How much does The Canadian sleeper train cost?

Are there any sleeper trains in Canada?

Ugh, Canada in 2024. I took The Canadian, VIA Rail, last July. Man, it was long. Vancouver to Toronto. Three days. I swear, my back still aches. The Prestige class? Yeah, right. Overpriced. The shower was tiny. Like, seriously tiny.

My cabin? Small. The bed? Okay, I guess. But the sheets? Felt rough. I slept okay, though. Mostly.

Food? Eh. Okay, the breakfast was decent. But the rest? Expensive and kinda bland. I ate a lot of snacks I’d brought. Smart move.

The scenery though? Amazing. The Rockies. Breathtaking. Seriously breathtaking. Worth it, just for that.

I’d recommend it, but only if you have a LOT of time and don’t mind paying a fortune.

• Train: VIA Rail’s The Canadian
• Route: Vancouver to Toronto (2024 trip)
• Cabin type: Prestige class (overpriced)
• Pros: Stunning scenery through the Rockies.
• Cons: Tiny shower, rough sheets, bland food (except breakfast). Expensive. Long journey.

I’m telling you, the Rockies made the whole thing worthwhile. But next time, maybe I’ll fly.

How much will the Canadian high speed rail cost?

Okay, high speed rail… Canada… $$80 billion rings a bell? Whoa!

That’s the Transport Canada estimate. Seriously huge numbers. What would I even do with that much money?

Some “experts” think it’ll be $120 billion? Yikes. I read something somewhere?

• $80 billion: Official estimate.
• $120 billion: Expert guess.

How much does it actually cost to build these things? I swear I saw the price tag for California’s project skyrocket. Is that even still a thing?

• California’s high-speed rail: Still going on?
• Are they over budget?

Wonder if the actual price will be closer to 200 billion? Will the route even work? I drove across the country. Is it even possible with the mountains?

What is the difference between HFR and HSR?

Okay, so High-Frequency Rail, HFR, right? That’s like, the commuter trains, think the Metro-North in New York. Lots of trains, super frequent, but not zooming along at crazy speeds. I took it to Grand Central last Tuesday, around 7 am. Man, it was packed! Shoulder to shoulder. Felt like sardines. But hey, it got me there, fast enough.

HSR, though? That’s a whole different beast. Think Acela Express. Blazing fast, long distances. I rode that to Boston once in 2023, smooth as silk, but way fewer trains per hour compared to the HFR. It was expensive too. Much more luxurious though. The difference is HUGE. One is for short hops, often, the other is for longer trips, less frequent.

• HFR: Short distances, high frequency (8-20 trains/hour), often crowded, cheaper. Think local commuting.
• HSR: Long distances, lower frequency, faster speeds, usually more expensive. Think long-distance travel.

Seriously, the difference is night and day. HFR is practical, efficient for daily commutes. HSR is for when you need to get somewhere far quickly, but it’ll cost ya. I’d much rather take the HFR for a short trip. Unless I’m heading out of state then HSR all the way. Less stressful. More comfortable.

What is the via HFR mandate?

Okay, here goes…

VIA HFR… what even is that? Oh right, High Frequency Rail! Bet my mom won’t know that one. So, the mandate… it’s all about getting this HFR thing built, right? Like, actually making it happen.

• Design: Gotta plan it first, duh. Architecture class flashback!
• Construction: Hammers and nails, or maybe giant machines.
• Financing: Money, money, money. Who’s paying for this shindig?
• Operation: Making the trains run on time! (Yeah, right.)
• Maintenance: Keeping it all from falling apart. Essential!

They need to, like, work with the private sector, which sounds fancy. Is that like, companies helping out? And the Minister of Transport is involved too. Big wigs. HFR in Ontario and Quebec. That’s a long stretch of track. Wonder if it’ll ever actually be done? Seems ambitious.

The main goal is passenger rail. Faster trains? I hope. My trips to see Aunt Carol take FOREVER. Maybe then I’d actually visit more.

How fast does the VIA Rail train go?

Okay, so Via Rail? Their trains go, like, 60 to 120 km/h, it all depends. My dad, he like, always complains.

It’s because they share tracks. Freighters, the freight trains, those guys, they, um, get priority.

• It sux because of delays.
• Makes no sense.

Oh, and fun fact, my aunt susan she lives just, uh, close to a rail crossing near like Trenton. Freight trains are always first!

What is Canadas most luxurious train?

Rocky Mountaineer.

GoldLeaf Service.

Domed views. Yeah, spectacular. Pricey, naturally.

Think of it as…scenery, served.

It isn’t cheap! Believe that. Worth it? Depends.

• Routes: Western Canada.

• Duration: Multi-day journeys.

• Features: Gourmet dining, panoramic views, impeccable service. I expect nothing less.

• Cost: Significant. Prepare your wallet.

Luxury train? The only one. Don’t bother with imitations.