VIA: The more (in)human way to travel?

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Last year I took Via rail from Jasper to Toronto for my annual pilgrimage to my homeland and to attend a conference at the same time, the view was beautiful but the service was discriminatory and pretty awful. This year  I decided to give it another shot and was joined by my sister from Vancouver all the way to Ottawa. This nearly 5 day journey would be made even more daunting by adding the budgetary restraints of students which meant we could only afford coach seats and not cabins. For 4 nights we would have to eat, sleep and live in our chairs only venturing up and down the cars for the occasional stretch and exploration. 

The classes are divided by the seating, service and physical compartments of the train. We in coach sat at the front and had access to the cafe and viewing car by day and the dining car by reservation for hot meals. The us and them perspective of the train had me thinking about what type of people would be using this mode of transportation. In the cabins it seemed to be largely retiree’s and upper middle class families that could afford the $1000 to 10,000 cost per person for a luxury cabin that comes with a sleeping surface. 

Mount Robson, BC

At least once I planned to go to the dinning car for a nice meal. When I entered the dinning car with my sister for breakfast once morning we were immediately addressed as economy class passengers in front of the other passengers, to clearly define our status to them. We were then asked if we understood that this meal would be more expensive then the canteen in our area of the train and asked if we could afford it.  I was like "WHAAAAAAAT!" The obvious display of classism was never more apparent to me then in this moment and I wanted to leave immediately but instead forced my way through a breakfast that seemed so unappealing. I am not ashamed of my poverty, being able to afford a train ticket is a luxury in itself and should not be under valued. Our service was inferior to others and the constant glares from the other passengers made the rest of the meal really uncomfortable.

The train is supposed to be the most sustainable mode of travelling cross country with less emissions then a plane or car journey. And yet I couldn’t help but feel as if I was on a cruise ship dumping waste at every port and living extravagantly. Every meal in coach is served in a styrofoam container and there very little recycling. VIA contracted out their meal planning and catering years ago to a corporate model so poor food quality and heavily processed ingredients are a standard on board. Sure we expelled fewer emissions but the waste that was produced in the 5 days of the route we were on might surely make up for any initials carbon savings.

Somewhere in Ontario

This combined with the obnoxious and elitist service makes me questions the slogan "the more human way to travel". I secretly dreamed of becoming the VIA rail sustainability manager and leading them down a path of greener choices. A business however established must constantly be engaged in strategies to be more sustainable if they want to continue in the future as environmental compassion begins to trickle into the main stream. 

Like last year I left the train with a bitter sweet taste in my mouth and 8 hours behind schedule. I had enjoyed the view but was left with too many gaps in my mind to appreciate the journey. As a locavore I took the train instead of a flight as it was the exception we made to travel as long is it was not a personal vehicle or flight it seemed more ethical. I love taking trains, I will most likely continue using them as my transportation of preference, however I am not certain I will choose this service again.

But at least now I have made it to my destination, Toronto, Ontario which I am here to attend the National Student Food Summit with Meal Exchange for the weekend. If have places I should check out in Toronto or Ottawa let me know by Twitter @melaniejadea

XX Melanie

"But I complain about the police the way the rich complain; not the way the poor complain. The difference is everything." Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger