DAY 33: Via Rail through the Rocky Mountains

I have always wanted to cross Canada from west to east by train. I looked into the Rocky Mountaineer, which is a luxury travel option that takes about a week. Travel on the train by day and sleep in hotels at night. Weeeelll… do I want to do this for a week or do I want to see the world? When all I have is a shoestring...
So, Via Rail Canada it is. And bad it really isn't. The station in Vancouver (where I also arrived on Wednesday) is pretty and clean and well managed. The train is clean and comfortable. The windows are big and clean so you can see the views and take pictures. There is even a viewing car. And best of all, the train was not very full so everyone could spread out. The toilet was kept clean and was 2x the size of a plane toilet.
The only drawback was that there was a family with a 4-year old and a baby. The baby was crying a lot the first 2 hours but then it went to sleep and slept right through the night. Only started fussing again lunchtime the next day. All in all not bad I thought

Pacific Central Station in Vancouver

Even beautiful ceilings at the station.

Lots of legroom, seats go very far back so you can sleep comfortably. And when you have both seats to yourself, then that is very nice too.

Viewing Car - This was a bit cold but I think it is on purpose so passengers don't move in permanently and everyone get's a chance.

And look at the VIES from the train. The first half of the trip which is during the night, is not impressive. The landscape is pretty dry with lots of crumbling sandstone and not much plant life. 

The days here are very long. It only starts getting dark around 10pm and at 5am it is fully light. When I woke up at 5am we were still crawling through the boring brown landscape, but not long after, the landscape changed very quickly and drastically as we entered the Rockies.

Early morning.

Since we were crawling along valleys mostly, there was a lot of water.

And then the mountains became impressive, towering, snow still at the tops.

The Triangle Watervall

The station at Jasper, Alberta

This morning it is raining and I slept in. Still lounging around in my room. Given I forked out for a hotel room instead of the usual hostel, I guess I better make use of it!! :)

I do have to say though, if you travel the way I travel, a hostel is a lot more suitable then most hotels. Here I am in a beautiful, yet very small room with a huge bed, a washbasin and tv (which I don't even have on I just realised) and not much more. Breakfast is not included... you can use their restaurant for that. There is not even a kettle in the room.... I guess you can use their restaurant for that too! There is no-where to prepare a meal, not even a sandwich or have some cereal. Their restaurant again???? No coin-operated laundromat. I have a shared bathroom... BUT I am paying 3 times more than in a hostel. For what? Only privacy, the rest is not worth it.

I guess I should get up an some stage, make myself presentable and go out... in the rain..... yay!

Yes, it is a long way from Vancouver to Jasper - 18.5 hours on the train.
Yes, you have to sit and sleep if you are too cheap to fork out for a The difference in price is significant though... $250 vs $1,000..... and that is not even Prestige Class with all the trims!
Is it worth it? Hell yes. Would I do it again. Absolutely.