We have more or less decided that we should visit our daughter who now resides on the west coast. The idea is to do it in June, hopefully before the majority of the tourist hordes descend. The thinking is that we might stop on this side of the mountains, say in Calgary or Edmonton and go through the mountains overland.
Just for interest sake, I checked out the Rocky Mountaineer just now to see what it would cost to take their train from Jasper to Vancouver. The trip takes two days and one night, only two days and one night mind you. The cost ... (drumroll) ... more than $3500 for two.
I knew that it wouldn't be cheap, and I know that it's a first-class trip, but, Jiminy Cricket, I am rather stunned. To put it in perspective, that is pretty close to what we spent last spring to fly to Arizona, rent a car for a week, stay fin motels, drive all over and see all sorts of sights.
Needless to say, the Rocky Mountaineer won't be picking this poor man's pockets. I guess
Update regarding a few Comments that have come in already: just to clarify, that price is just across the mountains. We'd still have to get threre.
holy crap....that's ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteBen and I also want to go out west and i looked into taking the train from TO to edmonton and it was around $600 but i guess i wias looking at the cheapest prive range....
$3500 is ridiculous...
i guess flying really is cheaper!
oh...and i should also mention...you may already know this, but....apparently you should check West Jet website frequently because they have certain days that are not announced and they have "seat sales"...you can choose whatever day you want to fly and the price reductions are pretty amazing!
for example, i priced a flight from TO to vancouver and a one way tic was around $145 which i thought was pretty good....
just another option for you!
hope all is well with you and cuppa!
How can something like that cost so much? I guess I'll scratch my dream of riding the rails across Canada. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteVery pricey indeed. Does the Canadian government not subsidize the trains, then? Down here on the south side, I believe it's a bit cheaper, and that AMTRAK is subsidized.
ReplyDeleteIf it's a train you fancy, may I suggest The Stettler Train that runs between Stettler, AB and Big Valley, AB?
ReplyDeleteI took this a couple years ago and it's an absolute delight! For something close to $300 per couple, you get the day on the train, a waqon tour of Big Valley, a buffet meal at the Big Valley Community Hall (all the goodies of a farm-house meal: roast beef, potatoes, veggies, salad, and pie... let's not forget the pie!)
There's even a train robbery - all the proceeds of which go to the Calgary and Edmonton Children's Hospitals.
A little off the beaten path, but well worth the day's investment!
If you're ANYWHERE near Calgary, do let me know when you'll be here!!
Thanks for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeletePlease take part in our next "Fun Monday" posting (see my blog for details)! God bless!
Erik
That's an outrageous price! It's over twice what three of us paid last November to fly from Cyprus to Singapore and back!
ReplyDeleteThat does it!
ReplyDeleteRefuse to pay that!
Show them you mean business!
Come back to Arizona!
THAT'LL show them!
That's ridiculous. Last year we priced a train trip from Atlanta to Gallup - it was equally silly - so we drove and gave our money to the nice restaurants and hotels on the way. Since when are trains the lap of luxury!
ReplyDeleteI don't understand a lot of these luxury travel agencies. Are people that rich, or that lazy? Or both?
ReplyDeleteDid you check out VIA rail directly?
ReplyDeleteTrains are for rich folks, AC. Everybody caters to the rich nowadays.
ReplyDeleteHoly Moly!
ReplyDeleteI think our trip out west ran somewhere near that amount in 2005, and we were there almost two weeks, and that included a flight in and out of calgary, 9 nights in the mountains, a car rental, food and drink, ferry ride to Vancouver Island, gas money and a stay in a B&B in James Bay (near the Empress Hotel) on the island.
Over 30 years ago (when it was much, much chearper) a friend and I traveled to the west coast, through the Rockies, by train. I will never forget the scenes from the train window. Last summer we drove by car through the Rockies.. what a trip. The highways are excellent and the scenery unbelievable.. especially for this prairie girl.
ReplyDelete