10 days on the Canadian vs 10 days in the hospital

If you’ve ever taken VIA Rail‘s Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver and back, you’ll know what an amazing journey it is. If not, there are hundreds of influencer videos you can watch on YouTube that will give you a taste of the trip.

But how does it compare to a hospital stay? Let’s dive in:

Admission/Departure:

• Both can be loud, and chaotic. You’re never 100% sure when you’ll get to your room. Bonus to VIA for providing free drinks. The departure lounge is marginally less depressing than the Emergency room.

Accommodations:

• This depends on the class of service you select, or have coverage for. A ward is like economy, and a private room is like Prestige without the free booze. Hospital beds have more adjustments. Both have toilets in the rooms, but train toilets often don’t work, or the breakers need to be reset because people can’t follow simple instructions. Every hospital toilet seat is loose. Lots of electrical outlets in a hospital room, but only one on the train. Take a power bar.

 

Windows:

• Trains – Do not open
• Hospitals – Do not open

Meals:

• In Sleeper class, you are provided a choice 3 times a day for excellent meals. In the hospital if you’re suffering from dehydration and malnutrition, you may be given access to a nutritionist and a dietitian who will look after you, and provide what you require. Both provide snacks throughout the day.

 

View:

• Spectacular views from the train as you roll past the country. You may or may not have a window in the hospital, and the view only changes with the weather and time of day. If you’re unfortunate to get a bed without a window you may not see the sun for days, so just like any other winter day in Canada.

 

• You get to see lots of trains from the train. Keep an eye out for 4550 cu ft Hawker-Siddeley Cylindrical Hoppers. 😍 You may get to see helicopters from the hospital

 

Staff:

• VIA staff are great. They bring you drinks and food. Nursing staff wake you up to take blood and vital signs at 05:00. Minus 1 point.

On Time Service:

• From time to time at scheduled stops, you can get off the train, and walk around outside for some fresh air. Same in the hospital if you are able. In both cases, while you may be scheduled to arrive at a place at a specific time, or be discharged on a specific day it can be a crap shoot.

Summary:

• They are basically the same thing, thank you.