Ride the Canadian Rails for less

VIA Rail is currently offering discounts on their 10 to 30 day rail passes as well as savings of up to 50 per cent on tickets for travel this fall.

Rail passes for 10 to 30 days travel start at $299 per person in economy class with additional taxes extra. There is a service charge for all refunds of $50.

The 10-day CorridorPass starts at $299 and allows travel for 10 days in southern Quebec and Ontario. This pass is useful for travel between Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Niagara Falls, Stratford and Sarnia. Only one round trip between the same cities is allowed.

In order to take advantage, the pass must be purchased at least 5 days before travel. Travel must be completed within ten days of the first trip. VIA1, upgraded seating is available for $714. Students and seniors are eligible for a discount allowing them to pay just $269 for the pass.

The Canrailpass allows 12 days of travel on VIA Rail anywhere in Canada within a 30 day period. The pass costs the least during off-peak travel times between October 16th and December 31st 2007 and between January 1st and May 31st 2008.

In order to secure the 2007 rate, tickets should be booked by the end of this year. 2008 rates are expected to be three per cent higher.

Economy class tickets cost $523, plus tax. Additional charges can be added for sleeper class, for additional travel days and for travel during peak seasons.

Finally, the North America Rail Pass for 2007 starts at $815 and offers 30 days of travel in Canada and the United States (on Amtrak trains). Discounts are available for students and seniors.

www.viarail.ca