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- 1 year ago
FIRST_CLASS_TRAIN_Across_Canada___4_Nights
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00:00Welcome on board this first-class train across Canada.
00:03The Canadian is one of the world's longest and most scenic rail journeys,
00:07and over the next four days and four nights, we'll journey across Canada
00:11eating, drinking, and sleeping on board the train,
00:14and we'll do it in the most luxurious way you can.
00:16Prestige class.
00:17Hello, Jet Setters. I'm Jeb Brooks from GreenerGrass.com.
00:20This is the Canadian, and you're coming along.
00:23Here's the plan.
00:24We'll leave on Wednesday morning, travel across five provinces
00:27through vast forests, over endless prairies, and climb breathtaking mountain passes.
00:32All in, we'll cover nearly 3,000 miles over almost 100 hours
00:36to reach Vancouver on Sunday morning.
00:38And it's on that last day, from Jasper to Vancouver,
00:41where we encounter the most epic, sustained scenery we've ever seen from the rails.
00:46Don't miss it.
00:47But for now, it's back to Toronto.
00:50Toronto Union Station is Canada's largest.
00:53It was built in 1927 and still reflects the grandeur of that age.
01:01This station is incredible. It's beautiful in here.
01:04It's North America's second busiest station behind New York's Penn Station,
01:08and passengers traveling in sleeper accommodations on the Canadian
01:11have access to the business lounge.
01:13That's us.
01:14It's a very nice space.
01:18I am beyond excited. It's about time to board.
01:22We're making our way out to gate 17 for this departure across Canada.
01:30Train one. Not two, not three. Train one.
01:35Here it is, the Canadian.
01:37About to get on board. The longest train, by far, we've ever taken.
01:41And the longest train in North America, too.
01:43It's time to get on, so let's head back there.
01:45All aboard!
01:46This is always the most exciting part of any rail journey,
01:48getting to see the train for the first time.
01:50And this is a beautiful machine.
01:52We're in the very last car, the park car, right by the bar,
01:55so it'll be interesting to see what that experience is like.
01:57All of Via Rail's park cars are named for national parks.
02:01Ours, Glacier Park, was built in 1954.
02:04There are two rooms in this car, one for passengers and wheelchairs,
02:07and the other, this one, will be ours.
02:13Wow, this is nice.
02:15There's a tremendous sofa in its daytime configuration,
02:18a window half the size of Canada itself,
02:21and loads of other amenities we'll explore a little later in the journey.
02:25But for now, it's time to check out the rest of the park car.
02:28So our room is in the very last car on the train, which is the park car,
02:31and it has this bullet lounge in the back of it.
02:34But the best part of it? That's up here.
02:36It's up these stairs. Look at this.
02:38Up here, you will find this incredible dome with these unbelievable views.
02:44I think this is where we're going to live on this train journey.
02:47All right, we haven't left yet, but first impressions of the train, Suzanne?
02:51It's beautiful. It feels historic, but really nicely appointed.
02:55And I think we might have the best room on the train.
02:57This is a really cool car.
02:59Yeah, it's so convenient to be right back here.
03:01There's a big tour booth that's occupying the rest of Prestige Class,
03:04so we're the only solo, well, duo, by ourselves.
03:08Back downstairs, there's additional seating in the bar.
03:11There were always snacks available here.
03:13By the way, drinks, snacks, and meals are included with Prestige tickets.
03:17Oh, and there's pretty much always hot coffee available back here, too.
03:26We pulled out of Toronto Union Station right on time at 9.55 a.m.,
03:30and if everything goes according to plan,
03:33we'll step back off the train in Vancouver in about 97 hours.
03:39There aren't that many trains where you can look out the front and the back.
03:42This is going to be epic.
03:44It is our pleasure to welcome you on board train number one,
03:47the Canadian, en route to Vancouver.
03:51As the train's two locomotives and 20 cars eased out of Toronto,
03:55we enjoyed an unmatched view of the CN Tower,
03:57the Western Hemisphere's tallest freestanding tower,
04:01before toasting our journey with mimosas, of course.
04:06The service team passed around canapes, and our journey began in earnest.
