Cross Canada 2024: Introduction

Cross-Canada, Take 2!

Trains at Jasper - our Canadian #1 pauses at the right, while the equipment for the Skeena to Prince Rupert rests on the left.

At the end of my last post, I noted that it had been just over 7 years since my cross Canada trip, the coast-to-coast adventure that got me aboard the legendary Canadian and launched this blog in the first place.

Ever since making that trip, I’ve been longing to get back out and do it again. The Canadian is an incredible train, and even after riding it once it felt like there was so much more to experience. What would it be like in the summer, with a longer train, more daylight, and a full suite of activities? How about under the new schedule, which changes what’s seen in daylight? And what about the eastbound trip?

It has also become increasingly clear that the days of the Canadian’s iconic (but ancient) Budd-built stainless steel equipment are starting to run out, with plans now in motion that should see the entire fleet replaced within the next decade. So it’s as good a time as any to get out and ride it again while we can. But what, you might be asking, pushed this from “that would be cool” to a booked itinerary?

Well, it started with my sister moving to Vancouver, and my brother and I talking about making a trip to visit. Serious consideration of a trip then ramped up when VIA introduced changes to the VIA Preference program. Despite bracing for negative changes with the new program, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the new redemption rates (now tied to fares, and therefore much lower if booked in cheaper accommodations and further ahead) actually meant that we could book this trip for a fraction of what it would have cost before.

So once we put all that together, it wasn’t long before I was scouting out dates. Next thing you know, the trip was booked!

This cross-Canada trip would be a bit different from the last go around. Unlike that trip, where I started on a train from Halifax and went entirely by rail the whole way west, this time would begin with a flight to get appropriately positioned for the rail journey. We would be staying longer in Vancouver, and the other biggest (and most exciting) change with this trip is that instead of flying back from there, we’d be boarding the Canadian again to make the trip back east.

To help get a sense of where this will be going, here’s a brief overview of the itinerary:

June 21 – Start in Halifax. Fly with Porter from YHZ to YOW

June 22 – The trains begin! VIA 47, Ottawa – Toronto

June 23 – We board the Canadian. VIA train #1, the westbound Canadian, from Toronto to Vancouver

June 27 – Arrive in Vancouver, after 4 nights and the better part of 5 days on board

June 28 – Amtrak Cascades day trip to Seattle and return

July 1 – Depart Vancouver on VIA train #2, the eastbound Canadian – on Canada Day!

July 5 – Arrive in Toronto

July 6 – Fly back to Halifax with Porter, YYZ-YHZ. Home again!

 

Instead of making this a single overwhelming write-up, I’m going to break this down into short segments much like my 2017 trip. Each post will cover either a day or a distinct part of the trip that makes sense to lump together. My goal is to make this series easy to follow and navigate, without becoming overwhelming for either the reader or the author!

The whole trip encompassed approximately two weeks, took us across five provinces (and a state!) – not counting those I covered in the air – and involved nearly 11 days on board intercity trains, plus subways, light rail, commuter trains, planes, and even some ferries. Plus, some unexpected familiar faces along the way!

So get ready for what is, by far, the most extensive train trip I’ve made to date. I look forward to reliving this as I write it up post by post, and I hope you’ll enjoy following along!

 

Curving around lakes in Northern Ontario. Unmistakably The Canadian.

Next Up – Part 1: from Halifax to Ottawa, Toronto, and beyond!