Backpacker BUZZ: Issue 65

BACKPACKER BUS
This alternative form of transportation is the best way to meet fellow travellers while getting off the beaten track and learning a thing or two about where you are. These are generally hop-on, hop-off tours, meaning you can get off the tour at any of the scheduled stops (usually one a day), spend as long as you want there, and hop back on another bus that comes through. Prices include your transportation and some activities like hiking and swimming, while additional activities are available for an extra cost. a week-long trip costs about $399 to $429. You cover your hostel accommodation and food. Generally, groups are made up of about five to 22 people, between the ages of 18 and 35. moose travel network and west trek tours are the two major backpacker transport providers. check out Heather cleland’s accounts of her trips with both of them in this section.

GREYHOUND
Greyhound is Canada’s major intercity bus service. It connects 3,100 locations across the country and HI members get a 25% discount on any Greyhound bus trip nationwide.

Pros:

• It’s generally the least expensive way to go great distances in
  canada.
• You don’t have to do the driving.
• They stop in a lot of little towns so you’re not limited to stops in
  major cities only.

Cons:

• You don’t get a lot of personal space and long journeys can get
  uncomfortable in a bus seat.
• Travel times are much longer than they would be in a car.
• Everyone on the bus shares one small on-board bathroom. Depending on who ate what when, this could cause some olfactory complications.

Who it’s for: People with a bit of extra time and not a lot of money who are interested in getting a glimpse of the journeys as well as the destinations.

Tips: The Tofino Bus is an alternate bus service on vancouver island. HI members get a 10% discount with their card. Purchase your tickets in advance to get a deal and aim to travel on weekdays, which are cheaper.

www.greyhound.ca

VIA RAIL
VIA RAIL is Canada’s major passenger railway and three routes run in western Canada. Heading east from Toronto, the train travels through winnipeg, saskatoon, edmonton, Jasper, Kamloops and into Vancouver over three days of near-continuous travel. It also runs out to prince rupert and partway up Vancouver island.

Pros:

• The train runs where buses and cars can’t and in british columbia and alberta that means you travel alongside rivers, lakes, through mountain tunnels and pockets of wilderness that aren’t accessed by roads.
• The seats are bigger than bus and plane seats and offer more recline and leg room.
• It’s a smooth, relaxing ride and it’s difficult to not strike up conversations with your fellow passengers.

Cons:

• It takes three days to get from toronto to vancouver so it’s not the most direct route.
• Unless you make use of a train pass (like the canrail pass), you’re on the train for long stretches of time and so cabin fever may set in.

Who it’s for: people with time and a bit of extra money who want to go long distances.
Tips: Your Hi card gets you a 5% discount on all train travel. You can combine this discount with others like their isic, youth or senior discounts. The Canrail Pass is via’s hop-on, hop-off train pass. You get 12
days of train travel within 30 days anywhere in Canada. for an extra fee you can add travel days or upgrade to a sleeping car.

www.viarail.ca

FLIGHTS
There are only two major canadian airlines—westJet and air canada. This lack of competition means airfare is
similar across the board. add rising fuel costs into the mix and canadian airfares are currently a bit daunting.

Pros: the quickest way to travel large distances.

Cons: rising ticket prices.

Who it’s for: people who need to get somewhere and don’t have a lot of time to get there and are willing to spend a little extra to make it happen.

Tips: keep an eye on seat sales. air canada and westJet send out weekly sale notification emails. Travel on tuesdays and wednesdays is often cheaper than weekend flights.

www.westjet.com | www.aircanada.ca

CAR RENTAL
There are many car rental providers in western canada. prices range from around $25 to $50 a day plus insurance, mileage and gas.

Pros:

• Flexibility—you’re in control of where you go and how long it takes you to get there.
• You can sing as loud as you want and you’ve only got fellow passengers to worry about.
• You can be more spontaneous and if you spot an amazing lookout, you can stay there as long as you want or blow by it altogether.

Cons:

• More expensive than mass transit when you consider fuel costs, insurance, maintenance and extra kilometres.
• Costs go up if you’re not making a round trip.
• In cities, you’ll have to find a parking spot and sometimes pay for it.

Tips: carpool! if you meet someone at a hostel who’s heading in the same direction, offer to go in together on a rental car. save $25 on weekly rentals with rent-a-wreck with your HI card.

BC FERRIES

BC ferries is the only passenger and vehicle ferry service provider in British Columbia. It sails between vancouver and vancouver island as well as makes stops at the gulf islands in the strait of georgia. it also connects vancouver with the sunshine coast and prince rupert with the Queen charlotte islands.

Pros:

• It’s the cheapest way to traverse the strait of georgia (the other option is to fly).
• There is limited reserveable space so you can guarantee getting on a certain sailing (there is an extra fee).
• There’s a good chance you’ll spot wildlife and the scenery is often spectacular.

Cons:

• It’s often the only way to get from point a to point b over water so you’re a bit dependent on the service.
• On weekends, lineups can be insane and you might miss a few sailings while you move your way to the front of the line.

Who it’s for: anyone who wants to get to b.c.’s islands at a relatively low cost, or with a vehicle.

Tips: avoid weekend and holiday sailings if you can, otherwise consider a reservation. Head up to the outside decks on a nice day and enjoy the scenery (and sometimes the wildlife)!

www.bcferries.com

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 6th, 2008 at 11:42 pm and is filed under Hostelling International. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site. Add to del.icio.us.