04:10We're not going to be hungry on this trip.
04:15Back in the station, we'd been asked what time we wanted to eat.
04:18We could choose an early seating, or a later one.
04:21Not sure what to go with. We just chose to eat early.
04:24Lunch at 11, and dinner at around 5.
04:27It's time for our first meal. I think we're going to have something like 12, 13, 15.
04:31I don't know. A lot of meals on this train, but it's time for the first one.
04:33It's lunch. Let's go check it out.
04:36The dining car is nicely appointed, and white tablecloths add a touch of class.
04:41Menus change each meal, and drinks are available at no additional cost to prestige passengers.
04:46You won't be surprised to learn that only Canadian wines are served on board.
04:53Suzanne opted for the veggie burger, while I picked the pulled pork.
04:56Both sandwiches were filling and flavorful.
04:59After lunch, we made our way back to the park car,
05:02which is closed off to the rest of the passengers on board until 4pm each day.
05:11This seems like a good time to check out our cabin.
05:14Hey, come on in.
05:16Look at this space.
05:18This Via Rail prestige room is incredible.
05:21This sofa is so comfortable.
05:23Up here is some storage for the bedding, which folds down from here at night.
05:27On prestige class, you don't have a train attendant.
05:30No, you have a concierge who comes in and sets up your room at night,
05:33takes care of any requests you might have.
05:35This is truly first class.
05:37Now, there are also tons of buttons.
05:39You can change the lighting settings, the temperature,
05:42but my favorite is that the bathroom floor is heated.
05:45So all you have to do is press that button, and the heat in the bathroom floor turns on.
05:49How great is that?
05:50Over here, there's a little bit of a cabinet, you call it.
05:53Now, it says it's a cooler, but it doesn't seem to keep anything that cool,
05:56so it's just a nice cabinet.
05:58Also, my first experience on a train with a TV.
06:01Apparently, it's got movies preloaded.
06:03And check out this washroom.
06:06This is the only category of room on the train that has its own shower en suite.
06:11It's so amazing to be able to have this number of amenities to yourself on this train.
06:20But doubtless, the best amenity is this massive window.
06:24Now, a fair amount of time on this trip will be spent waiting for freight traffic.
06:28These stops aren't usually more than 20 minutes or so,
06:31and if they do last longer than that, there's usually an announcement about what's going on.
06:36This is about to pull into our first stop, Washago, Ontario.
06:3964 more to go after this one.
06:42To be fair, we probably won't make all of those stops, since many are only by request.
06:46However, there are several stops with enough time for everyone to get out and stretch their legs.
06:51Some, like in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Jasper are scheduled for several hours
06:56to allow work on the train and slack in the schedule.
06:59So if we're on time, we'll be able to get out in those cities and explore the area around the station.
07:08I have to admit, I did not have high expectations for the first part of this journey in terms of scenery.
07:13We're most excited about the views through the mountains of Alberta and British Columbia.
07:17But Northern Ontario really impressed me.
07:20This is a beautiful part of the world.
07:28In fact, the province is home to more than a quarter million lakes,
07:32and contains one-fifth of the world's fresh water.
07:40Welcome to Parry Sound, Ontario.
07:42Welcome to Parry Sound, Ontario.
07:44The trestle we're on here was completed in 1907 and is 105 feet tall.
07:49The view is extraordinary.
07:54Each afternoon around 3.30 or so, the service team would present a plate of canapés to prestige guests.
07:59These were always a welcome treat, and we enjoyed sharing our plate in the park car's bullet lounge.
08:04The views from here are really special.
08:08We also enjoyed lingering here before heading back to our room to regroup for dinner.
08:16So at four days and four nights, this train is by far the longest one we've ever been on.
08:21What's your longest so far?
08:23That'd be the Texas Eagle, which was rated three nights.
08:26Okay. And mine, I think it's the Empire Builder, which was two nights, maybe two and a half days.
08:31This is a full four days and four nights.
08:33It's hard to ignore the fact that we are crossing the second largest country in the world.
08:39But right now, it's time for dinner, so let's go grab it.
