Budget travel options for potential NorEx trip?

[lmtengs]

Hey, everyone You might remember me from such places as... oh to hell with these fancy thread introductions, let's get to the point.

For next summer, after I get back from Cuba, and after Europe, I think I might do a solo run on the NorEx. The best deal I could find was $507.18 including tax.
That's a flight with Pacific Coastal from YVR to Port Hardy, then the NorEx to 'Rupert, then the Via to Jasper, then Via again south to Pacific Central in Vancouver. That does not include food, refreshments, or any layovers, which there is an overnight in 'Hardy and a 20 hour layover in Jasper.
Might there be a cheeper alternative? I searched the Greyhound to 'Hardy, but they got nothing, period, I searched greyhound from 'Rupert to Vancouver, but I get the same story. Flying to Vancouver from rupert would cost more than what I have as the lowest price I found.
I have rooming in 'Rupert covered, as I have family there. So if anybody's got any tips up their sleeve about places to stay for cheep, like a good doorstep I can roll my sleeping bag out on, please tell me!

[Koastal Karl]

Take the ferry to Nanaimo then take a bus to Port Hardy would be way cheaper! I think it only goes once a day and arrives in Hardy at like 4:30pm. That would be cheaper than a flight I would think. And if you did a roundtrip on the Nor Ex then took the bus back from Port Hardy that would probably be cheaper than going one way on the train. At least I think so. But I could be wrong!

[Low Light Mike]

I think that any summer travel on VIA rail is what will kill your budget. Both rail routes are expensive.

And Jasper for any type of hotel in summer is ridiculously expensive, similar to Tofino in summer. The value-for-money is not there, unless you really really want to be there.

[lmtengs]

Yeah, the thing is, I can't make a transfer in Prince George on Via, I would have to go right to Jasper then change trains

And to Karl, I tried finding a bus service both from Nanaimo to Hardy and from Rupert to Van, but Greyhound's got nothing. Are there any other Coach lines that do those routes?

[Nick]

Try Greyhound again, Luke... I just found a bus from Nanaimo to Port Hardy, leaves 1030 arrives 1745. The fare is 65.00 one way. From Prince Rupert to Vancouver there's a few options schedule-wise, depending on transfers.... but the fare is approximately 225.00 and it takes roughly 24 hours.

www.greyhound.ca/home

The plus side to greyhound is that if you work your schedules right, you don't have to do much for hotel and stuff... since the bus goes straight through. That said, I don't view that as much of a vacation. I've done the trip up island to Comox on greyhound more times than I care to admit, and it's not a particularly pleasant experience. My sister went to Smithers via greyhound a few years back, which is a 19 hour trip, and she HATED every minute of it. No sleep, stinky bathroom, and some sketchy people were only a few of the things you have to put up with.

All that said, it sure would make for an interesting experience...

Oh yeah.. on the topic of the train... make sure you check the Skeena's schedule. I know a few years back they overnighted in Prince George, and you can't stay on the train.... so that would be another night to find accommodation for.

[Scott]

Sept 14, 2010 14:34:30 GMT -8 @lmtengs said:

And to Karl, I tried finding a bus service both from Nanaimo to Hardy and from Rupert to Van, but Greyhound's got nothing. Are there any other Coach lines that do those routes?

Don't know why you're not finding anything on greyhound... I found schedules to Prince George and Port Hardy right away, but not fares (to Port Hardy anyways). Maybe you were looking on the American site. And yes, the Skeena train does overnight in Prince George, without the passengers on board.

[lmtengs]

That's weird. I was looking on the Canadian site. Does the train not leave everyday, or something? I tried looking at five different days, albeit in the winter season, and found nothing.

[WettCoast]

Via's Skeena service runs 3 times weekly in each direction. It travels east from Prince Rupert on Sunday's, Tuesday's & Friday's, leaving from the Rupert Via Terminal which just happens to be the same place as the ferry terminal. You could go as far as PG and then bus it via the Cariboo to Vancouver. Unfortunately you are a few years late for catching the BC Rail Cariboo Prospector train forom PG to North Van. That was killed by the same guy that axed the Dogwood, our beloved Premier.

I was going to suggest that you do this in the spring (say late April) when prices are cheaper, but then it occurred to me that you probably just can't skip school for a week. You need more than a long weekend to do this, and Spring Break is much too early.

BTW, The NorAd is scheduled to handle all route 10 & 11 sailings until the end of March 2011. At that time the new dock at Klemtu is supposed to be ready and the NorEx can take over.

[mrdot]

rather than trying to figure out a budget trip on millionare manager Hahn's Norex, may I suggest a true budget ferry ride on the half hour plus Kootenay lake boat. I can even afford that one! Maybe the q. of Richmond or q. of Kelsey Bay might have to be my retirement trip if Haan's crew put tolls on the Osprey! mr.dot.

