My friend a I took a much anticipated overnight trip from Montreal to Halifax last week and found it to be very disappointing. Although most of the staff were helpful and pleasant the train is very outdated ( not been updated since the 70's.) Also the WIFI was basically non existent. The food they served was mediocre at best and my friend actually developed a stomach ache and diarrhea after eating his dinner of some sort of beef dish. read more

A nice station to wait for a train to Vancouver and also nice views while getting across Canada

Was an OK alternative - now they are not even trying. New management? If it wasn't bad enough that the return trip from Moncton to Halifax is routinely six hours late (and you have to wait the whole six hours in case it comes earlier), they have decided to employ social justice warriors with all that that entails. Their website is still abysmal despite promises to fix it, and it seem to depend on the quality of the light whether bicycles are allowed on the train or not - let alone e-bikes, which they should totally be behind. Air quality fatally poor. Staff are no where to be found during a trip. I have been wise enough not to eat their food, but others report that it is awful and I can see that it is very expensive. read more

The private sleeper cabins were a lot of fun on our trek across Canada! They're expensive but totally worth it for a bucket list vacation. The cabins seem small at first but are perfectly cozy for 2 people and have an in-room private bathroom. We started in Nova Scotia and the train station was about a 15 minute walk from our airbnb on the waterfront. Checked the luggage, made the dining car reservations, and off we went. You wont have access to your luggage until Montreal so pack a bag with what you'll need inside your cabin. A train attendant is on every sleeper cabin car and he'll help you with whatever you need and will change the couch into a bed at night. Be aware there's no wifi in the cabins, only in the dining car and lounge car, but to be honest you'll be looking out your cabin window the whole time at the incredible scenery across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. Our trip was a few days before Christmas so it got dark early but we kept the blinds open all night as all the little towns we passed had massive Christmas light displays all along the tracks for passengers to see. With snow on the ground and snow in all the pine trees it was so incredibly beautiful. The dining car is only for sleeper cabin passengers and it's like a mini restaurant with 2 and 4 seater tables with linens and dishes all along massive windows. The food was phenomenal too and the menu changes to reflect the various provinces the train is currently traveling through. For example, while travelling through Quebec one of the options was breakfast poutine (and it was amazing!). We got to know most of the people in the other cabins of our train car and got some great hiking and snowshoeing recommendations for the Alberta and British Columbia leg of our little Christmas adventure in Canada. read more

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Note - Lyft and Uber aren't in Halifax (yet) which means there are limited taxi offerings. It took us about 25 minutes to get a taxi. Walking wasn't an option with aging parents. The train station is pretty lame overall. A few vending machines but nothing else if interest. It was clean at least. I'm glad I didn't have to spend more than a few minutes there. read more

VIA Rail - Walking toward the station on the platform. - Train Stations Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

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As with another Yelper, I didn't utilize the VIA Rail services either. Considering the fact that I came to Halifax by a cruise ship, there was no point for me to take a train unless I wanted to go somewhere so far away that I would miss the ship. Every time I came to Halifax by cruise ship (including most recently), I've always ended up stopping here whenever I head back to the cruise ship terminal. I've always stopped in here just to take a break from all of the walking. Inside the terminal was a big, clean, open space. Some indoor plants made the space look even better. There was a good amount of benches available for those who just wanted to either take a break or wait to catch their next train. The benches looked clean and felt okay, which was fine. The restrooms were okay too. At the time I went, it felt quiet, which was nice. They had vending machines for those who wanted to buy snacks, and a ticket office for those who needed to utilize the rail. They also had the entrance to the train platforms, in which you had to go outside in order to board the train. (Apologies for no photos due to having no additional memory.) The exterior of the building looked historical. Two poles stood on each side of the entrance, which were attached to the roof above. Those poles looked like the ones that you would see on certain historical government buildings. There was a little statue on top of the entrance which showed two people standing around an object. I didn't know what that represented, but it looked cool. The location of this rail terminal isn't too far from some of the major points of interest in the area. The terminal is connected to the Westin hotel, which is convenient for those who want to stay over for a night or two after riding the rails. The Atlantic Superstore is right next to the terminal, which is convenient for those who need to buy groceries before or after utilizing the rails. Downtown Halifax and the Harbourwalk aren't far away for those who want to walk over to those areas. Overall, I enjoyed my visit here, just as much as my previous times when I was younger. read more

