Train or fly with bass across Canada?

[musicalyme]

Hello,

I'm moving from Ottawa to Vancouver in the fall for university and am trying to figure out the safest and least expensive way to get me and my bass out there. I've looked into driving, but with the price of gas going up... flying or taking the train seem like much cheaper options.

1) Taking the train: Anyone have experience traveling with ViaRail on the Toronto-Vancouver line? With the seats leaning back so much its seems like fitting a bass in one might actually be possible. With 1 seat for me and 1 for the bass it'd be about 890 bucks.

2) Flying: Buy it a seat? Westjet says specifically that you cannot book a seat for an instrument. Air Canada doesn't say so, but would a bass fit into a bulkhead seat? With a seat for me and 1 for the bass it'd be about 815 bucks. Any other airlines that are more instrument friendly (or have larger standard seats :P)? Any advice on passing through security?

Rent a flight case? The Kolstein seems safe and solid, and reasonable with rental prices. (not including shipping)
(Kolstein Music, Inc.: Kolstein Uni-Air Bass Carrier)
Anyone know how to ship a flight case? I've looked into UPS freight and FedEx freight but the cost calculators either say it's crazy expensive or too big.


Someone said on another thread awhile back that one of the important things when flying is to act completely calm, and like you're very experienced travelling with your bass, etc etc. As a fresh out of high school female - I'll probably have some trouble with that one..

Any advice would be greatly greatly appreciated!!

[Don C]

I suggest you contact the Bass department at the University of Ottawa.
I know that there are several students there who have experience with this.

From my personal experience, driving is always the safest way.
If you have a car that will take a Bass the slight extra cost is well worth the peace of mind, and it would ensure the Basses safety
The train would be next best, if it's in a trunk they might take it as freight.
Air Canada won't be any help to you, the only way they will take it is as air freight, and you probably don't want anyone with a fork lift near it !!
The Kolstein trunk is fairly heavy, but if you can get your hands on a lighter trunk ( Gage, Stevenson etc), and if you deal with the right person, Purolater may take it. A couple of pounds makes a difference.

Stay away from UPS, at least in Canada, we've had really bad things happen when we used them.

If your from Ottawa, you'll love Vancouver.
Good luck.

[Bass]

I think a train trip across Canada would be very enjoyable. you are probably very right that your bass would fit in a seat; but if not and if it were me, I would not be worried about the bass in freight on a train.

Good luck with your schooling and journey.

PS - as I think about this more, aren't there are quite a few stories of people / bands traveling on a train with a DB and entertaining passengers at stops?

[marcox]

Is driving really so expensive? Google says the voyage from Ottawa to Vancouver is 2700 miles. At 25 mpg (which could be reasonably expected from a late-model rental car), that's roughly 110 gallons of gasoline, which at $3.50/gallon is $385 in fuel costs. I'm betting you could rent a van for a couple of days and pay for food and lodging for less than $400, which would make driving less expensive than flying or taking the train.

It might not be as convenient or fun, but you wouldn't have to worry about your bass.

[marcox]

On second thought, it might require more than "a couple of days" to drive 2700 miles.

Nonetheless, I still think with cheap hotels and food you could drive for roughly the same cost as the other options.

[michael_atw]

Originally Posted by marcox

Is driving really so expensive? Google says the voyage from Ottawa to Vancouver is 2700 miles. At 25 mpg (which could be reasonably expected from a late-model rental car), that's roughly 110 gallons of gasoline, which at $3.50/gallon is $385 in fuel costs. I'm betting you could rent a van for a couple of days and pay for food and lodging for less than $400, which would make driving less expensive than flying or taking the train.

It might not be as convenient or fun, but you wouldn't have to worry about your bass.

$3.50 a gallon????? Canada goes by the liter. Besides, that price isn't even American anymore! Canada's gasoline is $1.10-1.40 a liter (i.e. $4.50-$5.50 a gallon)!

[michael_atw]

Originally Posted by musicalyme

Hello,

I'm moving from Ottawa to Vancouver in the fall for university and am trying to figure out the safest and least expensive way to get me and my bass out there. I've looked into driving, but with the price of gas going up... flying or taking the train seem like much cheaper options.

