buy a Business Class ticket during their web escape deals, it's totally worth it. Only about $10 more than some economy tickets. They do need to start upgrading the trains to be a bit quicker, but rumor has it, that's forthcoming. It's not a horrible way to travel at all, I've been doing it for about four years now read more

I've travelled by Via a number of times now, and it is without doubt the best way to travel. Not to say that all of our trips have gone without any hitches. There have been a number of delays for different reasons before and during our trip. But their reaction to those delays is comforting. We were once delayed, because the train ahead of us ran out of fuel. Our steward had a hard time keeping himself from laughing while he told us this, and that pretty much got the rest of us going too. After the four hour wait, Via had given us all 50% off our next trip within six months - which was really nice and something that they didn't have to do. It's not like you could go *around* a train ahead of yours on the same track. There was another time when we were about an hour delayed since there was snow on the tracks in December. No one was shocked by the news of the delay, but Via was again kind enough to give everyone 25% off their next trip. Not to say that these discounts happen all the time. Our last trip home from Niagara Falls was delayed an hour (everyone standing tiredly with the sun beating directly down upon them, without a cloud in sight), because Canada Customs had decided to check the train out *thoroughly* as it had just pulled in from New York. I'm guessing their visits are random, because I don't remember that happening before... We didn't get a discount that time; simply an apology for the wait time. No one was happy about the delay, but it hasn't turned me away from wanting to use Via again on our next trip. Trains have economy class and first class cars very similar to what you'd find on a plane; but since you're not designated an actual seat, you can purchase the economy fare and still wind up in first class pretty easily. From what I've seen, they tend to fill the cars by destination, so if you're going only as far as the next stop, then you'll probably find yourself in the economy "small" seats; with not much leg room to boast about, but a couple of outlets to help keep you occupied if you bring your laptop. But, if you're going the full haul, you tend to find yourself in the plush seats with ample room for leg stretching and standing. There was even one car where the seats turned into "lazy boys", which was a nice way to get some shut-eye. It might get you there as quick as flight, but going by train is by far the most relaxing way to travel, and Via's customer care seems to make it all that much better. read more

VIA ROCKS! I've always loved trains, so I'm biased. But here goes: VIA 1 service between Toronto and Ottawa/Montreal/Quebec is incredible. Excellent food. Free booze. The on-board staff always seem ready to bend over backwards to please. It costs more than "comfort class", but the food and service are totally worth it. I returned from Quebec City to Toronto last winter and the adjoining bar-car was empty, so they opened it up and let us run wild. Giant screen TV, free snacks. Was a great way to end my trip. VIA also has a great rewards programme, and a large lineup of retail partners where you can get extra points. If you're destination oriented, then take the plane. But if you want to really TRAVEL, take the train. It's a fantastic way to kick back, relax, and see the lay of the land. read more

I've only travelled on Via Rail between Montreal and Toronto, not for longer journeys. Via seems to suffer from a pre-conceived notion that it is very expensive. Several people have said to me, "Isn't it cheaper to fly?" Answer: It is not. They frequently have sales and I've travelled from Toronto to Montreal and back for as low as $120. That does not even cover the taxes on a flight. As for the time it takes, yes the train ride is a solid 5 hours, but a one hour flight can quickly turn in to 3 - 4 hours when you consider the time it takes to get through security, wait for baggage claim, etc. The Via trip is more relaxing in my opinion, and the stations are located in central areas of cities, unlike most airports. On the negative side, you have to stand in a long line to board the train. This can be avoided by booking a business class ticket. Unlike flying, where business class tickets can be 4 times the cost of an economy ticket, on Via the price difference is only 30-50% I believe. Food is similar to airline food with a decent little meal included in your business class ticket, or crappy overpriced sandwiches available for purchase in economy class. Pack a lunch. read more

Took VIA rail this previous weekend between QC and Montreal. It was 55 dollars per person. My boyfriend and I had flown into QC as part of our original air tickets but, flying back out proved unnecessarily expensive when we could just take the train. Train travel is romanced and many a travel writer has said to travel by train is to travel electively at leisure whereas to travel by air is to be strapped in a screaming speeding metal death tube. Maybe true. Either way everything except the boarding proceedure for the train was relaxing. A man came to scan tickets. A lady came to serve passable sandwiches albeit a little overpriced for what they were. The views of the more rural areas of the Quebec province were worth it though. read more

