(The following appeared on the Dallas Morning News website on September 25.)
DALLAS — With gas at $4 a gallon, tolls rising, suggested airport arrival times, the $25 bag charge, pillow charge, blanket charge, soda charge and the environmentally soul-searching burden of carbon footprints, Americans are rediscovering and falling in love with train travel?
Well, just like in the charming book The Little Engine That Could , more than 27 million travelers are taking to the rails and discovering that while Amtrak serves many destinations in the U.S., it also rolls over rails into Canada.
Last year, more than 102,000 visitors traveled by train from the U.S. to Canada. So instead of getting up every morning to an alarm clock warning to take the 8:15 into New York City, sit down in comfort on Amtrak’s Adirondack and roll into Montreal — a foreign land with a familiar but exotic culture — in time for dinner.
Not only does Conde Nast Traveler list the Adirondack first in the 10 most scenic and luxurious train trips in North America, but at $138 for two in coach (vs. the average $484 via plane), the Champlain and Hudson River valleys, as well as the stunningly beautiful wine country leading up to Montreal, have never been more appetizing.
Passengers can recline comfortably with foot rests and oversized windows. On a train there is no middle seat.
If you’re hungry, try the cafe/lounge Car for snacks and drinks.
One of Amtrak’s most famous trains for scenery is the Coast Starlight, also a Conde Nast Traveler top 10 pick, which travels between Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, and Seattle with a connection to Vancouver. The Coast Starlight offers sleeping car passengers extra amenities in the Pacific Parlor Car with snack services and an afternoon wine tasting.
All passengers can visit the dining car for hot meals ordered from the menu, or stop by the Sightseer Lounge Car for a bite and a panoramic view.
Other Amtrak train routes to Canada include the Amtrak Cascades that serves Eugene and Portland, Ore., Seattle and Vancouver (bring a bike along, watch feature movies and enjoy onboard music); the Maple Leaf from New York via Albany to Niagara Falls and Toronto; and the Adirondack from Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia or New York.
Amtrak, the national passenger railroad in the U.S., works hand in hand with VIA Rail in Canada for routes over the border.
Canada boasts one of the world’s best and most extensive rail systems ranging from the legendary Canadian, which traverses the country in historic 1950 stainless steel dome cars, sleepers, dining and observation cars, to rural lines into the wilderness to Churchill (land of the polar bears), to high-speed inter-city trains.
For itineraries on rail travel from the U.S. to Canada visit Amtrak Vacations, which specializes in rail travel to Canada, at www.amtrakvacations.com/canada; call 1-800-AMTRAK-2; or access VIA Rail at www.viarail.ca.