The sparkling new business lounge.
Welcome aboard! Bienvenue à bord!
Guests enjoying the generous hors d'oeuvres.
Paul G. Smith, Chairman of VIA Rail
Lovely that this touch of history remains!
When the folks at VIA cooked up the slogan, “A more human way to travel,” (which pretty well sums up rail travel if you ask me), I bet the snazzy new Panorama lounge at Union Station wasn’t even on the drawing board.
This is not just a refurbished lounge. It’s in an entirely different part of the station, just off the main concourse. It’s been a few years since this space hosted a crowd – in its past life, it was the Front Street Grill and more famous for grilled cheese sandwiches than hosting elite business travellers.
The crowd at the opening was just that – plus a sprinkling of politicos, suppliers, shareholders and marketing partners. Its 6,300 square feet are planned to be a haven of quietness and relaxation in the heart of a station which is the largest inter-modal hub in the country (train-GO Train-subway). Over 250,000 travellers pass through each day.
The transformation was clearly handled with care. Marble cladding on the walls come from the same quarry used for the original 1927 building of Union Station); the same wood surrounds the windows and delightful Canadian art abounds.
The new Panorama Lounge is spacious enough to house a business centre and a small meeting room… and travellers on VIA’s transcontinental service are permitted access (as well, of course, as those travelling on VIA1). Worth noting: unlike many airport lounges, your clients can’t buy access to the lounge. They’ll just have to ride in (delicious) VIA1 or travel across the country. Now there’s a trip every Canadian should take!
