In the wilds of the Rocky Mountains, you will find train travel at its finest. Beyond the domed windows, miles of untouched wilderness pass by, the horizon shields towering peaks, and vivid lakes peek through the trees. And inside, a step back in time to the bygone era of luxury train travel.
Rail travel has been essential in Canada's creation and continued functioning. As it developed its rail, Canada forged paths through the vast Rocky Mountains. And today, the tracks still serve as an important corridor to move goods across the country.
But beyond uniting Canada's East and West, Rocky Mountaineer elevated train travel above transport to an experience. Now, Rocky Mountaineer train journeys are some of our favorite Canada tours for introducing visitors to this beautiful country.
Across the different Rocky Mountaineer train trips, you are treated to different views, different landscapes, and different final destinations. But, onboard a Rocky Mountaineer train, you are treated to the same award-winning service, time and time and time again.
Rocky Mountaineer passing through Jasper National Park | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
What to Expect Onboard a Rocky Mountaineer Train
Onboard Rocky Mountaineer, you can expect warm service, regionally inspired meals, and, of course, panoramic views of the Canadian Rockies in all their glory.
This is our guide to the onboard experience, so you know what to expect when booking your trip.
Rocky Mountaineer's Highlights
Rocky Mountaineer is dedicated to the little details across all service levels and routes. Each accent comes together to create a lavish journey for each and every traveler.
Rocky Mountaineer by Vermillion Lakes | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Daylight-Only Travel
Each day, the train begins its journey in the early morning and ends it in the late evening. Not only does this offer plenty of time to fully relax into the journey, but it is designed to align with daylight hours to see the most scenery along the way.
Unlike other train services in the Rockies, you do not sleep onboard Rocky Mountaineer trains. Instead, passengers are transferred to a nearby hotel room, allowing a comfortable night's rest without missing any of the spectacular views.
GoldLeaf coaches from the outside | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Glass-Dome Coaches
The luxurious Rocky Mountaineer train coaches are one of the striking parts of the train, and perhaps what guests look forward to most before their trip.
Though riding in different coaches — which we will explain shortly — both GoldLeaf and SilverLeaf Services feature glass-domed windows in their seating carriages. These are designed for unobstructed panoramic views of the Canadian Rockies, from towering peaks above to turquoise lakes below.
Dining onboard GoldLeaf Service | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Fine Dining
Food onboard Rocky Mountaineer is in a class of its own, feeling more at home in a city restaurant than on train tracks.
Regionally inspired cuisine takes center stage in the form of multi-course meals, produced from locally sourced ingredients and prepared by onboard chefs. And if you find yourself hungry, your Hosts are always ready with snacks and drinks — you are sure to be kept full and comfortable during your time on the train.
Seat-side service in SilverLeaf | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Personalized Service
Beyond taking you through these extraordinary landscapes, Rocky Mountaineer's onboard Hosts heighten your journey with expert storytelling, cultural context, and friendly conversation throughout your time onboard. From helping guests spot local wildlife and explaining the landscapes they see to keeping each coach supplied with snacks and drinks, they keep guests comfortable and entertained with grace and ease.
Rocky Mountaineer Service Levels
There are two levels of service onboard Rocky Mountaineer's trains in Canada: GoldLeaf Service and SilverLeaf Service. On the USA route, guests instead choose between SilverLeaf Service and SilverLeaf Plus.
From left to right: Looking through GoldLeaf’s domed windows, Taking a photo from SilverLeaf’s coach | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer Services at a Glance
GoldLeaf Service Highlights
Rocky Mountaineer's GoldLeaf Service is the best way to experience the Canadian Rockies by rail.
- Bi-level coaches split into upper-level seating and a lower-level dining room
- Large domed windows in seating room
- Multi-course meals prepared fresh by a full culinary team
- Premium beverages and snacks
- Expert storytelling by up to four coach Hosts
- Stunning views of the Rocky Mountains
SilverLeaf Service Highlights
Rocky Mountaineer's SilverLeaf Service is the entry level for accessing world-class service on the Canadian Rockies' premier rail service.
- Single-level coaches with seat-side service
- Partial dome windows in coach
- Regionally inspired Multi-course meals served to your seat
- Complimentary beverages and snacks
- Expert storytelling by up to three coach Hosts
- Stunning views of the Rocky Mountains
Inside a GoldLeaf coach | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
GoldLeaf Service
GoldLeaf Service is Rocky Mountaineer's premium way to travel, allowing you to indulge in the journey to the highest extent. Across the upper-level seating area and lower-level dining room, you experience unmatched views.
Your Coach
GoldLeaf Service coaches feature two levels, with seating on the top floor, and the dining room below it, connected by a spiral staircase. The outdoor viewing platform and bathrooms can also be found on the lower level.
The upper seating level overlooks the forest from a near-complete glass dome, giving you an unmatched vantage point across the mountains. The lower-level dining room sets a 36-seat restaurant on train tracks. Linen-topped tables line the large picture windows, so you won't miss any views while you dine.
