It is a bright summer morning; landscapes flicker by your windows and the smell of coffee floats through the air. Imagine you are there, hovering over a hearty breakfast fresh from the kitchen as a gentle morning murmur fills the dining car. This is embracing slow travel at its finest. And as the grand Canadian Rockies keep you company, waiting patiently for you to disembark and explore them more, begin and end your day in comfort, with the quiet luxury of natural beauty there on all sides.
Why You Should Book a Canadian Rockies Train Trip in 2025
2025 is the year of train travel, where stunning views await you each day and a three-course meal each night. As you roll through, enjoy the landscapes — the ones far from the reaches of the highway — in a way like no other.
The view from Rocky Mountaineer’s GoldLeaf Service | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
See Scenic Views from Domed Windows
From the early points of the year — when snow drips from trees and early wildflowers push their way up from the cold ground — to the warm breezes of summer to fall’s yellow larch trees standing bright among the pine and, of course, when winter brings a new, snow-dowsed side to Canada’s vast landscape.
And the landscape… From icons you know by name — Mount Robson standing proud as the tallest mountain in the Rockies — to unknown waterfalls rushing over cliffs into deep canyons waiting to capture your attention and love.
Spot Wildlife that Passes By
Some of Canada’s most skittish wildlife stays far from the roads. By train, you travel beyond their limits, deep into the mountains and the forests hidden between.
Across your journey, you may spot elk and deer liaising by a river, eagles soaring far above the trees, mountain goats perched on rocky outcrops, or even the chance bear standing in a river, fishing for his next meal.
Stop at Charming Towns
Arriving in a charming mountain town by train is a simple pleasure. With no highway transfer to speak of, disembark into the center of it all, greeted by the lush surroundings you have been waiting for.
Lake Louise train station | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Depending on which Canadian Rockies train trip you choose, arrive in Jasper's downtown heart, Banff's mountain chalets, or the log cabin perched on Bow River that is Lake Louise's station.
Enjoy Stress-free Travel
Aboard a Canadian Rockies train, you don’t have to worry about a thing. Just sit back as the landscape passes you by. And, between sleeping on the train or having arranged transfers between pre-organized hotels, everything has been arranged for you in advance. The only decision for you to make is between meal options. Difficult, perhaps, but hardly a challenge you dislike.
Experience Luxury Travel like No Other
Train travel has long been a point of luxury across the globe. In an age where the options for a classic journey by rail are dwindling, the ones that endure have done so for a reason. These train trips focus on allowing passengers to enjoy the landscapes they traverse in a slower, more refined manner.
Trains in the Canadian Rockies
Two passenger trains regularly service the Canadian Rockies: VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer. Whether sleeping aboard a vintage VIA Rail Canadian train car or relaxing in modern opulence on Rocky Mountaineer’s journey, both trains offer a kind of old-world glamour and allow you to venture into the mountains at a slower pace.
Undoubtedly, a train through the Rocky Mountains invites an image of luxury as you enjoy time to sit and gaze as world-class scenery passes you by. But, when the journey is as much the experience as the destination, each train offers a different vision of the pioneering region.
VIA Rail’s vintage steel styling | Credit: VIA Rail
VIA Rail’s Canadian train
The Canadian is VIA Rail’s trans-Canada train, running between Vancouver and Toronto. Made from once-futuristic stainless steel carriages — built between 1954 and 1955 and expertly retrofitted several times throughout the following years — they now invite travelers into the bygone era of the sleeper train, and the adventures that ensue. Between your days — spent in the communal lounge, your private cabin, or the bubble-like Skyline Car, peeking over the silver roof of the carriage below and to the wilderness beyond — and your night spent tucked in bed, The Canadian is an expedition, although a luxurious one. On VIA Rail, sleep on board as in the bygone era of luxury train tours. And, if you want to go further, it can take you beyond.
The journey begins (or ends, depending on your direction of travel) in Vancouver, traveling through British Columbia by night, and letting you wake surrounded by the majesty of the Rocky Mountains.
