Let me start out by saying that our trip to Toronto was very nice on Via Rail. We booked business class seats so we would have extra leg room and comfort. Service was good food was good. But they failed to inform us that the last row which we were in was rear facing. Not a real big deal but it would have been nice to know.
HOWEVER...the trip home was a mess. First, the business class lounge in Toronto is poorly marked so we went down to the main gate to wait only to be directed back up to the business lounge. As we arrived in the business lounge we were then instructed to turn around and go back to the platform for boarding! Shoot me. When we got on the train we once again had the last row, but this time tucked in to our row facing us was a gentleman in a wheelchair with the legs fully extended for obvious medical reasons. The issue is that the train is poorly designed and because the wheelchair legs were extended, this left us with no leg room. Literally we were straddling the chair legs. We asked to have our seats moved for his safety and ours but were told basically it is what it is. We asked to see someone higher up who told us if we were in coach and had a four seat area we would be bumping knees with people there. Seriously? They were rude to us and they were completely insensitive to the gentleman in the wheelchair. And we all agreed that other arrangements should have been made for this situation, like not selling the seats in front of the wheelchair area when it is being occupied by a fully extended chair. If they have this situation in the future they need to do a much better job for all parties concerned.