Chantal Agius - Rail Europe
Chantal Agius - Rail Europe
Chantal Agius - Rail Europe
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<strong>Chantal</strong> <strong>Agius</strong><br />
<strong>Rail</strong> Plus Australia<br />
I was one of a few lucky rail agents from around the world to<br />
be selected to experience Amtrak and Via <strong>Rail</strong>, train travel<br />
across the USA and Canada. The whirlwind trip started in<br />
Los Angeles and ended in Washington DC, via Vancouver,<br />
Kamloops, Edmonton, Montreal and New York over 10<br />
days.<br />
LOS ANGELES<br />
I landed in Los Angeles the day before meeting up with the<br />
others. First thing to do was make my way to my hotel. I had<br />
never been to LA before, but knew of the FlyAway shuttle<br />
service that goes to Union Station and knew I had booked a<br />
hotel near the station. The FlyAway bus stop is colour coded<br />
green and with multiple stops it is outside most exits of the<br />
airport. The service runs every half an hour and takes<br />
around 30-45 minutes. The cost was $7 which you pay at a<br />
ticket booth on arrival at Union Station. They don't take<br />
cash.<br />
After arriving at Union Station I connected onto the metro<br />
service to Little Tokyo, 1 stop away where my hotel was.<br />
Metro tickets are $1.50 for one way trips or $5.00 for an all<br />
day pass valid on most metro trains and buses. They don't<br />
need to be swiped in or out of the station; just every now<br />
and then an attendant and the station will check them. The<br />
metro was frequent, easy to use and took you to places<br />
such as Santa Monica and Hollywood.<br />
COAST STARLIGHT (Los Angeles – Seattle)<br />
The next morning it was back to Union Station to meet the<br />
lovely group of people I'd be spending the next 10 days with,<br />
to travel on the Coast Starlight train<br />
to<br />
Seattle.<br />
The station is very well signed, so<br />
it's easy to figure out where to go<br />
for Amtrak or the Metro. There are<br />
many attendants at the station, one<br />
who even saw me looking around<br />
with luggage in hand and asked if I was lost and needed<br />
help!<br />
We checked in our luggage for the train and took our carry<br />
on with us. It's a 35 hour train so you want to make sure you<br />
take a carry on otherwise as you won't have any access to<br />
your<br />
luggage.<br />
After being driven on a buggy around the station and up the<br />
platform we were shown to our sleepers. We travelled in<br />
Roomettes, which are cosy sleepers suitable for 1 or 2<br />
people. The day configuration is 2 large and comfy seats<br />
facing each other. At night the 2 seats turn into a bottom<br />
bunk, and a bed pulls down from the wall above to make the<br />
top bunk. Little extras such as coat hangers and a bag with<br />
toiletries are provided. Food is included in the price of the<br />
roomettes. Each roomette has a curtain and a door, or if you<br />
wish you can leave it open and chat to the people in the<br />
next roomette. When you're ready to leave the room, those<br />
in sleeping cars have access to a Pacific Parlour car, which<br />
offers a coffee and bar service, wine and cheese tasting and<br />
an onboard theatre playing 2 movies a day. A sightseeing<br />
car provides panoramic windows with seats facing these<br />
windows so is perfect for capturing photos of the<br />
spectacular scenery and enjoying the Californian<br />
sunshine. The wine and cheese tasting was great fun and<br />
complimentary. It was a great way to meet people, and we<br />
were given 5 different wines as well as 3 different cheeses<br />
and chocolate to taste.<br />
The meals provided were delicious and offered a range of<br />
vegetarian, seafood, meat and healthy options. Non<br />
alcoholic beverages and the meals are complimentary for<br />
sleeping car passengers. The cabin attendant comes<br />
around to your cabin to reserve your seats for dinner, and<br />
then calls you when it’s time to head to the dining car.<br />
During dinner the cabin attendant made up our beds, so<br />
when we got back we were ready to curl up with a book and<br />
let the rocking put us to sleep. I woke up 8 hours later to the<br />
cascades out my window. We headed to breakfast where<br />
we were served again by John; a man who you knew loved<br />
his job just from the enthusiasm in his voice. In fact, all the<br />
staff on this train had the same genuine enthusiasm and<br />