While VIA Rail offers an Economy class, where passengers sleep in a comfortable reclining seat, we only sell its Sleeper Plus and Prestige classes, where guests have leather seats, plush beds, and white-linen-top meals in the exclusive dining car. And in Prestige Class, alongside a multitude of additional benefits, you are offered the best seats on board — front row on the Skyline Car — to take in panoramic views of the endless mountain scenes before you.
If you want to learn more, see our post on how to traverse Canada by train.
Rocky Mountaineer in the Rocky Mountains | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer is luxury on the tracks. It offers a high-end train journey, running on Rocky Mountaineer-exclusive tracks with custom-built train carriages. The train ride only runs in daylight hours — to ensure you can view all the highlights of the Canadian Rockies — and includes overnight stays in comfortable hotels to rest in by night.
Every journey with Rocky Mountaineer is extraordinary, showcasing Canada's best scenery and world-famous hospitality. Across their two service levels, you are immersed in the best of rail travel.
In GoldLeaf Service, you can experience where you look out over the landscape from the top level of glass dome coaches, complimentary beverages always in hand, and dine on multi-course gourmet meals below in its dining room. This is an unmatched way to experience the Canadian Rockies.
In SilverLeaf Service, your hosts provide the same high-quality care. From your seat, watch as the world passes you by and be wrapped in the stories told onboard, welcoming you into the history you move through.
To find out more, read our guide to the Rocky Mountaineer train journey.
The Best Canadian Rockies Train Trips
There are a wide array of ways to best see the Canadian Rockies by train. But a train trip alone does not give you as full or immersive an experience as getting out, stretching your legs, and entering the wilderness. And that is where we can help. Crafting dream trips through the Canadian Rockies is one of our favorite ways to introduce guests to this beautiful country. Whether you are looking for an action-packed adventure or to relax among nature, our Travel Designers will tailor a trip to your interests. To start, these are our top seven recommendations for train tours in the Canadian Rockies for every kind of traveler.
The train passing through a valley | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Canadian Rockies Rail Vacation Circle Tour
6 Days / 5 Nights | Vancouver to Vancouver
Venture into the world-famous Canadian Rockies, where the wilderness is as wild as it promises to be. This train trip takes you from Vancouver, British Columbia, on a tour through the renowned Rocky Mountains, circling around snow-capped mountains and ice-blue glacier lakes before returning to Vancouver. The ground is studded with dense pine forests, and mountain peaks break the skyline.
Start your trip at the peak of luxury train travel in Canada. Rocky Mountaineer is your introduction to majestic landscapes — rugged mountains rising above as if ripped from fantasy novels — as your onboard hosts envelop you in stories of the land’s history. Across two days, travel deeper and deeper into the Canadian Rockies, watching each day as the panoramic landscapes morph and change. With an overnight stay in Kamloops, you will not miss a minute of the view.
Once you arrive in Banff, let the wilds consume you as you discover epic scenery guided by local experts all the while. Tour through Banff National Park — stopping to take an ice explorer and walk on the pristine surface of Athabasca Glacier, and marvel at Lake Louise's unnaturally natural milky blue waters — to the town of Jasper, nestled in a valley along the Athabasca River.
In Jasper, board VIA Rail’s Canadian train, experiencing the old-world pleasure of sleeper train travel. Leaving in the afternoon, settle into your cabin — or find a spot in the lounge or skyline dome car — to watch the snow-capped mountains fall away behind you, and a slow re-entry into life as you know it. After your three-course dinner in the dining car, complete with white linen tablecloths, settle into your plush bed and let the train ride's gentle sway rock you to sleep.
This Canadian Rockies train trip lets you experience both passenger trains servicing the Rocky Mountains, and experiencing the best of the fabled region while you do so. Since its inception, Banff and Jasper National Parks have been welcoming visitors from afar by train. There is no better way to uphold history and legacy than to take part.