1) Taking the train: Anyone have experience traveling with ViaRail on the Toronto-Vancouver line? With the seats leaning back so much its seems like fitting a bass in one might actually be possible. With 1 seat for me and 1 for the bass it'd be about 890 bucks.

2) Flying: Buy it a seat? Westjet says specifically that you cannot book a seat for an instrument. Air Canada doesn't say so, but would a bass fit into a bulkhead seat? With a seat for me and 1 for the bass it'd be about 815 bucks. Any other airlines that are more instrument friendly (or have larger standard seats :P)? Any advice on passing through security?

Rent a flight case? The Kolstein seems safe and solid, and reasonable with rental prices. (not including shipping)
(Kolstein Music, Inc.: Kolstein Uni-Air Bass Carrier)
Anyone know how to ship a flight case? I've looked into UPS freight and FedEx freight but the cost calculators either say it's crazy expensive or too big.


Someone said on another thread awhile back that one of the important things when flying is to act completely calm, and like you're very experienced travelling with your bass, etc etc. As a fresh out of high school female - I'll probably have some trouble with that one..

Any advice would be greatly greatly appreciated!!

My girlfriend is Canadian (she lives in Nova Scotia). I thought of flying from my hometown in western NY from Toronto to Halifax and it was expensive compared to US (I think it was $350 ca via Air Canada). Train was even worse, as I would have had to go to Toronto, Montreal, Moncton, and Halifax. It was something like $400 ca. In any case, that's about 1/2 the distance you're looking at. Any way you do it, cost will be high. Time-wise, plane is the way to go. To bring a bass will likely be a wallet-killer on a plane. Train...well, I have no clue. Vehicle is a good bet - but gas is getting horrible.

[marcox]

@michael_atw: Please pardon my Americentric calculations. My excuse is that most of the trip would be through the U.S., at least according to Google.

As for gas prices, they were averaging $3.52/gallon here in Arizona as of 3 weeks ago. YMMV, indeed.

[HugoRinfret]

Hey,

I think you should look at via-rail website! They have a 50% discount on any canadian travel and this discount is available until tomorrow! You will need an extra seat but via-rail as a policy for musician: you can have an extra seat for 50% of the normal price! I think you should call them tomorrow!

Hope it's helping

[Nagrom]

Should be able to use a freight co. to get it there for around $300.00. Find a crating company, buy some insurance, get a seat sale flight from Westjet, pick it up from the depot when you arrive.

I took my bass to Churchill on the train. We took up 4-seats all by myself. Conductor was miffed. Train is expensive. Food on train is very expensive. Sometimes train runs out of food.

Good luck.

[musicalyme]

Originally Posted by marcox

@michael_atw: Please pardon my Americentric calculations. My excuse is that most of the trip would be through the U.S., at least according to Google.

As for gas prices, they were averaging $3.52/gallon here in Arizona as of 3 weeks ago. YMMV, indeed.

Thanks for your thoughts I did the drive out to Vancouver and back last summer with a friend - it would be nice to see it (the shorter way!) through the states!

My calculations for driving were high because the my parents' car would also have to drive itself back home with a member or two of my family (so it adds up to about 8700 kms, $1400 ish with our car including 5 nights each way of $30 camping ) - if I was old enough to rent a car I would in a second!

Originally Posted by Bass

PS - as I think about this more, aren't there are quite a few stories of people / bands traveling on a train with a DB and entertaining passengers at stops?

I googled.. and found this article : VIA Rail provides venue for Canadian musicians -very cool.

Train definitely seems like the friendliest and least complicated option so far -especially if Air Canada's to be avoided..

thank you all for all your responses!

[Jake deVilliers]

Originally Posted by musicalyme

Thanks for your thoughts I did the drive out to Vancouver and back last summer with a friend - it would be nice to see it (the shorter way!) through the states!

My calculations for driving were high because the my parents' car would also have to drive itself back home with a member or two of my family (so it adds up to about 8700 kms, $1400 ish with our car including 5 nights each way of $30 camping ) - if I was old enough to rent a car I would in a second!


I googled.. and found this article : VIA Rail provides venue for Canadian musicians -very cool.

Train definitely seems like the friendliest and least complicated option so far -especially if Air Canada's to be avoided..

thank you all for all your responses!

The train is a very civilized way to see the country. If you want to keep the cost down take your own food.

Have a great trip!