This is going to take some getting used to. If one thinks the first night on a Canada Rail train is a gentle, soothing lullaby of track rumble and slow rocking, reset those expectations. Think instead of jerks and screeches, shakes and bumps, starts and stops. Or that, at least, is how we absorbed the experience. As I write this just after we departed Jasper, Alberta, Frances is taking a much needed nap. She even had the Murphy bed lowered in the cabin to ensure a good rest. I’m on the observation deck, enjoying the lakes, forests and foothills of this part of Alberta and, of course, writing these notes. The nap can wait.
But let us back up a day to Vancouver. We decided to walk with our luggage from the hotel to the train station. I know; we just spent hundreds of dollars on a hotel room and here we are avoiding an Uber or taxi charge of probably ten dollars. But the route was only a bit over a mile, the weather delightful, and the luggage reasonably light. (We each have a carry-on and a backpack.) I must say that we appreciated the handicap ramps between sidewalks and streets and there was a fortuitous elevator at the only place of changed elevation.
Train 2 Car 31 Cabin A
We have been assigned a “prestige class” cabin, which means, mostly, that our cabin has a double bed, the above mentioned Murphy bed. When down, there is about 20 inches of room remaining between the bed and the entry area. The bathroom has a tight shower and a sink only about 5 inches front to back. I couldn’t lean far enough over the sink to accurately spit out my toothpaste into the basin. Still, at least the shower and the toilet were not a single shared enclosure as they were when we rode the Ghan in Australia. Along with the cabin is access to a car with a bar area, a lounge and the observation deck. We share a dining car with the next class of service, those with bunks. There are several more classes, including cabins for singles and those riding in conventional seats. It’s a long train for a passenger train, with about 25 cars.
I should add that storage is limited and tight in the cabin. Our carry-ons had to be opened to fit under the bed. Storage compartments can be measured in single digits of inches. Clothes for the next morning need to be taken out and stored before the bed is lowered. Generally, there is no room to unpack.
I’m sounding too negative here, I know. The pluses are as one could hope. The food has been excellent (all meals are on board), the service friendly and attentive, and, for our class, the beverages are included. When I asked for a single malt scotch, a bottle of Glenlivet 12 was produced, not the worst of alternatives. I joked (really) that I’d love it if that bottle were moved to our cabin. When we returned later in the afternoon, there it was, on the floor of course, as no storage bin is tall enough to store it—but we’ll make do.
It turns out we are a minority in prestige class, meaning we are staying on the same train all the way to Toronto. Most of the others have vacation packages that consist of riding one leg of the trip, staying a day or two in a location (such as Jasper), then reboarding the train for another leg. This is probably why the cabin reservations sell out so early. Vacation companies (I presume) buy reservations in bulk, then sell ten and twelve day packages, interweaving train trips to maximize use of the reservations.
The Canadian Rockies
This is not our first trip through the Canadian Rockies. Several years ago we rode the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff. That trip was enjoyable, but our views were compromised by the smoke and haze of forest fires. This time the view is clear, if a bit cloudy. The previous trip was a two day affair with an overnight in a Kamloops hotel. Our first afternoon and evening we mostly followed that same route. However, this time, from Kamloops on we headed to Jasper. And, as hoped, we had wonderful views of the Rockies, with its snow-speckled peaks, lakes and valleys.
Our next major stop is Edmonton, then, the next evening, Winnipeg. I bring this up as I likely won’t be able to post this for a day or two as the train has no wifi! We occasionally pick up a cellular signal, but my iPad is wifi only and I don’t want to even think about creating and sending a photo-laden post via my iPhone.
So, adieu until the next wifi stop!
P.S. The staff brought on board a bottle of Oban 14, at our request. Life is good.