Terrible experience. Took the train from Montreal to Ottawa. Train delayed several times. No one explains why or what is going on. Had to call customer service from the train station to be told that the train was being serviced. When I asked for further clarification, i.e what does "serviced" mean?--Is the train broken down? Is it weather related? Is it a problem with the rails?, etc, the agent was unable to answer, explained that she gets e-mailed the updates. So a train that was supposed to depart at 9am, changed to 9:30, then to 10:45, then to 11:00 then to 11:30am has been delayed more than 2hrs, and no one knows the cause for the delay nor does anyone know when it will likely leave; clearly 4 changes to the time reflects a gross underestimate of the amount of time needed for said "servicing," and does not inspire confidence in their operational integrity. read more

On July 19 2011 we left the Burlington Go Station on our way to Vancouver B.C. We were booked to cross Canada on our country's signature train, the stainless steel "Canadian" We arrived at Toronto's Union Station and picked up our travel tickets from Via. We checked our baggage and handed our carry on bags over to a "Red Cap" who, for a tip ($20.00) stored our bags until the train was in and then delivered the bags right to our "Cabin for two" Union station was HOT and Humid with no air conditioning and no functional restaurant. We sought refuge in the Go Train Concourse where there was air conditioning and many fast food options. The Via Rail Preference Lounge, a waiting room reserved for sleeping class passengers only, was as hot as the rest of the station but did provide free non alcoholic beverages for about a half hour before boarding the train. Cabin for two is the name given to a tiny space with two reclining chairs, a sink and mirror. a small toilet area, and two beds configured as upper and lower bunks. It has drinking water in a seperate tap and has a door that cannot be locked from the outside. For this reason one should be careful not to leave valuables in the cabin unattended. The Car attendants were seen at various times in various cars and so were definitely not watching the cabins in their cars. The first impression on entering the "Cabin" was that the rug had not been seen a vacuum cleaner in a very long while and the corners of the bathroom floor were not clean. The air vents had dust on them indicating that cleanliness was not a strength at Via Rail. On the second day I leaned over in the "Reclining chair" to look out the window and it collapsed trapping me in it's legs. When this was brought to the attention of the car attendant, she sluffed it off saying that some poor choices had been made during the renovations. I was left with the magic collapsing chair for the remainder of the trip and no apology or remediation was offered. The stainless steel cars were built in the 1950s and have been renovated, changed, and adjusted to their current configuration The crew from Toronto to Winnipeg were not overly anxious to do as one requested. We asked that our bunk be made up at 10:pm and were told that it had to be made up when he (The Porter) was doing that area...which would be much earlier than 10:pm. The food in the Dining car was average restaurant quality...nothing special and certainly not the "Local Gourmet Fare" advertised on the Via website Meals on board are on First, Second and Third sitting basis..Sleeper class passengers' food is included in the cost of their ticket. Economy class passengers share the first dining car but must pay for their food. Economy class passengers are not allowed to go past the first Dining car into the back of the train. After Winnipeg the food improved with the new crew, and the new "Porter" had a much better attitude. The train had 28 cars including 4 Vista Dome Cars that allowed folks to view the passing scenery from a glass dome on top of the car. There was free coffee and tea most of the time in the "Activity cars" and sometimes cookies, muffins and fruit. There were movies, bingo, and descriptive talks given by staff in the activity car as entertainment. Getting back to our tiny "Cabin for two", when made up as bunk beds, the ladder from the top bunk actually touched the wall next to the sink. Getting up worked fine. But getting down in the middle of the night was just downright dangerous. If you did not step in the sink on your way down, you had to step off at the third rung as the ladder was too close to the wall to allow safe exit. It was such a nuisance that we asked the porter to leave the Bunk and the ladder in the ceiling and we slept in the single bottom berth for the rest of the trip. The scenery was nice and the trip basically pleasant. We met several nice couples from other countries who shared our table at mealtimes. Unless you are a party of four traveling together you will share a table at each meal. The train arrived in Jasper (Gateway to the Rockies) several hours late. New "Panorama Cars" with walls and roof that one could view through, were added to help more people to get a good view of the Rockies. As a result our late arrival it was dark before we were deep into the Rockies. We did see five, yes five, snow capped peaks. Interesting to note that the train actually arrived in Vancouver the next morning EARLY. Must have been the downhill run. So we did cross Canada by train. An interesting experience, enjoyable for the most part, but not worth the price we paid. When one considers all of the visitors from other countries taking this trip as part of one of those "Once in a lifetime vacations" I think Via Rail could do much better. read more