08:43It's five o'clock, just so you know.
08:45We accidentally picked the early seating, so it's actually not even five o'clock and we've got to go eat.
08:50We're still learning how things happen on a Canadian.
08:52We found selecting our seating time each day to be a bit of a guessing game.
08:56We wanted to avoid eating during fresh air breaks, but it wasn't always clear when those would come because of unpredictable delays.
09:02We did our best.
09:04A first course is offered exclusively to prestige guests.
09:07It was caviar tonight, which, it turned out, Suzanne doesn't really care for.
09:11Oh well, three more dinners means three more chances.
09:15At each dinner, you're able to choose a starter course, usually soup or salad, and a main as well.
09:24Suzanne's chicken was moist and tasty, and my steak, well, it was perfectly prepared.
09:31You can also have dessert, which we almost always skipped.
09:34We've just passed through Sudbury, Ontario, home to the late, great Alex Trebek.
09:40Who is the best game show host ever.
09:42We just got back from our first dinner on VIA Rail. What did you think?
09:45I thought it was really good. My steak was incredibly well cooked, very juicy and tender.
09:50So I'm a fan. What did you think?
09:52Meal two out of twelve. It was a good one.
09:55About nine hours into our trip, we reached Capriol.
09:58Our first fresh air break.
10:00With no Wi-Fi on board and spotty cell phone coverage,
10:03reaching these larger communities often meant a chance to reconnect with the outside world.
10:07First opportunity to get out and kind of experience the warm summer weather here in Canada,
10:12but also to check out the train.
10:14This thing is huge.
10:16There are four dome cars, activity cars sometimes they're called.
10:20It's a big train, but it feels so good to get out and just experience it all.
10:23This is always one of my favorite parts of any train journey.
10:26It's pretty smoky here.
10:27Yeah, we certainly really feel for everybody suffering from the wildfires going on in Canada.
10:32We're glad to be here and grateful to see the country, but sorry to see so much of it hurting.
10:37So our thoughts are out to all of you.
10:39It's been just terrible, so hopefully it'll improve soon.
10:42But they're about to call all aboard, so let's get back on that train.
10:47Shortly after pulling out of Cape Reel, the sunset began.
10:51We intentionally chose to travel in summer in order to maximize daylight.
10:55Now I'm sure Canada looks amazing blanketed in winter snowfall,
10:59but we wanted to see as much as we could, so we traveled over the summer solstice in June.
11:04And that turned out to be one of the best rail-related decisions we've ever made.
11:08Especially on our last night, coming out of Kamloops.
11:12After that unforgettable sunset, the room has been completely transformed.
11:16Check out this bed.
11:18What you can't see is just how comfortable the mattress is.
11:21It's probably the best one I've ever experienced on a train.
11:25You know it's first class when there's chocolates on the pillow.
11:29But it's been a long day.
11:32Well, goodnight.
11:34Goodnight.
11:37Good morning. It's about 5.30 here in the park car.
11:40I enjoyed about 7 hours of sleep.
11:42Susanne is still resting.
11:44Service begins on the train at 6.30 and we set our clocks back overnight
11:48as we've entered this part of Canada, central time zone.
11:52So I pretty much got this place to myself for maybe another hour
11:56as I enjoy this scenery.
11:59And I'm going to show you a little bit of the view.
12:02For maybe another hour as I enjoy this scenery.
12:06Let's get the day started.
12:08The Canadian currently operates twice a week and is extremely full.
12:12Sleeper accommodations are hard to come by, especially in summer.
12:15Be sure to book in advance.
12:17As we'd mentioned earlier, the rest of Prestige was filled by a tour group
12:20who weren't quite as early risers as me.
12:23Apparently, it's quite common.
12:25And we were able to book our room with Via Rail because someone on their tour had cancelled.
12:30Everyone, including their guide, was extremely welcoming to us.
12:33And to that point, you'll most likely share your table at mealtimes with other passengers.
12:38But those conversations are a highlight of the experience.
12:41Before too long though, I had company.
12:48How'd you sleep?
12:50I would say the bed was more spacious than I expected.
12:54So I could sleep fairly well. How about you?
