Great Rail Journeys · Independent

Canada - the Rockies, Great Plains & Toronto

Cross-Canada sleeper train from Vancouver to Toronto on The Canadian

Canada - the Rockies, Great Plains & Toronto, a rail journey with Great Rail Journeys

Great Rail Journeys operates this 8-day independent trip across Canada, running from Vancouver to Toronto. After a free day to explore Vancouver, perhaps visiting the aquarium or Granville Island, you board VIA Rail's Canadian sleeper train in Sleeper Plus class for four nights on board. Days on the train settle into a rhythm of breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the dining car, with time in the Park Car and Skyline Car to watch the Canadian Rockies, the prairies around Saskatoon, and Long Lake pass by. The Canadian also passes Melville, named for a former railway president, and Longlac, once a stop on the fur trading route. After disembarking in Toronto, there is time to visit the CN Tower before flying home. Because it is independent rather than escorted, you make your own way between stations and hotels. It suits travellers who want a long rail journey with dining and scenery, plus the freedom to set their own pace in Vancouver and Toronto.

What to know before you look closer

  • This is an independent trip: you make your own way to Vancouver's Pacific Central Station to board the train and, in Toronto, to your hotel, without a tour guide.
  • The trip includes an overnight flight from Toronto back to the UK in addition to the four nights on the train, so allow for that extra travel time.
  • Optional extras such as the Flyover Canada attraction, the Granville Market food tour, and the CN Tower visit cost extra and are not included in the price.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Vancouver

    UK to Vancouver

    Your journey begins today with your flight from London to Vancouver. On arrival in Vancouver you'll be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore how you please. Head out into Vancouver and get to know the city better. Visit the city's aquarium or go shopping over on Granville Island. Or relax with a drink while the world goes by in one of the city's many cafes and bars. Take a stroll around the city's ocean side pathways and spend some time in Stanley Park. Optional excursion: Flyover Canada, an immersive attraction that feels like you're flying high over some of the world's most inspiring sites.

  2. Day 2railovernight: VIA Rail The Canadian (on train)

    Via Rail's "The Canadian"

    Spend some more free time in Vancouver this morning and delve into the city's food scene when you visit one of Vancouver's many excellent restaurants for a spot of lunch. Or, you can choose a food tour in Granville Market. This afternoon, you'll head to Vancouver's Pacific Central Station in your own time to meet VIA Rail's Canadian sleeper train. In the dining car you can enjoy something special from the three course menu, plus there's a selection of local wines and beers available. Dietary requirements are accommodated, and you can order special meals ahead of travelling. Dinner is served onboard, after which you can get comfortable for your first night on the train.

    Meals: Dinner

  3. Day 3railovernight: VIA Rail The Canadian (on train)

    The Canadian Rockies

    Enjoy breakfast on your first morning onboard. Your sleeper plus package gives you access to the Park Car and the Skyline Car, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the breathtaking scenery you're passing through. Lunch is served in the dining car, and after relaxing further, watching the landscapes drift by or curling up with a good book, dinner is served in the dining car. Get comfortable for your second night onboard.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  4. Day 4railovernight: VIA Rail The Canadian (on train)

    Saskatoon

    Following your leisurely breakfast onboard this morning, relax and watch the changing scenery go by your window. Today, you'll be passing through Saskatoon, a leader in Canada's mining and technology industries. You'll also pass through Melville, named after Charles Melville Hays, who was the president of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company. Lunch is served in the dining car, after which you can get to know your fellow travellers better, or relax in your cabin. Dinner is served in the dining car.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  5. Day 5overnight: VIA Rail The Canadian (on train)

    Long Lake

    Take your time over your breakfast this morning, and then head to the Skyline Car or the Park Car to enjoy the magnificent views rolling by as you pass through more incredible scenery. Today you'll see Longlac, on the northern point of Long Lake, which was an important stop on the trading route for fur traders in this area. Lunch is served in the dining car, after which you can relax in your cabin or chat about the incredible landscapes with your new friends onboard. Following your dinner in the dining car you can retire to your bed, or watch the night time vistas pass by from the Park Car.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  6. Day 6railovernight: Toronto

    Arrive Toronto

    Enjoy your last breakfast onboard this morning, and spend some time in the Park Car, enjoying views of the stunning landscapes you're passing through. Following your three-course lunch in the dining car, it's time to leave VIA Rail's Canadian as you arrive into Toronto. On arrival in Toronto you're free to make your own way to the hotel but there's still time to choose to visit the CN Tower, which gifts you spectacular 360 degree views of Toronto by night.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  7. Day 7overnight: Flight (overnight)

    Toronto to the UK (depart)

    Your adventure comes to its end today when you're transferred from your hotel to Toronto airport for your overnight flight back to the UK.

  8. Day 8

    Arrive UK

    When you arrive back into London today, you're taking a wealth of new memories home with you.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3The Canadian crosses the Canadian Rockies while you watch from the Park Car or the Skyline Car.
  • Day 4The train passes through Saskatoon and Melville, named for a former president of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway.
  • Day 5The route passes Longlac on the northern point of Long Lake, once a stop on the fur trading route.
  • Day 6After a three-course lunch in the dining car, you leave the train in Toronto with time to visit the CN Tower.

Included

  • Hotel accommodations for 2 nights
  • Rail travel on VIA Rail Canada (4 nights on train, Sleeper Plus class)
  • Economy flights from London to Vancouver and Toronto to London
  • Airport transfers in Canada
  • 12 meals

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included in the price?
Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes four nights aboard VIA Rail's Canadian sleeper train in Sleeper Plus class, along with 12 meals.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is an independent trip. You travel largely on your own, making your own way to the station in Vancouver and to your hotel in Toronto.
Which train is used?
VIA Rail's The Canadian, travelling from Vancouver to Toronto in Sleeper Plus class, with access to the Park Car and Skyline Car for panoramic views.
What hotels are used?
Vancouver hotels include the Marriott Pinnacle Downtown, Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, or Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (rated 4 stars); Toronto hotels include the Chelsea Hotel, Hotel le Germain Maple Leaf Square (both rated 4 stars), or the Fairmont Royal York.
What is not included?
Cancellation and travel insurance is not included, and optional extras such as Flyover Canada, the Granville Market food tour, and the CN Tower visit cost extra.
How many meals are included?
12 meals are included, including three-course dinners with wine in the train's dining car.

Similar journeys, different answers