Thursday, October 20th, 2011
Rail travel is absolutely booming in North America at the moment and it’s us Australians who continue to make huge contributions to this growth. Amtrak reports that its national ridership is up 6.4 percent since the 2010 fiscal year where there were more than 28.7 million passengers. The company has just hit a record 30 million passengers for the 2011 fiscal year. This is a long-term trend which has seen Amtrak set annual ridership records in seven of the last eight fiscal years.
One of the major contributing factors for this increased growth is cost saving (who doesn’t love saving a bit of money?!) Travelling by train has become an increasingly cost-effective alternative to planes. A search on some of the most popular rail routes taken by Australians found that the lowest airfare from New York to Washington was $186.00 roundtrip; on the train, the price was just $108.00 roundtrip. The lowest airfare from San Francisco to Vancouver was $494.00 roundtrip vs $280.00 roundtrip on the train.
Rail travel offers the door –to-door convenience that Air travel cannot offer, most major train stations are located in the heart of the city compared with airports which most are located outside of the city, adding significant travel cost and time. One survey suggested that “travellers are considering total travel time – getting from door to door –and the full travel experience when choosing mode of transport, with 86% of people choosing rail to avoid the process of checking in, security and boarding and 66% willing to add an hour or more of total travel to their trips to avoid the hassles of long lines, airport security and baggage fees.”
Whilst rail travel can be longer than air travel, it is so much more than getting from A to B. When travelling by train you can witness some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Travelling onboard Amtrak’s California Zephyr you’ll find yourself winding through the majestic and iconic Rocky Mountains, crossing the deserts of Utah and Nevada, traversing the Sierra Nevada Mountains, ending up in the lowlands of the California Central Valley. Rail travel really is all about the ‘full travel experience’. Not only do you have spectacular scenery rushing by you, there is also much more space to move, often with the added experience of a dining car with full serviced meals and friendly wait staff.
Let’s not also forget that trains are eco-friendly, they release less carbon emissions than planes or cars. Trains are one of the cleanest and greenest sources of transportation today; the energy efficiency of trains also means that the industry is less susceptible to those outrageous fuel prices which we have reluctantly become to accustom to.
So what are you waiting for? Jump onboard a VIA Rail, Amtrak or Rocky Mountaineer train today!
Tuesday, September 6th, 2011
Helpful Travel tips for passengers in VIA Rail’s Sleeper class and Sleeper Touring class (Continued…)
These tips are intended to give you the basic information you need in order to prepare for your rail experience.
ON THE DAY OF YOUR DEPARTURE
Verifying your departure time
It’s always a good idea to verify if your train will be departing on schedule. Please call VIA Rail locally in Canada on 1 888 842-7245.
Checking in
VIA Rail asks that you check in at your departure station one hour prior to your departure time. Once you’ve checked in, VIA personnel will direct you accordingly, and inform you of any applicable baggage procedures.
Boarding
It is recommended that you remain close to your train’s intended departure area and listen for boarding announcements
Tuesday, September 6th, 2011
VIA Rail looks forward to welcoming you on board and helping you to create lasting memories. These travel tips are intended to give you the basic information you need in order to prepare for your Canadian rail experience.
PRIOR TO YOUR TRIP!
What to bring
- Canadian weather varies significantly by season and region. You may want to visit the Canadian weather web site at www.weatheroffice.gc.ca for climate and weather descriptions of the major regions of Canada.
- Dress code on the train is casual, even for dinner in the VIA Rail dining car. You may want to bring a sweater as temperatures on the train may vary.
- Aside from clothing, here are a few other items you may want to consider taking along for your journey:
- camera & batteries
- binoculars
- sunglasses
- reading material
- games
- comfortable footwear
- medications and personal care products
- personal audio/video system with headphones
- passport and/or visas if required
Packing
Your accommodation offers a very limited storage space. Carrying large suitcases to your cabin or berth may limit movement and risk injury. It is recommended that you only bringing the clothing you’ll need for the train trip and your personal essentials (including all medications) to your cabin or berth.
Baggage policies
VIA Rail’s baggage services vary depending on the train. It is important to know how many items you can bring, as well as the size and weight restrictions of each item.
Special needs
If you require special meals, or have allergies or accessibility concerns, please contact VIA Rail at least 48 hours prior to your departure.
Friday, July 15th, 2011
Amtrak Chicago Hub services now accept golf bags as carry-on items
In response to passenger requests, Amtrak now enables golfers to take their clubs aboard trains as carry-on items to play courses around the Midwest – with an advance reservation and the payment of a nominal charge.
“This pilot program to expand carry-on baggage service on corridor trains in the Chicago Hub lets big-city golfers explore the lower greens fees and a change of scenery in the smaller cities and suburbs,” said Jeff Snowden, Amtrak Senior Director, Service Delivery. “We’re opening more travel opportunities to some of the most challenging courses in the country in some of our larger markets, too.”
The rules are simple:
• Passengers must make carry-on golf bag reservations prior to boarding the train by speaking with a reservation agent at 800-USA-RAIL or a ticket agent at an Amtrak station and by paying a US$10 charge per one-way trip applied to each carry-on golf bag reservation.
• Golf clubs must be carried in a bag or case that includes a cover that prevents the clubs from falling out. The bag, case or cover must be securely fastened by zippers or other fasteners. The passenger’s name, address and phone number must be on a tag that is attached to the golf bag.
This service is available on the 300-series trains to and from Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City; Galesburg/Quincy and Champaign/Carbondale, Ill.; Detroit/Pontiac, Grand Rapids and East Lansing/Port Huron, Mich. The attached passenger notice has more information about this program and for other trains that carry checked baggage, including those to and from Milwaukee.
