The Ocean takes us from Québec, across New Brunswick to Nova Scotia and our destination, Halifax - the provincial capital. Following the winding route of the old Intercolonial Railway, the first passenger train ran from Halifax to Lévis in 1836 and the train became known as the Ocean in 1904, making it the longest-running service in Canada.
The 836 mile (1,346km) overnight journey takes approximately 20 hours to complete and takes passengers through three provinces and two time zones. As you sleep, the train heads south through a landscape of forests and lakes, across New Brunswick and into Nova Scotia to arrive in Halifax by the afternoon. The dense forests will have given way to sandy beaches and rugged shorelines, assuring us that we have covered much ground during the night.
We travel in Sleeper Plus Class, the best accommodation on board. Your private cabin is comfortable but compact and furnished with a washbasin, WC and mirror. During the day, you can recline in a relaxing armchair and at night these are converted into upper and lower berth beds. The on-board crew services all cabins and passengers enjoy complimentary toiletries, towels and bottles of water. Passengers can also enjoy a complimentary Wi-Fi service.
Full-course meals are included and are served in the Dining Car, with priority seating for Sleeper Plus customers. The dining car has a maritime ambience. The menu features a selection of regional specialities and alcoholic beverages are available for reasonable prices.