Holiday Gift Giving Ideas and Suggestions from VIA Rail - Avoid the last
minute shopping rush and frenzy

MONTREAL, Dec. 1 /CNW Telbec/ - VIA Rail Canada knows just what it takes to make your holiday gift decision-making easier this year.  Make it convenient, make it flexible, and make it affordable. And if your gift list includes getting something for the person who has everything or is just too hard to buy for?  With the gift of travel you'll have them singing "I'll Be Home for Christmas", no matter what the season.

New this year - Gift Cards made easy
For the first time ever, VIA Rail gift cards can be purchased in $50 and $100 denominations in over 500 retailers across Canada including Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix, Sears and Hallmark stores. VIA Rail gift cards can be used towards the purchase of any ticket or rail pass product and users are entitled to the same discounts applicable to purchases made using any other form of payment.

In addition, VIA recently teamed up with Samba Days to provide the ultimate gift experience this holiday season.  Now when you purchase Samba Day's gift boxes online, you can add a VIA Rail gift card. To mark their partnership, the two companies are holding a "Bucket List" contest Dec. 6th to 20th.  The winner will receive a Samba Days gift-box experience anywhere in Canada and VIA Rail will provide 2 first-class tickets to the experience destination.  For full contest details visit http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/contests.php.

VIA Gift Cards are also available at all VIA stations in $25 and $100 denominations, or as reloadable Flex cards. The convenience and flexibility of gift cards make them a welcomed gift for family and friends, from students to business travellers. For more details or to purchase a VIA Gift Card, visit http://www.viarail.ca/giftcard.

VIA Souvenirs - All time favorites and many, many more new items
VIA Rail is also pleased to offer an expanded selection of souvenirs for the rail fan in your family. Gifts to fit all budgets and tastes from the popular train whistle that appeals to children both young and old, an assortment of travel mugs, caps, clothing, books and luggage to a Canadian geography lesson as told by a young boy as he travels across the country in the video production of "The Big Train Trip".  For more information please visit http://souvenirs.viarail.ca/en.

VIA's Getaway Packages - Just in time for the winter festival season, VIA's vacation getaways make a great gift and are the ideal way for relaxing after the hurried pace of the holiday season.  With a number of winter activities taking place over the coming months within VIA's Ontario-Quebec Corridor, VIA's Getaway packages can be suited to individual preferences and budgets.  From a girls-after holiday shopping spree in Toronto or Montreal, a guys hockey weekend in Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal, to the popular Quebec City Carnival and Ottawa Winterlude skating party, you simply choose a getaway of one to three-nights stay in a number of urban destinations in Ontario and Quebec, then sit back, get comfortable and let VIA do the winter driving.  For more details visit viarail.ca/packages.

VIA Recipes - Railway plum pudding and Vanilla Fudge
Served aboard VIA's world-renowned Canadian for decades, now you can savour this traditional dessert with family and friends this holiday season.  Visit viarail.ca/plumpudding to get our famous and hard-to-get recipe as well as viarail.ca/vanillafudge for those with a real sweet tooth … and make everyone happy during the holidays!

Thinking of travelling this holiday season?  Book early!
Christmas is coming, and seats are going fast! For those planning on travelling over the holiday period that have yet to book their trip, VIA suggests that you purchase your tickets as soon as possible to take advantage of the best fares available. Traditionally one of the busiest times of the year, discount fares are still available on many departures during the holiday period, which runs from December 15^th to January 4^th.  Visit viarail.ca/en/holidays/ontario-quebec for more details. 

With winter weather just around the corner, VIA expects some popular train departures to sell out quickly. VIA will be monitoring ticket sales carefully so it can assign and cycle passenger cars to meet demand. Customers should leave plenty of time prior to their train departure, as ticket line-ups are longer than normal.

For more information or to book a trip anywhere in the VIA system, customers can visit viarail.ca.  Train tickets are also available at VIA stations across Canada, including self-service ticketing kiosks located at major stations in central Canada. Passengers can also book their tickets by calling 1 888 VIA-RAIL (842-7245), TTY 1 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired), or by contacting their travel agent.

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