RAIL TRAVEL RENAISSANCE Adventure Rails About the IRTS |
| 2012-10-26 VIA Rail Canada received a prestigious honorary award from Heritage BC for the restoration of its Pacific Central station in Vancouver. The award was in recognition of the high standards of quality and the commitment to the preservation of heritage shown in the building's renovation, which was completed in December 2011. VIA Rail received this honour alongside the projects' architect and consulting firms, Thibodeau Architecture + Design and Donald Luxton and Associates Inc., at Heritage BC's 2012 awards ceremony on Friday, October 19th at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby, British Columbia. Travellers in Canada can now compare trains and flights in a single online search, with the launch of a rail travel information service by leading global travel search site Skyscanner. Through a partnership with VIA Rail Canada, national passenger rail service in Canada, Skyscanner has integrated major inter-city rail search into its existing flight search capability. For increasing numbers of travellers, rail is viewed as a favourable alternative to air, particularly in short to medium travel routes between cities and other key hubs. Travellers searching for flights on the Skyscanner site between Toronto and Montreal, for example, will see the air and rail travel alternatives in the search results. When choosing the rail option, the customer can click through to the VIA Rail Canada site to make the booking. For passengers who are flexible on their dates of travel, Skyscanner will show the cheapest price to travel, making it easy and stress-free to plan travel around the country. The integration of rail into the Skyscanner booking system is powered by SilverRail, an innovative rail search and booking platform that removes the complexities of rail booking around the world. Gareth Williams, CEO and Co-founder of Skyscanner says: “Finding the best price for travel can be complex and frustrating. By including rail and air options in a single search, travellers can make an informed choice on the cheapest, most convenient and even greenest options for any given journey across Canada. Rail is a priority for Skyscanner and part of our ultimate goal to become the first website in the world to show the cheapest way to travel from A to B - wherever you are and wherever you want to go.” “We are excited to partner with Skyscanner to enable our rail services to be displayed along with the flights for major Canadian destinations. While offering a superior on-board service and a comfortable trip, VIA Rail allows its passengers to make productive use of their travel time because of its robust on board Wi-Fi service. This new partnership will entice people to select the train as the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable mode of transport and to realize how, with VIA Rail, their trip is hassle-free as they arrive at their destination ready to go.” Aaron Gowell, CEO of SilverRail, says: “We’re thrilled to see our technology provide customers more choice by making it easy to compare rail with air in one place. SilverRail simplifies the process for rail carriers like VIA Rail Canada to sell their products in channels where customers want to buy them.” The Canadian Taking passengers from the Pacific shores, through the Canadian Rockies and across the plains of Northern Ontario, VIA's Canadian train and its premier Silver & Blue Class service provides cozy, comfortable sleeping compartments with duvet bedding, delicious regional cuisine in the tastefully decorated dining car, and exclusive access to the car with a scenic dome and relaxing lounges. Until May 31, 2007, off-peak fares in Silver & Blue Class offer travellers substantial savings. Following are sample off-peak prices for two of the most popular journeys on the Canadian in Silver & Blue Class: - A double bedroom for the entire, three-night journey in either direction between Vancouver and Toronto - with one permitted multi- night stopover (i.e. Jasper) -- is available for CAD $1,234, per person plus tax, when purchased at least five days in advance. The price includes all meals during the rail journey. - A double bedroom for the overnight journey in either direction between Vancouver and the breathtaking resort town of Jasper is available for CAD $552, per person plus tax, when purchased at least five days in advance. The price includes all meals during the trip. The Ocean Ushering passengers between Montreal and Halifax, the Ocean winds through the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, showcasing the beauty of Canada's Maritimes en route. In Comfort Sleeper Class, passengers enjoy private sleeping accommodations with duvet bedding and private washrooms, regional Maritime cuisine such as fresh salmon in the classic dining cars, and exclusive access to a relaxing lounge. Now through June 12, 2007, a deluxe double bedroom for the overnight journey between Montreal and Halifax, in either direction, is available for CAD $230, per person plus tax, when purchased at least five days in advance. Booking Customers can visit VIA's secure Web site at viarail.ca to book a trip anywhere in the VIA system or to book a complete trip with one-stop shopping for trains, cars, hotels and activities. Passengers also can book their tickets by calling 1888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7254), TTY 1 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired), or through their travel agent. About VIA Rail Canada --------------------- As Canada's national passenger rail service, VIA Rail Canada's mandate is to provide efficient, environmentally responsible and cost effective passenger transportation services, both in Canada's business corridor and in remote and rural regions of the country. VIA serves more than 450 communities with a network of inter-city, transcontinental and regional trains. Demand continues to grow as more Canadians turn to train travel as a safe and convenient travel choice. For further information: VIA contacts: Catherine Kaloutsky, Toronto, (416) 956-7683; Seychelle Harding, Montréal, (514) 871-6119 This information is being distributed to you by CNW Group Ltd. To discontinue this service, click here. Ces renseignements vous ont été distribués par le Groupe CNW Ltée. Pour mettre fin à ce service, cliquez ici. |