12:56The other thing I think is worth saying is that mattress is super comfortable.
13:00I think one of the most comfortable mattresses I've ever experienced on any train, plane, or automobile.
13:06Here we are, a beautiful morning on the Canadian. Day 2.
13:10Day 2 commencing.
13:12And that can mean only one thing.
13:14Breakfast.
13:16Unlike lunch and dinner, you won't need reservations.
13:19Instead, it's offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
13:23And back in the park car, there are options for a lighter approach to starting the day too.
13:35We just got an announcement that there's been an incident ahead with a freight train which caused a backlog.
13:40So we've been sitting here for a good couple hours.
13:43A second freight train just passed and we're moving again.
13:46So hopefully we'll be back on our way.
13:48When it comes to rail travel, you just sort of got to take what you can get.
13:51Especially when you're on a passenger train on freight tracks.
13:54That's okay. We'll get there when we get there.
13:57We've pretty much been hanging out in the park car.
13:59It's pretty awesome, really, and it's fortunate that our room is right here.
14:02But it's time to go check out the rest of the train.
14:04Let's go on an exploration.
14:07In front of the park car where we're staying, there are two prestige cars, each with six cabins.
14:12Then comes one of two dining cars, the one we were assigned.
14:15It also houses a kitchen behind the wall there on the left.
14:19That leads us to a skyline car.
14:21There's seating here, coffee, snacks, and best of all, a dome.
14:25Our train had a total of three of these cars.
14:28Via Rail staff offered activities in here like trivia and bingo, along with lectures throughout the journey.
14:34Downstairs, there were plenty of games and even books.
14:37There's always something happening here.
14:40The train had several sleeper cars, which offer both berths, which can be cordoned off by a curtain,
14:45and sleeper plus cabins with doors.
14:47Now those cabins include bunk beds, sink, and toilet, but no shower.
14:52There are shared showers and washrooms in the sleeper cars, though.
14:56There were also two economy coaches, which offered two-by-two seating.
15:00Back to our cabin.
15:02At 70 square feet, these rooms are 50% larger than the sleeper plus cabins.
15:07As you've seen, they include your own private washroom and shower.
15:11Again, all of your meals plus beverages are included in the fare.
15:15We paid about $4,500 per person for this four-night journey.
15:20We don't usually talk about price in our videos, since it changes so often depending on so many factors.
15:26But do you think we should include it moving forward?
15:28Let us know in the comments below.
15:30We made our way back to the Bullet Lounge as we passed by Armstrong.
15:35You know, many of the stops on the Canadians route are by request.
15:38Campers or locals will call ahead and let Via Rail know they need to be picked up or dropped off at one of these stops,
15:44and the engineers will take care of it.
15:46Otherwise, the train just rolls on through.
15:54Oh, wouldn't you know it, lunchtime.
15:56It's the falafel wrap for Suzanne, and the beef burger for me.
16:00But both of us love this scenery.
16:04We headed back up to the dome in the park car and arrived just in time for something really exciting.
16:15Well that was pretty exciting, Via Rail number two.
16:18They are less delayed than we are, which is why they pulled off on the siding,
16:22and we're continuing our journey west.
16:24We're only about two hours behind right now.
16:26And those delays continued as we encountered even more freight traffic.
16:34By this point, we were about four hours delayed when we crossed this bridge and made the stop at Allen Water.
16:44Life on this train is a constant kind of rotation between the park car, our room, the dining room, pretty much so far.
16:51But now we're going to try something new.
16:53Yeah, we're headed up to, I think, play some bingo? Is that right?
16:57Hopefully. We'll see how it goes.
16:59Well, not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty good at bingo.
17:03You ready?
17:05You know it's a game of chance, right?
17:07You would think that.
17:11Earlier on our walk through the train, we'd noticed this board in the Skyline car closest to us.
17:16So we decided to return.
17:18The seats in the dome here in the Skyline car offer much more leg room, by the way, than the ones in the park car.
17:26We settled in before receiving our cards.
17:30I just got the winning card.
17:32The games lasted about an hour and got pretty intense at times.
17:36We were so close to winning.