professionalism. A fresh omelette and 2 coffees later, it was<br />
time to head back to the room for a day of reading, relaxing<br />
and watching the views.<br />
Lunch in the Parlour is quite special, with a different,<br />
gourmet menu from the dining car and proper white linen on<br />
the tables.<br />
THRUWAY BUS (Seattle – Vancouver)<br />
8pm arrived and we were at the last stop, Seattle. Luggage<br />
is collected inside the station just like at an airport. If you are<br />
continuing to Vancouver on the bus, you just need to go out<br />
the opposite door of the station and the bus stop is there.<br />
The bus is comfy, with reclining seats, a reading light and a<br />
TV.<br />
When arriving at the US/Canadian border, we pulled up to a<br />
small building, and went through customs. As it was late<br />
evening and quiet, the process was quick and we were back<br />
on our way to Vancouver, BC to the luxurious Hyatt<br />
Regency.<br />
VANCOUVER<br />
The following morning we were up bright and early for a day<br />
of sightseeing. We visited Vancouver’s answer to Central<br />
Park, called Stanley Park and the famous Grouse Mountain,<br />
where we saw our first bear while on a chair lift ride over the<br />
mountain. We continued towards one of North America’s<br />
most spectacular suspension bridges, the Capilano<br />
Suspension Bridge. We were in for a major adrenaline rush<br />
crossing the bridge, 137 metres long and suspended 230<br />
feet above the Capilano River. The bridge swayed as we<br />
moved and looking down was a little daunting, however<br />
every one of us gave it a go and made it to the other side<br />
with no regrets! There are other attractions at the park to be<br />
enjoyed, the Treetops Adventure, and the new Cliffwalk – a<br />
Cliffside walkway with viewing of the rainforest.<br />
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER (Vancouver – Kamloops)<br />
The next morning we arrived at the Rocky Mountaineer train<br />
station bright and early for an 8am departure on one of the<br />
most famous trains in the world. We were travelling on day 1<br />
of the Rocky Mountaineer, from Vancouver to Kamloops.<br />
Most travellers will continue onto the 2 nd day to Banff or<br />
Calgary.<br />
Shortly after being farewelled outside the carriage by the<br />
station staff, the onboard staff welcomed us all with a toast<br />
(of orange juice). We were in Silver Leaf, the middle, and
new level of service, between Red Leaf and Gold Leaf.<br />
Shortly after breakfast was served - a warm blueberry<br />
muffin, fruit and a Canadian favourite which I tried for the<br />
first time - French toast with bacon and maple syrup. Tea,<br />
coffee and juice were also offered.<br />
As we headed toward the Rockies we sat back, relaxed and<br />
listened to the wonderful on board attendant’s<br />
commentaries about what we were seeing. They were very<br />
knowledgeable and interesting, and I heard a lot of laughter<br />
coming from the passengers talking to them.<br />
We watched the amazing scenery change through our<br />
panoramic windows and didn’t need to leave our seats as<br />
lunch was served to us. The choices were delicious, and in<br />
Silver Leaf a complimentary glass of wine or beer is<br />
included.<br />
Upon arriving in the evening at Kamloops, things couldn’t be<br />
simpler. We were given our hotel room keys, a transfer bus<br />
was waiting outside our train carriage to take us to our hotel,<br />
and once we got up there our luggage was waiting for us<br />
inside our rooms. It was completely stress free and very well<br />
organised.<br />
THE CANADIAN (Kamloops – Edmonton)<br />
The following morning we departed Kamloops for<br />
Edmonton, Alberta on The Canadian train. Although we<br />
were only travelling on one part of this journey, the train<br />
travels from Vancouver in the West to Toronto in the East,<br />
two of Canada's biggest and most famous cities. This 4<br />
night journey is on the bucket list of many.<br />
After departing in the early morning, and arriving late the<br />
evening before, we were desperate for a snooze. We were<br />
lead to our upper and lower birth accommodation. As we<br />
were travelling during the day, the beds were folded down to<br />
spacious seats which easily would fit 2 people, and we were<br />
asleep within 10 minutes of lying down. We were devastated<br />
to miss out on breakfast as I was eyeing off the banana<br />
pecan pancakes when I saw the menu, however the sleep<br />
