The Society of International Railway Travelers presents:
American Orient Express'
Great Trans-Canada Rail Journey
with guest lecturer Karl Zimmermann10 Days, 9 Nights
July 23-August 1, 2002
Itinerary at a glance
Montreal · Ottawa · Winnipeg · Thunder Bay · Saskatoon
Jasper National Park · Vancouver
Day 1 - Arrive in Montreal, Vancouver
After independent arrivals at the hotel, we meet for our welcome dinner in a private room. We take this opportunity to introduce the train staff and other guests who will be joining us on our journey. This evening we overnight at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. (D)Day 2 - Montreal / Board the American Orient Express
After breakfast in the hotel, we board motorcoaches and enjoy a city tour before continuing on to the train, where we gather for lunch. This evening, dinner is served in the dining cars before we settle in for our first overnight on the train, en route to our next destination. (B,L,D)
Day 3 - Ottawa, Quebec
This morning we tour Canada's capital city of Ottawa and the Canadian Museum of Civilization after breakfast on board. This national museum of human history houses more than 3.75-million artifacts. This afternoon we visit Ottawa's outdoor Byward Market. Its more than 350 cafes, boutiques and services offer something for everyone. In the evening, we transfer back to the train for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)Day 4 Across Ontario
Today, we enjoy the amenities of the train as we cross the Canadian Shield into Ontario and continue traveling toward the western edge of this 1,000-mile stretch of water-pocked bedrock. It took 20,000 men to lay these tracks. Enjoy a leisurely day, including all meals, on board the train today. (B,L,D)Day 5 Thunder Bay, Ontario
After breakfast on board, we gain a more accurate perspective of the 1800's fur trader's life at Old Fort William in Thunder Bay, a ten-acre recreated village that depicts the history of Canada's fur trade industry. After a day of exploring, we transfer back to the train for dinner and overnight en route to Winnipeg. (B,L,D)Day 6 - Winnipeg, Manitoba
As we travel west toward Winnipeg, the train dips into U.S. territory and skirts the Lake of the Woods, which is abundantly populated with birds, bald eagles and loons. Breakfast is served on the train just before arriving in Winnipeg, which began as a frontier trading post built at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Today, we tour the city en route the Museum of the Man and Nature for a guided tour. This afternoon, we enjoy lunch at the historic Hotel Fort Garry and a brief history of the hotel. This evening we transfer back to the train for dinner and overnight en route to Saskatoon. (B,L,D)Day 7 - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Upon arriving in Saskatoon, we enjoy breakfast on the train before setting out to explore this spectacular region. The temperance advocates who founded Saskatoon in 1883 hoped to establish a teetotalers haven, but the workers who laid the railroad tracks a few years later managed to foil that plan. At the Wanuskewin Heritage Park, we reach deep into the past, walking trails that lead to long-abandoned Indian villages and steep cliffs used as buffalo jumps by the Northern Plains Indians. Back on board this evening, we enjoy dinner and overnight as we continue westward. (B,L,D)
Day 8 - Jasper National Park, Alberta
After breakfast on the train, we board motorcoaches for the largest of Canada's national parks - Jasper, a rugged and magnificent place. We embark on an expedition across the Athabasca Glacier, part of the 130-square-mile Columbia Icefield, traveling by Snowcoach. Optional tours of Banff and Lake Louise can be arranged. In the afternoon, we continue touring Jasper by coach before transferring back to the train for an evening of fine dining, relaxation and overnight on board. (B,L,D)Day 9 En Route to Vancouver
Today is spent enjoying the amenities of the train as we cut through Yellowhead Pass. We'll travel across trestle bridges and through tunnels. Cross into British Columbia and skirt snow-capped Mount Robson - which at 12,972 feet is the highest peak in the Rockies. Enjoy a special farewell cocktail reception and dinner on board as we overnight en route to Vancouver. (B,L,D)Day 10 Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver perches on a broad delta between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. Our American Orient Express journey ends here after breakfast. Stay on in lovely Vancouver or make individual arrangements to return home. (B,L)
This tour includes:
· Overnight at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel
· Welcome cocktail reception and private dinner
· 9 dinners with complimentary wine on board the train, 9 lunches and 9 full American breakfasts with optional continental breakfasts
· Non-alcoholic beverages
· Professionally guided tours of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, Fort William, Winnipeg, Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Athabasca Glacier and Jasper National Park
· Comprehensive lecture series
· Live piano music nightly
· Deluxe rail accommodation
· Porterage
· Farewell cocktail reception
2002 Tour Price
Early Booking* Retail Vintage Pullman $3,990 $4,290 Single Sleeper $6,190 $6,490 Parlour Suite $6,390 $6,690 Deluxe Suite $6,690 $6,990 Presidential Suite $6,990 $7,290 Prices per person, double occupancy.
*SAVE $300 BY BOOKING SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO YOUR DEPARTURE DATE!Itinerary, hotels and prices subject to change.
Other dates may be available. Please call for details.Description of Accommodations
Vintage Pullman: Upper and lower berths, full-size couch, private sink and water closet.
Single Sleeper: Lower berth, single sofa seat, private sink and water closet. For singles only.
Parlor Suite: Two lower berths, one upper berth, couch, single sofa seat, private sink and water closet.
Deluxe Suite: Two lower berths in "L" configuration, table, private sink, water closet and shower.
Presidential Suite: Two lower berths, two single sofa seats, private sink, water closet and shower.Please call (800) IRT-4881 for more information.
About the American Orient Express
- Voted by the editors of The International Railway Traveler® as one of the top twenty rail experiences in the world -
The 1940s and '50s represented an era of romance and glamour. It was a time when passengers boarded the great streamliner trains bound for points across North America. Today, after $15 million in renovations, these beautiful cars once again ride the rails, glistening with polished mahogany and brass and designed to reflect the style of the golden age of travel - when traveling was meant to be relaxed and savored - not rushed.
The fifteen vintage carriages, painted in their signature blue and gold, carry approximately 100 passengers, who are attended to by a highly trained, professional staff and crew. Their sole purpose is not just to meet, but to surpass your expectations of the quality and service befitting the honored tradition of the great luxury streamliners.
Please call us with questions, bookings:
800-IRT-4881
www.irtsociety.com
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