Canada 150 cross-country train trip

my 3 week backpacking trip across Canada for Canada’s 150th birthday is over! This has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel my country at an affordable cost with Via Rail’s $150 Canada 150 train pass.

Click below to see individual recaps on different cities:

It wasn’t glamorous – it was tiring and dirty and sometimes boring being stuck on a train with shitty wifi for days and days, but through all the misery and fun I have made good friends from different provinces and I think that is something very special indeed.

I think the most interesting part of this trip was definitely all the youth. A usual youth train pass would cost a couple thousand dollars, but we had the opportunity to travel our country for $150 – unlimited for a whole month.

I met 16-year-olds who were on their first solo trip away from family. I met 25-year olds who were about to get married. I met people who just graduated from university and had no idea what they wanted to do with their lives. I met people who were passionate about their job, their dog, what they’re learning in school. I met people who speak French and surprisingly, I didn’t see a lot of Asians on the train.

One of the carts inside the train had a special roof cart (glass roof) so you can get a 360 degree view of the landscape. There is a lineup to enter the cart when it opens in the morning, and my train family and I were lining up to go in. Behind us, there was a Chinese family whose rowdy boys were pushing and asking “Why aren’t people moving?”

A guy sitting in the chair beside them in the lineup told them in English, “They’re lining up to go in”, but the family didn’t understand so I turned around and told them in Mandarin that we’re all lining up right now so if they could please wait. The family understood and stopped pushing, and my train family applauded me as I gave them an incredulous face. Was I really the only person here who could speak Mandarin?

I always told them, “Wait until you get to Vancouver.” They teased me about weed and quinoa and avocados and being the only Asian person on the train.

To be honest, I was very grateful for this trip and being able to get that golden ticket, but I went into this trip not very happy. The trip was my escape. My train family were a positive distraction and I dreaded the thought of returning home to my misery.

I wish I had enjoyed this trip more and not been so sad. I met many good people I would love to reconnect with. I reunited with good friends I hadn’t seen in a long time. I explored more of my own home.

Canada was truly beautiful and now that I have traveled coast to coast and touched the waters on both sides, I can confidently say Vancouver is the best. There is just nowhere else I would rather live.

If I could do this again, I would. Maybe for Canada’s 200th birthday they will offer a $200 train pass.

I guess we’ll also be like 70 years old though.

Sincerely, Loewe