leonardcohenforum.com

i've got tickets to all four shows, am coming from san francisco, and cannot figure out how to get from kingston to london to ottawa without renting a car. i've tried to get train information from VIA Rail Canada, but have had no luck.

i see that kingston is on the 22nd and london the 24th so i've got two travel days between them, but how can i get from london to ottawa the 25th???

if you know how i can do this without hurting myself, please, please advise. or if you are attempting it yourself would you consider a travel companion?

also, any hotel recommendations greatly appreciated.

any advice deeply appreciated.

ardent fan

Greyhound...

Hi Bk - If you don't find a ride you can still take the train, you just have a short stop over in Toronto. Unfortunately you're criss crossing a bit, you'll actually pass Kingston on you're way back to Ottawa from London.

Tip if you decide to go train you might save some money by clicking multi city instead of buying each ticket separately.
The Via1 option is nice when traveling from Toronto, it allows you to use the lounge which is quiet, has comfortable seats and beverages while you wait to board, plus something okay to eat on the train. In my opinion it's not worth paying for when leaving from Kingston or London though as there's no lounge in those locations. Because they issue separate tickets for each leg of the trip you could travel comfort class to Toronto, then switch to Via 1 at Toronto (I'm not really cheap, I just like value - actually I'm lying, I am cheap and even from Toronto I'd only pay the extra if I got a discount seat).
Last tip, the further you buy in advance the better your discount, plus they only have a limited amount of discount seats for each train.

All the best,

Cate

Hi - Cate's advice is correct. London is a bit tricky - it is a relatively small town and to get Ottawa from London you will almost certainly have to pass through Toronto, which is a pain as Toronto is huge and it isn't so easy to 'pass through.' You can do either bus or train. You can also fly from Toronto, Hamilton or Waterloo (Bearskin air).

What kind of hotel do you want in Ottawa? Downtown close to the NAC I presume. There are many - so give me an idea of what you like. A few of the closet hotels: The Chateau Laurier, The Lord Elgin, The Westin, Hotel Indigo, The Arc. All are very good hotels, the last two are 'boutique' hotels. From a tourist perspective The Chateau Laurier is possibly the most interesting and a great location. All five of these hotels are within a five minute walk of the NAC. I'm sure you can find web sites for all the hotels I've mentioned.

Good luck,
Paula

I can seriously vouch for buses here. More schedules, relatively short distances and much cheaper. I used to love trains here, but quite simply it's not worth it. Same with flying.

dear cate, paula, and da2008,

i LOVE canadians!!! this is the precise reason i chose to attend these canadian shows.

thank you so much for your kindness, to take the time to respond to my questions in such a comprehensive way.

i hope to meet some of you at post-concert meet-ups!

thanks again, and all the best,
bonnie

To add on to the topic of hotels: as lovely as the Château Laurier and the Lord Elgin are, they are also among Ottawa's priciest -- if you want something affordable but still very near the NAC, further east on Rideau Street there is a Days Inn and a Quality Hotel, among a few other cheaper ones -- these are obviously not nearly as nice and they put you a little bit outside the majestic 'Official' Ottawa, but still in close reach and with quite a bit more money in your pocket.

Anybody knows how is Business Inn?

I spent a night at the Business Inn a couple of years ago. It is close to the NAC. I would describe it as adequate or fine. The lobby is pleasant. The rooms are tired and bland, but nothing really wrong with them either. It is on Elgin Street, above a popular pub/bar (Maclarens), so it is busy in the evenings, and perhaps loud depending where your room is located.

Thank you!! That should be fine - I only need to spend the night there. Will probably be arriving from Montreal right before the first show and leaving for Toronto right after the second one. Just as long as it's clean - that's all I care about.

da2008 wrote:Anybody knows how is Business Inn?

There are a bunch of 'suites hotels' in the immediate area as well. Many have 1 or 2 bedroom suites, reasonably priced and great if you know someone else going to share the suite with. Also, most have kitchens and laundry ensuite.

Les Suites
http://www.les-suites.com

Capitol Suites
http://www.capitalhill.com

or google 'ottawa suite hotel'

See you all there!

Cheers,
Ken(adian)

Thank you Kenadian!!

Hi, just thought I'd contribute that my daughter made a spur-of-the-moment trip to welcome Barack Obama on his visit to Ottawa last month. She stayed at the Econo Lodge and thought it was fine and very well priced. In the higher price range, among the suite hotels Kenadian mentions I'd especially recommend the Minto Suites.