Canoeing across turquoise waters in the Rockies | Credit: Parks Canada / Ryan Bray
Canadian Rockies Scenic Delights by Road & Rail
9 Days / 8 Nights | Vancouver to Vancouver
Welcome to the mountains beyond the mountains. On this tour of the Canadian Rockies, you begin by driving north from Vancouver, along the North Shore Mountains, to explore British Columbia's resort towns. These ski towns now wear their summer clothes and let you explore the rocky peaks in new ways. Whether you suspend yourself between peaks in a gondola, or take a forest safari in search of bears. As you cross into Alberta, explore the waters in Jasper, and the mountainsides in Banff with a horseback ride into the forest or by taking Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain. Between filling your days with adventure, stay in the best — and some of the most iconic — Fairmont hotels between mountain peaks and on lakefronts.
(Top tip: while in Banff, be sure to stop at 'Surprise Corner Viewpoint,' located at the end of the Bow River trail and just a 20-minute walk from downtown, for the best view of the Fairmont Banff Springs. Thank us later).
The perfect way to end adventures such as these is by slipping into a plush leather seat and through the wild backcountry by train. So, naturally, the Rocky Mountaineer train takes you home, letting you unwind completely from your time exploring in the Rockies.
Clayoquot Lodge’s luxury tents | Credit: Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge
Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge & Canadian Rockies Rail Trip
12 days / 11 nights | Vancouver to Calgary
If you really want to relax after your adventures, consider staying at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge for a new meaning of 'remote.' Secluded, yes, but in wonderful company.
Awarded three Michelin Keys, the highest level of recognition for hotels, and being one of only two in Canada receiving the accolade, Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge perfectly embodies a leisurely pace of exploration and the vintage styling of old-world travel — though a pinnacle-of-luxury one at that.
A short floatplane away from Vancouver, the lodge feels like another world as you arrive to a cluster of boutique canvas tents deep in the lush Vancouver Island forest and hovering over — quite literally — the inlet shore. Though evoking a vintage image, your private tent, the Cookhouse, Ivanhoe bar, and recreation tents are nothing short of lavish.
This package is available in either direction – starting or ending in Vancouver. We would recommend beginning with the 7-day tour through the Canadian Rockies, where adventures abound, before boarding Rocky Mountaineer to settle into the relaxation portion of your stay.
After arriving in Vancouver by luxury train, what better way to continue your relaxation than to take respite in nature, with abundant animal sightings from the lodge, and 600 acres of explorable UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve at your door?
Calgary Stampede Saddle Bronc | Credit: Conde Nast
Calgary Stampede and the Canadian Rockies
10 days / 9 nights | Vancouver to Calgary This is adventure done the right way. Matching exploration with luxury at every beat, tour through the Rockies in style, taking world-class trains and personalized tours alongside local tour guides, staying at Fairmont hotels as you go. And, as you leave the Canadian Rockies in the East, dive into the exhilarating shows at the Calgary Stampede.
Beginning on the West Coast in Vancouver, take a train trip on Rocky Mountaineer and arrive at the mountains in style. After passing rushing rivers, stunning landscapes, and chance wildlife sightings, dive into six days of action-packed mountain exploration. Walk atop ancient glaciers, trek deep canyons, discover wildlife tours, and get into the rodeo spirit with a horseback cookout. End your trip with the overwhelming excitement of Calgary Stampede.
Flashy and lustrous by design, the Calgary Stampede is a 10-day celebration of Alberta's ranching history and modern-day culture. Bright and colorful stalls hosting fair games and outrageously indulgent food line the Midway, and a sea of cowboy hats lead up to the world's largest outdoor rodeo. From your reserved seats, watch daring displays of bull riding, steer wrestling, and chuckwagon racing.
Part music festival, part rodeo, part state fair, the Stampede is a hearty welcome into Canada's agricultural core, and an exhilarating end to a trip full of adventure.
Lake Louise in winter | Credit: Travel Alberta / Erik McRitchiea
Winter Snow Train to the Canadian Rockies
7 days / 6 nights | Vancouver to Calgary
As the season shifts, so do the experiences Canada has to offer. The VIA Rail Canadian transports its passengers through a winter wonderland. Pine trees are heavy with snow as you pass by, frozen lakes punctuate the forest floor, and rocky mountains are coated with a pristine shade of white. As winter arrives in the Canadian Rockies, this is how best to see it.