17:39What did you think of your first train bingo experience?
17:42I think my skills really do translate across borders, really.
17:45I mean, I was one away from winning every single game.
17:48Really impressive work. I was really proud to be married to you.
17:52I realized the reason I asked you to marry me, just those skills.
17:56We headed back to the bullet lounge for canapes just before another fresh air break.
18:02Welcome to Sioux Lookout, Ontario.
18:04One thing you've got to love about Canadian train stations, one side the train, the other side, it's wilderness.
18:12These stops last about 20 minutes, enough time to get up and stretch our legs before heading back out.
18:18And we're on our way out of Sioux Lookout.
18:21Unfortunately, we're running like three, maybe four hours late,
18:24which means we're not going to get to Winnipeg until after midnight, we think.
18:29And that's too late for us.
18:30So, unfortunately, we'll have to make a return trip to Winnipeg.
18:32For now, it's time for dinner.
18:37Dates wrapped in bacon to start.
18:39Chicken for me.
18:42Fish for Suzanne.
18:44While we were at dinner, the concierge turned our room into a comfortable place to rest.
18:49But let's get specific about the size of this bed.
18:53It's time for the greener grass measuring tape.
18:55How big is this big bed?
18:57Let's find out.
18:59It's too big for the measuring tape.
19:01Well, 60 plus 12 is 72 inches.
19:03It's 72 inches long, 52 inches wide.
19:08That's one inch for every week of the year.
19:11That makes this bed closest to a full-sized bed.
19:18Reddit, the stop we just made, is normally about three hours to Winnipeg.
19:22It's 8 o'clock now, which means we won't get to Winnipeg until 11 o'clock at the earliest.
19:28I think it's fair to say we're not going to make it.
19:30But that's okay. There's still plenty to do and see from here.
19:33Sorry to miss the town, but we'll make it up to you, Winnipeggers, Winnipeggians,
19:39people of Winnipeg.
19:41I want to apologize for our delayed operations today
19:44due to the significant amount of freight traffic that we encountered overnight this morning.
19:51Also wanted to inform you that the entire crew will be changing at Winnipeg tonight.
19:58Well, it's almost 10 o'clock, but we're setting the clocks back, so 9 o'clock.
20:02It's time for bed. See you in the morning.
20:06Good morning from the park car. It's about 5.15.
20:09I had another seven hours of sleep.
20:11We're well and truly in the Canadian prairies.
20:14About an hour and a half to Melville.
20:16Start of day three on the Canadian.
20:18At this point, it's just you, me, a cup of coffee, and the sunrise.
20:28All told, we were about four hours late getting into Winnipeg last night.
20:32But thanks to the hard work of the crew, the train was now only running about an hour late.
20:37Our train was scheduled to stop in Winnipeg for two hours last night,
20:40and a lot has to be done in that time.
20:42Not only did we get an all-new crew to take us on to Vancouver,
20:45but the train was refueled, more water was added.
20:48Further, fresh linens, food, and drinks were brought on board too.
20:52Loads of work was done while Suzanne and I slept.
20:56Welcome to Melville.
20:57While we're here to enjoy the experience and the scenery,
21:00many passengers use it as a means of public transportation,
21:03which is why it's subsidized by the Canadian government.
21:16One of our favorite activities on board was watching out for animals.
21:19And we saw plenty.
21:20There's even a bear in our not-too-distant future.
21:26It is always a luxury to have a shower in your room,
21:29and this is one of the nicest ones we've ever seen.
21:31Get this, it even has a heated floor.
21:34So, as we begin the third day, in the third province,
21:37Saskatchewan on board the Canadian, it's time to shower up.
21:40Space is always at a premium on this trip,
21:42and we're going to spend a lot of time here.
21:45Who's ready for a train hot tip?
21:47So, obviously, the less luggage you bring into your room,
21:49the more space you're going to have to enjoy and stretch out.
21:52So, we both brought carry-on bags onto this train.
21:55You can also check bags if you want to.
21:57But here's the tip.
21:58Bring a smaller bag, kind of, to leave out during the day.
22:01Maybe put your pajamas in there.
