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Canadian Rail Adventure: Rocky Mountaineer & The Canadian

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12 days From $8,775 $8,475 per person
4.5 stars(56 reviews)
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Experience the ultimate Canadian rail journey from Vancouver to Toronto, featuring scenic rides aboard the luxurious Rocky Mountaineer and the iconic VIA Rail’s Canadian.

Travel on your own following a well-planned itinerary
Save up to $300

Offer Ends May 22nd: Save up to $300 per person on Independent Canada vacations.

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2025 Tour code: TC-CRAE-25

About the tour

Discover the romance of rail travel on this unforgettable 12-day journey from Vancouver to Toronto, featuring two iconic train experiences and breathtaking landscapes. Begin your adventure aboard the luxurious Rocky Mountaineer, where you'll travel through the majestic Canadian Rockies in all-daylight comfort, soaking in stunning views of towering peaks, deep canyons, and rushing rivers.

Enjoy overnight stays in the scenic resort towns of Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper. Marvel at turquoise lakes, rugged mountain vistas, and abundant wildlife as you visit some of Canada's most picturesque landscapes.

Then, board VIA Rail's legendary Canadian, a classic overnight rail experience that takes you across vast landscapes before arriving in Toronto. What better way to end this trip than a visit to Niagara Falls to witness one of the world's natural wonders?

This cross-country adventure is the ultimate way to experience Canada by train, combining luxury rail travel, immersive sightseeing, and stunning natural beauty.

View Dates & Pricing

Unforgettable Experiences

Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer
Cross Canada’s scenic western provinces on the daylight-only route of the Rocky Mountaineer, a luxury train known equally for its high service standards, incredible cuisine, and beautiful views.
VIA Rail's Canadian
VIA Rail's Canadian
View central Canada’s ever-changing scenery – from mountains to prairies, forested wilderness, and bustling towns – from the comfort of your berths or the observation car on a three-night journey aboard VIA Rail’s amazing Canadian.
Lake Louise
Lake Louise
Stay in the stunning resort town of Lake Louise, surrounded by towering peaks and crystal-clear waters, for a peaceful night in one of Canada’s most picturesque locations.
Columbia Icefield
Columbia Icefield
While driving between Jasper and Banff National Parks on the world-renowned Icefields Parkway, stop at Columbia Icefield to venture onto Athabasca Glacier aboard a unique Ice Explorer vehicle.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
While visiting Toronto, spend a day at Niagara Falls, one of the great natural wonders of the world, and take a ride on the Hornblower to Horseshoe Falls.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Vancouver

Upon arrival at the Vancouver International Airport, transfer on your own to your centrally-located hotel. The rest of your time is at leisure to discover what this bustling city has to offer. Overnight Vancouver.

There is so much to see and do in this coastal city. Speak to your rail specialist about adding additional nights and sightseeing experiences in Vancouver. Some highlights include a city tour, whale watching, or a day trip to Whistler.

Day 2 - Rocky Mountaineer to Kamloops

Your day begins with  an early morning transfer to board the all-daylight Rocky Mountaineer train. Travel through the Coast Mountains and Hell's Gate en route to Kamloops. Delight in commentary from your onboard attendants and enjoy delicious meals as you're awed by the beauty of British Columbia. Overnight Kamloops. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3 - Kamloops to Banff onboard Rocky Mountaineer

Transfer back to the Kamloops train station early this morning, where you re-board Rocky Mountaineer for the continued journey through the Canadian Rockies and another day of impeccable onboard service. Scenic highlights include the South Thompson River area, Kicking Horse Pass and the Spiral Tunnels before arriving into Banff. Overnight Banff. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4 - Discovering Banff

Discover Banff on a guided excursion this morning. Highlights include Banff townsite, Surprise Corner and the Tunnel Mountain. Your final stop will be at the Banff Gondola for a ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Alternately, elect to explore Banff in a different way by choosing one of the following options:

Half Day Discover Banff & It's Wildlife w/ Gondola
Full Day Discover Grizzly Bears - 10 Hours (This tour does not allow for an evening excursion)

Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure to browse through Banff's diverse shops and galleries, or hike one of the local trails. If you'd like to discover further consider adding admission to the Banff Hot springs for Panoramic Mountain views or take an evening wildlife safari. Overnight Banff.

Day 5 - Visiting Lake Louise and the Yoho Valley

Today's sightseeing excursion takes you past the Vermilion Lakes and on to Lake Louise. Highlights along the scenic Bow Valley Parkway include Johnston Canyon, with time to walk to the lower falls, and views of Castle Mountain. You will cross the Continental Divide and enter Yoho National Park with a visit to Emerald Lake. Overnight Lake Louise.

Includes
  • Lunch
Day 6 - Lake Louise to Jasper Sightseeing

Your full-day excursion takes you along one of the most spectacular highways of the world - the Icefields Parkway. With cascading waterfalls, broad-reaching valleys, tranquil mountain lakes, glaciers and snow-capped peaks, amazing vistas unfold with every glance. Stopping at the Columbia Icefield, take time to experience an Ice Explorer ride on to the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. From the Icefield, continue touring on to Jasper. Overnight Jasper. 

Includes
  • Lunch
Days 7-9 - VIA Rail Canadian from Jasper to Toronto

Late this morning, transfer to the Jasper train station to board VIA Rail's Canadian. Say goodbye to the peaceful mountain town of Jasper as you depart for Toronto, the economic center of Canada. Continue traveling across the Great Central Plains of Canada, through Winnipeg to rugged Ontario. Overnight train.

