VIA Rail Special Fares

PRESS RELEASE:

Between Toronto-Montreal or Toronto-Ottawa
Travel in VIA-1 Class for $139

From now until June 18, 2006, pay no more than $139 (before taxes) in VIA 1 class for travel in either direction between Toronto-Montréal and Toronto-Ottawa.

Let our summer savings open new possibilities for better business travel during the week... and exciting getaways on the weekend!

Add a little VIA 1 class to your travel!

VIA 1 class offers all the perks you expect from first class travel, including exclusive access to our in-station Panorama lounges and spacious on-board seating, providing you with plenty of room to move, stretch or work. A selection of delicious meals included in the price of your tickets and pay-per-use wireless Internet access give you more freedom to enjoy your train travel... at your own pace.

How to book your discounted tickets today!

To get the special fare, reserve your VIA 1 tickets at least one day in advance. Tickets may be purchased online on our web site, or through our Telephone Sales Office at 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245) or 1 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired). If your travel agent is booking on your behalf, he/she should book online on VIA's web site in order to obtain this special fare.

The number of seats available on this promotional discount are limited, so book now!

Wireless Internet: travel with no limits

VIA is also offering a half-price one-way fare on trips of under 3 hours in the Quebec City - Windsor corridor on Saturdays.

VIA RAIL wrote:From June 3 to September 9, 2006 inclusive, travel on Saturdays in the Québec City-Windsor corridor and save 50 % in Comfort class (economy) on one-way trips where the adult regular fare is $76 or less

For details see the website.

Seems every time I book my trip to Canada, some special fare comes out and I miss out on it.

This time I booked prior to the discounts they are offering for travel in VIA 1 Class and the 33% discount they are booking for adult fares on the Ocean. Then to put the icing on the cake, Air Canada just sent me a listing with "hot deals" and I note my flight to Toronto could have been a $100 cheaper.

This trip will occur the end of May, so I just got done booking everything last week. Then the specials came out. And this is late for me in booking such a trip! Oh well!

I don't know if this applies to you, but it may be worth checking out:

From the conditions on the VIA 1 for $139 offer:
If you already have tickets issued under another promotion or fare plan and wish to exchange them for new tickets to benefit from the discount available under this offer, any service charges applicable to your original purchase will be collected before your new tickets are issued.

1 888 VIA RAIL (1 888 842-7245)

I appreciate the tip on taking advantage of these fare discounts. VIA completely reimbursed my original charge and re-booked me at the discounted rates (got same seats and bedrooms back with the re-booking). They didn't charge me an exchange fee. Some how I got around it - and saved over $200!

JP: That's fantastic! Happy travels!

I am on the 11:30 a.m. Saturday train from Toronto to Montreal, travelling in VIA 1 Class. What type of equipment should I expect? Definitely not Renaissance (as those coaches run more out of Montreal) right? So I assume it will either be a stainless steel Budd trainset or LRC? What is the seating like? There is no lounge car if either of these trainsets are used right? Just meals provided at seat etc.

You're right - Renaissance cars are mostly used for travel east of Montreal. You should be riding in a HEP car, which is apparently not that different from the Renaissance cars. You're also right about the lounge cars - there are none in that VIA 1 car - but that class is so comfy, I don't think you'll notice.

The VIA Rail website does have some info about their train cars, but if you have questions, give their customer service agents a call at 1 888 VIA RAIL.

Thanks! Looking forward to my upcoming trip!

The 11:30 trip from Toronto to Montreal should be equipped with HEP2 stainless steel cars -- barring any changes to the equipment cycle. These cars are stainless steel on the outside but the interior looks like LRC cars.

downbeat wrote:The 11:30 trip from Toronto to Montreal should be equipped with HEP2 stainless steel cars -- barring any changes to the equipment cycle. These cars are stainless steel on the outside but the interior looks like LRC cars.

Regrettably there are three stainless steel VIA 1 cars which, unlike the other seven, were not properly coverted from coaches several years ago. At first glance they look just like the coaches in that they have the same coach seats unlike the more plush first class ones and there are no curtains on the windows. Once you sit down, however, you will realise they are otherwise first class cars. The all-important leg-room is there, there are electrical outlights beneath the seats, the roomy four-seaters are there as is the coat-rack and most important of all: the meal and bar trolleys. But nonetheless I always feel cheated getting these, especially if it a sunny day when the lack of curtains is a nuisance.

In response to my complaint, VIA says these three cars will be refurbished this year. There is a very good chance of getting one of these on the 11:30 departure. Most of the "real" stainless steel first class cars are out west for the Skeena service.

marquisofmississauga wrote: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.

As part of the 10th anniversary of the VIA Preference Program there are many special deals availalable, including automatic level upgrades for members who wouldn't otherwise qualify. Most of these are not advertised and, unfortunately, are only available to those who have been members for all ten years.