The coach also features an outdoor viewing platform, exclusively used for GoldLeaf passengers. From the open-air vestibule, you can feel the fresh mountain air as you ride.
Dining in the Goldleaf dining room | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Your Meals
Meals are inspired by local flavors, prepared by a full culinary team onboard the train, and plated and served with elegance in the lower-level dining room.
Shortly after boarding each day, guests are treated to a hearty breakfast. They begin with a fresh-baked pastry and locally roasted coffee, hot tea, and juices before moving on to a choice between chef-made breakfasts from the onboard menu, which offers everything from a classic Eggs Benedict to Lemon and Honey Buttermilk Pancakes.
From left to right: breakfast and lunch onboard Rocky Mountaineer | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
At lunch, you are, again, treated to a multi-course affair. Across three courses, you enjoy the chef's choice of a starter before a menu of mains and desserts for you to select from. The menu rotates, but after recently completing the journey, two of our Travel Designers returned heralding the Dunganess Crab Ravioli and the Alberta Steak. And, alongside complimentary fine wines, spirits, lunch served in the dining car, accompanied by wildlife sightings and Rocky Mountain views, is a highlight of each trip.
Each meal is served in two sittings, with the order in which passengers eat rotating each day. If you are worried about hunger, don't be. Between meals, snacks and drinks are served to your seat on the seating level. You are invited to lounge with your wine while listening to your Hosts.
A Host raising a toast with her passengers | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Your Hosts
Four dedicated Hosts care for you in the upper seating room, while culinary team members care for you in the lower-level dining room.
Your in-coach Hosts take care of you, providing everything from friendly conversation and insightful knowledge of the surrounding region to drinks service. The stand-out, though, is the Hosts' storytelling, as they impeccably welcome you to the landscapes you pass through and the creatures and cultures that call it home.
Past travelers agree that the Rocky Mountaineer team is what comes to define the experience.
Two of our Travel Designers recently experienced the journey firsthand to ensure it meets the highest standard. They returned saying:
"exceptional can't even describe it — the Hosts are what really made the journey"
Your Night
You do not sleep onboard Rocky Mountaineer. Instead, during your overnight stop, you will be transferred to a hotel room. Early next morning, you will be picked up from your hotel and will re-board the train and enjoy breakfast as the train departs.
Inside a SilverLeaf coach | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
SilverLeaf Service
Silverleaf Service is Rocky Mountaineer's most cost-effective way to travel, welcoming you to the same expert storytelling, Rocky Mountain scenery, and thoughtful hospitality from a single-level carriage.
Your Coach
SilverLeaf Service coaches are single-level, with large windows featuring a slight dome at the top, letting you take in panoramic views of the surrounding mountains from base to peak.
The seats each feature ample leg room and reclining seats, designed to let you relax into your time onboard. And, when it is time for your meals, large trays fold down to let you dine at your seat.
Bathrooms are located on each coach, and a small outdoor area provides a chance for fresh mountain air along your train ride.
Breakfast enjoyed from your seat | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Your Meals
Each of your meals, along with snacks and included drinks, are served to the comfort of your seat, meaning you can remain under the domed windows while you eat, and meals can be served to the whole coach at once rather than in two seatings.
Like GoldLeaf Service, your meals are multi-course and selected from a menu. They are freshly prepared onboard and inspired by the regions you pass through along your journey.
Snacks and drinks are offered throughout the day, keeping you satisfied between meals and letting you enjoy the journey with a glass of coffee, wine, or any of the other complimentary beverages.
A Host offering attentive service to her passengers | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Your Hosts
Each coach is tended to by two Hosts, who care for you with the warm, thoughtful hospitality you can expect from Rocky Mountaineer.
Your Hosts provide the same engaging commentary found in GoldLeaf Service, welcoming you to the region's history and folklore as you go. The storytelling provided by the Hosts is what truly defines Rocky Mountaineer's experience. Beyond the amenities — which remain lavish and in keeping with the nostalgic era of luxury train travel — the chance to connect the rail and its history with the outstanding scenery it traverses is handled with elegance and ease by the onboard Hosts, and solidifies Rocky Mountaineer as a must-experience for rail enthusiasts and sightseers alike. When it comes to service level, there is no sacrifice made here.
Your Night
As nighttime arrives, your train comes to a stop and you are transferred to a hotel, courtesy of Rocky Mountaineer. You will spend your night in comfort before re-boarding the train early next morning. Breakfast is provided onboard, so there is no need to find your own — your meals are all cared for.
Rocky Mountaineer Routes
There are three primary Rocky Mountaineer routes in Canada, each connecting Vancouver on the West Coast to the Canadian Rockies. Rocky Mountaineer also operates one route in the USA, but as Canada tour operators, we neither offer this route or claim to be experts on it.
Rocky Mountaineer approaching Banff on the First Passage to the West route | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
First Passage to the West
2 days | Vancouver - Kamloops - Banff or Lake Louise
First Passage to the West is Rocky Mountaineer's original — and its most popular — route, journeying between Vancouver and Banff or Lake Louise on historic Canadian Pacific Railway tracks.
