I’ve spent 200 hours traveling roughly 6,000 miles on trains over the last four years, from 30-hour overnight rides to quick, three-hour journeys.
I’ve taken trains in the US from the Northeast to the Southwest, into the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and between the European countries of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. Along the way, I’ve tried out a wide range of seating options, from business and first classes to shared bunks and private cabins.
In August of 2022, I spent six hours traveling in business class from Toronto to Montreal on Via Rail, Canada’s main railroad system. It was my first time using Via Rail, and I was surprised by all the business-class offerings, from comfy seats to snacks and meals.
It was better than my business-class Amtrak experiences in the US — and totally worth the $200 ticket.
Similar to Amtrak, Via Rail is one of the most accessible and popular ways to travel by train in Canada.
ViaRail serves more than 400 stations in eight provinces across Canada, with economy seating, business class, and sleeper accommodations.
My journey began at Toronto’s Union Station on a cloudy summer morning.
I arrived at 7 a.m. for my 8:30 a.m. train to Montreal.
I arrived early because my business-class ticket included access to an exclusive lounge at the station with plenty of seating and free refreshments.
Via Rail’s lounges are available to passengers traveling in business class, sleeper plus, prestige, and VIA Rail Premier members traveling in economy.
Amtrak has lounges at select stations, too, but they’re only free to access for first-class passengers.
The lounge was mostly empty on a Friday morning.
I thought it was a quiet and peaceful place to enjoy a coffee and get some work done.
Around 8 a.m., I made my way to the track where my train was boarding.
My business-class ticket came with priority boarding, so I was able to skip a long line of passengers.
When I got to my assigned single seat, I was surprised to find a side table and a tray table that pulled out in front of me.
No train I’ve ever been on in the US has offered two tables per passenger.
Throughout the trip, I used the side table to hold my coffee while working and to store my laptop while taking work breaks. Beneath the side table, a conveniently placed outlet charged my devices.
Right away, I thought my Via Rail seat was one of the most comfortable I’d ever experienced on a train.
The Toronto Star reported that Via Rail business-class seats are 18.5 inches wide with a 39-inch seat pitch.
An Amtrak representative told Business Insider that its business-class seats are about an inch wider than Via Rail’s, with an additional three inches of legroom, but I don’t think they’re nearly as comfortable.
Unlike most Amtrak seats I’ve booked, the top of my Via Rail seat was curved, allowing me to rest my head in a comfortable position for lounging.
The seats reclined, too, just like in the US. This made them even more comfortable.
I also noticed that, unlike on my rides with Amtrak, Via Rail’s seat back compartments held a safety pamphlet.
Like every flight I’ve ever taken, there were directions for what to do in an emergency situation. I found this comforting.
Shortly after leaving, a train attendant came around with a complimentary drink service.
I ordered a coffee.
Then, it was time for breakfast. Unlike Amtrak’s business-class fares, Via Rail’s ticket comes with complimentary meals brought to your seat.
The train served a warm bagel with cream cheese. It was no New York bagel, but it was decent and filled me up.
An hour later, an attendant returned with savory snack packs filled with nuts, pretzels, and crackers.
Then, train attendants came around again with warm hand wipes before lunch service, which I thought was a nice touch.
Lunch was another business-class perk. The menu was announced over the loudspeaker. The entrée choices were trout, chicken, or pasta.
I went with the pasta. It was a rigatoni dish with a side of corn salad, a hard roll, and carrot bread for dessert. The meal was better than I expected, with an al dente cook on the pasta. I also thought it was much better than the pasta I’ve tried on Amtrak trains.
After lunch, I went to the bathroom and was impressed by how clean it was compared to most train bathrooms I’ve used.
I often find overflowing trash cans in train bathrooms, but VIA Rail’s looked like it had been cleaned recently.
Due to some delays at stops along the way, the train arrived in Montreal about an hour later than scheduled at 2:30 p.m.
While I thought this was frustrating, at least I was comfortable.
Even though we were late, I found business-class train travel more comfortable and pleasant in Canada than in the US.
This six-hour business-class ride cost $200, while a 10-hour Amtrak business-class ride booked around the same time cost $163. Although it was more expensive, I think the Via Rail ride was worth the additional cost since I found it to be so comfortable.
Now, I want to explore more of Canada by train.
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