22:03And if you're going to be on the train,
22:05you can also bring a smaller bag.
22:07So, if you're going to be on the train,
22:09bring a smaller bag, kind of, to leave out during the day.
22:12Maybe put your pajamas in there.
22:14A fresh change of clothes.
22:15So, you don't have to go and rummage through your luggage
22:17every single time you want to get something.
22:19It's actually tough at night when the bed is folded down
22:21and your luggages are stowed away.
22:23In past videos, I've outed Suzanne as an engineer.
22:27And here's even more proof of her skill set at solving problems.
22:31This light was shining in her eyes, but she fixed it.
22:34What did you use in your design there?
22:36Got to make do with what you have on a train.
22:39It was a gum wrapper and some makeshift tape off this chocolate box.
22:45Whatever it takes.
22:55The endless views of prairies and farms were a welcome change
22:59from the last couple of days.
23:01But we were also very excited as our next stop approached quickly.
23:04We are just pulling into the station here in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
23:08We've got about 30 minutes out on the platform.
23:10Definitely looking forward to some fresh air
23:12and the opportunity to move around a little bit.
23:14Welcome to Saskatoon!
23:16Unfortunately, this station is out in kind of an industrial area
23:19rather than downtown.
23:21As the team added fuel, we hopped back on the train for lunch.
23:29Suzanne and I both had the ginger beef,
23:31one of our favorite meals so far.
23:39Back in the U.S., we'd call this area the Plains.
23:42But here in Canada, they're known as the Prairies.
23:45And while I was really enjoying the views from today,
23:47it's tomorrow that I'm even more excited about.
23:50In fact, the primary reason British Columbia,
23:53which we'll visit tomorrow, agreed to join Canada
23:55was because the country's promised to connect
23:57its Pacific coastline to the east by rail.
24:00That finally happened in the late 1800s
24:02thanks to the Canadian Pacific Railway.
24:05The Canadian Northern Railway grew up a few decades later
24:07with track farther north.
24:09And by 1977, all passenger networks were unified
24:13under a government corporation we know today as VIA Rail.
24:17Back to the present day, where it was time for canapes
24:20and a carnival in Wainwright, Alberta.
24:27It's just about time for dinner on day three here on The Canadian.
24:30Yes, it's been a day full of preparations.
24:33Yes, it's been a day full of prairies and farms.
24:36It kind of reminds me of that scenery on the Empire Builder
24:40through North Dakota and the first half of Montana.
24:43Yeah.
24:44Quite beautiful, quite different than yesterday.
24:46It's big sky country, just Canadian style.
24:49But you can feel the excitement building for the
24:53entry into the Rockies tomorrow.
24:55I'm ready, but first, dinner.
24:59Things kicked off with bruschetta.
25:03Prime rib for me.
25:06And Suzanne had chicken with local Saskatoon berries
25:09and Canadian lentils.
25:11We even split dessert. A carrot cake cheesecake.
25:15We're ready for bed.
25:27As Edmonton came into view, the bed was calling our name.
25:33We've just reached Edmonton.
25:35Unfortunately, it's a little late and we are ready for bed.
25:38We'll be here on the platform for about an hour.
25:40We're going to go to sleep.
25:42You see, tomorrow morning we're waking up super early
25:44long visit to Jasper. See you tomorrow.
25:49We set the alarm for 4.30 this morning in order to get up here to this dome car
25:55and enjoy these views coming into the mountains and I am sure we're about to
26:01be richly rewarded. Right now there's still a bit of cloud in, but it's looking
26:05good out there. Let's get another day started.
26:10And what a day it would be. It turned out that day four on the Canadian was about
26:16to rank as one of the most visually stunning days of our lives. Oh my gosh
26:21this is unbelievable. This is what I think of when I think of Canada.
26:27Definitely an early morning day four on the Canadian, but well worth it. I kind of put the shade up in our roof and was rewarded with these beautiful mountain views already just a sign of what's to come today. I'm so psyched.
26:53The sun came up and we made our way into the Canadian Rockies and the town of
27:00Jasper where the train would receive service for around three hours while we
27:04would be free to explore.
