24hrs in a PRIVATE SLEEPER CABIN - VIA Rail The Ocean | Halifax to Montreal
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- Опубліковано 19 чер 2024
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#viarail #canada #sleepertrain #theocean
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For as long as I've been alive, I've lived close to the CN mainline in Atlantic Canada. I've always loved trains, as my father, brothers and I would spend our Saturdays and Sundays railfanning in my youth. The one trip I always wanted to do was to take the train I railranned every weekend; Halifax to Montreal in a luxury first class sleeping cabin.
Well, today is the day I finally get to achieve this dream.
In this week's video, we ride Canada's longest continuingly serviced passenger train, The Ocean by VIA Rail. Having been in service since 1904, the 1,346 km, 24-hour train ride takes you through the majestic Atlantic Provinces in Eastern Canada. As we travel in the luxury sleeper class section, I'll show you what First Class on this train is like, how comfy the bed is, what amenties you get on board, and of course, the exquisite dining experience on board.
With a Canadian train comes some breathtaking landscapes, and this train is certainly not short on them. We'll pass by famous landmarks like the Bedford Basin, the Bay of Fundy, and the Baie de Chaleurs as we cross into Quebec and travel along the Ste Lawrence River before arriving in Montreal. This route gives an incredible first impression of Atlantic Canada and the mysterious wonders that lie in this often forgotten part of the country.
Be sure to watch until the end of the video so YOU know exactly what riding The Ocean is like, and how you can improve your experience on board!
As many of you folks know, this is the last episode I'll be making in Canada for a long time since I've made way to Europe. This means that Noki Travels Season Two: Canada concludes with this episode. Thank you all so much for supporting me through my adventures and for watching my hard work come to life through the screen. I'm incredibly excited to share what Noki Travels Season Three: Europe will have in store for you folks!!
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CREDITS:
Drone Shots by:
Travis Ridgen - @trav4oilers
Containerman2 - @containerman2
Histroic Footage by:
David Othen - @david-othen
Andre Hebert - / 732510096
British Pathe - @britishpathe
Prototype Trains & Historic Aerials of RoWs - @historicaerialsonvideo
GreenFrogVideos - @GreenFrogVideos
mb. - @--mb--
Railfanning Shots by:
Katherine O'Brien - @katherineobrien8765
Containerman2 - @containerman2
HalifaxRailfanGaming - @halifaxcnrailfanner
Tim Hayman - @timberley512
SupertrainRoger1965 - @SuperRoger1965
Edited By:
Noah K - @NokiTravels
Emma G - / e.gouldfish101
Songs:
Nighttime Overseas Flight by Noah Kelly
First Horizons by ELFL
BC Bounce by American Legion
Overrated by Matt Large
Before Chill by Yomoti
Left Hand by Lofive
Happiest I've Ever Been by Big Girl
The Vice by Hampus Naeselius
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CHAPTERS:
I. Introduction - 00:00
II. Room Tour - 01:00
III. Leaving Halifax/Lunch on The Ocean - 02:17
IV. Fresh Air in Moncton, NB - 04:06
V. New Brunswick/Train Tour - 04:48
VI. Supper Time! - 08:07
VII. Campbellton, NB/Bedtime - 09:03
VIII. Waking up in Quebec/Sainte Foy - 11:09
IX. Homestretch/Train's Importance to Me - 12:38
X. Montreal/Conclusion - 14:29
Season 3 Teaser - 15:48
__________________________________________________________________________________
Noki Travels
Season 2
Episode 37 (FINALE)
Recording Date: June 16-17, 2023
Edited by:
Noah K.
Emma G.
My first channel: / nokigaming
Instagram: @noki_travels
TikTok: @noki_travels
Twitter: @noki_travels
Email me: noahkellyyt@gmail.com
Music from Epidemic Sound
Equipment Used: Canon EOS M50 Mark I, Canon 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Lens
Editing Software: VEGAS Pro 20, VEGAS Pro 21
Microphone: Blue Yeti Stereo Microphone, Rode VideoMic Pro Plus
Enjoy the destination, but love the way there too.
I’ve taken that train before, but from Truro NS to Bathurst NB and back again, a few times in economy class. It was fantastic! Loved it!
So much more comfortable than either a car or plane, so much more room and being able to walk around. And really, it didn’t take that much more time than driving and no stress of actually driving that distance through moose country made it totally worth the extra time. The food from the snack car (sandwiches, etc) was tasty, and the views were absolutely wonderful. All in all, very enjoyable!