Via is the best way to travel between Toronto and nearby cities (I take maybe 20 trips a year, almost all to Montréal, some to Ottawa or Sudbury). There's very little hassle. You can put your boarding pass on your smartphone and arrive just a few minutes before the train leaves. The fastest trains are almost as quick as flying at these distances, and it's far more comfortable. Frequent seat sales can make it very affordable (as little as $29 to Montréal). If you have a Bixi membership you get 10% off even the sale fares. However, finding good prices is a kind of game. I once had to buy full-fare economy because sale seats were gone, then went back a day later and was able to exchange for a business-class ticket that was cheaper. Wha? I mean, don`t get me wrong. I was glad to exchange cattle-class on a holiday weekend for the lounge and free food and drink and chocolate and have you give me $30 back, but still. Their "frequent flyer" program works well and you can earn free trips pretty quickly if you travel often. Via loses a star because 1) the recently-introduced weight limits (40lb) are sometimes too restrictive. How am I supposed to bring back my Schwartz's brisket and Québec microbrews with that? And you want to charge me $20 because my bag is 2lb over even though I'm carrying it myself?! You can get around this by taking a train with checked baggage, but most don't have this, and they're usually slower trains at bad times of the day. 2) ALL the trains should have assigned seating (pro tip - if on a train without it, pay a redcap to put your bag on the train, where they'll also reserve you a seat. Standing in line in the horrible Union station is for suckers.) 3) Your WiFi is not good. 4) I really miss the late-night Toronto-Montréal train, even though it`s been gone for decades. 5) PLEASE follow the example of other railways and introduce quiet cars. Someday I will commit assault against some businessperson who spends the entire 6:40am Toronto-Montréal run loudly swearing at co-workers via cell phone. read more

I always hated taking the train. The services that Via offers are terrible. The attendants have always been rude to me and come across as pretentious. People pay to much money for what it is. Wait until a seat sale is offered for a flight and fly to your destination. Flying is definitely faster and better! read more

I have to take Via again tomorrow and I'm sort of dreading it so I thought I'd try to release my fear by sharing my last experience. I took the train from Nova Scotia to Toronto back in April when I was moving because it had a bigger free baggage allowance than the plane. Check-in was smooth. Dinner time rolled around and I had spoken to staff about getting a vegetarian meal. They said to remind the dining car staff. I did that and they said it was all good, come back in an hour when it was cooked. I went back in exactly an hour and they said oh, we gave it to another lady. Do you want beef or fish? Really? Ugh. I choked down the fish which was disgusting. A little less annoying, but unusual thing happened back at my seat between a staff member and a passenger. Passenger - "Excuse me, do you know if there is an outlet I can use for my computer?" Staff - Blank stare "Uhhh... hmmm... I don't know" looks all around, up, down, both sides. Me - "Hey dude, it's down between your seats" Passenger - "Thanks" Staff - Walks away Maybe there should be some kind of training for these people? The company only has two kinds of trains really. Shouldn't be too hard to remember. Things then stayed ok until we got to Quebec. There was a fire next to the tracks. We were delayed four hours just sitting there. Not Via's fault, but they didn't even offer a beverage for free which is annoying for someone like me who is cheap/poor and had an extra 4 hours stuck in a metal tube so obviously having to purchase their over-priced drinks for hydration. We got to Montreal and switched trains. They upgraded us based on our delay. Yay! So we got some free booze and a meal. Before we got to dessert there was a problem. The train was broken down halfway between Ottawa and Toronto. Don't worry, they will get a bus. Wait, they are totally unprepared so they come back on the speaker and say they tried to get a bus but they couldn't find one. So we wait a couple hours for another train to come push us backwards to Ottawa. Then we wait for another train (with all of our baggage, so just me with a back condition waddling three full suitcases and a carry on up and down the platform praying I don't put my back out). That train arrives and is completely unprepared for us. Hundreds of people are jammed into a car or two with no checked baggage service, practically sitting on top of each other. Thankfully another passenger helps me load my bags because Via staff are useless. This time they offer a can of coke for the inconvenience. By this point it ain't gonna cut it. I finally got to Toronto about 8 hours late. In compensation they give me about a hundred dollars off my next trip. Really? Do you think I want to take another trip with you? I think cash would be more appropriate. Anyway, being cheap/poor as I am, I need to go to Nova Scotia tomorrow and used the travel credit to pay most of the fare. Please Via, PLEASE make it an ok experience. I'd love to give you a better rating. My fingers are crossed. read more

