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Avoid the last minute rush

CNW - Just in time for the Holidays - VIA Rail Canada would like to make your holiday gift decision-making easier this year.
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Buying VIA Rail gift cards for your loved ones is one way of ensuring that they'll be home for Christmas. Make sure to book holiday train travel early to avoid long lineups during the Christmas season.

CNW - Just in time for the Holidays - VIA Rail Canada would like to make your holiday gift decision-making easier this year. Don't know what to get 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.

VIA gift cards


VIA Gift Cards are the ideal gift. Available at all VIA stations in $25, $50 and $100 denominations, as well as a flex value card, which is also re-loadable. The convenience and flexibility of gift cards make them a welcomed gift. Give them to family or friends and introduce them to a Canadian travel experience that could include pristine alpine forests, a luxurious trip to the ocean, a romantic getaway or simply an opportunity for that university student to come home for the weekend - laundry in tow of course!


Just in time for the winter ski season, the gift cards can also be used to purchase tickets on a new seasonal departure between Edmonton and Jasper. This ultimate ski experience includes at-your-seat meal service, an on board VIA concierge (for information on Jasper-area activities) and a Marmot Basin Ambassador (lift tickets, ski rentals and lessons arranged on board). Gift cards can be used at any time and are subject to the same discounts applicable to cash purchases.


"There are as many reasons for buying VIA gift cards as there are for travelling by train. For example, many students do not have a credit card. When they are studying in another city, their parents can encourage them to come home more often by giving them a card," says VIA's Chief Customer Officer Steve Del Bosco. "And for businesses they make a perfect gift for employees as an incentive bonus for meritorious service during the year."


For more details about VIA's Gift Card, visit www.viarail.ca/giftcard . VIA has also partnered with the AIR MILES Reward Program to enable their collectors to redeem reward miles for VIA gift cards. Collectors simply contact AIR MILES to exchange their reward miles for a VIA gift card.


Holiday season travel


Christmas is coming, and seats are going fast. For those planning on travelling over the holiday period who 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. Discount fares are still available on many departures during the holiday period, which runs from Dec. 15 to Jan. 5.


"Traditionally, this is our busiest time of the year," adds Del Bosco. "During this holiday period, everybody at VIA will work together to ensure our customers' holiday travel plans run smoothly."


With its reservation lines already very busy and winter weather beginning to make itself felt in earnest, VIA expects some popular train departures will be sold 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.


Customers can visit VIA's secure website at viarail.ca to book a trip anywhere in the VIA system.


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 (1-888-842-7245), TTY 1800 268-9503 (hearing impaired), visit VIA's website www.viarail.ca or contact their travel agent.

Visit snowcross races in Sault


Snowcross racing returns to Searchmont Resort this weekend. Hundreds of the worlds best snowmobile racing teams will descend upon Sault Ste. Marie for the annual Stud Boy World Cup Snowcross Races.


The CSRA National Championship Snowcross race will serve as a qualifier for the 2007 Winter X-Games in Aspen, Colorado. For more information, visit www.searchmont.com/content/general/news.html


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