Wow! That video brought back memories. I travelled on this train frequently as it was cheaper than taking a plane! I had the privilege of travelling in each class over those few years in the early 70s when there was still train service from Halifax to Sydney and I could transfer trains at Truro to my home town-a long time ago. Those “older’ cars were the newer ones when I last took the Ocean and had my own room. Yes, we had the dome car on our trips to Montreal. Nice to see the old Halifax station is still there.
Haligonian Native Here
always nice to see my city pop up in these kinds of vids
hello that was subway a shop ooh yum
Looks like I'm not the only one who had this suddenly pop up on their recommended feed. That all being said, it is a good example of what to expect of a long distance train ride, thou there is a lot to be said about the efficiency of train travel compared to things like pains and what not, there is nothing more magical then the glorious views and experiences you can get from such a journey.
It’s worth noting that yes, one can drive this exact route and it only takes 10 hours compared to the 22 it takes on the train, but I tend to find I remember the train trips far easier :)
Have always been curious about this train line. Great video
Appreciate your care and thought producing these fine episodes. Glad to see the growth you have made. Best wishes.
Thank you for your continuing support!!
Yes, I've used them before, it's convenient in the middle of the nigh.🙂
I've only traveled on the the Canadian before, I preferred the pull down bed layout of those cabins. It made for much more usable floor space.
The service on Via's sleeper trains is both nostalgic and wonderful. It's a big draw, I hope it never changes and the staff are a big part of that. Thank you for sharing this story!
Just did exactly this trip on NYE and it's exactly as you documented - and a treasure for Canadians to enjoy. May it long keep travelling the rails to the Maritimes. (And hopefully some day they'll fix those NB lines and make them run faster...)
Glad you enjoyed your trip, thank you for watching!
I love this train trip. I didn't realize it was still running. Thank you!!
Excellent! A lot of research for clips and careful editing is apparent. What a pity about the turning arrangements in Halifax. It's a shame that a private company can take away heritage like that. Nevertheless, this really looks like a great journey. Looking forward to your take on European railways.
All of us who work this route are endlessly upset at that company for the results. It's still a fantastic train trip, one of the most unique in the world
Thank you, Noki,
I truly appreciated your video showing your rail travels from my home NS to Montreal. I enjoyed your love of travel and your travelling spirit, showing thru your video. And I just saw your leader at the end “Hell Paris”.
I also have a profound love for Europe and especially all things France related. I look forward to seeing more of your travels there.
Thanks for sharing! I may take this trip im the future. I'm taking the Canadian from Edmonton to Toronto - and back - over Christmas this year. I'll get on the train on Christmas Eve and return home on New Year's Eve. I can't wait!
Yes, I want to see Europe, via your work. --BAK
British Columbia joined the confederation with the agreement that we would have affordable rail connecting us to the rest of Canada, it seems that it took two minutes for that to disappear.
Well if it weren’t for that agreement, I’m pretty certain neither the Ocean nor the Canadian would exist anymore…so I’m thankful for that
Great video. Thanks for highlighting how long the stops were. Can you ask for additional servings of food if you're still hungry. Those portions look fairly small.
Thanks for watching!!
There’s a canteen service available to everyone on the train, it costs extra for everyone but you can get cheap snacks or light meals. Beverages (excluding alcoholic ones) are free for sleeper class passengers in the canteen
Happy travels!
I enjoyed your description of the train and services. Good reporting, and born in Miramichi which is where I travel to when I take the Ocean (brother lives there), but WOW, an Ottawa Senators tee shirt, way to go !!
Thanks for your sharing, and I am preparing for an Ocean trip from Halifax to Montreal in June!😃
😘And Welcome to Asia to have a try for the railload here for moving massive population everyday, in China, Japan and Thailand etc.
So are we ! Hubby is going to F1 Grand Prix in Montreal and we are looking forward to this train trip immensely 😊
We took the Ocean from Moncton to Montreal (and back). It was great. Next time I'd try to book a cabin (both ways) with seats that faced forward. Also try to get the side with a view of the water.
The best part was that we stayed in the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, which was built over the train station. No hassle with getting a shuttle ride from out in the boonies. You just go upstairs and walk over to reception.
The crew used to stay in that hotel but it was long before I was hired. Looks like a wonderful hotel
VIA looks so much nicer than Amtrak. Thanks! Great video!
