Via Rail: Tuesdays and Black Friday

Via Rail is Canada's train line. Of note, it's the link from Windsor, Canada to Toronto, Canada, where you can take the UP Express to Pearson International Airport.

Why should you care? Flights from "YYZ," or Pearson International Airport, run $1,000 to $2,000 less per person than flying out of Detroit Express Airport, just over the border in Detroit, Michigan. That's a big return on the cost of $120 or so for a round-trip train ticket and the $50-100 in parking at the train station (hint: Get someone to drop you off and pick you up instead, because if you're going to be gone for a few days, and I hope you are, it's usually less money than parking your car).

But what if you need to wring every last dollar from your travel budget?

Welcome to Tuesdays at Via Rail, when discounts are uploaded. True, they're not much and they're usually quite specific. But if that applies to your situation, it's all that matters.

U.S. Black Friday - around the day after Thanksgiving in late November (it's migrating to the last half of November) - is another time that Via Rail uploads special discounts, as do several airlines and other travel-related resources.

Pro tip 1 - many companies, including companies that sell any and every aspect of travel, offer these discount before, during and after Black Friday. As early as November 1, you may get an "extended Black Friday special;" It's worth checking as early as late October.

We often check Via Rail's Tuesday discounts (which I think should be called "specials" instead), and we often book the next year's getaway on or around Black Friday which works well with spring travel.

As an example, we saved about 25 percent on our Via Rail tickets, which enabled us to upgrade - with a clear conscience - to a higher class of travel. I've traveled Coach or Economy all through western Europe and on Canada's Windsor-Toronto corridor. While it's acceptable, if you have a mobility issue or you're looking at a 9-hour flight immediately after your train trip, First Class on a train is better than Coach or Economy Class on a train. It's quieter, less crowded and more spacious.

Pro tip 2 - if you hold a First Class ticket with a business lounge as a perk, and a business lounge is available, that's where you wait before your train trip. It's a much more comfortable option than a train station hallway. We've done it both ways, and while both are acceptable, First Class is better.

A discount, special or upgrade on Tuesday or around Black Friday may mean that you can experience this for yourself.

Pro tip 3 - Via Rail started a long-overdue upgrade of its "rolling stock," or passenger trains. Both our videos feature the old rolling stock. Your chance of riding on something better is quite high.

Economy/Coach travel

First Class (Business Class) travel