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First Class Holidays · Rail journey

A Historic Rail Route Between Vancouver, Lake Louise, and Banff

Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff through Canadian mountain passes

Illustration of A Historic Rail Route Between Vancouver, Lake Louise, and Banff

First Class Holidays operates a 2-day rail journey across British Columbia and into the Canadian Rockies aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, the only passenger train serving this historic route. The trip departs Vancouver early on Day 1, passing through the fertile Fraser Valley and the scenic Fraser Canyon, where you pass Hell's Gate at the narrowest point of the canyon walls. After an overnight in Kamloops, Day 2 continues eastward through ranchlands to Shuswap Lake, then past Craigellachie, where the Canadian Pacific Railway was completed with the driving of the last spike in 1885. The train climbs through Rogers Pass with its glaciers and snow-capped peaks, navigates the unique Spiral Tunnels, and crosses the Continental Divide before arriving in Lake Louise or Banff. This journey suits first-time rail travellers seeking a signature North American rail experience, photographers drawn to dramatic canyon and mountain scenery, and history enthusiasts interested in the heritage of Canada's transcontinental railway.

What to know before you look closer

  • The itinerary shows arrival at Lake Louise or Banff on Day 2 but does not specify which hotel or how the final destination is selected
  • Rocky Mountaineer operates in SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf class; the pack does not specify which class is included in this package

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Kamloops hotel

    Vancouver to Kamloops

    Depart at 07.30am this morning and travel from Vancouver to Kamloops in British Columbia's interior. Pass through the fertile Fraser Valley and the scenic Fraser Canyon. At Hell's Gate, see water pass through the walls of the narrowest point of the canyon. Follow the Thompson River to the city of Kamloops. Arrive 5.40pm.

  2. Day 2rail

    Kamloops to Banff/Lake Louise

    Depart at 06.25am and continue your journey east to the Canadian Rockies. Travel through ranchlands to Shuswap Lake. Pass Craigellachie, where the 'last spike' was driven completing the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885, on to Rogers Pass with its tunnels, glaciers and snow-capped mountains. Cross the Continental Divide into Banff National Park, through the unique Spiral Tunnels. Arrive Lake Louise at 5.45pm or Banff at 7pm. Also operates in the reverse direction.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Day 1: Pass through Hell's Gate at the narrowest point of the Fraser Canyon, where water flows through rock walls
  • Day 2Day 2: Cross the Continental Divide and navigate the Spiral Tunnels in Banff National Park with views of Rogers Pass, glaciers, and snow-capped mountains

Questions travellers ask

Which train operates this journey?
Rocky Mountaineer, the only passenger rail service on this historic route linking Canada from East to West. The train runs in either SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf class.
What is included in the trip?
First Class Holidays includes the 2-day Rocky Mountaineer journey and one night in a Kamloops hotel. The trip departs Vancouver at 07:30 on Day 1 and arrives in Lake Louise or Banff at 17:45 on Day 2.
When does it run?
The trip operates from April through October 2025, with 73 scheduled departures.
What will I see?
The journey passes the Fraser Valley, Fraser Canyon (including Hell's Gate), Shuswap Lake, Craigellachie (site of the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885), Rogers Pass with glaciers, and the Spiral Tunnels as you cross the Continental Divide into Banff National Park.

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