Have only been in an Amtrak economy, which was from Toronto to Niagara Falls. Would love to take an Amtrak sleeper though, I’m planning on it in the future
I took this train a few months back...Montreal to Bathurst..your take on it is heartfelt and a great joy to share...it was a good thing...thank you
Thank you so much for watching! I really appreciate it :)
So im watching this as someone who wants to take a across canada someday, just for the experience. Live in halifax and i'm curious about the sleeper car experience. Im listening and i hear that you grew up in miramichi. Me too! Small world. Thanks for sharing
I didn’t really grow up there, I was born on the reserve there though. I grew up in Sackville 🤘
Save up and take a friend or family across Canada by train. I did it twice: once with my Dad,and second time 22 years later with my husband and children. We used a variety of class fares to get to Vancouver, and would stop off for a couple of days at a city, rent a car and tour the area, and get back on the next train to come through. It took a bit of planning and saving but was well worth the memories! On that second trip with the family, I was pleasantly surprised to see another young family doing the same thing: pulling the children out of school and touring Canada. Great geography lesson. I wish more Canadians would take the time to view the country on the ground by rail.
nice video. Might need a note that Berths and Single Cabins are only available in Peak Season, so off season say End of October to April, you need to get the double cabins Renaissance Cars, which you referred to as more modern, where single travelers end up paying a 15% surcharge
I think the future for long distance travel on VIA is relatively bright. Considering how much people like the BUDD steel cars, it's likely that a new long distance fleet could use cars heavily based on the design and construction of the originals. I also hope they expand on sleeper options. I think the open berths and such are a great budget option. It just sucks that the berths themselves have no power outlets which is unacceptable when economy seating does.
I've had experience in both Renaissance and BUDD sleepers. I vastly prefer the BUDD sleeper due to how quiet it was. Also the large drawing room for 3 was very spacious and comfortable. I love the clever use of space and the beds were wonderful. Hoping the Ocean will someday soon get an observation car of some sorts or maybe a new turning solution such as a turntable or a new wye could be built cause the route the Ocean takes is beautiful and perfect for an observatory car
Last time I went on the Ocean, there was an observation car, although that was in 2019.
I would love to take that train some day and visit the Maritimes.
Just do it! The Maritimes are absolutely lovely, winter and summer. Winter trains are usually cheaper and have the same stunning views, but summer trains have the better weather!
hmm I'm a uni student in Montreal so maybe during our winter break ill go.@@NokiTravels
I am also an Atlantic Canadian. I live in PEI (not specifying community for privacy reasons). I specialize in aviation related content such as plane spotting, random objects with contrails, and aviation moments.
Great video! Glad I was able to view it before taking 'The Ocean' from Halifax to Montreal next week.
I'm interested in knowing the speed I'm travelling, so do you mind me asking which speed app you've downloaded on your phone?
Thanks for watching!
It’s a website, tsimobile.viarail.ca
It’ll ask you to choose a train number (in your case, either 15 from Halifax or 14 from Montreal) and it’ll show you the speed, current location, time until following stops, etc. It’s very handy, even for us crew members haha
That's awesome.@@NokiTravels Thanks so much!
Thanks for the detailed video. Which is better-a roommate/cabin for 1 in a ren sleeper or chateau? I’ve heard a noisy night if your sleeper is behind the engines. Maybe go with whatever sleepers are in rear of train? What does one if assigned to a roomette/cabin for one in a rear-facing seat? If you don’t want to be rear-facing while traveling can you just put bed down and lay on that anytime in the room? Sit on the toilet?!?! lol
I think I seen your train cuz I live in truro near the railway and I watch basically every train if I'm not in school
You may have then, the #15 usually goes by at around 2:20 every day!
its such a shame they dont have those dome cars anymore..
The stupidity
I know, that was my main memory of this train, took a ride from halifax to Montreal on this train as a kid and the dome was my favourite part of the trip
11:23 Geez... That's the second video I saw that the train passes trough my hometown village (Rivière-Trois-Pistoles, QC), after sunrise, but still hours late! (Question: what happened at the Saint-Simon siding to wait for so long, if other than the Halifax-bound one who departed late itself?)
I'm surprised Amtrak hasn't proposed a route from Boston to Halifax.
Then I think to myself, once Halifax is an urban area greater-than one-million people, it will happen.
Too far you need a high speed line for that
@@qjtvaddict Absolutely. They could build the network to handle speeds of 400 km/h. Run the trains at 300 km/h. Boston-Halifax: 3 hours, 42 minutes.
