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This article is part of the Montreal News section of the Best day ever daily news.
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For many a voyaging soul, yours truly very much included, the holidays – winter, summer, Thanksgiving and all the rest – are synonymous with train travel both to and from Montréal. From convenience to comfort to cost, the train is unbeatable.
As either jumping off point or final destination, Montréal is ideally situated, located within easy reach of major metropolitan centres across Ontario and Québec. VIA Rail offers frequent departures from downtown to downtown without the hassles of air travel (transportation to and from the airport, long security lines, etc.).
Stress-free travel
The VIA Rail experience is as stress-free as it gets. Easy on-and-off, comfy adjustable chairs, lots of legroom, spacious cabins, big windows for taking in the great views of this country, helpful service and all the amenities necessary for a relaxing journey (eyes open or closed) are but a few of the many reasons the allure of train travel is so strong.
Weekly discounts
For example, each week VIA Rail offers its “Discount Tuesday” deals, whereby VIA’s lowest seat fares between multiple destinations across the country are on offer right up until midnight. There are also new offers for “frequent railers”, and make sure to check out the Special Offers page to see if you quality for any of their other discounts. No matter which offer you benefit from, do sign up for their VIA Préférence program, one of the most generous travel rewards programs this country has to offer.
Family deals
Travelling with the family? Kids 24 months and under always travel for free. Plus, the kiddies get some perks! They receive a special CHOO CHOO CLUB goodie bag (which keeps them busy during the trip).
Five VIA Rail travel tips
1) First things first: book early. There are incredible deals to be had both in Economy and Business class (indeed, business class tickets can frequently be had at close to the cost of a regular price economy fare).
2) You don’t need to line up super early to get a seat. All seats are pre-assigned, so just show up and ease into your seat.
3) Subscribe to the VIA Rail newsletter to be the one of first to know about the best deals, the latest news and inspiration for your next trip. And (again) make sure to also sign up for the VIA Préférence program, which has exclusive offers for members.
4) Feel free to bring your laptop or tablet or what have you: VIA Rail’s trains are equipped with Wi-Fi as well as recharging sockets at each seat to help ensure your continued connectivity.
For more information and travel tips about cities and things to do, we suggest visiting our city guides section with over 100 cities and our upcoming events section for the USA andCanada.