27:11The Canadian Rockies are only about 75 miles wide here, but the rest of the day
27:17we spent traversing a series of other mountain ranges.
27:32We passed the grass-covered landing strip called Jasper Airport. We got a
27:39beautiful clear view of Mount Robeson, the highest point in the Canadian Rockies.
27:48We arrived here in Jasper about 6 a.m. but the station doesn't open till 630 so
28:00we're hanging out here waiting for them to open the doors and then we'll go
28:04explore town a little bit. Hope you'll join us. And just like that we're off the
28:09train here in Jasper. It feels good again to be stretching our legs. It's a little
28:12cooler up here than yesterday in Saskatoon which I am happy about. There
28:16was actually a snowfall. It is currently June and there was a snowfall just a
28:22couple of days ago. So we're gonna get out in town, check it out, maybe grab some
28:25breakfast and some coffee, but for now it's just wonderful to be off the train
28:29seeing beautiful Jasper. The train station is our entrance to the town.
28:33Built in 1926, it was declared a heritage rail station in 1992. What a stunning
28:40morning and what a great opportunity to get off the train. You really don't get
28:43these opportunities on Amtrak. Maybe the maximum I'd be like about an hour of a
28:47stop. This is about a three hour stop so we're really getting a chance to get out
28:49and explore a little bit. And what a morning to do it. It is absolutely beautiful out here.
28:56If it weren't 730 in the morning we'd have a toast to Mike Downey in there but
29:00alas. There was a Continental Breakfast on board but we chose to head into town
29:05and check out Coco's Cafe instead. Suzanne's breakfast bagel was fresh. Those
29:12tomatoes were juicy and my wrap was really nice. That was a really tasty
29:19breakfast. The eastbound train arrives here at Jasper at 11 o'clock in the
29:23morning when more shops and museums and restaurants would be open. Unfortunately
29:28we're here a little earlier which means pretty much everything's closed but
29:31that's okay. We really wanted to travel from east to west so we could have our
29:35sort of grand finale crescendo be what we're gonna see today. When you're in the
29:40mountains you got to get out and do a little hiking especially when you've
29:43been sitting on the train for the last three days. So let's take a stroll. Just a
29:48few blocks from the train station we found the Jasper Discovery Trail. It
29:55wasn't very difficult but gave us a flavor for hiking in this part of the
29:58world. It's always good to be in nature and also it's nice to be able to move
30:05around after a few days on the train.
30:08Sadly we had to cut our hike short and make our way back to the train where we
30:13toasted an on-time departure and even more views. Many of the trains that come
30:18through here carry grain and some of it falls out as they pass. This easy to
30:22access food can be awfully appealing to the local wildlife like this black bear.
30:29We eased past Via Rail train number two. This one left Vancouver for Toronto at
30:38three o'clock yesterday while we were still in Saskatchewan. The crystal clear
30:48waters of Yellowhead Lake were remarkable but they were no match for
30:53the breathtaking beauty we saw on Moose Lake. These two glacier-fed lakes just
31:01outside Jasper have to be some of the most beautiful in Canada, maybe even the
31:06world. The brilliant blue-green color of this water is thanks to fine particles
31:11of pulverized rock that absorb and scatter sunlight in ways that can give
31:15it the striking color. Thanks to our location in the park car we could easily
31:31get views from the back of the train which meant a breathtaking perspective
31:35on Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The morning seemed to
31:41literally fly by. There was never a dull moment. It's definitely not easy to pull
31:45ourselves away from these views but it's time for lunch. Thankfully there are
31:49windows in the dining car too. We're gonna head that way. Again an early
31:54morning continental breakfast had been on offer so the menu today offered both
31:58breakfast and lunch options.