The only way to travel to Montreal (unless you have money for Porter!) I really love the train. I am willing to shell out the extra money for the comfort, the service, the speed, and the free WIFI! Although bring dvd's with you if you are planning to watch stuff as the train wifi you can't stream video!! I think the best part about the free wifi is other people using wifi on board who have iTunes open means you can listen to their music library as well! Planning trips in advance will save you money with the supersaver fare (it gets sold out really quickly). I've had nothing but friendly service in the 15 years I have used VIA rail. Keep up the good work guys! read more

I journeyed on Via rail Aug. 2012. I booked my tickets online using Express deals and got 60 percent off. I booked a one way ticket Sleeper Class - Upper Berth from Foylette, Ontario to Saskatoon. The train was a tad late arriving in Foylette. I was the only sleeper class passenger to embark but there was about 50 economy passengers. They boarded first. The trains was extremely long - at least 25 cars and my car happened to be near the rear of the train. I didn't have to walk to the end, instead they moved the train up to me and I just hoped on board. The stewart took my bags and showed me to my berth. So far so good. I was given my toiletry bag that contained towel, washcloth, soap and shampoo. It was around 12:30 pm when I boarded so I was able to get to the late lunch seating. I don't know if it's normal for VIA but I did not have a seat mate, so I had the entire Berth space to myself - BONUS. I had booked the upper berth, but asked since there was no one else could I sleep in the lower berth. The stewart had to ask the manager if this was OK, and it was. Yippee! For privacy, they made up the upper berth so that I could close the curtains, but I could stil sit on the seats. I just had to remember that I couldn't stand up (or I'd bump my head). The bathrooms are just fine - big and roomy and shower is separate from the toilet. The only gripe I have about the berths is no electrical outlet. My porter was kind enough to charge my phone in her cabin. I was so looking forward to snuggling in my bed at night with my DVD player and watching a movie - oh well, I had to read a book. Since I had the berth to myself, I also had lots of room for my luggage and stowed it on the upper berth. The bed was super comfy and I had no problems sleeping. The employees were wonderful and I had the pleasure to also speak with our engineer when I was waiting to board in Foylette. I can't say enough about the food - fabulous! And it was so enjoyable to dine with different people every meal. I went to a wine tasting and was impressed with the generous pours. The musician on board was a fabulous blues man - impressive, and I found myself sharing a table with him for supper. The scenery is spectacular - my favourite part of the trip was going through the Qu'pell Valley in SAskatchewan - the train goes places that no car go and it was just gorgeous with crops being harvested and just a great summer day. WE did experience quite the delay in Winnipeg - we were all boarded and they were adding a couple of extra cars because there was so many people getting on board in Winnipeg. Anyway - whoever was doing the coupling must have hit the gas hard because there was a HUGE bang and many people lost their footing and were thrown to the ground. I was walking between cars at that time and almost got thrown off the train. Wine bottles were smashed in dining cars and plates and cutlery all strewn about. One of the employees had been hurt. The train was delayed at Winnipeg (of course) since they had to assure that all the couplings were secure and that everyone was ok. One person was taken to the hospital. I know there was probably a lot of muttering going on about the delay but I didn't care. I was in no rush and was just enyoying drinking wine and talking with fellow passengers. WE were finally on our way and much to my surprise we arrived in Saskatoon only about 3/4 of an hour late - that train must have put on wings over the prairies! All in all - I had a blast and I'm doing it again with my sister in January. Here's some tips for train travel. If you can - try to get a sleeper ticket. Check the Via rail website for sales. Don't be in a hurry - don't have connections at the other end, give yourself some leeway. There will be delays - freights take priority over the passenger train, so just sit back and relax. Bring some books. Don't be afraid to talk to people. Maybe pack some extra snacks and be sure to pack some wine (if you are in a sleeper class) to enjoy in your cabin. Tip your porters and waiters - you'll get much nicer service. read more

