VIA 1 Class - Upcoming Trip

It has been a year or so since I travelled the corridor between Toronto and Montreal in daylight and now, with the Renaissance equipment being launched, couple of questions.

- I was told by the reservation clerk on the phone that only Renaissance equipment is assigned between Montreal and Quebec City, plus the Ocean of course. They don't operate Renaissance equipment on the Toronto - Montreal runs? So I will be on the VIA 1 renovated Budd Stainless Steel coach?

- Any advice for travelling on VIA 1 class? Booked on the 6:55 am out of Toronto. I am travelling from Toronto to Montreal (eastbound). My friend and I supposedly have seats on the right side of the train - is this the better side to be on. I was thinking this would give the most water views. What the chance that the seat numbers don't correspond to the right side of the car, as per car diagram (i.e. VIA turned the car at some point and it doesn't match car diagram per computer reservation system).

- We are situated in the middle of the car.

Will be in Montreal and then on the Ocean to experience the newly launched Easterly Class - which I had a heck of a time trying to book in October. Finally had to settle on the third week in October - which was not my first, second or third choice. I drove the reservation clerk nuts looking for space. I should have done some legwork online first, but didn't think it would be as difficult as it was. Glad to see they appear to be getting patronage on this new service launch.

jp1822 wrote:- I was told by the reservation clerk on the phone that only Renaissance equipment is assigned between Montreal and Quebec City, plus the Ocean of course. They don't operate Renaissance equipment on the Toronto - Montreal runs? So I will be on the VIA 1 renovated Budd Stainless Steel coach?

Not in daylight, no. The Enterprise is the only Montreal-Toronto train with Ren equipment, and that's ending soon.
Other Montreal-Toronto trains use Bombardier LRC or Budd (HEP2) cars. The stainless-steel cars have interiors that mimick that of an LRC.
There is also one train a day each way between Ottawa and Montreal that uses Renaissance cars.

jp1822 wrote:- Any advice for travelling on VIA 1 class? Booked on the 6:55 am out of Toronto. I am travelling from Toronto to Montreal (eastbound). My friend and I supposedly have seats on the right side of the train - is this the better side to be on. I was thinking this would give the most water views. What the chance that the seat numbers don't correspond to the right side of the car, as per car diagram (i.e. VIA turned the car at some point and it doesn't match car diagram per computer reservation system). (...)

This departure should be using LRC equipment, although in summer, it isn't unusual to see Via mix-and-match older and newer cars because of demand.
As for advice? Nothing really, except to say that if this is your first Via 1, you'll appreciate the level and quality of service. (At least it's been good in my experience.)
You will see water on the right-hand side, but the track isn't close to the St. Lawrence all the time. Usually, what you see as a car number is what you get.

jp1822 wrote:Will be in Montreal and then on the Ocean to experience the newly launched Easterly Class - which I had a heck of a time trying to book in October. Finally had to settle on the third week in October - which was not my first, second or third choice. I drove the reservation clerk nuts looking for space. I should have done some legwork online first, but didn't think it would be as difficult as it was. Glad to see they appear to be getting patronage on this new service launch.

I didn't realize that the new Easterly Class was operating so late in the season. I had assumed this was a summer-only service.

Indeed, Renaissance consists are the norm on the Montreal - Quebec City run. An LRC set could be substituted from time to time. It happened to me only once on four round-trips. The lounge (service car) is available only to VIA 1 passengers. If one is partial to a liqueur after dinner, this can be taken in the lounge instead of or in addition to your assigned seat. Seating in coaches and VIA 1 cars on this equipment is the same. The VIA 1 cars offer electrical outlets at the seats, but there are several Renaissance cars designated as VIA 1 which operate in coach service.

On almost all Toronto - Montreal trains, the VIA 1 cars operate at the front of the train. The reservation clerks can confirm that. Occasionally there is a last minute change and the car is reversed, but this happens rarely in my experience. The right-hand side, going east, is the better side for the reason suggested: lake views.

Most Montreal - Toronto trains use LRC equipment. The only ones to normally have stainless steel cars are #60 (ex Toronto at 11:30 a.m.), #57 (ex Montreal at 9:40 a.m.), #68 (ex Toronto at 6:35 p.m.) and #69 (ex Montreal at 6:15 p.m.) I do not recommend these trains for VIA 1 service due to the likelihood that you will get a "partially-renovated" car for your first class fare. Nine years ago, VIA converted three stainless steel coaches to first class. (They are # 4007, 4008, 4009.) They removed about 20 seats and spaced out the remainder. But they did not install the more plush VIA 1 seats. Nor did they put curtains on the windows. VIA keeps promising to renovate these, but nothing happens. The colour scheme is fine, but the coach seats are thinner and harder than those in the other VIA 1 cars. Most of the "real" VIA 1 stainless steel cars are used on the Skeena in the summer months. Last week I had to take one of those staibnleess steel trains to Montreal and was very lucky to have an LRC VIA 1 car on an otherwise stainless steel train.

The 6:55 a.m. departure from Toronto is not good value for money. You will get only breakfast. (My family prefer to have something suitable with which to toast the Queen's health!) We prefer a later train, on which there is better meal and beverage service; I recommend the 9:30 a.m. train. Detailed menus are shown on VIA's Web site. There are six menu rotations in each direction and they change on Wednesdays. Montreal - Quebec City trains serve the same menus in both directions as the food is stocked only in Montreal.

I recently travelled in VIA1 between Toronto and Ottawa. Great trip! Your should experience similar service.

