VIA Rail's Easterly Class: A Maritime Learning Experience Celebrates Fourth Year of Service
MONTREAL – VIA Rail's Easterly Class: A Maritime Learning Experience invites travelers to become immersed in the romance of Canada's Maritime Provinces with an enhanced range of amenities and historic celebrations during its fourth year of service. From June 15th to October 18th, the Easterly Class, a seasonal upgrade featuring premier-class sleeper service on VIA's Ocean route, will engage passengers with its educational program featuring vignettes from the carrier's nationally certified Learning Coordinators.
"Since its introduction, VIA's seasonal Maritime Learning Experience has been about creating a unique learning environment on the rails," said Susan Williams, VIA's Director of Customer Experience in the East. "Our Learning Coordinators are a major contributor to that experience. We are extremely proud to announce that a number of coordinators have earned their TCP (Tourism Certified Professional) designation and are sharing their newfound knowledge with all learning coordinators in the region."
The certification, earned through the Nova Scotia Tourism Human Resource Council (NSTHRC), involves an intensive course on heritage interpretation. The requirements are rigorous and the result for VIA customers is an enhanced program highlighting subjects such as the history of the Maritimes, regional wines and lobster trapping.
Passengers aboard the train can enjoy summer celebrations of events such as the 100th Anniversary of Anne of Green Gables and the 250th Anniversary of Democracy while experiencing new Easterly Class amenities, such as brand new menus including delectable entrees such as Irish Whiskey Atlantic Salmon, Alexander Keith's Beer Braised Short Ribs and Rum Marinated Chicken Breast, the introduction of wine pairing during meals and a brand new newsletter that keeps customers informed of activities and highlights.
Easterly Class is a seasonal upgrade to the Ocean's already existing Comfort Sleeper class. The Ocean operates year-round, six times per week in each direction between Montréal and Halifax while the learning component upgrade is featured throughout the summer season.
All meals on board – three in total from Montréal to Halifax – are included in the ticket price for Easterly Class passengers. Menus also include information about the century-long history of the Ocean service and a thought-provoking Maritime puzzle is served along with the morning's cup of coffee. The Ocean's cozy sleeping accommodations include amenities such as comfortable duvet bedding, plump pillows, towels and a shower kit, bottled water, and chocolates.
For more information on train schedules or to book a trip anywhere in the VIA system, customers can visit VIA's secure Web site at viarail.ca. Passengers also can book their tickets at self-ticketing kiosks in most Québec City-Windsor Corridor stations, by calling 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245), TTY 1 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired), or through their travel agent.
As Canada's national passenger rail service, VIA Rail Canada's mandate is to provide efficient, environmentally sustainable and cost effective passenger transportation services, both in Canada's busiest corridor and in remote and rural regions of the country. VIA serves more than 450 communities with a network of inter-city, transcontinental and regional trains. Increasingly travellers are turning to train travel as a hassle-free and cost-efficient alternative to congested roads and airports as well as a more environmentally responsible way to travel.
July 1, 2008
Posted in: Airlines & Railways