Over your decadent and hearty dinner, or wrapped in the warm blankets of your onboard bed, watch the icy scenery pass by your window on your overnight snow train to the mountains. This way of travel — one far from icy roads — is made for the winter months. And once you arrive in the Rockies, experience a new side of Jasper, Banff, and Lake Louise.
Ice skate across Lake Louise’s frozen surface, take a gondola to the peak of Mount Sulphur in Banff, looking over the snowy valley below, and trek Maligne Canyon, its floor frozen in the winter, in Jasper, rushing through the snowy forest and across open ice. Each venture out into the chill, of course, ending with a hearty meal and warming drinks.
Winter tours in the Canadian Rockies have this magical quality, letting you relish in warm comforts all the while passing frozen landscapes. No place is this more apparent than aboard the train. And, so, there is no better way to begin.
Fairmont Lake Louise and the lake’s frozen surface | Credit: Travel Alberta / Erik McRitchiea
Christmas in the Canadian Rockies Winter Rail Vacations
7 days / 6 nights | Vancouver to Calgary
Winter tours through frozen scenes — those that look pulled from a novel — are sure to sound delightful to any traveler. But centering a Canadian Rockies train trip around the Christmas holidays elevates the season to its best.
The contrast between the comfort of warmth and winter's beautiful cold is at its height as you begin the festive season with a magical snow train journey. As if aboard the Polar Express, pass through incredible scenery with a hot chocolate in hand and abundant festive spirit.
On your way to stay at a grand castle — the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, dressed in its best Christmas red and gold — discover Jasper, draped in snow, and take a wildlife tour with expert tour guides to uncover the critters that hide in the frost.
Situated among icy landscapes, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has a warm glow in the cold. A horse-drawn sleigh around the lake in the early evening will let you look back at the castle standing proud in the distance, its light shining across the frozen surface, inviting you back for a Christmas feast.
As you leave the mountains, touring through Banff National Park as you go, let natural beauty guide you home.
VIA Rail's Ocean train in Nova Scotia | Credit: VIA Rail
Grand Canadian Rail Journey
19 days / 18 nights | Vancouver to Halifax
After your time in the mountains, the train journey might continue to call you on. To adventure as they did in times past — venturing way past the mountains’ edge, across the wide open prairies, and across the lake-spotted Canadian Shield to the far corners of the East Coast.
Arriving, find a very different Canada to the one you’ve come from, complete with cheerfully colorful buildings, squat on rocky outcrops in the ocean. Learn the history of Canada as you travel to its oldest parts, and across the prairies that once drew settlers with the promise of land. The train across Canada is a bucket list item for many, and we have a whole blog post detailing its ins and outs, along with top tips, tricks, and hidden gem stops along the way. But know that the opportunity to see one of the Earth's biggest countries, coast to coast, is rare. The journey takes nearly 20 days and promises to be one of the best vacations you will experience. And, as a train tour, it is near perfect.
How to Choose Your Canadian Rockies Tour?
Whether you are looking for an extended getaway, or a quick trip, there is a way to see the Canadian Rockies by train. Pairing adventure and relaxation is core to the train experience, and will find all travelers happy.
With 25 years of experience crafting custom train tours in the Canadian Rockies (and beyond), our Travel Designers will be there every step of the way to guide you. Led by your dreams, and helped by their insider knowledge, they will help partner you with a package, customize it to your tastes, or create an entirely unique experience. Whether you want to maximize your time in vibrant cities or spend an extra day hiking the mountains around Lake Louise, your Travel Designer will ensure your trip is filled with exciting activities tailored to your tastes.
To begin planning your dream trip, reach out today to connect with a personal Travel Designer. Or, if you're not quite ready, subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with deals, trips, and more.
Stops on Your Trip
Typically, Canada train tours center around three locations.
Rocky Mountaineer approaching a tunnel | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's homeplace of tourism, being the country's first national park. Between the postcard-perfect town of Banff, sightseeing tours through incredible scenery, and wealth of natural beauty, your time in Banff National Park is sure to be memorable.
