Accidental tourist ends up in Winnipeg after Jasper wildfire interrupts rail journey
A California traveller made an unscheduled stop in Winnipeg due to the ongoing wildfire in Jasper, Alta.
Karen Boyd, an economist from San Diego, flew to Toronto to experience The Canadian Route on Via Rail, a dream trip she booked roughly one month ago.
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However, the route through Jasper was impacted due to severe wildfires, and they terminated the line.
Boyd hadn’t heard of the fast-moving fire and found out about it just outside of Saskatoon on July 23. Via Rail staff gave them the choice of taking the bus to Edmonton or riding back to Winnipeg. She said staff handled the disaster well, and she was impressed with their professionalism.
“It was a bummer, but I have done a lot of train travel, and you never know how it will go,” she said. “Enjoy the journey and have a sense of adventure.”
Winnipeg seemed like a good option because she knew she could get a flight to Vancouver and stay on the train.
“My whole thing was I was trying to ride the train as much as I could.”
The train arrived at 6 am on Wednesday and though Winnipeg was not on her travel bucket list, she enjoyed her time here, staying overnight at a local hotel.
"It was cute," she said. "It was nice to have a city to explore."
Via Rail said it will resume regular service once the trains can safely operate. Currently, the route from Vancouver to Toronto is only operational between Edmonton and Toronto, while the Jasper to Prince Rupert route is only operational between Prince Rupert and Prince George.
Passengers are being contacted if their train is impacted, and said passengers will either receive a full refund, or a refund for the part of the trip they couldn't finish.
Boyd said the refund is not something she is thinking about right now.
"There are a lot more serious impacts for people than not getting to finish my fun trip," she said, “I am thinking about the residents of Jasper.”
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