LTX 2018 by Amtrak or VIA Rail

[evman1396]

If you are going to LTX 2018 there is plenty of other ways of getting to the convention other than driving or flying. How about by train!

For LTX 2017 I took the train using Amtrak from Fargo, ND to Vancouver, BC with a layover connection in Seattle. The train ride was around 36 hours or so for me. One-way. But I had the vacation time, and the experience was more pleasant than flying. Mainly because I'm a bigger guy.

 

Reasons to Travel by Train

• An average coach class Amtrak seat is bigger than an average first-class airline seat, and it reclines.
• You get to see some of the greatest views by train other than by flying.
• Refueling and restocking stops (smoke stops) so you can stretch your legs. ALWAYS stay next to the train or you WILL be left behind and you will NOT be given a refund. I've witnessed people being left behind myself. They cry like babies. Don't be a stupid crybaby. 
• In some cases (including mine) traveling by train was much cheaper than flying. For me, it was 1/2 the cost of an airline seat ticket.
• Most Amtrak trains travel at or more than 79MPH. (You will see slower speeds going through rough terrain like mountains.) 

 

Cons

• Longer travel time. My travel time included an 8-hour layover in Seattle. Which was during the day. So I went and saw some of Seattle while waiting for my connection. Got to see the Space Needle and Boeing's Museum of Flight. 
• MUCH longer travel time if using VIA rail. (Tracks are not as up to par as America's and therefore have a maximum of 55MPH on long distance Canadian routes )

To be clear this is for people who have the time to travel long distances by train. The journey time is much longer than flying. But if traveling more than 600 miles it is much faster than driving as the train doesn't stop at a hotel due to driver fatigue. It switches drivers at certain stops and continues the journey. This sounds complicated and a waste of time but again it is a great way to travel. 

 

Once you get to Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, which is served by both Canada's VIA Rail and America's Amtrak, it's less than a half a block away from Translink's Skytrain, Expo Line, Main-Street Science World Station. Pacific Central Station to Science World Station.pdf From there you travel north to Waterfront Station. Skytrain System.pdf Transfer to Skytrain's Canada Line and make your way south to Lansdowne Station which puts within 5 blocks of the Richmond Olympic Oval. Now you can either walk or take the C94 connecting bus to directly in front of the Richmond Olympic Oval. Science World to Richmond Olympic Oval.pdf

 

Your only concern now is a hotel. Don't worry there's a map for that. Click the "View on Map" drop-down arrow when loaded. https://www.tourbytransit.com/vancouver/accommodations#mapAnchor

I stayed at the Met Hotel in New Westminster for LTX 2017. It is literally right next to a Skytrain station and is reasonably priced. http://www.themethotel.com/ This hotel is still viable even after changing LTX venues this year. Just a tad bit longer travel by Skytrain. 

 

For American citizens only. YOU MUST HAVE A PASSPORT OR YOU WILL BE DENIED ENTRY INTO CANADA. Using any mode of transportation to travel internationally requires your passport. Canadians need no worry if you travel by VIA.   

 

How is this possible.

Amtrak is an American rail service. But provides international train service to select cities in Canada including Vancouver. All you need is your passport and a reason. ALWAYS BE HONEST WITH BORDER SECURITY AND DECLARE ANYTHING THAT THEY MAY BE INTERESTED IN IF YOU FEEL IT VIOLATES THE DECLARATION FORM GIVEN TO YOU. I told them that I was going to a tech convention and that I had a bag of beef jerky. Meat is banned from being entered into Canada. But since it was dead cooked meat I was ok. Nothing organically fresh is allowed to cross the border. (Unless it was something you caught while hunting or fishing.) Either from America to Canada, or Canada to America.

 

Unfortunately due to credit card debt that I used on my last trip to LTX. Spent damn near a $1000 bucks. NOT including the cost of traveling by train because I got them points yo. I won't be able to go to LTX 2018. But I feel that taking the train is a much under-appreciated mode of travel in North America and deserves to be taken into consideration when traveling. 

 

Have fun at LTX 2018 and safe travels, Evan G.

 

Websites to visit:

https://www.translink.ca/

https://www.amtrak.com/home

http://www.viarail.ca/en

https://www.tourbytransit.com/vancouver/accommodations

http://www.themethotel.com/

GOOGLE MAPS IS YOUR FRIEND

 

 

[kirashi]

Lovely write up on getting to LTX2018 via an underutilized method of transportation. One of these days I'd love to ride VIA rail across Canada to the East Coast.

[evman1396]

Thanks @kirashi

@LinusTech @Slick @CPotter

[LienusLateTips]

Hey, local here.

 

From Pacific Central, I'd personally take the 23 bus over the Expo to connect to the Canada Line. It's faster, with less walking during transfer (the two waterfront stations are about a block apart)

 

Take the Canada Line to Lansdowne, then you can walk on Lansdowne Road west to get to the Oval. Or take it to Brighouse Station and catch the C94 at I believe the 403 Bridgeport Bay. From the station exit, make a huge u turn torwards the north until you see a bus stop saying "C94 Richmond Oval", then you can catch it.