was needed. At night time these seats would be converted<br />
to upper and lower beds, with a thick curtain to provide<br />
complete privacy. Alternatively these trains also offer private<br />
cabins.<br />
There was a dining car for all our meals, which are included<br />
for all sleeping car passengers. Having meals included is<br />
fantastic. You can choose anything you want from the menu<br />
without thinking about the cost, and besides alcoholic<br />
beverages there’s no need to spend any precious spending<br />
money on board the train. The food was wonderful and<br />
fresh, and all reservations for dining was organised by the<br />
dining car staff.<br />
Although 4 nights may sound like far too long to be on a<br />
train, time would fly with everything the train has to offer,<br />
including the dining car, with 360 degree views on an upper<br />
observation deck, 2 lounges and a little cafe. VIA <strong>Rail</strong> do<br />
allow 1 free stopover in either Kamloops, Jasper, Edmonton<br />
or Winnipeg so you can break the journey down this way if<br />
you prefer. This is a train I will be back to do in full one day.<br />
We arrived into Edmonton late in the evening and went<br />
straight to sleep to get ready for our flight to Montreal the<br />
following day.<br />
MONTREAL<br />
Our hotel, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth was part of the<br />
train station complex. Montreal Station is amazing. I<br />
eventually walked so far into the huge shopping complex<br />
that is part of the station that it took me close to an hour to<br />
find my way back to the hotel! After a very satisfying<br />
afternoon of shopping, we explored the amazing French<br />
flavoured city, where you will be greeted with both a bonjour<br />
and a hello so it can be distinguished which language you<br />
want to speak in.<br />
ADIRONDACK (Montreal – New York)<br />
The next morning we were all buzzing with excitement ...as<br />
we were headed to NYC! We boarded the Adirondack<br />
service at 9:30am, ready for the 11 hour or so journey<br />
ahead of us. As it’s a day train, there are comfortable<br />
reclining seats rather than sleepers. Time flew by as we<br />
settled in and got stuck in our books. There is a cafe car on<br />
board where you can eat food purchased at the snack bar.<br />
Once we arrived at the Canadian/US border, officials came<br />
on board and checked our passports and arrival cards that<br />
we were provided. We didn't need to leave the train, it was a<br />
simple process.<br />
After finishing our books and excitedly spotting a beaver at<br />
one of the stops, we arrived right into the heart of New York<br />
City. Penn station is underneath Madison Square Garden, in<br />
the heart of Manhattan. The perfect location for exploring<br />
the city, only a few minutes to the famous Times Square.<br />
ACELA EXPRESS (New York – Washington DC)<br />
The following day after a morning of sightseeing around one<br />
of the most amazing cities in the world, (including stumbling<br />
upon the taping of one of my favourite New York based TV<br />
shows!) we headed back to Penn Station for the final train<br />
on our journey, the Acela Express from New York City to<br />
Washington DC. This is an easy and low stress way to get<br />
between NYC and Washington DC, and definitely the most<br />
popular. As in a lot of places around the world, the train<br />
stations were right in city centre so it’s simple to get to and<br />
from them, unlike the airports in both cities which are quite<br />
far out. The full route of this service is Boston – New York –<br />
Philadelphia – Washington DC, all must see cities on the<br />
east coast of America.<br />
This train especially suits the business traveller – with free<br />
Wi-Fi, power sockets, and even a ‘Quiet Car’ where being<br />
noisy is not allowed! We travelled in Business Class and as<br />
seating is not assigned we got on early to get 2 x 2 seats<br />
facing each other with a table in between. A delicious<br />
chicken Panini (USD$7.50) and chocolate cookie<br />
(USD$2.50) later, and we had almost arrived. Acela also<br />
has First class, which is an upgrade from Business Class.<br />
First Class passengers are treated to a meal and beverage<br />
at their seat and extra comfy seats.<br />
We arrived at Washington DC’s Union Station only 3 hours<br />
later.
Travelling across the US and Canada by train has made me<br />
even more sure that trains are by far the most easy,<br />
interesting and comfortable way to travel.