Train Review: VIA Rail Canada Economy Class Quebec City to Montreal

Background

After spending a night in Quebec City at the famous Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, I was headed to Montreal. The train seemed like the best option, for both value and convenience to the city centers. So, I booked the last of the 4 daily trains offered by VIA Rail Canada from Quebec City to Montreal.

Train Details

VIA Rail Canada 29
Quebec City to Montreal
Scheduled Departure: 5:45 PM
Scheduled Arrival: 9:00 PM
Duration: 3 hours and 15 minutes

Booking and Pricing

Via Rail prices do vary depending on when you book them. I booked my Via Rail tickets about a month out, and the price for the lowest Economy Class (Escape Fare) was 46 CAD, while the lowest Business Class fare was 109 CAD. The day before departure, the lowest Economy Class fare increased to 68 CAD, while the lowest Business Class fare was 184 CAD.

My Escape fare is nonrefundable, but exchangeable (fees of 50% of fare or minimum of $20 per segment + fare difference). It also comes with 1 small or medium carry-on baggage and the website says for a “limited time” it comes with free seat selection as well.

Route and Stops

• Quebec City
• Ste- Foy
• Drummondville
• St. Hyacinthe
• St. Lambert
• Montréal

My Experience

We left from Quebec City (Gare du Palais) and walked from our hotel, the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac. The walk wasn’t too hard, and it took under 20 minutes. Interestingly, Gare du Palais looks like a chateau, with similar architectural stylings as the Chateau Frontenac. I was a bit amazed at how pretty the Gare du Palais was.

Our train departed at 5:45 pm, and we arrived about an hour early trying to find something to eat beforehand. Since it was a Sunday, one of the fancy-looking steakhouses was closed (the only day it was closed). Also, there seemed to be a few of the smaller grab-and-go shops, but they were all closed as well. So, we headed across the street and got some sandwiches.

We got back to the station 15 minutes before departure and boarded our train.

We were located in Car 3, and immediately after entering the train, I realized that it felt quite new. The Economy Class is set up in a typical 2-2 configuration, with a mix of front-facing, backward-facing, and sets of 4 with a table in the middle.

For seat features, the are two power outlets in between the seats, as well as a large tray table that folds down from the seat in front. There is overhead space that can fit carry-on bags, and overhead lights as well. The seats and the train car felt quite clean, which was a plus.

Food Options

On my Via Rail Train from Quebec to Montreal, dining carts would pass through the cars offering a selection of drinks and snacks. It came through a total of 2 times during my train ride.

Light Meals included:

• Bagel and cream cheese
• Ham croissant
• Turkey Sandwich
• Falafel wrap
• Assorted vegetable plate
• Assorted Canadian cheese plate

Snacks included:

• Chocolate bar
• Chips
• Salted cashews
• Trail mix
• Chocolate chip cookies
• Banana bread Hummus and crackers

Beverages included:

• Spring water
• 2% milk
• Soft drink
• Coffee, decaffeinated coffee Tea, or herbal tea
• Hot chocolate
• Orange or apple juice Sparkling water
• Alcoholic beverages such as beer, pre-mixed and classic cocktails, and Red or white wine.

Wi-Fi

Free WiFi was offered and it was decent. There were many times throughout the journey when it took a while to load a webpage but would work again in 10 minutes. I think it was definitely more stable than my last Amtrak ride in New York.

Bathrooms

I was impressed by the bathroom I visited in my car. The closest bathroom to me was an accessible one, and it was quite spacious. Also, there was an automatic sink & soap dispenser which was surprising. Plus, I appreciate that they have paper towels.  It was also quite clean, so I was pleasantly surprised.

Arrival and The Verdict

The train felt relatively quick, and we arrived at Montreal (Gare Centrale) right on time. It’s not a bullet train, and if you have a car it’s only about 2.5 hours in no traffic to drive the 160 miles from Quebec City to Montreal. But, it’s nice to be dropped off at the city center of both cities! I wouldn’t hesitate to take the train again if I need to get from Montreal to Quebec City as it was a pleasant experience.

 

Have you taken a VIA Rail Canada train from Quebec City to Montreal? How was your experience? Comment below!

 

Cheers,

Ty

---

Have any questions? I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!