5 stars based on travel between the two largest cities, Montreal and Toronto. Downtown to downtown in approximately 5 hours. NO hassle getting to and from airports, passing security etc. Business class is a real pleasure. Lounges in both cities are modern and stocked with magazines/newspapers/coffee options etc. Wagons have been refurbished and the seats are very comfortable. Basic wifi worked perfectly (yes, there is a restriction on usage ie. video playback, uploads etc.). Food was totally acceptable and the service was excellent. I have also traveled in standard class....and it is fine although the wagons were not as nice. Quite a bit cheaper than business class. VIA does not have dedicated rail...so you might have to wait for a train to pass but it usually doesn't take a long time. Most of the trains I have taken were on-time and even a bit early. IMHO this is the most pleasant way of traveling between these two cities. Book on-line and book early to get escape (cheaper) fares. read more

Firstly, I must say i'm rather surprised that there are no reviews for VIA Rail. Is there another listing for them?? Had I written this a month ago I probably would have given them a scathing review commenting on their lack of customer service and their constant tardiness - with no heads up to either the people on the train or those in the station waiting for the train. However, Via seems to have turned a corner (perhaps as a result of the recent strike). Anyway, I was on the train 4 times this past 2 week (don't ask) and dropped my sister off. I was so impressed that i thought i would write the review. All save 1 of the trains were ON TIME. In fact the train I took my sister too was even early. Perhaps more remarkable (i know you are thinking what could be more remarkable then Via Rail on time) is the one train that was late - they made an announcement on the train that they were running slow and the reason being that we were stuck behind a CN train, the gave an estimate about how late we would be with a promise to update us further. For all the years I took Via too and from school I had never heard such an announcement - I almost fell off my seat. Finally, I have discovered for all us recent grads that are no longer students but are not yet swimming in cash there is a youth price (this makes Via about the same price as the bus - go figure). Thus, today Via is getting 3 stars (i couldn't over look all the past lateness) and if they keep up the good work I may have to come back and give them one more! read more

Fairly reliable, and sometimes perform well in tough conditions. Trains and stations are dirty, uncomfortable and have poor amenities. Don't expect that because you aren't going through security at an airport, that you wont be standing around for no reason for 30-45 minutes for a train ride. Staff are not good or helpful though, and I've seen them be quite rude to people, and never seen them be considerate. Food is terrible, bring your own. Coffee and tea also total dreck. Bathrooms uncomfortable gross and untended to by staff. I've never seen staff be helpful, understanding though some individuals are cheerful or friendly, but still expect little from them. Internet on the trains sometimes works, and there are plugins but terrible little tables. Your experience will be better than train systems in some poor countries, but inferior to other rich world countries, like Europe, China, Japan and Korea. More comfortable then a bus, but not a great way to travel. read more

We took the 723am train from Oshawa to Montreal and spent the few extra bucks online for business class. Assigned seating, meal service, drink service, WI Fi, power outlet, storage, an attendant, and a seat on the right which us both an aisle and a window (it's a 2+1 seating arrangement like an MD-80). I love using rail in Europe, and this is by far the best way to get from Toronto to Montreal. I got so much work done, it was perfect, and the scenery wasn't bad either. read more

