(VIA Rail issued the following news release on May 12.)
VANCOUVER — VIA Rail Canada’s Skeena service just moved a notch up the totem pole. From mid-May through mid-October, the most stunning time to travel through this region, passengers can choose from one of three classes of service, including Totem Deluxe Class. An upgrade from the premier Totem Class, the new service, introduced in the summer of 2003, allows passengers to reserve a seat in one of the newly acquired Panorama Dome Cars for the duration of their trip, at a cost of $50 per day. Totem Deluxe Class passengers will also enjoy other Totem Class amenities including regional cuisine served directly at your seat, exclusive access to the Park Car and their 360-degree scenic domes on the upper deck, and use of the Mural and Bullet Lounges.
Beginning next week, Skeena passengers can also look forward to an additional departure in each direction. Effective May 18th, 2004 a fourth departure will be added to the Skeena’s current thrice weekly, year-round service.
The scenery from aboard VIA Rail Canada’s Skeena service between Jasper, Alberta to Prince George and Prince Rupert, British Columbia, is so spectacular that passengers can’t miss it regardless of where they are seated. A two-day daylight journey through Canada’s Pacific Northwest and fjord country, the Skeena offers views of such spectacular sites as Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, the giant cedars and hemlocks that line the western slope of the mountain range, and British Columbia’s lush Skeena River Valley to Prince Rupert on the Pacific coast. And since the train covers the entirety of its 1160-kilometre journey during daylight hours – it stops in Prince George overnight — passengers won’t miss a single glimpse. Prince George, where the Skeena stops overnight, has a wide range of hotels from which to choose. Passengers must secure their own overnight accommodations in Prince George.
Some of the locales and events along the Skeena’s route include:
Jasper, Alberta attracts visitors from around the globe and is one of Canada’s most picturesque places. This year-round resort town offers a variety of activities from hiking and mountain biking in the summer to top-notch skiing and outdoor snow sports in the winter.
With awe-inspiring natural wonders like Maligne Canyon, Sunwapta Falls, Mount Edith Cavell and Miette Hot Springs, Jasper National Park contains some of the most remarkable landscapes in the world. The largest park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Jasper National is also a wildlife sanctuary perfect for viewing all kinds of animals in their natural habitats.
A drive south on the Icefields Parkway, one of the world’s most scenic routes will take you to two other spectacular national parks – Banff National Park and Yoho National Park – and into the village of Lake Louise. A resort featuring hiking, camping and mountain biking in the summer, as well as tremendous skiing and snowboarding in the winter months.
Prince George, where the Skeena stops overnight enroute between Jasper and Prince Rupert, is a beautiful city located in some of Canada’s densest forests. In addition to the over 100 parks that can be found within city limits, Prince George boasts of several fascinating museums, such as the Fraser Fort George Regional Museum, a hands-on natural history and science center featuring adventure theater, an in-depth history of the region’s human culture, and various other activities.
The last stop on the Skeena’s westward journey is the coastal city of Prince Rupert. Built in 1889, the Pacific Historic Fishing Village features tours and live performances that provide an entertaining look at life in a cannery village. The Museum of Northern BC houses artifacts from the region’s fur-trading history and exhibits the ancient and modern human histories of the region, including a detailed look at Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. Visitors to Prince Rupert also have the option of taking a day trip to the Khutzeymateen Valley, a wildlife refuge ideal for viewing grizzly bears and other spectacular animals.
Ferry service connections from Prince Rupert are also available south to Vancouver Island with BC Ferries and north to Alaska with the Alaska Marine Highway.
VIA is currently offering several seat sales to set your vacation plans in motion. For more information on “Senior’s Companion”, “Kids Travel Free” fares, please visit www.viarail.ca or call VIA at 1-888-VIA-RAIL (842-7245).
VIA Rail Canada is the national passenger rail service, connecting some 450 communities from coast to coast. Demand for VIA’s services has grown dramatically in recent years, as more Canadians turn to train travel as a safe, comfortable, reliable and cost-efficient alternative to congested roads and airports.