Grey Cup Train?

This post is aimed at CFL football fans from Vancouver Island to Toronto. I have emailed VIA Rail about starting a Grey Cup special from Vancouver to Toronto. The current schedule to/from Toronto to Vancouver takes too much time. In the old days riding those grey cup trains could be as much fun as the game itself. Just curious if anybody else would be interested in getting a special train to/from the Grey Cup? I know air is quicker and probably cheaper but I’m interested in adding the train as part of the Grey Cup experience.

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I would absolutely LOVE that, however this year financially Grey Cup is not happening for me.

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regular train fairs have gone thru the roof since the old days. Train fare used to be less than air fare back in the 70s. Dont think it is economically pheasible these days.

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I'm a huge rail buff as well as a CFL fan. I'd love such a train!

:smiley:

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I would love it too, but…

We be looking to take a few train rides as an expensive pleasure.

I know the feeling! It’s probably to late this year anyway, but maybe if the interest is there, something can be done for Regina next year

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Depending on where your coming from it can be expensive. If you don’t mind non sleepers it’s not as bad as you might think. Sleepers yes, take out a second mortgage.

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VIA doesn't go to Regina. If you're coming from the east you could get off at Melville which is about an hour and 40 drive to Regina, or Saskatoon which is about 2 1/2. Then you'd need to arrange some sort of a ride.

@Gomo2010 I would totally be into this. It will probably be too cost-prohibitive though. I looked at this a few years back and found it to be more than triple the airfare.

It’s not just the train cost, it’s being away from work for so long. For most people attending a Grey Cup can be a one day one night event. For out of town fans, fly or drive in the morning of the game and fly/drive out the next morning.
The Grey Cup week festivities is mainly for the locals.

saw the ottawa roughriders play in ottawa in the 70’s , took the train there with many cats fans , it was a blast .
The Island is a great place to live eh , Go Raiders !!! (The VI Raiders Football team was started in 2005. In the 13 years that the team has been in existence, they have won 9 BCFC Championships and 3 National Championships. They have also participated in another 2 National Championships and 4 Inter-Gold games. This has been an unprecedented run of success in its short history, one that has not been duplicated in the CJFL.) image

Let me know the price from Vancouver. I’m into it.

Great idea btw.

Where there is a will there’s a way. I’m sure VIA could make a deal with CP to run one western and one eastern passenger train from Winnipeg to Regina and back. That solves fans coming from the east. Fans coming from the west that’s a bit more of a tricker situation. Pretty sure it still exists but the western train could be diverted from Saskatoon to Regina and back, or Grey cup buses from Melville to Regina and return. It just needs VIA to put their heads together to come up with a viable solution. In other words CNR, CPR and VIA just need to sit at a table and talk and between them come up with a workable solution.

I agree a lot of people just don’t have the time to be away that long, but my idea is for people who do have the time. Yes the cost of VIA isn’t cheap, but I’m sure if the folks at VIA would sit down at a table they could come up with some sort of promotional pricing that would work for both sides. It just needs positive input from all!

Well first we have to get the powers to be to run a special train with promotional pricing. Because of covid the schedule has been cut back to a Friday train only which means this becomes a very lengthy trip, 2 weeks plus a couple of days from Vancouver. With a special train we could cut at least a week off of that. As long as theirs interest I will keep rattling some chains. Thank you for your comment.

Canadian Pacific, still has passenger (business) cars. Perhaps try contacting them.

Would probably be better to arrange that in 2022 Regina closer to the middle of Canada.
A train traveling from both directions, plus a little more lead time to plan & advertise

Less travel time and lower costs

I would think The Grey Cup committee in Regina along with CPR would the best approach.

CPR's headquarters is in Calgary

To be honest I think for this year time is running out to organize anything properly. My idea at the grass roots although I suggested this year, next year would give all the time to put the nuts and bolts in place. What I might suggest for this year as an experiment is to organize something in the Quebec City/Montreal/Ottawa Hamilton corridor. Thanks for suggestion on the CPR cars.

This idea is for those of us that take the time and plan a year in advance.

Also, I wouldn’t say the festival is “mainly for locals”. Outside of Regina all the Grey Cups I have been to have a huge group of regulars that go every year, in fact I would say at some parties it is mostly regulars. Regina has issues with hotel rooms so it was definitely different that year vs. a regular Grey Cup and it will be interesting to see what Hamilton is like this year again due to hotels as well as the pandemic.