Hello!

I'm coming to the end of my gap year here in Canada and have decided to 'treat' myself by booking a week's holiday to Quebec City and back (to Toronto). I was just wondering whether others have used Via Rail to travel to Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec and what their experience was like? I assumed it would be better than getting a bus there, hence why I spent a little extra for the comfort of a train.

Let me know!

Mrs BristolUK and daughter travelled here to Montreal and back twice in the last few months.

She needed wheelchair assistance and had nothing but good to say about the service.

I've done the train journey between Toronto (well, Oakville) and Montreal several times. For me, to get to a meeting in downtown Montreal from my home, it was quicker door to door than flying, and I could work productively en route with onboard wifi etc. Plus it saved money compared to the cost of a flight. I wouldn't have contemplated a bus journey, but then I wasn't payign with my own money...

My (elderly and decrepit) parents did the Oakville-Toronto-Montreal-Quebec round trip (breaking the journey in Montreal for a couple of days) and would have been completely happy with it; the only downside was a freight train derailment at Kingston meant the Montreal-Toronto return leg was by bus, which they hated.

I know that's not much direct help to somebody at the other end of the lifecycle, so to speak, but given the choice between VIA and a bus, I'd take the train every time and then some.

If it's not a complete budget breaker to upgrade to VIA One, or whatever they call their first class, that's well worthwhile too. Seriously comfy chairs, plenty of legroom, and really excellent catering with decent wine into the bargain (although if you're on a gap year, presumably you'll have to wait til you cross the Quebec border before you're old enough to have a glass)

I'd echo what Oakvillian says although he, like me, doesn't pay his own fare so First Class is an option.

I've made a number of trips between Oakville and Montreal/Ottawa. It's not a bad trip but the scenery is not exactly exciting. Put it this way, there are no tunnels.

Ottawa-Montreal is a doddle. People commute.

I wouldn't fancy doing Ottawa-Quebec in one go. The connection in Montreal is rather long.

In your position, I'd take the train to Ottawa and use the bus for the other legs. Ottawa-Montreal and Montreal-Quebec are not long trips and you get to see some stuff.

If you are able to plan far enough ahead, try looking at Porter Airlines. They do some cracking deals if you book well in advance.

Thanks for the responses folks.

I'm 28 so I can definitely enjoy a tipple or two.

I'm looking forward to the trip, it'll be nice to see somewhere that's not Toronto as I'm pretty sick of the place. Not that there's anything necessarily wrong with it, but it definitely isn't for me. Quebec City is the one I really want to visit.

My trip is all booked and I can't wait.

You'll love it. Check out the pubs on St-Jean. Great for live music.

Thanks for the tip.

I assumed, from your reference to a gap year, that you were a callow youth idling away a few months before university - as I did many moons ago. Hope you enjoy the trip.

It's quite all right, I'd have made the same assumption. It's surprising how many people these days taking a gap year are outside the 18-21 age group - I've met a lot of people between 22 and 35 who are taking a year out.