Every Train in Canada for a Rail Vacation

Travel Canada entirely by rail, connecting romantic sleeper trains, comfortable day trains, and inner-city metros and subways.

Summary

• Trains in Canada include long-distance passenger services, luxury sightseeing experiences, urban commuter lines, and freight trains
• The best trains for sightseeing in Canada are the long-distance passenger services by Rocky Mountaineer and VIA Rail
• Other short-distance trains and urban transit can be used to navigate cities without a car

Canada’s rail network includes long-distance passenger services, regional and luxury trains, urban commuter lines, and massive freight operators.

At Canada Rail Vacations, we specialize in creating vacation packages around long-distance passenger trains, which are one of the best ways to see Canada. You can travel across the country on a multitude of different rail routes without ever needing a car. And, as a bonus, you'll have all the time in the world to relax into the experience, with sleeper cabins, onboard meals, and knowledgeable guides alongside the stunning views.

The Canadian train in the Rockies | Credit: VIA Rail

Long-Distance Passenger Trains

Best for: Sightseeing and rail vacations

• VIA Rail: Canada's primary intercity and cross-country passenger network spanning eight provinces.
• The Canadian train (Toronto – Vancouver): 4-night, 2,768-mile transcontinental journey through Ontario, the Prairies, and the Canadian Rockies.
• The Corridor route (Quebec City – Ottawa – Toronto – Windsor): High-frequency daytime routes connecting major urban centers in Ontario and Quebec.
• The Ocean train (Montreal – Halifax): Sleeper service running between Quebec and the Maritimes.
• Scenic Adventure Routes: Includes Jasper – Prince Rupert, Winnipeg – Churchill, Sudbury – White River, Montreal – Jonquiere, and Montreal – Senneterre.
• Rocky Mountaineer: Luxury daylight-only journeys through Western Canada and the Canadian Rockies with off-train hotel stays.
• First Passage to the West Route (Vancouver – Banff or Lake Louise): The original 2-day luxury sightseeing journey stopping overnight in Kamloops and ending at either Banff or Lake Louise.
• Journey through the Clouds Route (Vancouver – Jasper): The same 2-day luxury sightseeing journey, this time traveling to Jasper.
• Ontario Northland: Remote passenger rail services in northern Ontario.

A prestige cabin on VIA Rail's Canadian train | Credit: VIA Rail

VIA Rail

VIA Rail is Canada's national rail service, covering Vancouver to Halifax and Scenic Adventure Routes.

Onboard sleeper trains (the Canadian and the Ocean trains), passengers get the choice of Economy Class seats, Sleeper Plus Class berths or private cabins, and Prestige Class cabins, with Prestige cabins being the largest onboard and the premium option. In addition to the sleeper cars, there are Skyline cars, social lounge cars with an upper-level viewing dome, and the Dining cars, where Sleeper Plus and Prestige meals are taken in a restaurant-style service.

More Information on VIA Rail

For more information on VIA Rail's trains, see our other articles:

Comparing Service Levels: Comparing VIA Rail's Classes

Onboard Experience: 19 Hours on the Canadian Train: Canadian Rockies by Rail

Ocean Train and Corridor Train Routes: Ontario, Quebec, & Atlantic Canada by Train

Canadian Train Route: The Canadian Train: Vancouver–Toronto Route, Cabins & Tours

Standing under Rocky Mountaineer's glass-dome rooves | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer

Rocky Mountaineer

Rocky Mountaineer is Canada's luxury sightseeing rail service. They run daytime-only trips between Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies, with an overnight hotel stay in Kamloops along the way.

Passengers can travel in GoldLeaf Service, where they'll ride in upper-level, domed-glass cabins and eat in downstairs dining rooms, or SilverLeaf Service, where they'll sit in semi-domed coaches and have meals served to their seats.

More Information on Rocky Mountaineer

For more information on Rocky Mountaineer, see our other articles:

Comparing Service Levels: Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf vs SilverLeaf Service Levels

Onboard Experience: Onboard a Rocky Mountaineer Train

Routes and Full Vacation Packages: Rocky Mountaineer Routes & Packages

Ontario Northland Railway

Ontario Northland operates the Polar Bear Express service in Northern Ontario. It's primarily used by locals to connect rural towns in the region, and also carries freight.

We don't work with Ontario Northland, so we can't recommend their route or services.

A freight train entering British Columbia's Spiral Tunnels | Credit: Louis Paulin on Unsplash

Freight Trains

Freight traffic is common on long-distance train routes across Canada, and takes priority over all other trains. Because of this, freight traffic can cause delays to VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer journeys. We recommend leaving the day of arrival free of onward travel or excursions.

