Amtrak and VIA Rail: Point by Point Comparison

This post is primarily of interest to those thinking of taking long-distance train trips in either Canada or the United States.  Others, feel free to skip -- although it might give you some ideas too.

The important thing to remember, in both countries, is that these long-distance train routes are better seen as a "cruise on wheels" than as a means of getting from Point A to Point B.  As we rolled into Oklahoma City last night, almost an hour late, the complaints about how long the trip took and so on were all coming from people who used them as straight-up transportation.  Reality check: airlines are cheaper and far faster over distances in excess of 1000 miles/1600 kilometres.

So, my comparison and comments are based on considering the cruise-on-wheels aspect of these rail trips.  This precludes any examination of travel in coach class, since I have used the sleepers.

[1]  Buying tickets.  Easy and efficient online ticket sales at both companies.  Neither one allows for selection of your favourite accommodation online -- only the type of accommodation.  If you are very particular and just have to have that certain room, you still have to reserve by phone.

WINNER:  Tie.  It's long past time both companies' online booking engines 

                                     included individual seat/berth/room selections!

[2]  Baggage.  VIA Rail had no problem tagging my bag all the way from start to destination, even when two different tickets were involved.  Amtrak refused to tag my bag through, even on a single ticket, and no explanation was given.  They just wouldn't do it.  In the event, I think this was because they knew that the train would arrive in Chicago very late, due to track maintenance work.  VIA trashed my bag once, and paid minimal compensation.  Neither company has done that to me since.  Amtrak took 40 minutes to start delivering baggage into the baggage room in Chicago, their main hub.  VIA took 25 minutes for at least twice as many passengers in Toronto, their main hub.

WINNER:  VIA Rail by a small margin.  Both could do better.

[3]  Roomettes: on both companies, are very cramped when the bed is down.  Amtrak Viewliner roomette has a toilet which is usable 24/7, but so tiny and cramped that using it when the bed is down is a real challenge.  Amtrak Superliner roomette has no toilet at all.  VIA Rail roomette has a toilet, but the bed rests on it when folded down so it's only usable in daytime.  Amtrak Viewliner has better lighting, more controllable ventilation, and a more comfortable seat.  Beds are about equally comfortable, but VIA's roomette has a bed which is about 3 inches wider.

WINNER:  Amtrak.

[4]  Bedrooms: VIA's bedroom on their 1950s Budd equipment (on The Canadian) has a sink and toilet, Amtrak's bedroom adds a shower.  VIA's Renaissance sleepers (on The Ocean) have only bedrooms, with 60% of rooms having a shower, and all with basin and toilet.  The Renaissance sleepers are also the only ones of any of these trains that can be locked from the outside when you are out of the room.  All toilet/shower facilities are cramped.  Amtrak bedrooms are a little bigger, provide more leg room, and have a 1⅓ width bed, giving more sleeping room than any of the others.  The Renaissance sleepers have the narrowest beds of any of the bedrooms.  VIA's Budd car bedrooms have individual armchairs, by far the most comfortable daytime seating.

Pictures and floor plans of all accommodations can be found on both VIA and Amtrak websites.

WINNER:  Amtrak.

[5]  Service:  In sleeping cars, universally good across both companies.  Attendants pay attention to when people disappear for breakfast, and beds are made up into daytime seating when you get back.  VIA's dome cars include free coffee, tea, and snacks for sleeper passengers.  Amtrak has free coffee and water in each sleeping car.  VIA servers come around in the dome car to answer questions, tell about what you're seeing, host wine and beer tastings, introduce entertainers. and sell drinks.  Amtrak's single lounge car doubles as a cafe for coach passengers, and all food/refreshments must be bought at the counter.

WINNER:  VIA Rail, because of the dome car service.

[6]  Dining Car Seating and Service: just like any cruise ship, the quality and variety of all included meals and service at those meals is a major preoccupation.  Both companies take advance reservations for dinner.  VIA also takes reservations for lunch on The Canadian and The Ocean, in high season at least.  Reservations are taken by a dining car attendant who walks through the train.  Amtrak takes meal reservations in 30-minute increments, VIA has two or three time-designated "sittings" for those meals.  Service during meals is very good in both companies.  Amtrak servers have to use a cumbersome order form to record all your choices, and you learn to write your name, room number, and car number on the slip at each meal.  Bring a pen.  Because of the system for heating of food, meals on Amtrak tend to land on the table more quickly.  VIA Rail trains use linen table cloths, centrepieces, dishware and glassware, and good cutlery.  Amtrak's dinette-style tables are covered with a thick stack of paper covers, and all dishes and glasses are plastic -- thin enough that they flex ominously when they have to be lifted, or if they slide to the edge of the stacked-up paper covers when you are cutting food.  One train even had plastic cutlery, coloured with an ugly fake silverware colour.  The other at least had real cutlery.  I shudder at the thought of where all that plastic is going after meals.

WINNER:  VIA Rail, on presentation of meals.

[7]  Food and Beverage:  On both companies, each meal time offers three or four entree choices.  Wine and beer is available at an extra charge on both.  Most Amtrak trains use the same standard menu, which means that if you take a long multi-train trip you are likely to be eating the same limited round of dishes for as long as you are rolling.  Some choices are very limited.  For instance, all you can get in the way of breakfast bread is a croissant or a whole-wheat biscuit.  All food is reheated for serving.  VIA Rail, on The Canadian, still cooks food to order, and the round of dishes is organized in such a way that there are no repeats in either lunch or dinner menus across the entire four-day trip.  Dishes are in some cases geared to the region through which you travel.  Even the omelette of the day and the pancakes of the day change up daily on the breakfast menu.  There's a selection of wines or beers at each lunch and dinner meal.  On board The Ocean (to Halifax) the food is reheated, but the same menu principles apply and the wines are also regional products.

WINNER:  VIA Rail hits this one clear out of the ballpark. 

[8]  Customer Information:  On both companies, the long-distance trains have to take a back seat to freight trains because the freight lines own the rails.  On VIA and on two of my three Amtrak trains, regular announcements were made to keep us in the picture.  One Amtrak train offered no updates at all, even when running three hours late.  VIA's website does include a warning when you book The Canadian that you should not book connecting transportation for the day of arrival, which is a sensible precaution for most such train trips.

WINNER:  Tie.

So, which one is better?  I guess it depends on your priorities, but food is one of my big priorities when travelling so VIA Rail would get my vote.  By the way, I'm not just being a gourmand -- I am diabetic, and with Amtrak's menu selections it is really difficult for me to keep my diet in balance!