Tipping on Via rail

[Jeaannie55]

Slightly off topic but we are travelling on Via Rail from Toronto to Vancouver before we pick up the cruise ship to Alaska.

Could anyone advise me how we go about tipping?  We are on the train for 4 nights, so there will be a change of crew at some stage and I wouldn’t want to miss anyone.

so would we tip at every meal? Or just dinner? And how much does anyone think appropriate,  as all meals are included there is no percentage to work on.

coming from a country that doesn’t necessarily have a large tipping culture, it’s a little bit of a minefield.

thank you for any help you can give me.

[Fouremco]

40 minutes ago, Jeaannie55 said:

Slightly off topic but we are travelling on Via Rail from Toronto to Vancouver before we pick up the cruise ship to Alaska.

Could anyone advise me how we go about tipping?  We are on the train for 4 nights, so there will be a change of crew at some stage and I wouldn’t want to miss anyone.

so would we tip at every meal? Or just dinner? And how much does anyone think appropriate,  as all meals are included there is no percentage to work on.

coming from a country that doesn’t necessarily have a large tipping culture, it’s a little bit of a minefield.

thank you for any help you can give me.

While I've taken the Canadian, it was many, many years ago and I have no recollection of what I tipped or how I arrived at an amount. However, post #6 here might be of assistance: https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/tipping-protocols-on-the-canadian.72744/ , but there are some other useful posts on such things as the change of crews in Winnipeg.

 

This  brochure from VIA Rail is generally useful, but the item on gratuities is somewhat lacking:

https://www.viarail.ca/sites/all/files/media/pdfs/route_guides/Travel_Tip_Brochure_EN.pdf

 

 

 

[Jeaannie55]

Fouremco, thank you so much for replying and the links are very useful indeed.

certainly gives me a starting point.

[DirtyDawg]

Salaries at via Rail are quite good. According to Indeed the average Attendant wage is $30.00 per hour. So you are not dealing with regular wait staff at a normal restaurant or a hotel room cleaner where the base compensation is usually minimum wage or below. Tip as you like, but your rail fare is already compensating the staff very well already. 

[Heidi13]

18 hours ago, Jeaannie55 said:

Slightly off topic but we are travelling on Via Rail from Toronto to Vancouver before we pick up the cruise ship to Alaska.

Could anyone advise me how we go about tipping?  We are on the train for 4 nights, so there will be a change of crew at some stage and I wouldn’t want to miss anyone.

so would we tip at every meal? Or just dinner? And how much does anyone think appropriate,  as all meals are included there is no percentage to work on.

coming from a country that doesn’t necessarily have a large tipping culture, it’s a little bit of a minefield.

thank you for any help you can give me.

 

Personally, I consider the trains on an even par with the airlines and ferries, where the staff are well paid, as they also have safety related components to their jobs.

 

Unlike a restaurant where leaving a tip is the norm, I would only provide a tip to any staff member that really excelled in providing us with exceptional service.

[everbeentoseabilly]

Hello!

pre-pandemic I was taking the via train often between Toronto and Ottawa, a five hour trip. There was rarely tipping happening.  I did hear people say keep the change a couple times. I always had my own food with me.
Enjoy your trip in our beautiful country!   

[Kate-in-Canada]

I would tip if you eat meals in the dining car. Since you aren’t getting a bill, 5$ per evening meals would be reasonable I think. Probably not for breakfasts and lunches. 
 

bring some reading material.  I’ve done that trip.  There’s not a lot to see through Ontario and Manitoba.

[Magicat]

2 hours ago, Kate-in-Canada said:

I would tip if you eat meals in the dining car. Since you aren’t getting a bill, 5$ per evening meals would be reasonable I think. Probably not for breakfasts and lunches. 
 

bring some reading material.  I’ve done that trip.  There’s not a lot to see through Ontario and Manitoba.

Trees and grass

[ladysail2]

I’ve taken trains alot. I feel the room attendant is the person to tip. I really don’t feel that the kitchen staff and servers expect anything but compliments on their meals. The room attendant (I presume you will have a sleeper or bedroom) is the one who will make up your beds, morning and evening, have towels, water, coffee, etc and try to make your trip comfortable. 
What lacks in the viewing experience through Northern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan will be more than made up as you enter the foothills in Alberta. Hope your train has a dome car…sitting in that at night is breathtaking.  Enjoy your trip!

[david,Mississauga]

I take the Canadian across the entire route once or twice a year. Many passengers don't tip at all, but many - maybe most - do. Unlike cruise ships where tipping is easy to figure out, there is no recommended amount.

 

The on-board crew change in Winnipeg.  For many years I used to leave a tip in the dining car for every meal, but the inconvenience of having plenty of coins and small bills has caused me to do what many others do. On the last meal before the crew change or the end of the trip my friends and I leave a tip. Dining car tips are pooled and shared between the diner crew. 

 

Sleeping car attendants keep their own tips. Most people I know tip between $5 and $10 per night per passenger.  The same would appear to be a common tip in the dining car.

 

As for drinks in the lounges the usual percentage would be appropriate. Most of the time the bar attendant will open a tab with your credit card and settle up at the crew change or end of the trip. That's when we tip them.

 

One time we splurged on Prestige Class. We tipped the sleeper attendants - known as concierges in Prestige - more than we would normally do, but they were fabulous.

 

VIA staff are well-paid and they know that many people don't tip. So anything, even a modest tip, is appreciated.

[Jeaannie55]

Thank you all for your replies sorry for being late in thanking you, did not get any notifications  😬.  You have all been a great help and things are certainly clearer now.  Yes we are sleeper plus and will bring a book for when trees and grass become less interesting.

[DirtyDawg]

3 hours ago, Jeaannie55 said:

Thank you all for your replies sorry for being late in thanking you, did not get any notifications  😬.  You have all been a great help and things are certainly clearer now.  Yes we are sleeper plus and will bring a book for when trees and grass become less interesting.

Enjoy your trip!