OMG! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY OR SUBJECT YOUR FAMILY TO THIS DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE WITHOUT READING THIS REVIEW! This trip is antiquated, ill-run exercise in frustration. What Via advertises and what you get are two very different things. They promise a relaxed, luxury vacation and what you get more often than not is a poorly-organized, rarely-on-schedule, fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants, hope-for-the-best, but-promise-nothing trip into frustration. What Via Rail doesn't tell you is that this trip is not centred around passenger comfort or convenience, for which passengers pay a pretty penny, but the freight train schedules. Like a slow death over several days, be prepared to sit 20, 30, 60 minutes at a time several times a day waiting for a freight train to pass you. Or you can get behind a slow moving freight train and crawl for hours at a time. Then when you finally reach a scheduled stop, you will be either too late to see anything or hurried on and off the train, so Via can make up the time. For people who have saved their money and vacation time, it is very disappointing. A quick check of the comment book in Edmonton will assure you that this is not a rare occurrence, but rather the norm. Don't bother trying to make any connections such as limo pickup, ferry, airplane or family visits. The schedule is too variable and rarely accurate. The problem is that despite the fact that Via has padded this schedule considerably to account for frequents delays, they are still constantly behind time. The result is scheduled stops that are whittled down to a few minutes and constantly disappointed passengers. Despite these time grabs, the train continues to lose more time each day until finally you arrive at your destination. We were ten hours late going to Vancouver and two and a half hours late returning. Many passengers were terribly disappointed and said they would never have taken the train had they known that most of their free time was spent sitting idly on the side of the tracks, inside the train, waiting for yet another freight train to pass. They felt cheated and angry. This forum is too short to list every delay day by delay, but suffice to say, we DID NOT MAKE A SINGLE scheduled stop on time or enjoy any of the sites when we got there, COMING OR GOING! In Winnipeg, we were supposed to have a four hour stop and many had booked tours or time with family. We arrived three hours late and were told we only had an hour left. Needless to say, everyone scrambled to try to salvage the situation. Then, once we all hurried back to the train and the train closed, we were told there was an eight hour wait and WE SAT IN THE TRAIN for the next eight hours. THe rest of the trip was no better and we arrived in Vancouver TEN HOURS LATE. By this time, there was no food left, the staff hid away from us and we literally crawled behind a slow freight from Kamloops to Vancouver for eight hours!!!!! A whole day of our trip lost! BY the way, to end this sad tale. Via Rail does offer a refund of 50% of economy fair if the train is four hours late and !00% if it is twelve hours late (YES, it happens!) However, they don't tell anyone this. The only way to find out is to call and complain. SAD. See my Complete Review at http://donttakethetrain.blogspot.com/ read more

i gave the rating 1...nothing lower than that....traveled to new york with via rail....verry old and not updated...washrooms discusting...dinning cabine is a joke...6 table sitting are and 2 of them was used by the staff...one cart for over 400 people train...food is you can call it that...ran out...a 10hr ride turned into 14hrs...nothing to view outside your window...all senery is of dumpsters ....free wifi as advertised was only in the dinning cart of 2nd cart...would never ever do it again...or recomend it to anyone...thought it might be a romantice ride for our anniversary ....nightmare....splurge and extra $300 and fly...save yourself 2 days of travel read more

Travel VIA 1 between Ottawa and Toronto and occasionally between Montreal and Toronto. On time performance is never good but the unacceptable delays of the past seem rarer now. Fifteen to thirty minutes seems the norm. In VIAs defence they are second fiddle on CNRs tracks and must wait for express freights or any other shunting diddle up CNRs sleeve. Most VIA trains leave on time so the delays are en route and normally beyond VIAs control. The solution of course is to have dedicated passenger tracks on the busy London Ont. to Quebec City corrider but successive Canadian governments have avoided the task. The trains themselves are fairly comfortable though hardly "world class" in any way. The LRC cars have reasonable leg and bum room room and are four abreast, two on either side of the corridor. VIA 1 is the same with greater leg room. The Rennaisance cars were built for a failed attempt at a Chunnel service between secondary British cities (Bristol, Plymouth etc.) and Amsterdam/Frankfurt via the Channel tunnel. It never happened and they were too heavy to interest European buyers. VIA bought them and modified them. They are heavily built but weird cars with a slanted baggage compartment under each seat and a coat rack above. Anything larger then a bag you would normally put in the overhead bin of an airplane is too large and must be checked which is irritating. The luggage space for the seat in front robs your seat of legroom. On the plus side the seats are three abreast (2 + 1 astride the corridor) and therefore wider. So if you are large in the hips and short in the legs you will like these seats. Otherwise you will not. There are roomier and spiffier Club cars in the Rennaisance train sets but VIA ! does not often use them. Usually they just tack on their food and beverage service to a regular coach which is a bit of a rip off. Quite a bit if you have long legs. All coaches have WiFi. Food in tourist class is composed of sandwiches and snacks and drinks sold by a VIA rep pushing a cart up and down the corridor. Quality and price are fair. VIA 1 gets an airplane style meal plus a free drink or two after 11 am. Again quality is fair. If you get a sale price VIA 1 ia a pleasant way to travel At full price it isn't worth it in my opinion unless your company is footing the bill. Service is efficient and competent but not, in most instances, particularly warm. Cars and bathrooms are usually clean but grooming can be spotty especially out of Ottawa. read more