In town, explore the bustling Banff Avenue to hop between bars and restaurants, explore iconic Canadian brands, and pick up a souvenir. For an unashamedly touristy experience, stop by BeaverTails for an absolute delight dripping in sugar.
For a more upscale experience, head to the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs, first opened in 1888, and live as royalty in a castle surrounded by mountains. Whether you stay there or just want to catch a glimpse, be sure to stop at the hidden Surprise Corner Viewpoint for the iconic view of the hotel.
Canoeing Lake Louise | Credit: Travel Alberta
Lake Louise
Lake Louise is as stunningly blue in real life as it is in photos. Framed by Mount Victoria at one end and Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise at the other, it is clear why it draws visitors from across the globe.
The lake is known to be busy, despite how secluded the pocket of life feels while driving the winding Lake Louise Drive. But, take just a short walk along the right-hand side of the lakefront or a canoe onto its waters, and the visitors just melt away.
If you're interested in hiking, take the Lake Agnes trail, starting just in front of the Chateau, and follow it for just over an hour, accompanied by panoramic views of the lake and surrounding valley on your left, to find a quaint teahouse hidden at the top.
Or, if you'd rather relish in the signature Fairmont hotel luxury, book an afternoon tea at the Chateau Lake Louise — a sophisticated affair comprising of tea sandwiches, warm scones with lashings of cream and jam, finger-sized delights, and, naturally, tea (though this can be upgraded to a glass of Champagne to further enhance the experience).
Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is the rustic heart of the Canadian Rockies.
Jasper town is known for being smaller and quieter than Banff, and this is where it holds its charm. It remains a rural mountain community deep in the mountains. And, centered around its quaint downtown train station, it is the perfect end to either a Rocky Mountaineer or VIA Rail train trip. Wildlife sightings — and dedicated wildlife tours — are aplenty, as elk wander the town's quieter streets, and bears wait alongside the Athabasca River for fish. And the tight-knit community is ever-welcoming, ready to share their mountain town with guests.
Jasper has reopened after a difficult summer in 2024 and is alive with new growth. It remains a highlight of any Canadian Rockies tour. The forest floor, once shaded and dim, is now a bright green as sprouts push through to the surface, and wildlife clamber over dramatic rock formations once hidden by trees. This is the Canadian Rockies at their finest — nature thriving in the way it sees fit.
Whether looking for summer adventures or exploring the region in winter, Jasper is and always will be the perfect place to experience the true wilderness of the Rocky Mountains.
Lakes and mountains make up the Canadian Rockies | Credit: Parks Canada / Ryan Brayo
What do you need to know
What is the best train ride in the Canadian Rockies?
Rocky Mountaineer offers the most luxurious way to see the Canadian Rockies by train. But that does not make it the best for every traveler. If you're looking for a more adventurous Rockies train experience that sees you sleeping on board as you pass through the mountains or the opportunity for year-round travel, the VIA Rail 'Canadian' train will be the best train ride for you.
What is the best month to visit the Canadian Rockies?
This always depends on what you would like to see. Summer months give you the longest daylight hours, but winter in the Canadian Rockies is a wonder to behold. It is worth noting that Rocky Mountaineer only runs from April to October each year.
How much does a train ride through the Rockies cost?
That depends on what train you take, what service level you choose, and when you decide to visit. We strongly recommend booking SleeperPlus class and above on VIA Rail for the best comfort on your night aboard.
Taking this into consideration, train tickets range from $403-$5134USD. This spans VIA Rail's SleeperPlus and Prestige classes, and Rocky Mountaineer's SilverLeaf Service and GoldLeaf Service.
What is the most beautiful train journey in Canada?
A train ride through the Rockies is perhaps Canada's most beautiful train journey. The feeling of passing through deep gorges and past towering mountains by train — comfortable in the knowledge that you are miles away from the closest road or town — is second to none.
Is it worth taking the train across Canada?
It is absolutely worth taking the train across Canada. There is no better way to see the country coast-to-coast.