I have never been to Canada. I think it must look a lot like the Pacific Northwest but more cold and less populated. I also absolutely love trains. I have never gone on a long trip on a train but I have gone cross country on a greyhound bus (ah, to be poor and adventerous). Looking at pictures of Canada though, I think it would be such a relaxing and beautiful place to train across. There are a few places I'd like to stop and see; being on the top of that list is Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada. I've always wanted to visit the falls. I think they're one of nature's most breathtaking sights.
below is an excerpt from 501 Must-Take Journeys*:
"Completing the journey currently compromises three stages. The first from Halifax to Montreal takes you from the extremely picturesque Nova Scotia coast, through New Brunswick. Skirting the Appalachian Mountains, you are then transported to Montreal, the beating heart of French Canada. The second leg allows you to sample the most modern railway Canada has to offer. The Motreal to Toronto link feels strangely normal compared with the rest of the trip. Business people barely look up from their laptops as the train passes along the St. Lawrence River, past the Thousand Islands and along the shore of Lake Ontario. From Toronto, Canada's most modern cities, you embark on the truly monumental part of the train ride. The seemingly endless forests of Norther Ontario eventually five way to open prairies as you cross the Continent's interior -- the vastness of it all is quite breathtaking. After two nights on board, the train approaches the Rockies. Waterfalls and sheer rock faces heave in to view one after another and this is them time to grab a seat in the panoramic dome car. After this, Kamloops is the last major stop before arriving in Vancoucer..."
*501 Must-Take Journeys. London: Octopus Publishing Group Lmtd, 2008.
and from Vancouver I'd just continue on the train to my home town which would only be a few more hours.
estimate on price:
flight from my hometown to Halifax = about $400 with tax
train from Halifax to Montreal = $136 cheapest to around $250 for a cabin (trip is 20 hours long)
train from Montreal to Toronto = about $80 (trip about 5 hours)
train from Toronto to Vancouver BC = cheapest berth is about $900 (trip is about 3 and a half days to 4 days)
train from Vancouver BC to home = under $50
The trip takes about 6 days; so about $1500 for the whole trip -- Plus sight seeing and food which realistically could easily be under $250 for the week if you were budgeting. Unless I decide to stay in a hotel somewhere for a day. However, meals are paid for if you buy a spot in a sleeper cabin or berth. Of course, it'd be wonderful to take a day here and there to stay the night and sight see around some of the old towns in Canada.
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