32:08Suzanne had the pasta and I went for the chicken pot pie. As usual both were hearty
32:14but you better believe we got back upstairs just as soon as we could. And
32:21lucky for us we were just in time for a spectacular view of Pyramid Falls on the
32:26left side of the train. From being five hours behind schedule on day two to now
32:33being ahead of schedule we're just sort of sitting here enjoying the scenery in
32:37this part of British Columbia. Just shows you how much, well either how much slack
32:42there is in the Via Rail schedule or just how long this rail journey is. Either
32:47way I'm enjoying the views and I hope you will too. We even spotted the Rocky
32:52Mountaineer making its trek from Vancouver to Jasper. We want to travel
32:55with him in Canada soon. In the meantime don't miss our video about their
32:59service from Denver to Moab in the United States. I'll link to it in the
33:02description below.
33:06Before long the afternoon had slipped by and it was time for a wine tasting to
33:11accompany our canapes. How first class is that sentence? Although Canada may not be
33:16known for wine that hasn't stopped Via Rail from highlighting it. We tried a
33:20Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a Banco Noir. After our first time tasting wine on the
33:25train I've got to say the Banco Noir, which is a new to me grape, was my
33:29favorite. I think I'm gonna have a glass now. Sauvignon Blanc for me.
33:40When we sat down for dinner we almost immediately arrived in Kamloops, home to
33:45Rocky Mountaineer's maintenance facility.
33:50A shrimp and crab appetizer preceded soup and a salad. I had the lamb and
34:01Suzanne she had the salmon. Well it's fair to say we have eaten really well
34:06on this trip. What was your favorite meal of this trip? My favorite was dinner the
34:11other night with the chicken with the Saskatoon berries and Canadian lentils. I
34:15appreciate that local flair they put on some of the meals. My favorite was like
34:18the furthest thing from local that was the ginger beef we had for lunch the
34:22other day. That was really nice. Initially we were sorry to have missed the fresh
34:29air break here in Kamloops, but ultimately having an earlier dinner
34:33turned out to be one of the best decisions we've ever made. We're about
34:38to experience one of the most beautiful things we've ever seen from the rails. We
34:44had zero expectations for this section coming out of Kamloops. We thought the
34:48best was behind us, but this track on the banks of the Kamloops Lake and then
34:53along the Thompson and Fraser Rivers is as beautiful as anything we've ever seen
34:57from a train, and sometimes pictures just need to speak for themselves.
35:19Remember how British Columbia joining Canada was dependent on this rail link?
35:25Well with incredible engineering you see here it's pretty clear just how
35:29important it was to link east and west. Overall this has been an amazing journey.
35:36We were of course most excited about the scenery on this day, but every part has
35:41been incredible. From the lakes and trees of Ontario to the prairies of Manitoba
35:46and Saskatchewan, on through to the rugged mountains of Alberta and British
35:50Columbia, it's all been remarkable. And the service from the entire Via Rail team
35:55has been next-level. Their dedication to customer service is a testament to the
36:00warmth of the Canadian people. Overall this is a trip every rail enthusiast
36:07really needs to add to their bucket list. What we have just seen is some of the
36:12most amazing scenery we've seen on any train anywhere, is that right? Absolutely.
36:18I mean this whole day has really encompassed what the rail zone is. Like I
36:23can't think of one other day on a train that was just as stunning and magnificent.
36:28From moment one to just now, I mean it's it's been absolutely unbelievable. It's
36:33time for one more night of sleep and a quick breakfast, then we're off this
36:38train. Back up in the Park Car Observation Dome for the last time, and
36:43the view here of Vancouver Station is sure different than some of the wild and
36:47wonderful things we've seen on this journey. There can be no doubt. This is
36:52one of the world's greatest rail journeys. Thank you so much for coming
36:55along. After four days, four nights, and 2,775 miles, welcome to Vancouver. Between
37:02now and the next time, see you on the rails.
37:08Via Rail Prestige. I'm sorry about that. How did you mentally prepare for this? I did not. I packed a bag and got on the train.
37:19I didn't plan this. Let's start over. Ooh, a duck. A lot of smokers of all kinds of things, so we're
37:26gonna head back in. Nice t-shirt.
37:31I'm Jeb Brooks from GreenerGrass.com. It's so wonderful to be out here in nature
37:35and enjoying all that nature can provide.
37:41Jasper, where nature is in your backyard. Ah, very refreshing.
37:46Seven Yards Blanc from the Okinawa. Very refreshing.
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