Via 1 -- free drinks??
 

I know some of you Aeroplan flyertalkers are well versed on Via1. If i may ask, does Via1 offer alcoholic drinks other then wine and liquers?

Would you recommend Via1 to Montreal knowing that I live only a 2 minute walk from the Toronto station and i'm in no rush to be anywhere?

Thank you for any help you may offer. And I would like to apologize in advance to those who may scold me for not searching back to 1901 for any relevant previous posting. :)

As I recall, they have some spirits as well.

It's a relaxing trip in Via 1, as long as you truly can cope with sometimes significant delays. If you take it, don't forget to sign up for their loyalty plan: Via Preference.

In Via 1 there is an electrical outlet for your laptop or music player (they also have WiFi access, either $9-10 for a day or a monthly plan).

I haven't taken the train in years, unfortunately. But when I did, the attendants in VIA 1 used to make me fantastic, very spicy Caesars. So there was definitely vodka! There was also beer and rye (or whiskey?).

Via1 is great; they have a pretty good selection of alcohol. I would take Via1 any day.

Delays on Via are not that bad -- no worse than flying for sure. The most I have been late is 15 minutes.

It used to be that delays were terrible, but things have improved significantly over the past few years.

The Mid-afternoon Train 64 at 3-10pm in the Fall is a wonderful way to Travel between Toronto and Montreal:)

Cocktails, Dinner with Wine, Gran Marnier and no security hassles.

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!

Very civilized way to travel. No booze in the Panorama lounge pre-boarding, but drinks are offered (after 11a) within half-hour of departure with lunch or dinner following an hour or so later (or later if you ask for a later service). Wine or beer served during meal and as noted, liqueur or similar drink during the coffee/dessert. I do find it is not protocol to request another drink later in the trip as one might on an airplane in business or even economy on international trips where free booze is on offer. Like you, I live a short walk to/from Union Station so much prefer VIA when heading off to Montreal or Ottawa.

I have never experienced a VIA train going 100 mph...lucky if they make it to 100 km per hour! Running time between Montreal and Quebec City is just under 3 hours and the distance covered is 272 kms, which is closer to my experience of just breaking 100 km per hour in short bursts. True, VIA advertises one express between Toronto and Montreal (539 km) with a travel time of 4 hours 16 mins, a bit over 100 km per hour. But 100 mph...miraculous, but then anything's possible in Quebec!

I believe crusing speed is between 110-120km/h.

VIA trains frequently reach speeds of 95 to 100 mph on the Toronto-Montreal-Quebec corridor. This can be easily confirmed even if you don't have a GPS. Simply time the distance between mile posts and divide the number of seconds into 3600. Of course this high (for Canada) speed can be maintained only for limited stretches. The speed limit signs can be observed from the trains. They are yellow signs with black lettering. There are usually two or three numbers. The lower number is the limit for freight, the top number(s) are for passenger trains. Only LRC or Renaissance trains can go 100 m.p.h., the few stainless steel trains in the corridor are limited to 95.

Only the new GE "Genesis" locomotives can reach 100 m.p.h. Actually they can go much faster, but CN tracks are not up to it. The older GM "F-40" locos are limited to 95 m.p.h. - and only those that were re-geared; the standard maximum for those units is 90.

Regarding on-board catering, regrettably it somewhat inconsistent. Some VIA 1 attendants are rather cheap with the the pre-meal drinks, although almost all are pretty good with the wine. It is acceptable to ask for a double, although some crew offer it without prompting. On longer runs, the drinks trolley may be brought by a second time before the meal or after it. A lot of this has to do with the number of stops and therefore the volume of passengers getting on and off. But on the 5:00 p.m. express, the attendants have lots of time to keep passengers from dehydrating.

Sorry, but VIA does run much faster than 100kmh (60mph) in the corridor (and that includes Ontario) Trains using the LRC & Renaissance equipment routinely reach speeds of 95 to 100 MPH. One stretch of 100 MPH running is where the tracks run parallel to Autoroute 20 west of Charny. Even The Canadian using the older cars will do 85 MPH across the prairies. Same for the Ocean: 85 MPH on some stretches between Charny and Riviere du Loup.

(BTW: Railways still use MPH in Canada)

Yes - it may not quite be European speeds, but in my experience the train moves MUCH faster than the 401 if you're leaving Toronto in the early evening.

If you're close to the station at either end, and can get the express train (they should have more of those!) it really doesn't work out much slower than flying by the time you add the trip to the airport, security lines, and all that.

And its much more comfortable.

Well... faster than Belgian speeds at least. ;)

... and probably Britain.

That being said, I believe cruising speed on between YMY and Toronto is higher than on XDS-YMY and Kingston-XDS, because the tracks are better maintained and/or made for higher speeds.

I live east of Toronto and when I fly I use Park N Fly. I find that a trip to Montreal, where I always seem to stay within 5 minutes walk or cab of the train station, is distinctly quicker by train, if I get the semi express (I get on at Oshawa, so can't complain too much about milk runs.) I like the my-car-to-my-seat experience a lot more on the train, too.