Ro Wells Travel

So, there I was in a hotel room in Saskatoon, going round and round in circles trying to figure out where I was going to go next. My initial idea was to take a bus to Regina, Saskatchewan then a bus or train to Winnipeg, Manitoba. I would then continue heading east towards Toronto, Ontario via Thunder Bay, Ontario. But the more I looked into this route the more expensive it got and the harder it got to find accommodation options and travel links rarely lined up. In some parts of Canada there are only 2 buses or trains a week, and if they don’t line up with your plans then you could end up stuck somewhere for a lot longer than you intended. So it was back to the drawing board. (I haven’t given up on doing this route at some point but I think it will be over summer and with a car).

I started having a real think about what I wanted to do next. I knew I wanted to be somewhere with a bit more going on than Saskatoon, and I was starting to feel ready to stay in one place for a longer than a few days. And the thought came to me, “Why not head straight to Toronto and spend the month over Christmas there?” I’d already had a brief look at Toronto and there seemed to be a lot to explore there with loads going on over the festive period. So I started having a look at travel options. As I was currently in Saskatoon, this limited my options slightly but this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Option one was to fly to Toronto, ON from Saskatoon, SK. This would only take a few hours but I was loathe to fly as I would miss seeing so much of the country. Which brought me to option two: a 52 hour Via Rail train journey. Now, to some that might be their idea of hell but I was really intrigued by the idea. It felt like a really Canadian experience to have and I’d never done a long distance train journey before. The cost was about the same as flying, plus I would get to see all the scenery of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario on my way to Toronto. So I booked my ticket for first thing the next morning.

I arrived early to the Via Rail train station at Saskatoon and had a fantastic chat with a staff member there who told me more about what I could expect on the train (as well as a conspiracy theory or three about various topics – highly entertaining). The train arrived and on I got, to be told that they were still serving breakfast and I should go down to the dining car and order some if I fancied it. I’d booked a sleeper berth as I didn’t fancy sleeping upright in a chair for two nights. What I hadn’t realised is that this included not only breakfast, but an incredibly high quality three course lunch and three course supper as well. This was a truly wonderful surprise (although the rolls and peanut butter I had bought would not be needed).

I started my journey in Saskatoon, SK (though the train route started in Vancouver, BC) and the views for the first day were of the endless prairies and frost-covered flatlands of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The next morning when I awoke, we had passed through Manitoba and were now in Northern Ontario. The landscape had changed completely and now snow-covered pine forests and frozen lakes were flashing past the windows as we travelled along. There was absolutely no mobile signal for that entire day and I loved it. (Apart from the fact I needed to book a hostel for when I arrived in Toronto – luckily there was approximately 2 minutes of signal as we passed through Armstrong and I managed to make a booking.) I’m finding that I’m really enjoying detoxing from technology. I used to be someone who would respond to texts almost instantly. Now my friends and family can expect a reply in three to five business days. On the third and final day, the train was in Southern Ontario and farmland and more rural landscapes were surrounding us before we entered the city of Toronto. The scenery I saw was astonishing. I spent the vast majority of my time on the train looking out the window or in conversation with my fellow passengers. I think it was this second part that made the journey so special.

The train had a very similar feel to a hostel. Every meal, you were seated with someone new and I got to hear some incredible stories. Everyone I met was incredibly friendly and welcoming and we had some wonderful conversations. There was such a diverse community on the train, with people from a huge range of nationalities, as well as a fair few Canadians and travellers similar to myself. Due to the close proximity you’re in with everyone, whether the others in your cabin car or just in the dining car, you form a real bond with these people for the duration of the journey. By the end of my first day, I felt like a had a ‘group’ I was part of and we could laugh and joke around like we’d known each other for months not hours. Age, background and nationality played no part in it whatsoever, it was just a beautiful coming together of humans. On the last night, I was invited to a gathering in the park (bar) car at the back of the train. I knew maybe a quarter of the people in there but was instantly made to feel like part of the group. What happened next I honestly don’t think would have happened on any other train with any other group of people (though I implore you to instigate it if you find yourself in a similar situation). One gentleman had brought a ukulele with him and so we had a mini carol concert with musical accompaniment. Everyone then gave a rendition of their own national anthems. (The singing of the national anthem is a very American/Canadian thing I’m learning. Myself and the two other Brits present were initially a bit perplexed when someone started singing O Canada, swiftly followed by the Star Spangled Banner, but quickly embraced it.) It was one of the most weird and wonderful evenings I’ve ever experienced.

Taking the train was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and I would repeat it in a heartbeat. I honestly cannot recommend the train enough, it was a truly extraordinary experience.

A couple more photos here!