VIA 1 and Ocean trip experience

Enjoyed my trip, overall, from Toronto out to the Maritimes. And of course enjoyed my stay in the Halifax and coastal regions of Nova Scotia.

As for VIA 1 - it was ok. Its comparable to Acela Express 1st class, but I like the seating better in Acela Express 1st class. I did have a HEPII trainset for my trip from Toronto to Montreal on the Saturday. Not sure if the LRC would have made my experience a different rating or not. As for the route between Toronto and Montreal - hate to say this but I'd rather have a travel at night option Bring back the Enterprise! I know they say the Enterprise just did not have the patronage, but when ever I took it - it was filled. Course that was mostly on days when it connected with the Canadian. There were a couple of scenic spots,on the Toronto to Montreal run, but that was about it. I was surprised on how rural it was between Toronto and Montreal.

As always the VIA crew was superb on both the corridor train between Toronto and Montreal and my ride out to the Maritimes on the Ocean.

My trip on the Ocean was great. The Renaissance equipment was as I remembered it from being on the Enterprise - compact. But overall, I do miss the Budd stainless steel equipment that plied the route to the Maritimes. I was booked in Easterly Class and without the Park Car on the rear for lounge/observation, this would be a tough trip for me.

In the off season with just bedroom and those Renaissance service cars, which do not have enough seating in them (despite some upgrading on the seat material) it would not be as enjoyable. Course if VIA had the money - that'd be a different story.

The crew said they have been enduring a lot of comments (mostly negative) on the newer Renaissance equipment over the more spacious Budd stainless steel cars. But I think people will adapt to the Renaissance cars in the Maritimes. Course those that never experienced the Budd Stainless steel cars probably wounldn't complain, and all Easterly Class passengers enjoyed the Park Car!

The Renaissance sleepers were indeed made for a route where passengers could board in the late evening and get off in the morning.

But VIA has made comprimises, as the TRAINS magazine article points out (latest issue). People use the Ocean for different purposes and VIA is trying to meet those customer's needs. The three classes of service (coach, comfort sleeper, easterly sleeper) make this train unique and something Amtrak may be able to learn from.

But better lounge space is certainly needed for the Renaissance equipment for the Ocean - other than tacking on a Park Car. More seating, window space etc. The decorations added in the sleepers, diner and transition car (between Renaissance and Park Car) of the Ocean trainsets are a really nice touch VIA did.

And the Learning Coordinator was great. I would definitely recommend this train to others. I just wish they still had the overnight option between Toronto and Montreal.

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip on Via. I also hope you'll forward your comments on your Via to the company so Via can further improve the Ocean. They appear receptive to customer feedback. Hopefully, if more people complain about the lack of lounge space/seating, they might do something about it ...

I agree with downbeat.

VIA is really receptive to customer feedback - both good and bad - because they're obviously concerned with constantly improving service.

Considering that the Easterly class is a fairly new venture for them, I'm sure that this kind of information may perhaps bring some fruit.

(I know - isn't Easterly class fantastic??)

Not everyone dislikes the Renaissance equipment. I'm not going to give it a rave review because my wife and I can no longer have the luxury of a drawing room (triple bedroom in modern VIA terminology) and have to book two separate bedrooms so we can each have a lower. But those who normally travel alone in a roomette are quite pleased to have a relatively spacious room with separate toilet and, in six of every ten rooms, a private shower. The surcharge for single use of a double room vs per person double is quite modest compared to what it is on traditional sleepers where the option of a roomette is available. I have met several people on board the Ocean who love Renaissance. The downside of having only double rooms, of course, is that there are no ecomomical open sections which were quite popular on this route. I certainly agree that the non-Eastlery Class consist without the Park car isn't much fun. I did that in February and doubt that I will travel in off-season again unless I have a pressing reason to do so.