Includes
  • Day 7 - Dinner
  • Day 8 - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 9 - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 - Arrive in Toronto

Arrive in Toronto on VIA Rail this afternoon, and check into your centrally located hotel. Spend the remainder of your day exploring the great restaurants, museums, and shopping this great city has to offer. Overnight Toronto.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11 - Niagara Falls

This morning, depart on a full day sightseeing excursion to Niagara Falls. Travel through the orchard-laden Niagara Peninsula to Niagara Falls, one of the great wonders of the world. Highlights of today's excursion include a lunch buffet while overlooking the waterfall, plus a trip of the world-famous The Hornblower, which travels to the base of the majestic Horseshoe Falls. Also included is a trip along the beautiful River Road, which winds its way along the Niagara Gorge. Stops are made at the Floral Clock and at the historical community of Niagara-on-the-Lake before returning to Toronto. Alternately, you can stay and explore more of Canada's largest city switching to one of the following sightseeing excursions:

Toronto Helicopter Tour
Private Sightseeing Tour of Toronto

Overnight Toronto.

Includes
  • Lunch
Day 12 - Toronto

Transfer from your hotel to Pearson International Airport for your homeward or onward flight by scheduled airporter service.

Additional information

Pricing Plans

Superior Accommodations
• Hotels include Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center, Rimrock Resort, Post Hotel, The Crimson, Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer or similar; subject to availability at the time of confirmation. Kamloops hotel is included and will be confirmed upon check-in for the Rocky Mountaineer.
• Rocky Mountaineer accommodations are in SilverLeaf Service. Seats are in a single level dome car with oversized windows. VIA Rail accommodations are in Sleeper Plus Class in a private cabin featuring two comfortable sofa chairs during the day that are replaced by an upper and lower bed at night, with en suite washroom and access to shower facilities.
• Gourmet meals are included and served to you at your seat on the Rocky Mountaineer. Meals are included onboard the Canadian in the dining car. You will have evening access to the Park Car on the Canadian.

Deluxe Accommodations
• Hotels include Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Fairmont Royal York or similar; subject to availability at the time of confirmation. Kamloops hotel is included and will be confirmed upon check-in for the Rocky Mountaineer.
• Rocky Mountaineer accommodations are in GoldLeaf Service. You will be traveling in a bi-level dome car with your seats being on the upper level of the car. You will have exclusive access to an outdoor viewing platform. VIA Rail accommodations are in Sleeper Plus Class in a private cabin featuring two comfortable sofa chairs during the day that are replaced by an upper and lower bed at night, with en suite washroom and access to shower facilities.
• Gourmet meal service is included on the lower level of the car on the Rocky Mountaineer. Meals are included onboard the Canadian in the dining car. You will have evening access to the Park Car on the Canadian.

Prestige Class
• Hotels include upgraded rooms at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Fairmont Royal York or similar; subject to availability at the time of confirmation. Kamloops hotel is included in a standard room and will be confirmed upon check-in for the Rocky Mountaineer.
• Rocky Mountaineer accommodations are in GoldLeaf Service. You will be traveling in a bi-level dome car with your seats being on the upper level of the car. You will have exclusive access to an outdoor viewing platform. VIA Rail accommodations are in Prestige Class in a private cabin featuring a large, comfortable leather couch, leather couch and fold-down double bed, private washroom with shower, flat-screen TV with video selection, fully stocked minibar, and personalized service by the Prestige Concierge.
• Gourmet meal service is included on the lower level of the car on the Rocky Mountaineer. Meals are included onboard the Canadian, with priority access to dining car reservations. Prestige Class passengers also enjoy access to the Prestige Park Car for spectacular views.

Please note

Taxes are not included on rail portions and are subject to change. 

Cabins purchased on VIA rail for a single traveler are Cabins for 1. For upgrade options, ask your rail specialist for details.

Departure times

Departure times vary based on selected rail vacation. This information will be provided in your final documents. For more information please speak with your rail specialist.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours, they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. Please reference our Mobility Ratings Information, and if you’d like to discuss any particular vacation with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-877-929-7245.

Trains

Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer's First Passage to the West
VIA Rail's Canadian
VIA Rail's Canadian Prestige Class

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Reviews

4.5 stars4.5 / 5 · 56 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (37)
  2. 4 stars
    (13)
  3. 3 stars
    (3)
  4. 2 stars
    (2)
  5. 1 star
    (1)

joan

5 stars

Submitted 14 Oct 2024

Beautiful scenery, well organized and executed trip. The Rocky Mountaineer was spectacular in every way. Comfort, staff, meals, all great. The bus trips between overnight stays were very good. The Fairmont hotels we stayed in were beautiful and very comfortable. In spite of 3 consecutive overnights on train, which I would not recommend, the trip was fantastic. The staff was excellent and provided really good service. The food was very good. We had not taken an overnight train trip prior to this one so really did not know what to expect.

Collected by Trustpilot

NANCY LORD

5 stars

Submitted 12 Jun 2024

We chose the "Independent" Vancouver to Toronto itinerary and found it suited our preferred travel style perfectly. Transport, lodging and activities arranged by Vacations by Rail were all excellent.

Collected by Trustpilot

THOMAS RAY GEER

5 stars

Submitted 19 Oct 2023

A fun and spectacular experience.

Collected by Trustpilot

DOUGLAS THOMAS OGINO

5 stars

Submitted 09 Oct 2023

It was a bit similar to a cruise in that there was an activity director who did things like a wine and beer tastings and talked about the Canadian countryside as we passed by. The sleeping cars are "cozy" like on a cruise, but there were several other cars to relax in, play games or have a drink so you don't stay in your cabin much and the meals were gourmet! We would definitely recommend.

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DONALD MARK SMALL

5 stars

Submitted 28 Sep 2023

Wonderful time, great service, views, guides. Everything incredible

Collected by Trustpilot

JANE ELIZABETH DREWS

5 stars

Submitted 18 Aug 2023

We loved the trip.

Collected by Trustpilot

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