Thank you for posting this video! One of the most informed ones I have watched yet. I frequently travel on the Ocean in economy class. Due to no assigned seating, I never know which car I will be placed in, HEP or Renaissance....I prefer Renaissance. How many I request this with Via rail?
Thanks for watching!
From what I’ve seen, usually it’s not done “by request,” the cars are chosen based upon your destination (for example, all Montreal in front Renaissance, Moncton and Bathurst in HEP, etc). If you’re travelling off peak season, most often times you can ask to sit in Renaissance.
Sometimes in the peak you can ask as well but they keep it like that for organizational purposes. If you go all the way end of the line you have a better chance that your request is met.
Hope this helps!
Thank you ! I go from Truro to Montreal and back. I will try asking to be seated differently.
I liked everything I saw, EXCEPT for one ugly detail. Having the toilet 'open' to the rest of the sleeper, that is, part of the room, is a real nasty touch. I would not knowingly book such a 'sleeper'. My wife and I are planning a holiday train tour, so I'm sure hoping the larger sleeping cars have a separate bathroom/shower room in the sleeper. The last time I travelled by VIA (Regina to Miramichi), our sleeper car DID have a separate shower/bathroom within the sleeper car. I tried seeking information from Via using their website's message form, but got no answer...not a good omen!
It’s just the roomettes that have the toilet in the room, all other beds have separate compartments for the toilets
@@NokiTravels Thanks for the update! Do any of those separate toilet compartments within the other sleeper cars also have showers? I do appreciate you taking the time to respond to me!
@@user-vi8dh8kq8y if you book a “Renaissance room with shower” then yes. There’s five of them per car, I think it’s rooms 2-6 that have them. The Berths, Double HEP Rooms (A, B, C, D) and roomettes all use a public shower in the car. Be careful when booking the Renaissance room with shower though, we usually refer to it as a “shoilet” since the toilet gets drenched when using the shower
@@NokiTravels Thank you again. One sees immediately that one needs to schedule one's activities appropriately! Love travelling by train...
The $500 for the two bed cabin is that for both people? It it one way or round trip?
Hey Noki, great video! I remember years ago when the ocean only had the renaissance cars, now there is the mix with the stainless steel and renaissance cars. Since you work on the route, what determines whether you are seated in renaissance coach or stainless steel coach? I prefer the renaissance coach cars on longer journeys as I find the seats more comfortable. I will be travelling again soon on the ocean and hope to be sitting in the ren cars!
Cheers 🎉
I'm gonna copy/paste my answer from another person who commented something very similar:
"From what I’ve seen, usually it’s not done “by request,” the cars are chosen by the crew morning of departure based upon destinations (for example, all Montreal in front Renaissance, Moncton and Bathurst in HEP, etc). If you’re travelling off peak season, most often times you can ask to sit in Renaissance.
Sometimes in the peak season you can ask as well but they keep it like that for organizational purposes, so they usually don't grant preference if it breaks organization on a busy train. If you go all the way end of the line you have a better chance that your request is met."
Hope this helps!
also, thanks for watching!
hey there, whats the best way to go from halifax to Toronto, specially during Christmas, the prices via plane are atrocious, are any Bus/Train services viable?
There used to be a means to do it by bus but not since COVID. To do that by train, you’d need to leave Halifax on either a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday on VIA Train #15 (The Ocean), and then on the following day connect to either train 65 or train 67 (depending on how late the ocean is, usually it’ll be train 67 that leaves Montreal at 1:20pm), which will then take you right to Toronto Union
It's a shame north American rail is so pitiful.. overpriced, never on time and not as safe as it should be.
I sometimes wonder whether only videographers can afford this. If it ain’t tax deductible (or with an employee discount) you probably can’t afford it.
How much did it cost to Montreal
No way, not in the same room!
Was the train really that empty? It looks like no one is in economy. Also, why were the HEP seats taped off like that?
The train leaving Halifax had people seated in other cars, likely the Renaissance. The HEP car was taped off to ensure people getting on overnight (Mont-Joli, Rimouski, Riviere-de-Loup) would have spots that could seat couples together. Leaving Halifax was i think 70 people altogether, but 50 got on in Moncton, and another 35 on in Bathurst. Leaving Halifax is pretty chill most times
@@NokiTravels Makes sense. Do you know what time of year they add the HEP cars? I want to visit Halifax next May and want to make sure I can sit in a Renaissance car. Or do they keep HEP coaches/sleepers on all year round?
