AlmostThere

You have might better success with using the
YTO or YBZ(code for Toronto Union station) rather than YYZ

ALW

Thanks, I actually was using the "Rail" tab at travelocity and gave it "Ottawa" and "Sarnia". It was travelocity that came up with the YYZ flight to Sarnia as a "commuter flight train". Sorry I didn't make that clear.

In the end (putting in four segments), travelocity's price was identical to VIA's site's.

andrew

Shareholder

Curiously, VIA's own online res system only shows YYZ, so I guess it common rates Guildwood and Union Station.

ALW

I guess it doesn't distinguish between the two, which makes sense since they don't sell tickets for local travel, but wouldn't there be potential for confusion if they thought no one wanted off (or on, eastbound) at Guildwood? Guess they just stop no matter what.

andrew

AlmostThere

When I booked my VIA tickets, way back when. It was either over the phone where I they used Guildwood. I prefered that stop as it is closer to my parent's house. Or once they made VIA was available on EAAsy Sabre I always booked mine with the start and point as Ottawa Station and Guildwood.
Trivia Point: In the early 90s. VIA had discounts for travel after 6:00pm on Sunday. The train to Ottawa left Union c5:50 pm. There often a lot of students(more than usual rabble) at the Guildwood platform because the train left there at c6:05.

mcott

Sorry about that! V is the class both ways. Whaen I try to price it Sabre gives the AC commuter train as well, so the connections have to be built manually. It doesn't seem to like to price with the AC segments.

MC

Shareholder

Here's another question related to VIA Rail.

I have travelled VIA1 twice up and back to Ottawa in the past few weeks, and do so several times a year now that I am back in central Canada. Living a few blocks from Union Station, I find it easier than trekking out to YYZ. And with a summer promotion from DinersClub offering an upgrade to VIA1 from a full fare Y ticket, very competitive with the lowest cost air ticket after all the fees and taxes are factored in: $199 on VIA1, $189 on TANGO or other discount carriers. [Most VIA discount fares are gone by the time I arrange my travels, so full fare is a given.]

One of the hold overs I find from the days of the old fashioned rail porter, has been the custom of tipping. I notice some people do this upon detraining, others don't. I suppose I look upon the role of the attendant who serves us on VIA1 to be similar to that of a Flight Attendant. It would never cross my mind to tip an FA on any airline, nor would they accept a gratuity. Were I on an overnight train, or a transcon, the role of the attendant/porter is quite different, and a tip might well be in order.

But this is not the case, it seems to me, on VIA1 short-haul.

Any thoughts about this? I assume attendants on VIA1 cars are unionized and receive a pay scale similar to that of domestic FAs. Am I wrong on assuming this?

And it's not as if I never tip when travelling. I always leave a few dollars for the housekeeper in a hotel, since I know these people are at the bottom of the pay scale. But VIA1 attendants?

David,Mississauga

I have noticed that most people do not tip the attendants in the Via 1 service. Being a traditionalist, I almost always do, as it was and still is the custom. These days, so many first class rail travellers are also frequent air passengers, so I guess it is not surprising that they equate the Via staff with airline FAs. However, I have noticed that on long distance trips, almost everyone tips their sleeping car attendant and also the dining car serving staff. I asked a Via manager recently about the pooling of tips in the dining car; apparently that tradition has continued and all the staff, right up to the chef, get a share.

billyeggs

I once got great service on a trip tokingston from union station in VIA-1. I had been travelling for about 20 hours (had come from europe, and had a zig-zag of flights as my original feeder flight was cancelled... longstory). The VIA-1 attendant noticed I was tired, and just seemed to always make sure everything was allright with me. I was very impressed with the service. He also unloaded my bags out of the train as I was a bit slow getting up in Kingston. I didn't really think about it at the time, but I tipped him a few dollars. I remember now my mother telling me this was common practice on the trains in the 50's and 60's.

ALW

Thanks to Globe Man for generous donation of the coupon. It came earlier this week and I passed it on to the friend who's travelling.

andrew