I recently got to spend an afternoon on the Orford Express (sadly not to be confused for the Hogwarts Express!) for a lovely meal and sight-seeing experience.
The Orford Express is organised by the company, Escapade Magog, who also offers cruises on the Memphremagog lake. When you reserve on the Orford Express you get to chose from different packages that include either brunch, lunch or dinner while exploring the countryside of the Eastern townships. You also need to select between three different train cars: the main car or the lounge car in either the salon section or the panoramic section. The train ride starts in Magog and takes you all the way to Sherbrooke for a short stop, before heading back, for a total duration of approximately 3:30 hrs.
For this outing, I opted for the lunch package because I wanted to enjoy all the wonderful fall colours as the leaves were getting ready for winter. I hesitated between booking the panoramic or the salon section, and finally opted for the salon because it offers tables for two people (instead of the standard 4 person).
Fun story
I had booked my outing for a Wednesday about a month ahead of time because it gets booked pretty quickly. But for some reason, I kept thinking it was Tuesday afternoon. I never double-checked the date, and so on Tuesday morning I made the one hour drive to Magog for the train.
As I got there to take the shuttle from the parking lot to the train, the driver asked if we were attending the afternoon cruise. When I indicated it was for the train, he informed me that it had just left. Panicked because the ticket was non-reimbursable, I went to check my reservation confirmation worried that had mistaken the time and missed the train… As it turns out, I had made a mistake and I was a day early (better than a day late!). Luckily the weather was amazing on that day and Magog is one of my favourite places to visit, so it worked out fine. That is life!
Boarding the Orford Express
The following day, I came back and made my way to the train station to board the train at 12:30. I was greeted by the friendly staff who promptly guided me to my car and table. I was instantly glad I had booked in the lounge section. It had been recently refurbished and decorated reminiscent of the 1920s. Lovely plush seats, wall candelabras, and velvet curtains.
Our waitress took our drink orders and shortly after the train set off the meal service began. I started with a Kir Royale to toast the occasion. The menu has seasonal adjustments and you get to select your entree and dessert ahead of time. The first course was a creamy carrot and maple soup. It was very smooth and not too sweet. It was quickly followed by a filet of rainbow trout accompanied with potatoes, cherry tomatoes, red peppers and fried capers and lemon butter. The portion size was generous, and the trout was well cooked. I also loved the combination of capers with lemon. To conclude the meal, dessert was served. I had selected the chocolate fondant served with a raspberry coulis and whipped cream. It turned out to be a great choice. The cake was warm and gooey, so yummy!
Throughout the meal there was a short video presentation providing a short description of the different landmarks we were seeing and history of the area. As the meal concluded, we arrived in Sherbrooke for a short pause to get everyone a chance to stretch their legs. On the way back we were treated to some live entertainment with a singer who sang popular songs in French and English.
Verdict?
Overall, I was really pleased with the experience and thought it was well worth the cost. It’s such a fun way to explore the area while getting to enjoy a lovely meal. I also thought the shuttle between the parking lot and the train was a nice touch. Although the distance is not very far, it’s very convenient for older individuals or those with reduced mobility. Now that I have done the train excursion, I am already thinking about trying out the cruise next summer!
For more information, check out the Orford Express website here.