VIA Rail - Exterior - Train Stations Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

I have never used the Via Rail services before. But, I've been in the terminal plenty of times. It is a very large beautiful open space with lots of places to sit and relax and is usually pretty quite. There are vending machines for munchies, but they are also attached to the Westin hotel that has a gift shop and Starbucks café. There is a Canada Post office there as well incase you need to send any packages. Taxis are usually waiting outside, so you won't have a problem getting one to your end destination. This train station is also a Bell Hotspot! read more

VIA Rail - Train Stations Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Via Rail established by the Canadian Government in 1977 run approximately 503 trains on a weekly basis. Now if you have patients and don't need to be somewhere asap I suggest taking the train. I went to Quebec on the train and it was not too bad. I did get a bit antsy but nothing a nap wont cure. EX: from Halifax to Toronto is about $198 which is not bad it is the travelling time that you would have to be concerned about. Now if you are talking the kids don't worry they have activities for kids on the train. Movies are playing during the trip for them to help entertain them. As well the train are equipped with wireless Internet so yes you can travel with the laptop. Now I myself did bring some snacks but yes they have a menu service on the train as well and will serve things like hotdogs,hamburgers, salads light meals as well as the chips and pop and the prices are fairly reasonable. So maybe on your next trip check out Via and explore some of this great place and let someone else do the driving. read more

VIA Rail - Train Stations Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

I hate the bus, I'll be honest. I have cancelled trips because I was going to be traveling on the bus. It is definitely a last resort kind of travel option. Now, on the other end of that spectrum, I love the train. My parents live about an hour away and when I go visit them, the train is my preferred method of travel. You can stretch out and poke around the cabins. You get a great alternative view on your trip and for some reason you just feel alive (does that make sense?). The train, for short trips, is only a few more dollars than the bus and it is definitely worth it. The only downside is you know that someday you're going to have take the bus again. This can be a bit of a dreadful feeling after riding ViaRail. Regardless, take the train, you'll feel good, I promise. read more

Dear VIA trains: Why must you be so expensive? Every time I look at using your services, my mouth is left gaping as I reel from your price list. I want to use your old timey milieu of transportation; conductors tipping their hats, me waving at loved ones as we chug out of the station... but alas, it's often cheaper to fly AND it takes a fraction of the time. I've traveled to Montreal on the train, and although it was a fun experience, sitting upright for 24 hours did a number on my body. Not only that, it takes days to recover from sitting for so long. The prices were better than flying at the time, but the inconvenience of feeling like crap for a number of days made it not so worth it. I'd prefer to use VIA to send boxes than to send myself somewhere. They're pretty timely when it comes to shipping and it doesn't cost as much as mailing. I wish taking the train was a little more financially sensible because it's such a fun way to travel. Maybe in the next decade we'll get all European 'round these parts, and figure out a proficient train system. I can dream, right? read more

I'm a public transportation enthusiast and because I've recently had a falling out with the Acadian Lines bus service I had to look into a more comfortable way to travel to visit my friends at school in New Brunswick. My one-way ticket cost about 50 bucks dollars which is only about 10 dollars more than it would have cost me to take the bus. The extra money was worth it and offered perks like not having to change buses, guaranteed seating, access to a concessions car and an overall more comfortable ride. For longer trips VIA rail offers it's passengers comfortable sleeping cars which operate with key card access, similar to a hotel. I'm convinced by my experience that travelling on the train is the best option for long trips and if you can afford it, it might be worth your while to drop the extra money for a short trip as well. read more