@@CurtisStuart27 the HEP/Renaissance coaches stay on year round, it’s the sleeper that’s usually taken off when it’s not peak season.
The service manager usually determines who sits where based on destinations (for example, hypothetically, anyone going to Montreal sits in HEP, Moncton, Bathurst, and Campbellton sits in Renaissance, etc). If it’s not peak season, just ask the SM to sit in the Renaissance, but if it’s peak season, every seat is usually filled so your request may not be met
Only a twelve hour drive. So slow. It's a 2 1/2 hour flight. A sleeper is a need to have. If you got to go you got to go.
The Old train seemed to stop everywhere.
Did this trip once in a DayNighter. I'd never do that again.
Nice Coverage of the Trip.
When is the best month to do this trip for the best experience/views?
It depends on preference, of course the summer time is when the train is the most lively but long delays are more common in the summer. February to April is usually pretty calm and the least busy season but the snowy views are just as nice
I really wish that VIA got more funding and was taken more seriously by our government. I’m from Halifax but currently go to school in Moncton. I’d love to take the train between the two on weekends to see friends and family, but the scheduling of the trains and the almost double travel time compared to driving makes it not worth it for me unfortunately.
It makes me sad hearing at 5:05 you talk about how the track quality between Moncton and Campbellton was allowed to degrade to the point where it now takes an extra three hours to get between the two. Rail is such a fun and relaxing way to travel and it's sad to see the way it's neglected here in Canada. I hope that one day we’re able to have a system like they have in Europe.
I really wish that the old Maritime Dayliner train would come back, daily round trips from Halifax to Saint John via Moncton six days a week. Sounds lovely
@@NokiTravels that would be amazing
I agree with your comment about VIA. Sadly, more people need to use the trains in order for service to improve. I remember watching the rail liners going past our countryside on the way to Sydney. They were pretty much empty and the service from Halifax to Sydney was discontinued due to lack of use. I think the same happened everywhere in Canada. The improvement of roads and the excellent marketing of cars made rail travel almost obsolete.
Would love to take a train like that across Canada from one coast to the other.
I hope to do it one day as well!
Why can't they just add/ detach the dome-car in Moncton?
A) Moncton station's other track hasn't been touched since 2013 and I doubt that they want to spend any money on it, therefore eliminating a place to put it
B) it would at at minimum half an hour to the already 22 hour route, since they have to cut the power to the whole train to add it on, and then connect all the wires.
It'd be inconvenient for everyone, unfortunately
half an hour seems like a drop in the bucket for a 22 hour ride, and Moncton is already one of the longer stops right? There's gotta be another stop where they could add it there in Moncton or elsewhere. The Halifax trainyard / blame it on a Singapore company just sounds like a typical VIA excuse 😅 #BRINGBACKTHEDOME!
@@NokiTravels
If I have the upper birth and no one has the lower birth can I just sleep in the bottom?
If you travel alone, they wont put anyone else in the same room.
No offense but the cost of Canadian trains is horrendous. I have taken on trains around the world and VIA is too expensive for even the most budget thoughtful traveller.
Can’t say you’re wrong at all…
It’s a vicious circle: it is too expensive for most, so ridership goes down, and with reduced riders they need to increase per person costs. There’s a very weird hole in the head of mass transport in Canada: the people who run it never seem to grasp the concept of providing something that people WANT to use.
Montreal ia definitely not the 2nd largest french speaking city. Paris, Kinshasa, Casablanca, Abidjan, Yaounde...
Montreal is no more the second most populous french speaking city. Paris is not even the first .
Shoot I forgot that DR of Congo also exists. Good call
22 hours on an old train or an hour and a half by plane for about 1/2 the price. Really hard to decide
The Train is not as expensive as a flight, but I can’t argue the time. If you only value how fast you can get somewhere and you can’t stop and appreciate the journey, then the train isn’t for you
@@NokiTravels also hour and half by plane is misleading. I leave home one hour prior to train departure, walk to the station, I get to Montreal just walk out on am in City. Try doing that with the plane.
Oh boy, boring and tedious. I guess if you want the train experience, go for it. I'll take the plane.
It's too bad there aren't the passenger trains of the 60's and 70's still running today. Heavy weight cars steam heat way better meals and two eastbound and two west bound trains daily. Send that British crap back to the UK. Better still why not have a circle of track you can ride on for 24 hours and get off where you got on.