Here's a link to my Trip Report:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 566#140566

Wouldn't one get breakfast on either the 6:55 a.m. or 9:30 a.m. out of Toronto, as the 9:30 a.m. arrives at 11:50 a.m. - both prior to a more appropriate "lunch serving?" I contemplated the 9:30 a.m., but then sacrificed an early wake-up for more time in Montreal. I'll try to check out the meal menus for further detail.

In VIA 1 from Toronto to Montreal, breakfast is only served on the first train out in the morning (no.s 52/652 - 6:55 weekdays, 7:45 Saturday). Meal service on the 9:30 departure (train 56), which is scheduled to arrive in Montreal at 14:26, offers the lunch/dinner menu selections. Service of alcoholic beverages is also included in the VIA 1 fare and begins at 11:00.

The menu selections for mid-late October are not yet posted at VIA Meals, but you should get an idea of what to expect from the earlier ones.

Also, as mentioned, the right or south side will have views of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River outside at certain points along the route, but the track runs mostly inland. There is a small chance that the cars will be run in the opposite direction to the diagrams and your seats would end up being on the left side.

Ken V wrote:In VIA 1 from Toronto to Montreal, breakfast is only served on the first train out in the morning (no.s 52/652 - 6:55 weekdays, 7:45 Saturday). Meal service on the 9:30 departure (train 56), which is scheduled to arrive in Montreal at 14:26, offers the lunch/dinner menu selections. Service of alcoholic beverages is also included in the VIA 1 fare and begins at 11:00.

Train 56 departing at 0930 offers an unadvertised bonus: a light continental breakfast. Although no tray is served, the attendants bring around linen napkins with stainless steel cutlery and a china plate. A selection of pastries is offered, along with juices (Tropicana) and tea or coffee. The same extra is offered westbound on train #57.

Interesting - I may re-consider! I got the arrival times in Montreal mixed up. The 6:55 gets in at 11:56 and the 9:30 a.m. gets in at 14:26, as someone else posted. I was in a daze and though the 9:30 got in at 11:56! I was getting ahead of myself with high speed service in Canada!

Are these trains still relatively on-time? I am more used to Amtrak. My more recent long distance train trips on Canada have typically been on-time or early!

I'd want to book some sort of city tour of Montreal. The earlier train would give me more of an option to do this, but I am going to start looking into tour options to see if I can do a late afternoon or early evening tour. That's about all I am really looking to get out of Montreal. Suggestions certainly welcome! I'll be on the Ocean to Halifax same day upon arriving into Montreal (Ocean leaves at 18:45 I believe).

Thanks for all the advice and tips!

PS - I did see the VIA 1 Stainless Steel Budd Equipment on the Skeena on my recent trip from Prince Rupert to Jasper. It was updated, but I could see it was somewhat worn out. I was in Totem Deluxe, and there were only 12 people booked in Totem class total that particular day. So we had the Panorama Car, the VIA 1 class coach and Park Car to roam through!

Most trains in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor are close to being on time. Some arrive early and a few arrive several hours late, or are bustituted, but most arrive within 30 minutes of the scheduled time.

There are several companies offering sightseeing tours of Montreal including Grey Line Tours and Viator

p.s. If you want to experience the real taste of Montreal, you have to try a true "Montreal Smoked Meat" sandwich at Schwartz's Deli. It's like a New York Pastrami, only ten times better .

marquisofmississauga wrote:Most Montreal - Toronto trains use LRC equipment. The only ones to normally have stainless steel cars are #60 (ex Toronto at 11:30 a.m.), #57 (ex Montreal at 9:40 a.m.)

What possible luck for me...

I booked a Moncton-Toronto trip, which I will be on in about two weeks. I purposely booked the Ocean for a day when the Budd set SHOULD be cycling through, and I was connected to #57 in Montreal.

Looks like the potential for an all-Budd trip is in my sights...I've missed those cars ever since Amtrak dumped their Heritage fleet here. I've already had an LRC round trip between Toronto and Ottawa back in 2004, and the Renaissance equipment, well that can wait for a future VIA trip....

Hope you enjoy your trip Silverliner II. Remember, the Budd cars on the corridor route are almost always HEP II which means they will look like LRCs on the inside. However, they may originally have been part of the Heritage fleet that Amtrak dumped.

If you have time in Toronto you may wish to take the Skywalk from Union Station to the Rogers Centre(Skydome). It goes over the tracks leading into the station and you can catch some GO and VIA action

WRH

WRH wrote:Hope you enjoy your trip Silverliner II. Remember, the Budd cars on the corridor route are almost always HEP II which means they will look like LRCs on the inside. However, they may originally have been part of the Heritage fleet that Amtrak dumped.

If you have time in Toronto you may wish to take the Skywalk from Union Station to the Rogers Centre(Skydome). It goes over the tracks leading into the station and you can catch some GO and VIA action

WRH

Thanks!

I'll have plenty of time. I'm in Toronto for a few days because of a streetcar excursion being sponsored by a group back here at home, so I'll be doing some major video on TTC, GO and VIA.

And I'll take my Budd cars any way I can get them, LOL!! I would have gone VIA-1 on the Corridor portion of my trip, but the budget wouldn't allow it, so it is coach all the way. But I will survive. If I can handle a 12-hour ride from Toronto to New York on the Maple Leaf, then Moncton to Montreal and then on to Toronto.....no sweat!

The Ocean leaves at 16:30.

AmtrakFan wrote:The Ocean leaves at 16:30.

Huh? If you're talking about the earlier posts about going from Montreal to Halifax, the Ocean is scheduled to depart Montreal at 18:30 (6:30 p.m.). If you're referring to the latest about travelling westbound from Moncton to Montreal, then the schedule says a 17:20 departure. The only other guess I have might be the arrival of #14 in Halifax at 16:20.