We decided to take the train for a business/pleasure trip to Montreal from Toronto, instead of flying. Wasn't based on trying to save money, etc. we just wanted different experience. We brought our bikes and were excited. It may not be fair to compare VIA Rail to the TGV in Europe but I must say I was pretty disappointed with VIA and the train experience. I booked first class, apparently its complimentary alcoholic beverages, however they limit how many they serve to you. The food was quite horrific and not that good, inmates at Kingston probably eat better than this. The train cars on the way to Montreal looked like from a 70's bad movie and the car or train shook and bounced around like it was going to come off the rails. Hard to do any work or type without getting tired and bugged eye. The train on the way back to Toronto the cars were a little nicer, we got a few extra drinks but still was a pretty shaky ride. I've traveled on many trains throughout Europe, been on a few in South America and through the USA, and I must say just like our bad subway systems in Toronto and horrible Go Transit service we have, I would rank taking the train a slight step above taking the bus and would not recommend it. The worse part was one of our colleagues misplaced his ticket and they charged him $50 to replace it even though we had our receipt of the full payment with his name on it. Not sure what happened to VIA but it has a long way to go before it can remotely position itself as a world class company that provides excellent service and experience. Too bad I thought taking the train was going to be fun. read more

Our train from Jasper to Vancouver has been delayed for at least 12 hours now and we still don't know when we will be on the train. The worst part is that they don't even offer any hotel voucher for your stay while waiting for the status update. Not mentioning that all the traveling schedules, hotel reservations have been messed up by this delay and VIA employee said there is nothing they will do to compensate any loss. Local people said there was a major delay (48 hours+) just last week on 05/24. So this must be not rare at all. By looking at more web-sites, I start to realize this is very normal with VIA and when this happens you are on your own. So don't plan on use this shameful company when you are planning your precious vacation. Buying travel insurance might cover some of the extra expense you have but you loose all the time you are supposed to spend in seeing or enjoying things but just stuck in a place waiting for the train. VIA is a very bad apple to Canada which I like and admire in the past. read more

I loved the train trip that I took solo from Vancouver to Toronto. I booked a roomette which was perfect for one person. I prefer this to a sleeper berth because the cabin has a door. In sleeper class, people walk by - not frequently - but the privacy level is quite a bit higher in a cabin;. The cabin attendant to Winnipeg was helpful and courteous - the attendant from Winnipeg to Toronto - not so much - young, not alot of experience and impatient with requests. The food was fairly good. It stops for a couple of hours in Jasper and then in Winnipeg. I wish that it arrived in Winnipeg in the middle of the day instead of the early evening. The scenery was great until Ontario - after that, the endless columns of trees on either side of the track made me sort of train sick. The trip was just long enough. read more

I will never travel with VIA again. I had booked my ticket last week to go to Ottawa to visit some family. The day before I was set to leave, I had a bit of a family emergency which forced to me to cancel all of my travel plans. I called to cancel (hopefully a partial refund or an exchange) and explained my situation. I was met with utter indifference and the WORST customer service I have ever dealt with. The callous customer service rep informed me, I would I could not cancel or even exchange (I would have loved to re-book with them) because I had purchased a discounted fare. I understand that was their policy, I guess I just thought that there would be some form of credit. I was very bluntly told to "present a death certificate and we might be able to get you something". Well no, I'm going to hope there is no death certificate, thank you very much. Via has some brushing up to do in their service department to say the least. read more