VIA is offering members of the VIA Preference programme a fantastic deal with points in Easterly Class. Those at the bottom and middle level are being given three times the usual number of points, whilst those at the top (Premier) level get a bit more than triple, namely ten points per dollar spent. The maximum fare (single occupancy of a deluxe double) from Montreal to Halifax and return is $946. The 9460 points thus earned are just a bit short of getting you two Easterly Class trips in a non-deluxe bedroom or if you add a few hundred points from your accumulation you can go deluxe. There are many other possible award trips that are of a value considerably higher than what is paid for this trip. For example, you could take a Winnipeg - Churchill round trip (four nights in a sleeper) and a Toronto - Quebec trip in VIA 1 of a total value of about $1800 and still have some points left. I wasn't planning on riding the Ocean this summer, but with this deal I can't afford not to.

If I had to travel with another person on my recent trip on the Ocean (Montreal to Halifax), I also would have debated getting two rooms. Granted - most of my time was spent in the Park Car (Easterly Class), but if I had to go Comfort Sleeper, or in the off season - again two rooms would have to be considered. And I was constantly ducking in the hallways, so the compact nature of these cars is apparent.

I travelled the Enterprise a few times, before discontinuance, in a double deluxe with my girlfriend, friend and even my father. The later was a more difficult travel companion experience, but it was merely an overnight and then a transfer to the Canadian next morning. That's what these Renaissance sleepers were designed for - board late evening, get off early morning.

By the way, not having the Enterprise cost me an extra travel day that I would have liked to have had in Halifax. Instead, as per original posting, I had to take a day-time corridor train, which I hadn't done in a while so it was kinda nice. But the route, for me, was best served on an overnight run. Just too bad it didn't appear viable to VIA (i.e. the Enterprise).

Is the Ocean running only with Rennaissance equipment this summer, or is there still one stainless steel trainsetin operation? If so, does anybody know the dates this runs, or where I can find that information from? Thank you

Currently, Via is using only Renaissance equipment on the Ocean. A stainless-steel consist might return in the fall and winter seasons, according to Via's online reservation system.

In the entire Renaissance fleet, there's only three dining cars. So if one of these cars needs to go in for serious repairs, I imagine, you'd see the return of a stainless steel (Heritage) trainset.

Course all the food prep is done in the adjacent service cars, so something mechanical would have to happen to take these diners out of service - I would imagine. I also heard the same - that they will likely rotate a stainless steel trainset in during the fall/winter months for Renaissance trainset servicing.

VIA's pretty flush with stainless steel (Heritage) cars now that the Renaissance equipment took over their routine for the Ocean and Montreal-Quebec corridor service. More cars for the Canadian, Hudson Bay and Chaleur! Plus, VIA is keeping a trainset in reserve at Vancouver to ensure on-time departures of the eastbound Canadian.

jp1822 wrote: I also heard the same - that they will likely rotate a stainless steel trainset in during the fall/winter months for Renaissance trainset servicing.

On my recent round trip on the Ocean the service managers confirmed that the one stainless steel set will operate as it did prior to this year's all-Renaissancce season that started at the beginning of May. When I last checked, Reservia showed this stainless steel set in service until next spring. I was advised that this is not likely to be the case and VIA wants to revert to an all-Renaissance fleet as soon as practical.

So if anyone wants a cheap double bedroom for his/her own use on Renaissance, book a roomette or even a berth on what is being sold as a Budd-equipped train for some considerable time away - April, for example. This can backfire, of course, so make sure you book something you will be comfortable with just in case.

I have twice had a good deal when the opposite switch occurred: the expected Ren. equipment was replaced with a Budd consist. I had booked single occupancy of a Ren. double room and when the equipment was changed I was offered a roomette with a small refund or a Budd double room at no extra charge. Single use of a Budd double bedroom costs 50% more than a roomette or the per person double occupancy rate (the same thing) but because there are no single rooms on Renaissance, the surcharge is a mere 15%. I chose the double room option as I am tired of being cramped in a roomette. The Budd doubles have the benefit of a wider and more comfortable bed, but the Ren. rooms offer private showers in 6 of every 10 rooms and a sofa for day use which is better for hosting a cocktail party than the two chairs in the Budd sleepers.