Canadian

A true classic, the original line that put VIA Rail on the map, the Canadian is an overnight rail line that speaks to the experience of long-distance rail travel in years long ago. This train follows a course of approximately 2,775 miles, traversing through mountainscapes, lush evergreen forests, and wide-open prairies during its journey between Vancouver and Toronto. Along the way, VIA Rail's Canadian makes stops in wonderful cities and towns that highlight the country's diversity. Passengers may elect to begin their trip in either bookend location or join the train in one of its stations along the way.

One of the most scenic stretches of the entire route is between Kamloops and Jasper, a resort town surrounded by Jasper National Park and the Rocky Mountains. The train travels along the Fraser River and offers a glimpse at Hell's Gate, a portion of the river that narrows rapidly, forcing the water to erupt at an incredible speed. The Canadian also joins the North Thompson River and offers views of Pyramid Falls and Mount Robson - the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies - before stationing in Jasper.

Hints of yesteryear are detectable on the fully restored 1950s railcars, which were first used when the Canadian Pacific Railway offered its passenger line - also called the Canadian - between Montreal and Vancouver. VIA Rail's Canadian still follows a condensed version of this same course several times a week year-round, presenting all the natural grandeur of Canada as was always intended.