Just went to the ViaRail website to book tickets for a cross-Canada train trip and found that they're running a sale for travel through the end of May:

"Canada is on sale! Go anywhere on the VIA Rail network between January 23, 2012 and May 31, 2012 inclusive, and get 50% off the adult regular fare in all service classes. But hurry – this offer ends January 26, 2012.
All our Canadian destinations are on sale!"

CBC Radio had a documentry today on rail travel. It made me want to take a traintrip.

BAK

I'm going New York to Chicago to San Francisco to Portland to Seattle, then ferry to Victoria and Vancouver to Jasper to Ottawa to Montreal to New York. Really looking forward to it!

If you haven't spent any time at seat61.com, take a look.

I'm excited for you... this is how I like to travel. I've taken Amtrak DC-Chicago-SF and DC-Chicago-Seattle and the VIA Rail Toronto-Vancouver cross country train rides. Trips I treasure to this day in remembrance, that have shaped my appreciation of this continent.

Chicago-SF is a beautiful ride (from Denver west especially), Vancouver-Toronto is incredible too (particularly Jasper west). Montreal-NYC: border is long, but it's a lovely ride by Lake Champlain, the Hudson River if you're not in a rush. The ferries Seattle-Victoria-Vancouver are stellar in terms of natural beauty too.

Enjoy! I'm jealous! Daniel

Thanks for the heads up.
Sounds like fun The Man in Seat 61 seat61.com
best train site in the world.Little too cold for me there yet but should be fun. Dress warm and have fun!

Hi Daniel - nice to "meet" another rail fan. I've ridden a number of night trains in Europe and Asia (see http://wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004/ for some) but this will be the first time I've spent the night on a train in North America. Of course, it will be much more expensive, thanks to the lack of couchettes and shared cabins.

I did consider the berths on the Canadian for Vancouver to Jasper, but the sale helped me decide on a "Cabin for 1" for all four nights. At the other extreme I also considered the Rocky Mountaineer, but I would need at least Silver Class to get in the dome car, which means going by bus from Banff to Jasper and is SO expensive. Plus it seemed that the strike was still unresolved.

I have ridden the Canadian several times since 2001. It is true that the "Silver & Blue" class get their meals included in the fare and they have their own dome car. The dome car available to the coach passengers is on top of the kitchen/dining room.
I remember sleeping up there 1 night. No one bothered me.
My DW and I will be riding the Empire Builder in May from Spokane to Chicago.
The other long distance train I rode in Canada was from Winnipeg to Churchill and back.

Hi Tom - how was the Churchill trip? Did you write a TR? I'll be in Chicago the end of April, I'm hoping the weather won't be too bad....

The Churchill trips were years before I discovered Fodors.
The first was a solo trip on a North America Rail Pass starting in Washington DC with my first Amtrak trip in October 2001.
The second trip was with my wife from Oregon in Oct/Nov 2005 for our 30th anniversary.
Our next trip will be in May/June back to Maryland.
We are only going by train as far as Cleveland and renting a car there.
Someday I hope to come back to Canada and ride ViaRail again.

We're taking the Canadian (Toronto/Vancouver) R/T in May. We're driving up from PA, and I'd like to find somewhere I can leave the car for a couple of weeks. It doesn't have to be in a garage, but a lot somewhat convenient to the train station would be nice.

Anyone have any thoughts on the matter?

PI always found it very hard to find parking around the Union station. I think a better bet would be to find somewhere a distance away and take the transit into town. A lot of hotels around the airport provide free or cheap parking for a week or two if you stay for a night.

You have a great trip ahead of you. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Thanks for the tip. That sounds like a plan. We're looking forward to it. We were in FL when the email 1/2-price offer came through, so I booked first and am asking questions later. Found some neat info about the train on youtube, as well.

How about parking the car somewhere in Rochester NY and take the Maple Leaf (Amtrak) into Toronto? There is a big parking lot in front of the Rochester Amtrak station that looked mostly empty the 2 times I was there.

If you didn't already have the return from Vancouver paid for, I would price the return using Amtrak from Vancouver to Seattle and the Empire Builder to Chicago. If you parked in Rochester you could ride the Lake Shore limited from CHI to ROC.
Which stops are you going to get off for 2 or 3 days?
My favorite stops are Winnipeg and Jasper.
On the Empire Builder, I stop at Whitefish. On our return trip in early June, we will get off in Cutbank MT and rent a car for 24 hours to see the eastern side of Glacier NP and as much of the GTTS road as is open.

We're committed to the Canadian for both legs, with a 3-day layover in Vancouver. Gonna do an overnight in Niagara going up, and possibly coming back. I believe Priceline will be our friend on that....

Hi bookhall - when will you be in Vancouver/on the eastbound Canadian? I'm spending a couple of nights in Vancouver in May before taking the train back east to Jasper and then to Ottawa.