(CBC News circulated the following on December 1.)
TORONTO — It takes three days and three nights to travel from Toronto to Vancouver by train, but starting Dec. 2 that is going to change.
What Via Rail calls on its website “the ultimate Canada train trip,” The Canadian, is going to last 13 hours longer.
Starting Tuesday, the transcontinental train trip, which used to take 74 hours is now going to take 87.
“The difficulty has been in the past 10 years we’ve had a substantial increase in passenger freight services and it’s no longer possible to maintain a consistent schedule so we had to build time into the schedule,” said Joseph Volk Via’s director of international sales.
Volk says the change should also mean better connections with trains between Toronto and the East Coast.
Tourists leaving Toronto onboard The Canadian, such as Australian Liz Oliver who is travelling to Jasper, aren’t really sure if it’s a good thing, or a bad thing.
“I just always wanted to go on the train across Canada so we’re doing it. If it was longer I suppose it would be better. Well, we might mind after we’ve gone all the way,” she said.
Laura McGowan chose to take the train to Edmonton because she’s moving, “so I can have more baggage, heavier baggage, and I’m here with my mother and so we got special deals.”
And the prospect of a longer journey?
“I don’t think that would change my decision,” said McGowan, “I think I’d still take it.”
The new timetable means the trip will take longer than it did in 1945, when the engines were powered by steam.