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Vacations By Rail · Independent rail vacation

Trans Canada By Rail & the Rockies

Cross-Canada rail journey from Vancouver to Toronto through the Rockies

Illustration of Trans Canada By Rail & the Rockies

Vacations By Rail's Trans Canada By Rail and the Rockies is a 14-day independent rail journey across Canada from Vancouver to Toronto, combining four nights aboard VIA Rail's Canadian with nine nights in mountain and city hotels. The trip begins in Vancouver with a complimentary visit to FlyOver Canada, a multisensory flight experience. From there, you board the Canadian and wake to the Canadian Rockies as the train climbs into Jasper. A full-day coach journey along the Icefields Parkway includes a stop at the Columbia Icefield, where an Ice Explorer takes you onto the Athabasca Glacier. You spend two nights each in Lake Louise and Banff, with a gondola ride to Sulphur Mountain and leisure time to hike or explore. After returning to Jasper for another night, the Canadian departs eastward, traveling through Edmonton, Saskatoon, Melville, and Winnipeg over three nights before arriving in Toronto. The itinerary suits independent explorers and repeat rail travellers who enjoy a mix of guided sightseeing, sleeper-train travel, and unstructured free time to explore mountain towns and national parks at their own pace.

What to know before you look closer

  • The from-price (USD 6,195) covers the tour package; you arrange your own transfer to the Vancouver train station on Day 2 and from Toronto on Day 13.
  • Hotel choice depends on your selected accommodation tier and availability; the package offers three options at each location (ranging from mid-range to luxury properties such as Fairmont hotels).
  • Days 1, 5, 8, and 9 are largely unstructured leisure time; sightseeing activities like the Jasper Tramway, Banff gondola, and wildlife tours are optional rather than included.
  • Only 12 meals are included over 14 days; meals on the train and most dinners in towns are not covered.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Vancouver

    Vancouver

    Check in to your hotel; free day to explore Vancouver. Included admission to FlyOver Canada, a multisensory flight-ride journey across Canada.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Overnight train

    Depart for Jasper

    Free day in Vancouver, then transfer on your own to the Vancouver train station to board the Canadian and settle into Sleeper Plus accommodations.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Jasper

    Enroute to Jasper

    Wake to the beauty of the Canadian Rockies as the train arrives in Jasper; transfer to your hotel. Free time to hike, bike or ride the Jasper Tramway.

  4. Day 4overnight: Lake Louise

    Jasper to Lake Louise

    Full-day scenic transfer along the Icefields Parkway, with a stop at the Columbia Icefield to board an Ice Explorer onto the Athabasca Glacier. Arrive in Lake Louise for the first of two nights.

  5. Day 5overnight: Lake Louise

    Lake Louise

    Full free day to explore the surrounding wilderness or visit the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and the lake itself.

  6. Day 6overnight: Banff

    Lake Louise to Banff

    Travel to Banff, a resort town surrounded by the Sulphur and Cascade Mountains, including the Banff Upper Hot Springs.

  7. Day 7overnight: Banff

    Banff

    Gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain and a visit to Banff National Park; option to visit the Banff Springs Hotel (built 1888 in Scottish Baronial style).

  8. Day 8overnight: Jasper

    Banff to Jasper

    Morning free in Banff at leisure; transfer to Jasper later in the day.

  9. Day 9overnight: Jasper

    Exploring Jasper

    Free day in Jasper: explore the town, take a wildlife tour, or ride the Jasper SkyTram Summit Trail for views of six mountain ranges and the Athabasca River.

  10. Day 10railovernight: Overnight train

    VIA Rail Jasper to Toronto

    Board VIA Rail's Canadian for the departure east; the train passes through Edmonton this evening.

  11. Day 11overnight: Overnight train

    En Route to Toronto

    Travel through Saskatoon and Melville (named after Charles Melville Hays), with an evening stop in Winnipeg, capital of Manitoba.

  12. Day 12railovernight: Overnight train

    VIA Rail to Toronto

    Highlight of the day is Longlac, at the northern tip of Long Lake, historically part of the fur trader canoe route. Time in the Park Car and Skyline Car.

  13. Day 13overnight: Toronto

    Toronto

    The Canadian arrives in Toronto this afternoon; transfer on your own to your centrally located hotel and explore the city.

  14. Day 14

    Depart Toronto

    Trans-Canada journey ends; option to extend your stay in Toronto or transfer to the airport for your return flight home.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1FlyOver Canada, a multisensory flight-ride experience across Canada, is included in Vancouver.
  • Day 4Board an Ice Explorer onto the Athabasca Glacier, accessed from the Columbia Icefield along the Icefields Parkway.
  • Day 7Ride the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain in Banff for views of the surrounding peaks and valleys.
  • Day 12Pass through Longlac at the northern tip of Long Lake, a historic fur-trading route, while enjoying time in the Park Car and Skyline Car.

Included

  • Nine nights hotel accommodations
  • Four nights aboard VIA Rail's Canadian
  • 12 Meals
  • Admission to FlyOver Canada in Vancouver

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour but can be arranged

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?
Yes. Four nights aboard VIA Rail's Canadian in Sleeper Plus Class accommodations are included, with access to the Skyline and Park Cars. Train transfers between mountain towns (Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff) are also covered.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
Vacations By Rail markets this as an independent rail vacation. You receive hotel and train arrangements, but days are largely unstructured; you explore at your own pace with optional activities available.
Which hotels are included?
Vacations By Rail offers three accommodation tiers at each location. In Vancouver, options range from the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre to the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver; in Jasper, from Whistlers Inn to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge; in Lake Louise, from Lake Louise Inn to Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise; in Banff, from Banff Ptarmigan Inn to Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel; and in Toronto, options include Hotel Le Germain Toronto and The Fairmont Royal York.
What meals are included?
Twelve meals are included over 14 days. The package does not specify which meals; confirm details with Vacations By Rail when you book.
How much walking or physical activity is involved?
Walking is moderate in cities and around hotels. Optional activities include hiking and biking in Jasper, a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain, and a guided ice-explorer tour onto Athabasca Glacier. There are no mandatory strenuous activities.
When does this trip run?
Vacations By Rail does not publish a departure calendar in the materials provided. Contact them directly to check availability and book your preferred dates.

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