Is train travel included?

Yes. About 2.5 of the 9 days are spent aboard the Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf service, from Jasper to Quesnel, Quesnel to Whistler, and Whistler to Vancouver.

Which hotels are used?

The Moose Hotel and Suites in Banff, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, and the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver.

What are the price tiers?

Superior Level (4 to 4.5-star hotels, GoldLeaf service, scheduled bus transfer, from CAD 9,690) and Deluxe Level (5-star hotels, GoldLeaf service, private driver transfer, from CAD 11,950).

How much walking or activity is involved?

The highlights mention walking on glaciers, and optional activities include e-bike tours in Banff and Jasper and scenic rafting on the Athabasca River.

Hotel accommodation, the Rocky Mountaineer daylight train journey with meals onboard, a choice of guided activities, airport and train station transfers, a feature dining experience, and Fresh Tracks Canada customer service support.

Canadian Train Vacations (Fresh Tracks Canada) · Tailor-made rail vacation

Discover Whistler and the Canadian Rockies by Train

9-day Rocky Mountaineer rail trip from Banff to Vancouver via Whistler

Canadian Train Vacations, operated through Fresh Tracks Canada, runs this 9-day, 8-night tailor-made rail vacation from Banff to Vancouver. There is no fixed group schedule; local experts plan and coordinate the trip, and travellers can add small-group or private guided activities. Two nights in Banff and a stop at Lake Louise, where turquoise water sits beneath glacier-clad peaks, lead to two nights in Jasper National Park with choices like e-biking or rafting on the Athabasca River. On day 6 the Rocky Mountaineer, in GoldLeaf service, leaves Jasper through the Rocky Mountain Trench past Mount Robson and Yellowhead Pass, continuing the next day from the desert-like Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Plateau and Pemberton Valley, and arriving in the alpine village of Whistler. A final rail day follows the Sea to Sky corridor past Cheakamus Canyon and Howe Sound into Vancouver. It suits travellers who want about two and a half days of scenic Rocky Mountaineer travel bookended by time in Canada's national parks, at a higher hotel and train-service tier than the operator's standard Rockies routes.

What to know before you look closer

Only 2.5 of the 9 days are spent aboard the Rocky Mountaineer itself, per the operator's own count; the rest of the trip is by coach transfer or on foot in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper.
Both price tiers, Superior (from CAD 9,690) and Deluxe (from CAD 11,950), use Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf service; the difference is hotel star rating (4 to 4.5 versus 5 star) and whether the Calgary-Banff transfer is a scheduled bus or a private driver.
The evidence does not list specific departure dates for this trip; confirm current scheduling with the operator before booking.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Banff
Calgary to the Canadian Rockies
Your trip begins with a journey from Calgary to Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the charm of a small mountain community.
Day 2overnight: Banff
Explore Banff National Park
Fill your lungs with cool, fresh Rocky Mountain air. Options: Banff Sightseeing Tour and Gondola Ride, Jeep Sightseeing and Wildlife Tour with Afternoon Tea, Banff E-Bike Tour. Dinner in Banff.
Day 3overnight: Lake Louise
Banff to Lake Louise
After a morning in Banff, travel to Lake Louise, where turquoise waters are surrounded by glacier-clad peaks.
Day 4overnight: Jasper
Icefields Parkway to Jasper
Travel along the spine of the Rockies on the Icefields Parkway. Options: Icefields Parkway Tour to Jasper, Private Icefields Sightseeing with Heli-Tour (extra cost).
Day 5overnight: Jasper
Explore Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park, the largest park in the Canadian Rockies. Options: Jasper E-Bike Eco Tour, Maligne Lake Tour with Cruise, Jasper Skytram and Scenic Rafting on the Athabasca River.
Day 6railovernight: Quesnel
Rocky Mountaineer Train - Jasper to Quesnel
Your train journey begins as the Rocky Mountaineer (GoldLeaf Service) pulls away from Jasper, through the Rocky Mountain Trench, with highlights including Mount Robson, Yellowhead Pass, and Moose Lake.
Day 7railovernight: Whistler
Rocky Mountaineer Train - Quesnel to Whistler
Travel from the desert-like conditions of the Fraser Canyon to the rolling hills of the Cariboo Plateau and the lush farmland of the Pemberton Valley, crossing Deep Creek Bridge and the shorelines of Seton Lake and Anderson Lake. Arrive in Whistler this evening.
Day 8railovernight: Vancouver
Rocky Mountaineer Train - Whistler to Vancouver
Explore Whistler village at your leisure (Whistler Peak 2 Peak Gondola 360 Experience Day Pass; optional Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre Admission), then continue on the Rocky Mountaineer via the Sea to Sky corridor, past Cheakamus Canyon, Mount Garibaldi, Brandywine Falls and Howe Sound.
Day 9
Depart from Vancouver
Bid farewell to Canada's mountain peaks and friendly faces as you depart Vancouver.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3The tour reaches Lake Louise, where turquoise waters are surrounded by glacier-clad peaks.
Day 6The Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf service leaves Jasper through the Rocky Mountain Trench, passing Mount Robson, Yellowhead Pass and Moose Lake.
Day 7The train crosses from the desert-like Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Plateau and Pemberton Valley, over Deep Creek Bridge and past Seton Lake and Anderson Lake, arriving in Whistler.
Day 8After time in Whistler village, the Rocky Mountaineer continues via the Sea to Sky corridor past Cheakamus Canyon, Mount Garibaldi, Brandywine Falls and Howe Sound to Vancouver.

Included

Hotel accommodation
Rocky Mountaineer daylight train journey
Meals onboard the train
Choice of unique guided activities
Transportation to and from airports, timed with your flights
Train station transfers
Feature dining experience at one of our favorite local restaurants
Electronic travel documentation package
Personalized Fresh Tracks Canada customer service support

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?: Yes. About 2.5 of the 9 days are spent aboard the Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf service, from Jasper to Quesnel, Quesnel to Whistler, and Whistler to Vancouver.
Is this trip guided or independent?: It is independent, with no fixed group schedule; local experts plan and coordinate the trip, and travellers can add small-group or private guided activities.
Which hotels are used?: The Moose Hotel and Suites in Banff, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, and the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver.
What are the price tiers?: Superior Level (4 to 4.5-star hotels, GoldLeaf service, scheduled bus transfer, from CAD 9,690) and Deluxe Level (5-star hotels, GoldLeaf service, private driver transfer, from CAD 11,950).
How much walking or activity is involved?: The highlights mention walking on glaciers, and optional activities include e-bike tours in Banff and Jasper and scenic rafting on the Athabasca River.
What is included?: Hotel accommodation, the Rocky Mountaineer daylight train journey with meals onboard, a choice of guided activities, airport and train station transfers, a feature dining experience, and Fresh Tracks Canada customer service support.