Rank the station ''types''

Via Rail operates a fair number of station style. IMO, if we are to separate Via's station, we would do this in 6 categories.

Big terminals: big stations that are used as a starting/ending point of more than 2 routes. IIRC, only Montreal and Toronto fall under this category. Technically, Ottawa would to, thanks to the Ottawa-Quebec route, but since that one passesd trhough MOntreal, it won't count.

Small Terminals: Terminal that are only used for one or 2 routes. Examples: Quebec City, Vancouver, Halifax, Churchill

Bigger station: Station that are not terminal, where a lot of people get in/out. These are usually staffed everyday. Example: Ste-Foy, Dorval, Moncton.

Smaller stations: Pretty much the same as above, except that these stations are not always staffed every day and are usually for routes outside the Ocean and the Corridor. Exemple: Shawinigan, La Tuque, Parent.

Hybrid: Stations that are both a terminal for a route, and ''simple stops'' for others. Examples: Ottawa, Winnipeg, Jasper.

Flag stop: stops that have no actual station, or that the station was demolished/closed down. Also used for most stops of the the routes outside the Ocean and the Corridor. Examples: Sanmaur/Weymont, Rivière-du-Loup, Grand-Mère.


Personally, if I was to rank them, it'd probably be something like this:

1-Smaller Stations
2-Flag Stop
3-Small Terminals
4-Biggger Stations
5-Hybrid
6-Big Terminals.


Despite my first 2 choice being probably the most inconvinient for many traveler, before I was 20, the only stations I traveled from (or to) were: Shawinigan, Grand-mère, Hervey, La Tuque, Sanmaur/Weymont and Casey (all on the Montreal-Senneterre line) all of which are either Flag stops or smaller stations (although, by my own standards, Shawinigan, Hervey and La Tuque would be bigger station 25 years ago,) so it's mainly nostalgic. I really like Quebec City and Halifax station, thus why I put Small Terminals in 3rd place. The only Bigger station I ever stopped to (disregarding my comments about Shawinigan, Hervey and La Tuque) are Ste-Foy and Moncton. Only been to Ottwa once (though I passed through it twice by taking a Toronto-Montreal train) which is why Hybrid is 5th. An last (and to be honest, least), the two biggest Terminal of Via Rail. I don't hate them. But I don't like them either. I have terrible sence of direction (at 27 years old, I still have trouble with my left and right) and thus these two station are too big for their own good IMO. Montreal ain't SO bad, considering the access point for every train are all next to each other, but Toronto? Took a train from there only twice, and both time, I got lost (and nearly missed my train the first time)


When you travel, what kind of station do you like? The smaller, but quiter small stations, or the arguably more convinient, but potentially confusing bigger ones? As someone who travel for fun, and not business, I prefer quiet/nostalgia over convinience