Life on board VIA Rail’s The Canadian: eating, sleeping, showering and keeping busy

In May and June 2023, we travelled from east to west across Canada. From Halifax in Nova Scotia to Montreal in Quebec, to Toronto in Ontario, to Vancouver and Whistler in British Columbia. Along the way some night trains and commuter trains, the Niagara Falls and – imagine this – a bus journey. A true Trans-Canada Train Trek.

In the previous three Canada posts, I described the journey and the meals of VIA Rail‘s train number 1, The Canadian. But how is life on board?

Eat, sleep, repeat

Eating is an important part of the day. The meals are anchor points. While breakfast is “come when you want” between 6.30 and 8.30 AM, lunch and dinner have two seatings. On day 3, there were even three seatings. But that was because the crew was staffed with students and their instructors wanted smaller groups for them to handle. But two seatings is the standard.

We always took second seating. First seating was too early. We’re not that old yet.

How is the food. I found the meals to be tasty. The portions weren’t too big and thats good because you eat so much. Three-course meals twice a day. Sam sometimes asked for a second main. I sometimes asked for two starters, one of the options always being a salad.

Included are water, soft drinks and coffee and tea. A glass of wine is CAD 10. Which is a good price.

Bar service

The dome car is also a lounge and a games area. The sleeper car passengers have access to free water, coffee, tea and hot chocolates and small snacks such as fruit or cookies (biscuits). There is also bar service, but then you pay for your drinks.

The dome car is centre of entertainment. Looking outside, socializing or playing a game. People read, others work or game on their laptop. Nintendo Switches were popular. The attendant also organises activities such as beer and wine tastings, talks and trivia time and even some yoga or gymnastics.

Nt being North Americans and thus not being champions at small talk, we didn’t partake often in such organised activities.

Sleeping

Maddie and Jozef (Danny‘s parents) and Sam and Danny had a ‘bedroom’. These were European-style units with bunk beds, two chairs, a toilet and a sink. There is plenty of light and you have power outlets. Tho pull down the bed, you need help from your attendant. You sleep transversally, so ‘across the tracks’.

Danny found the bed comfortable, but annoying you needed help to pull it down. The daytime chairs were too low to be comfortable enough and didn’t provide a great outside view.

Roomette

I slept in a roomette, meant for one. Now, it is small but it’s cosy. In a daytime setting, you have a seat and a second small seat which hides a toilet. You have a sink, plenty of light and two power outlets.

An oddity is the taps. One tap offers drinking water, but contrary to a bedroom, I had no label saying so. It is also difficult to operate.

I found the roomette pretty comfortable, once you find your way. Being able to use a toilet while passing beautiful landscapes is quite a thing.

Also, you’re master of your bed. The bed is ‘wall bed’ which you pull down yourself. Practical for a nap. But the seat, combined with the stool stool (no typo) is very relaxing.

Roomettes make you sleep longitudinally, so in line with the tracks. I would definitely recommend booking a roomette.

Berths

Speaking to fellow passengers, they said their berth was comfortable. Could be, but privacy is down and they don’t have power sockets. Nowadays that is essential.

Prestige

Prestige is another level. Look on YouTube for reviews, because we didn’t have access. It’s just too expensive.

Showering

Each sleeper car has a shower and it’s a good one. There is enough space to change, the shower cabin itself is not small, the water is warm and the pressure is good. You get per day a plastic bag with two towels, shampoo and soap.

In the words of Danny: better one good shower facility per car, than lame individual ones.

Showering starts early. I was usually the first or second to use it, before breakfast. Other passengers then to shower at a random time during the day, also to pass time.

Exercise?

Well, with 22 to 23 cars, you can get some steps in. Combined with the smoking stops, I could manage some 5,000 steps per day. Which isn’t too bad. But w found most people stay in their area consisting of their sleeper car, heir dome car and their dining car.

Socializing

You’re expected to be sociable, so be ready for small talk. You’ll survive. I was the perpetual fifth wheel on this trip so I used all my social skills. Some conversations were interesting. I survived.

Early mornings, early nights

I haven’t mentioned people rise early and go to bed early. Basically you follow daylight. I heard from passengers sometimes stay up all night long in the park car, but not during this journey.