Canada | Crossing the Country by Train in 21 Days — December, 2013

Planning the Journey

Flying back into Halifax early on the 1st December, I sat at the airport in St John’s planning my train adventure across Canada from Halifax to Vancouver. Circling trains, routes, and timeframes, I soon realised I really needed a solid plan to link everything together across the country.

Landing in Halifax, I caught the local bus into town and headed straight to the train station. Canadians, being friendly as always, helped me decide on the first half of the journey toward Toronto. With the train leaving at 12, I bundled on and headed to my first stop that evening, Moncton in New Brunswick.

Atlantic Canada

Halifax, Moncton and Charlottetown

Rolling into Moncton, I wandered around to find a hostel and was able to check in for the night, before catching an early bus to Prince Edward Island later that evening. Arriving in Charlottetown, I grabbed a taxi and asked for the cheapest place in town. The driver called another taxi and asked around, as the hostel was closed for the winter, and soon I had a hotel for the night.

Hitting the footpath and walking the town, I found a great bar, The Gahan, before wandering more of Charlottetown itself. There is a distinctly English feel to the city, and it is the place where the idea of a nation was formed, with an agreement signed that led to Canadian Confederation. It felt quietly historic.

The next morning, I caught the bus back to Moncton for a connecting overnight train to Quebec City.

Quebec

Quebec City and Montreal

I arrived on a chilly winter morning into Quebec City at 5am after a restless night on the train from Moncton. I grabbed a taxi and headed to the HI Hostel, hoping to crash until the 3pm check-in. Testing one of the French phrases I had learned in Moncton, parlez-vous anglais, I received a oui and a smile, and soon found myself back in bed.

After waking later in the morning, I headed out to explore the city. Looking under my bed, I noticed a familiar sight - Jacob, a friend I had made in Halifax, was staying there too. We caught up before I wandered the inner city. With temperatures around minus seven degrees, enough layers made it surprisingly tolerable for a Queenslander, and even enjoyable. Snow-covered streets and the Old Town, decorated for Christmas, felt more French than Canadian at times.

I returned later that afternoon and was invited out for drinks before a pub crawl that evening. The following day was spent wandering more of Quebec City, before an early night ahead of a two-hour train ride to Montreal.

Arriving in Montreal, I caught up with another traveller I had met in Quebec City and then headed to the hostel to meet Jacob again. Wandering Rue Sainte-Catherine, we ended up at a hostel bar nearby and decided to stay another night. I even extended my stay to catch MGMT for only $40.

The next few days were spent visiting Parc du Mont-Royal, finding great coffee at a café called Melbourne, heading to the Olympic Park Tower, and exploring the Old Port.

Ontario

Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto

Disembarking from the train in Ottawa after a short ride from Montreal, I gathered my bags and wandered downtown toward the hostel, formerly a jail. After walking the wrong way and crunching through frozen snow on a very cold night, I eventually arrived and checked in.

Following staff recommendations, I headed down Elgin Street to El Camino for tacos. Packed and busy, I managed to find a seat at the bar and tried fish, chicken, and beef tacos, with the beef easily being the best I’d ever had. Afterwards, I wandered to Union, a former speakeasy, enjoyed a ridiculous dessert, and chatted with someone at the bar about my travels so far. Parliament was next, glowing beautifully in the night.

The following morning involved a loop through Gatineau, taking in the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of Nature. The evening included a ghost tour of the hostel and a late-night visit to the Elgin Street Diner. Another night was spent in an actual jail cell, locking myself in for the night. I also caught up with Tim, the brother of my long-time friend Chris from Brisbane, before continuing onward.

The next day included a stop in Kingston on the way to Toronto to visit another friend I had met during my travels. Time there included attending a local hockey game, exploring downtown Kingston, and wandering through Queen’s University.

Arriving at Union Station in Toronto, I crunched through icy snow toward the HI Hostel. After dropping my bags, I wandered downtown to get a feel for the city. New headphones were purchased, and later I found myself in a camera store where Fuji representatives were promoting their gear. Curious, I ended up buying a Fuji X20 to replace my Canon G1X.

The next morning, I headed to Niagara Falls by train. Heavy snowfall had transformed the area, coating everything in white. I wandered the strip, took in the falls, and even sprinted through a haunted house. Back in Toronto, I met Mitch from Winnipeg, explored Chinatown, checked out graffiti, and visited the CN Tower. A few days later, I caught up with Andrew, whom I had met in New York and Halifax, before preparing for the final leg west.

The Canadian

Toronto to Vancouver

Leaving the hostel around 9pm, I returned to Union Station to board The Canadian all the way to Vancouver. Original plans for stops in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and Jasper were abandoned due to time constraints, and I committed to the full three-day journey.

Traveling through the night, I moved between my seat and the viewing car, eventually falling asleep. The following morning brought a brief stop in Winnipeg, just enough time for a quick look before continuing west. Over the next few days, the train passed through Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Jasper. During this time, Christmas plans shifted, and a flight to Dallas–Fort Worth was booked to visit family.

Time onboard was split between listening to music, chatting with fellow passengers, and long, quiet evenings listening to the rhythm of the tracks while writing and reflecting on how far I had come since leaving Brisbane months earlier.

After three days, the train pulled into Vancouver. I stepped out having travelled over 5,000 kilometres in three weeks. Leaving Pacific Central Station, I caught the SkyTrain and walked down Granville Street for the first time, a street I would come to know very well. Neon lights, unfamiliar sights, and a wave of emotion followed. I checked into the HI Hostel, visited the Capilano Suspension Bridge to see the Christmas lights, and explored Granville Street before preparing for the next chapter.