Via Rail, is a great service. I find that a lot of seniors like to travel this way, it gives them the opportunity to stretch their legs. Also, you get fed on the train, or if you are on a long ride, get sleeping quarters. It really is a step up from the bus. I prefer the train, and took it down to Moncton on numerous occasions. I just like it better. A few dollars more,but we are all worth it. read more

I would give them ZERO stars if I could. They completely screwed us over. Flew across the country with our little dog on board. No issues whatsoever. Planned a road trip ending with an overnight train trip Halifax to Quebec City. Confirmed everything with an agent, "no problem taking your dog on board with you!" she told us. There was just an extra $50. fee...that's fine. She explained the pet policy...must be kept in a carrier, at your feet at your seat, etc, etc. Go to check in 30 minutes before boarding per the instructions, was told "You don't have the correct carrier for your dog." We explain this is the carrier we had used on every flight we had ever taken him on. "No" they said "he has to be in a hard sided kennel...in the cargo car with the luggage." WTF? We went back-and-forth for 15 minutes...we told them that we had been confirmed by the agent and that she had even explained the rules. All we got was a "Sorry, must've been a misunderstanding. You can only take dogs on board through the Quebec City/Windsor corridor." The agent who confirmed us on the phone knew EXACTLY where we were travelling to and from. Stranded in Halifax. Had to rent a car at a cost of $200. for 24 hours, just because of the fact it would be dropped off at a different place than it was rented. As brand new Canadians, we were excited to experience Via Rail. They will NEVER get our business. Screw you Via Rail. read more

We eagerly set out on Via Rail from Montreal to Halifax on the sleeper cars, looking forward to the scenery and observation car, along with the romance of dining in the dining car with full waiter service. We were required to check our luggage because it will not fit in the sleeper cars, and then bring a small overnight bag on the train. When we got to Halifax (a little over an hour late, maybe about 6:30 PM), we waited patiently for four suitcases for four people. Unfortunately, one suitcase never showed up. While my husband and son worked on paperwork filing for the lost suitcase, my daughter and I calmly and patiently sat on a bench. Unfortunately, two different employees each came up to us separately and very aggressively told us we must leave now (they were clearly only interested in getting off duty and we were in the way). We patiently told both that we were waiting for paperwork on lost luggage. Both scuttled away, but no apology or sympathy given. A woman employee then came up to us, very angrily told us we were not allowed to sit there and imply ed we were worthless vagrants. We again told her we were waiting for the lost luggage paperwork to be completed and pointed about 20 meters away to where the rest of our family was speaking with the man behind the window. She then insisted we move all three pieces of luggage and ourselves across to another bench in the same room about 10 meters away. She was extremely discourteous, and then proceeded to tun off a light (apparently that was why we were required to move, so she could flip a light switch). Follow up on luggage after this horrid start? Although the original claim number is still in the system, the itemized list and other paperwork is mysteriously missing and never received by Montreal, and the luggage is still missing but Via Rail will still not admit to this three weeks later, so no compensation for our lost suitcase and all of its contents and we are still in discussion. Horrid, horrid service and amazingly stereotyped government employee attitudes worthy of much scorn. read more

I've used Via Rail to ship all sorts of stuff now - clothes, books, a guitar, a box of records, and lots more - and it's all gotten here safe and sound. Plus, since it has all had to travel from Vancouver to Halifax, I really feel like I've tested them at their limits. So far, so good. All shipping has happened in a timely matter, and while the boxes usually don't look *pretty* when after traveling over 6000km, nothing has ever been damaged. The most important thing is that you take responsibility for packing your boxes well, and acknowledge what kind of service you're using. These cats are moving your boxes on and off buses many times (if you're shipping as far as I have) and you have to expect a fair deal of rough handling. Just do a good, solid job packing and you shouldn't have any problems. Plus, the guys in the Halifax bus depot office are super sweet. Hopefully most of my shipping is done now, but I wouldn't hesitate to use this service again. read more