However, the trains are accustomed to dealing with this and keep you extremely comfortable during any extra time spent onboard.

Freight traffic includes trains run by Canadian National (CN), which runs Canada's largest railway, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, and a number of other short-line operators.

Toronto's Union Station, one of Canada's biggest rail hubs | Credit: Amin on Unsplash

Commuter & Regional Rail

Best for: Traveling between cities

• GO Transit (Greater Toronto Area): Regional commuter train and bus system servicing the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
• Union Pearson Express (Toronto Union Station – Toronto Pearson International Airport): Dedicated rail line connecting Toronto Pearson International Airport to Union Station downtown.
• Exo (Greater Montreal): Regional commuter train serving the Greater Montreal area.
• West Coast Express (Vancouver Waterfront Station – Mission City): Weekday commuter train connecting Mission and Port Coquitlam to downtown Vancouver.

If you're visiting either Toronto or Montreal, there's a good chance you'll make use of their regional rail routes. In particular, the Union Pearson Express (UP Express) is a great way to travel between downtown Toronto and Toronto Pearson International Airport without driving.

However, most visitors will never use the West Coast Express in Vancouver as it runs opposite to the typical travel distance (traveling to Vancouver in the mornings and away from Vancouver in the evening).

Related Post

Rocky Mountaineer vs VIA Rail: Which Train Is Right for You

Deciding between Rocky Mountaineer and VIA Rail? Learn the similarities, differences and how to choose best.

a Vancouver Skytrain and a Toronto streetcar | Credit: Ewan Streit on Unsplash / Nick Smith on Unsplash

Urban Transit

Best for: Getting around cities

• TransLink SkyTrain (Metro Vancouver)
• TTC subways and streetcars (Toronto)
• OC Transpo, O-Train light rail system (Ottawa)
• Montreal Metro underground network and the REM (Montreal)
• CTrain (Calgary)
• Edmonton LRT (Edmonton)
• ION light rail transit (Waterloo Region)

As many visitors are traveling without a car, using transit is one of the best ways to explore Canada's cities independently. We often recommend organized tours in our city stops to connect our guests with the history, culture, and sights in the places they visit. However, between tours, we highly recommend doing as the locals do and using urban railway systems.

Rail Vacation Packages in Canada

At Canada Rail Vacations, we create bespoke train trip packages in Canada, including long-distance trains, excursions, tours, and hotels. That way, our guests can travel Canada without a car, enjoying seamless planning without any of the associated stress.

These are our favorites.

Rocky Mountaineer en-route to Jasper | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer

Western Canada Highlights Train Tour | Rocky Mountaineer Train

On our Western Canada Highlights train tour, you'll travel between Vancouver and Jasper in the Canadian Rockies onboard Rocky Mountaineer.

From the luxury daytime-only train, you'll experience all the best sights without losing anything to the night. Fine dining is included onboard, either in the lower-level dining car or served to your seat. Your Onboard Host will talk you through all the scenery you see, and once you're in the Canadian Rockies, we'll arrange four days of seamlessly connected tours, all tailored to your liking, as well as your onward transfer to Calgary.

The Canadian train in Jasper National Park | Credit: VIA Rail

Majestic Canada Rail Vacation through the Rockies | VIA Rail

On our Majestic Canada rail vacation, we welcome you to the world of classic sleeper trains, spending one night onboard VIA Rail's Canadian train in a berth, private cabin, or exclusive Prestige cabin. That means daytime can be spent in the social lounge cars, the Skyline dome, and eating in the dining car before you retire to your cabin at night.

Once you've arrived, the same four days of customizable touring and sightseeing wait for you as in our Western Canada Highlights tour.

The Ocean train heading towards Atlantic Canada | Credit: VIA Rail

Grand Canadian Rail Journey | Vancouver to Halifax

For a longer train trip, our Grand Canadian rail journey combines both Rocky Mountaineer and VIA Rail in a country-spanning vacation.

Starting in Vancouver, you'll board Rocky Mountaineer to the Canadian Rockies, disembark to tour through mountain towns, before connecting to the onward journey on VIA Rail's Canadian.

From the Canadian's terminus in Toronto, you'll continue train-hopping east, taking the Corridor to the French-Canadian hub Montreal, before boarding the Ocean train for a sleeper service to Halifax, where you’ll have time to explore the Maritimes.

VIA Rail's Corridor train in eastern Canada's countryside | Credit: VIA Rail

Eastern Canada Train Tour of the Capital Cities

For an insider's look at historic Canada, take VIA Rail's Corridor trains between the main cities in the east, touring Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City along the way. You'll travel through the Quebec and Ontario countryside in Business Class, with city tours arranged for you in each place you stop.

Feature Image Credit: VIA Rail