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The Via Rail Promotion For CF Members Thread

VIA rail has changed the offer this year, and is offering 60% off for CF members and their families when travelling together, for travel completed between 12 April and 31 July 2010.

Full details are online at:  http://www.viarail.ca/forces/en_index.html

Note that the deadline to puchase tickets is 18 April 2010!
 
What constitutes a "family member" is this discount?  Parents? Siblings?  Or is this limited to spouse and children?  The DWAN doesn't want to load the whole page.
 
Strike said:
What constitutes a "family member" is this discount?  Parents? Siblings?  Or is this limited to spouse and children?  The DWAN doesn't want to load the whole page.

http://www.viarail.ca/forces/en_conditions.html
 
Strike said:
What constitutes a "family member" is this discount?  Parents? Siblings?  Or is this limited to spouse and children?  The DWAN doesn't want to load the whole page.

Discount is also applicable to immediate family members when travelling with a person in possession of one of the forms of identification described above. Immediate family members are defined to include the qualifying member's great-grandparents, grandparents, mother, father, spouse or common-law partner, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Note that all passengers must travel together on the same trains and dates in the same class of service.
 
Hello,

Does anyone know if the VIA rail July promotion will be happening in 2010??

Thanks!
-Dave
 
Hi Dave,

I'm guessing that your post was actually in a new thread, but you didn't see tis already active thread, nor search.

The details of the promotion are given above.

ekpiper
 
For anyone who missed the VIA Rail Canadian Forces Seat Sale discount of 60% this year (the offer ended yesterday), it would appear that the 60% discount is being extended to everyone now.

You have to book before 25 April 2010 for travel before 31 July 2010.

 
It's back again for 2010, and for six-weeks this summer vice just July.

http://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail/media-room/latest-news/1523/31-may-2010-via-rail-and-the-government-of-canada-honour-canadian-forces-and-veterans-with-free-rail-travel
 
Via Rail gives free summer travel to soldiers, families

By ALTHIA RAJ, Parliamentary Bureau, QMI Agency

Last Updated: May 30, 2010 6:14pm

OTTAWA - The federal government and Via Rail will announce Monday they will provide members of the Canadian Forces and veterans free train passes this summer.

"Our Armed Forces personnel do so much for us. It's nice to be able to give back to them and allow their families an opportunity to explore Canada," a senior government official said.

Members of the Forces and retired veterans will be able to travel in economy class for free during a six-week period, beginning on July 1, the source said. Discounts rates will apply to first class and sleeper car travel, as well as for members of their families.

This is the third time the program is being offered.

In previous years, members of the Armed Forces fighting in Afghanistan have questioned why they are excluded from the deal while Department of National Defence civilians were snatching up seats.

The source said the government was aware of the problem and was working to address it.

www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/05/30/14193726.html
 
10 years or more?. What about someone who has put in under 10 years, is there no card?
 
Great for you lot down east but not for us on the Left Coast !
Yup the center of Canada is Toronto and Motnreal!
Yup BOHICA again for the Left Coast!
 
VIA Rail workers have voted 94% in favour of a strike, possibly starting as early as 27 June.

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20100611/caw-via-rail-100611/


 
I tried to take advantage of this deal for myself and my daughter, especially with the $10 fare for kids 11 and under (it would cost next to nothing for the 2 of us to travel and I knew she would love the adventure of taking the train). However, it seems there are only selected trains that the military 'discount' is good for. The dates I wanted were not available, but even if there were seats left on those dates, I would have been looking at a one or two-night stopover in order to meet a connecting train going to my final destination in each direction. I suppose if you were only taking a one-leg trip and didn't care about dates and times (i.e. arriving at 2 a.m. and such), then it's a good deal.  :p  As for us, we'll be driving to our vacation destination this summer with the rest of the family.

 
I thought about making a separate thread for this; I wonder if this spells the end of the free travel period offered the last few summers?



Veterans, soldiers receive Via Rail discount

Original link

By Postmedia News, Postmedia News November 1, 2010

OTTAWA — Veterans, Canadian Forces personnel and their families can now count on receiving a 25-per-cent discount off their Via Rail fares year round.

The announcement was made Monday in front of a group of veterans at the Canadian War Museum by Veteran Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Via Rail officials.

"Our veterans and their families have made great sacrifices so that we can live in a democratic and free country," Blackburn said. "Today, only days before the start of Veterans' Week, is the most fitting time to offer them this tangible and important proof of respect and gratitude we owe them."

The discounted fares apply to all classes of VIA service, including economy, business and sleeper. The discount off the best available fare has no route or date restrictions.

"These reduced fares mean our brave men and women in uniform and their families can travel and enjoy more of the country they serve and defend each day," MacKay added.

The discount was effective Monday. Under the plan, current Canadian Forces members and veterans can be accompanied by up to five additional family members, provided they travel on the same trains, dates and in the same classes.

Veterans' Week runs from Nov. 5 to 11.


Link to VIA Rail press release

 
Overheard that VIA is offering free travel to military this summer but checked their website and didn't see anything except last year's news release.  Anyone have any gen on this?
 
The year-round discount (requires ID, certificate of service or retired member ID) is a fantastic deal; when they offer other deals you can add on the military discount on top.  For example, earlier this year VIA offered 50% off some fares; CF members would get 25% off the already reduced fare, and pay 37.5% of the regular fare.

For those who've never done it:  You can order by phone or in person and identify yourself as CF.  At ticket pickup, you must have your ID with you.  Online, when you're ordering, there's a dropdown for discounts.  This is "Other Discount" and code "12070".

The discount applies to the member, their spouse and kids, and parents.
 
dapaterson said:
The year-round discount (requires ID, certificate of service or retired member ID) is a fantastic deal; when they offer other deals you can add on the military discount on top.  For example, earlier this year VIA offered 50% off some fares; CF members would get 25% off the already reduced fare, and pay 37.5% of the regular fare.

For those who've never done it:  You can order by phone or in person and identify yourself as CF.  At ticket pickup, you must have your ID with you.  Online, when you're ordering, there's a dropdown for discounts.  This is "Other Discount" and code "12070".

The discount applies to the member, their spouse and kids, and parents.

Wouldn't let me apply the discount to a -80% fare hahahaha.
 
dapaterson said:
The year-round discount (requires ID, certificate of service or retired member ID) is a fantastic deal; when they offer other deals you can add on the military discount on top.  For example, earlier this year VIA offered 50% off some fares; CF members would get 25% off the already reduced fare, and pay 37.5% of the regular fare.

For those who've never done it:  You can order by phone or in person and identify yourself as CF.  At ticket pickup, you must have your ID with you.  Online, when you're ordering, there's a dropdown for discounts.  This is "Other Discount" and code "12070".

The discount applies to the member, their spouse and kids, and parents.

This post requires some ampification. The 25% discount applies to the LOWEST available fare . For example, if you are a vet and over age 60, you can get the seniors discount minus the 25%. However, if there are other discounts available which ALREADY HAVE a discount code, you cannot combine  the military/vet discount code of 12070 with another discount code. Never the less, it is still a significant savings. My wife and I have booked a Via Rail trip from Vancouver to Halifax for July '12 in "Sleeper Touring" class which includes a small bedroom and meals, where the 25% discount amounted to over $900.00 savings over the already discounted "seniors rate". Good deal, if you ask me !!

...VTX-AL
 
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