 

Get a compass card. It's refundable deposit and allows you to transfer from bus to SkyTrain without extra fare.

[AshleyAshes]

Eh, Via Rail's The Canadian is really not cheaper than flying by a long shot.  It's a long distance configured train with Budd coaches and sleepers.  It's a lovely way to see Canada and I intend to take that train, sleeper class, one day from Toronto to Vancouver some day and then hang around while annoying @GabenJr and their wife, but if one wants to just GET to the Vancouver area from elsewhere in Canada, you'll save a LOT of money on a plane.  From a utilitarian view, you want to take a plane at least if travelling across Canada just 'Point A to Point B'. You want to take the train to SEE Canada along the way.

 

Obviously, I can't speak for Amtrak.

[Mooshi]

Unless we get Japanese bullet trains, the North American rail system is slower than taking a bus..like seriously how is that even possible?

[PocketNerd]

I've taken the Amtrak from Vancouver (BC) to Portland (OR) multiple times now (with return), and it's super awesome. For those of you who are wishing to bring a laptop or something that requires a table, I HIGHLY recommend that you get a Business-Class ticket since that not only gives you more room, but guarantees that you'll have a power outlet AND a table to use.

I just love having the ability to move around and the longer travel time gives me an opportunity to do things I would not be able to do on a Plane, like work.

[Canada EH]

From what I searched out its quite expensive to go on Via Rail plus it takes longer then by Greyhound bus.

Greyhound is cheap if you book the ticket far enough in advance, but then if your doing that why not just book a discount airline like Westjet.

[Egg-Roll]

On 5/4/2018 at 4:13 PM, Canada EH said:

From what I searched out its quite expensive to go on Via Rail plus it takes longer then by Greyhound bus.

Greyhound is cheap if you book the ticket far enough in advance, but then if your doing that why not just book a discount airline like Westjet.

I was on a greyhound bus last year (maybe 2, I didn't ride it, I help someone getting on) and it didn't look that well maintained... Not to mention if the bus I was on was even remotely similar to the ones used cross country unless I got off every 4-6 hours I'd be cramped up tremendously... All for what? 18 hours and a few hundred bucks? (literally from Toronto to BC it's only $300 with refundable, $400+- not)

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/americas-canada/canada/across-canada-on-greyhound

 

If someone wants cheap take the plane, can't fly? Drive. Can't drive? Either beg someone to take you or hike all the way there.

For those coming from Toronto it would take 880 hours to walk there, take the train, thank me later

https://goo.gl/maps/aDwQyaAQ1B52 (If you leave now and walk the google avg of 4.5km/h, you should make it assuming you walk 16 hours a day w/no breaks)

 

The abilities one has on the train are far more reasonable to the price, granted if one tend to smell like a skunk after 1 day of not bathing maybe neither options are a good choice, because economy on VIA has no shower abilities. To combat that one could buy a across canada pass for the same price giving 7 trips (with risks of not getting back on for a week or more)

 

On 5/4/2018 at 3:14 PM, Mooshi said:

Unless we get Japanese bullet trains, the North American rail system is slower than taking a bus..like seriously how is that even possible?

Because freight literally rules the network(owning of rails and volume). If passenger trains had their own tracks it would be on par with buses likely with pricing too...

[Canada EH]

1 hour ago, Egg-Roll said:

(literally from Toronto to BC it's only $300 with refundable, $400+- not)

yup and days and days and days on the bus, in stations, eating shitty food

 

just drop a dime on a aeroplane ride

[Egg-Roll]

1 hour ago, Canada EH said:

yup and days and days and days on the bus, in stations, eating shitty food

 

just drop a dime on a aeroplane ride

Yea... I wouldn't trust any one of the canadian airline companies... Not to mention you require a passport now to fly within canada, solely because if your plane makes a emergency landing in the USA... You don't need one for inside of canadian travel but if you land on USA soil for any reason not described in the travels (that requires a passport) lol you got owned.

[Canada EH]

3 hours ago, Egg-Roll said:

Not to mention you require a passport now to fly within canada,

never knew that

 

stop a lot of blackout flyers LOLOLOL

[Egg-Roll]

1 hour ago, Canada EH said:

never knew that

 

stop a lot of blackout flyers LOLOLOL

Like I said it's only if you land on US soil and require to leave the plane... The time you don't take it, it will happen 

 

Truth be told tho I thought you had to have one for actual air travel within Canada, happy that didn't happen, but the fact you should still carry one out of caution is saddening.

[Keystone Nyan Cat]

On 3/10/2018 at 2:19 PM, evman1396 said:

Spent damn near a $1000 bucks

Out of curiosity- can you give us a breakdown of expenses to help us plan how much to bring with us? 

[LienusLateTips]

On 2018-05-28 at 12:14 PM, Keystone Nyan Cat said:

Out of curiosity- can you give us a breakdown of expenses to help us plan how much to bring with us? 

Vancouver is hella expensive. Just a fair warning.