I use VIA1 in the corridor whenever I can. It's just soooo relaxing. And if boarding downtown or Guildwood and going to Ottawa (even Montreal), the time is very competitive with flying. To give you an example of the service offered, here's a trip-report I posted elsewhere about a Montreal>Quebec City trip last January.

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My VIA 1 ticket gave me access to the Panorama Lounge where I could wait for VIA #622 to Quebec City. Coffee, juice and newspapers are available and there is Wi-Fi Internet access....so I logged on and set up an account ($8.95/day) that I could also use later on the train. About a half hour before departure we were taken to the escalator and down to the train which boarded from Central’s high level platforms.

The train consisted of several of the new Renaissance cars led by a P42 locomotive. I’ve been on the Renaissance equipment before and really enjoy the smooth ride and the 2 & 1 seating. I had a single seat next to a large window in about the middle of the car. Before we were even underway the attendant passed around a basket of chips and snacks followed by a bar service: I had a Molson Canadian. When my ticket was taken the following menu was passed out for you to make your lunch selection

Appetizer
Tomato, asparagus, Feta, black olive tapenade
and black cracked pepper.

Main course
Roast Pork Tenderloin
seasoned with caraway seeds and Calvados sauce. Served with roasted apples, garlic mashed potatoes parsnips, carrots and asparagus.
or
Pan Seared Halibut
served with a creamy tarragon marinara sauce, saffron rice and green beans.
or
Agnolotti Stuffed with Roasted Artichoke
napped with rose sauce, garnished with roasted butternut squash and green peas.

Meals are served with a selection of bread.

Dessert
Praline Hazelnut cake.

Cold Plate Selection
Roasted Chicken Breast
served with tomato salad, cucumber and kalamata olive. Accompanied by Camembert cheese and crackers, and fresh fruits.

Leaving Montreal on time we were soon across the St. Lawrence River and up to a steady 95 mph through the South Shore. Just before the lunch service hot towels were given out to freshen up. Then the appetizer and a “bottomless” glass of wine. I had selected the Pork Tenderloin which was very good.

There had been a few snow flurries leaving Montreal but now a clear blue sky and the temperature had climbed to -15C as we rolled east to our first stop at Drummondville, an hour out of Montreal. After that I logged back onto the internet for a few minutes. Wi-Fi is available on nearly all trains in the corridor, in both VIA 1 and coach class.

There were a couple of rolling meets with CN freights and near Laurier I was now tracking us at 100 mph as we easily overtook the traffic on parallel Autoroute 20 that we followed for the next 20 miles to Charney. A quick stop here then over the St. Lawrence on the Quebec Bridge to Sainte-Foy. From there we were high on a cliff above the ice clogged river then made a wide loop west and north to arrive downtown at Gare du Palais. A beautifully restored station built in a French Chateau style.

Returning on Sunday evening there was a light snow falling that made for a nice atmosphere as I walked back to Gare du Palais through the old city. There was a good size crowd waiting for VIA #27. Again, my VIA1 ticket gave me access to the Panorama Lounge where I waited and had a coffee until we were led out to the train about 20 minutes before departure.

Before we were even moving on time at 17:35 the attendant had made the rounds with the bar cart and I was enjoying a “Sleemans” with some munchies. We made a quick stop at suburban Sainte-Foy and were soon across the St Lawrence and out along Autoroute 20. The light snow was slowing the traffic a bit but had no affect on us as I watched on my GPS as we climbed to 100 mph. I really enjoy running parallel to the expressways where we are easily overtaking everything (hoping the drivers take notice that there is a better alternative!)

Dinner service was next. The menu was the same but the Pork had been very good on the way up. And again, first the hot towel to freshen up, followed by the appetizer, wine and bread basket, the main course and finishing up with hazelnut cake for desert and coffee along with a chocolate truffle.

On the evening runs, an after-dinner liqueur is also served and it was nice to just sit back and look out at the small towns as we sped through after the fresh snow fall. A quick deceleration into Saint-Lambert then across the Victoria Bridge and a nice view of downtown Montreal as we wound into Central Station for an arrival a couple of minutes early at 20:40. A great trip. VIA-1 is certainly a First Class operation!