[whalebreath]

In Port Hardy there are now two Hostels and of course the shuttlebus that runs out to Bear Bay early AM-a bit of help budget wise.

If you book with Greyhound out of Vancouver you'll switch in Nanaimo to the feeder line that takes you to PH can't recall the name right now (might be Laidlaw) but it's painless undertaking.

[BreannaF]

A couple of random thoughts:

1) You may have to do a bit of research, but in all the travel books they talk about youth hostels, or other accommodations for adventurous traveling young people. I don't have first hand experience here, but you might look into any dorm-like places that might be available. More like $25-30-35 or so a night, but you'll be sharing with others like yourself.

Jasper likely has such a place for international travelers -- it might be open to "locals" too. Also, UNBC in Prince George might rent out dorm rooms by the night, you never know 'til you ask. There's probably something similar in a lot of places.

2) I always tend to advise people going on lengthy transportation excursions that they might want to build a few days into the schedule for getting out and walking around. After all, you took all that money and effort getting there, you might want to take a day or three to get out and get a feel for the place. "Anywhere" is a lot different from a leisurely cafe at the edge of town than it is passing by from the train tracks. And, I understand there are beautiful mountains to look at once you get to Jasper. I'd take a day or two to admire the view.

(Disclaimer on Item #2: That being said, I did celebrate my high school graduation by purchasing a 15-day unlimited Greyhound pass and making a great loop around the US, and only stopping for 4 nights in motels along the way. So...... who am I to preach, anyway? )

Sounds like fun!

[lmtengs]

Yeah, I think I might be a bum a little bit between trips, maybe ask someone if they want their lawn mowed for an extra ten bucks
Mow 5 lawns in a day, get a hotel for the night, then get up bright and early the next day to sight-see before my train leaves Prince George/Jasper/wherever it stops.
And thanks for that Youth Hostel idea. I might try that.

Thanks everyone for the advise. Depending on other plans, I might have to postpone this to the summer after this coming one, because of looming plans on a trip to Cuba this April, a trip to Norway this Summer, and Germany on Spring Break 2012. So I guess the trip might be summer 2012 instead now, and I'm thinking I might do the trip in reverse order from what I said, meaning I'll take the train to Jasper, then Rupert, then NorEx down to Port Hardy. Then I'll be in Hardy in time for trip 4 of the Pacific Swift down to Ucluelet, and My mom would pick me up there.

[Low Light Mike]

With Cuba, Norway and Germany lined up for the next 18 months, you probably don't need to worry about penny pinching for a ferry trip.

You'll either have had enough valuable travel experiences in 2011-12 to make up for not-taking a ferry trip, or you'll find a way to make the ferry-trip happen (just like you're finding a way to make the other 3 happen).

ps: are you actually considering bumming around places like Prince George and Jasper as a solo 15-year-old ? Isn't that a few years too early?

[lmtengs]

Sept 17, 2010 6:10:00 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

ps: are you actually considering bumming around places like Prince George and Jasper as a solo 15-year-old ? Isn't that a few years too early?

I am indeed considering bumming around PG and Jasper. Do keep in mind though, that I'd be 17 turning 18 at the time I do the trip.

[Mike C]

Last summer, a few forum members and I did a NorEx round/trip for $300 before tax, not including food. We did not stay in any hotels, instead spending the night under the terminal building canopy in the summer cold of Prince Rupert. I would do it again.

I have found the best way to travel up the island, although originally sounding expensive initially, is to drive. If you can carpool, even better. This trip is not the best solo in my opinion, and having a travel companion to split a stateroom/gas for vehicle REALLY helps.

So my advice to you would be to ask around - find a friend you can go with, drive up (if possible) and I can assure you that you (and your wallet) will enjoy yourselves far more than you would alone.

[Northern Exploration]

I echo the driving part. One trip my travel companion had the flu and stayed in Parksville and insisted that he wanted to just be alone and recover in a motel. He also wanted me to take advantage of the already paid for stateroom on the QoftN and deposit on the motel. I love to drive and actually really enjoy the odd occasion when I can take a trip alone. But I can see how someone might not enjoy the long drive alone. Especially if there is construction and traffic.

The campground near the turnoff to Bear Cove is an option as well. The no services sites seemed reasonable. The shuttle van also stops there. At least there is a shower there if you decide you don't want a stateroom on the ferry. If you splurge for a stateroom then you have no worries about how the guys did it staying under the canopy.

Either way the start to the day is very early, (unless you are Flug and up with the roosters anyway), whether you are catching the shuttle or packing up a hiker tent or getting woken up by the hubbub at the terminal.

If you are old enough, somewhat wise and a good judge of character, traveling alone often means you meet people you might not otherwise. On my solo trip a group of German tourists adopted me as their new Canadian dude. Out of the 7 of them I still get emails from one couple occasionally. It was all of their first trip to Canada and they still go on about what they saw. That trip is the one I saw more wildlife than any other trip.