As the only passenger train today running this stretch of tracks, Rocky Mountaineer's First Passage to the West is perfect for rail enthusiasts and those wanting a touch more exclusivity in their journey.
Rocky Mountaineer passing Mount Robson on the Journey through the Clouds route | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Journey through the Clouds
2 days | Vancouver - Kamloops - Jasper
Journey through the Clouds spends its first day following the First Passage to the West route to Kamloops. However, on its second day, it veers north to follow the North Thompson River into Jasper National Park and, finally, to Jasper town.
Rocky Mountaineer's Journey through the Clouds is best for heading a little off the beaten path, ending in the smaller mountain town of Jasper.
Rocky Mountaineer along Howe Sound on the Rainforest to Gold Rush route | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Rainforest to Gold Rush
3 days | Vancouver - Whistler - Quesnel - Jasper
Rocky Mountaineer's longest route — Rainforest to Gold Rush — takes its travelers north along the bays and fjords of Howe Sound, through the British Columbia rainforest, and, finally, to the Canadian Rockies. This journey is unique, featuring both an extended train trip and a rare daytime stop to explore the resort town Whistler and its surrounding mountains by foot.
Rocky Mountaineer's Rainforest to Gold Rush is best for an extended trip onboard Rocky Mountaineer, and an introduction to the varied landscapes it brings.
Rocky Mountaineer on the 2026-exclusive Passage to the Peaks route | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
2026-Exclusive Route | Passage to the Peaks
2 days | Banff - Kamloops - Jasper
For select dates in 2026 only, Passage to the Peaks transports guests through the best of the Canadian Rockies, with service from Banff to Jasper onboard Rocky Mountaineer's signature luxury train. This is the only route that features Rocky Mountain views across both days onboard the train. Rocky Mountaineer's Passage to the Peaks is best for travelers looking to see the best of Canadian Rockies, and then stay there.
Rockies to the Red Rocks
2 days | Moab -Glenwood Springs - Denver
Rocky Mountaineer currently offers one trip through the United States. The Rockies to the Red Rocks route connects the American Southwest as it follows the Colorado River to the American Rockies. However, starting in 2026, this route will be operated by their partner brand Canyon Spirit.
As Canada travel experts, we do not offer Rocky Mountaineer's American route.
Best Rocky Mountaineer Tour Packages
These are our five picks to best elevate your Rocky Mountaineer journey:
The views while driving the Icefields Parkway | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Spectacular West Train to the Canadian Rockies
Rocky Mountaineer offers a luxury introduction to the Canadian Rockies, as you travel to the mountains the long way — along the Journey through the Clouds — making your arrival a highlight of the journey. Then, you'll journey through frankly awe-inspiring mountains lining the Icefields Parkway and step foot on the ancient Athabasca Glacier all before arriving in Banff.
Though this tour is short, it is designed as a comprehensive introduction to the Rockies without ever feeling rushed. The time onboard the train lets you learn about the vast region while providing time for breath and relaxation, leaving you refreshed and ready to fully engage with your time in the mountains once you arrive.
Mount Garibaldi in the Coast Mountain range | Credit: Destination BC / Andrew Strain
Whistler and the Canadian Rockies Rail Vacation
Spend a week enjoying Western Canada's various mountains as you enjoy the extended Rainforest to Gold Rush route onboard Rocky Mountaineer, before venturing through the Coast Mountains and Columbia Mountains before arriving in the Rockies. To explore the mountains to the fullest, take the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain and then walk the optional boardwalk along the ridge to Sanson's Peak as you look down on the Bow Valley.
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise on the edge of the water | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Classic Rocky Mountain Rail Circle Tour
Experience two Rocky Mountaineer routes, connected by way of a four-day tour through the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Combining the First Passage to the West and Journey through the Clouds, we invite you to enjoy both rail routes without sacrificing time on the ground. You still have time to appreciate the local experiences — wildlife tours to hidden local spots and the chance to stay on the very edge of Lake Louise, being just a few.
Spotting Elk from the GoldLeaf outdoor viewing platform | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Passage to Peaks Circle Tour
Exclusive to select dates in 2026, spend two days deep in the Canadian Rockies onboard Rocky Mountaineer's signature luxury train. Passage to the Peaks transports guests through the vast mountains from Banff to Jasper by rail, bookended with tours through the towns and the neighboring wilderness. This journey offers the most immersive way to experience the Rockies’ iconic landscapes, keeping you in the very heart of it all the while.
Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park | Credit: Destination BC
Ultimate Canadian Rockies Rail Vacation
For an extra day exploring some of the Rockies' hidden gems, the Ultimate Canadian Rockies Rail Vacation takes the exclusive Passage to Peaks Circle Tour and expands it with a day in Yoho National Park. The same curated tours are available along the journey, letting you tailor this journey to you.
Why choose Rocky Mountaineer
With all the ways to see the Canadian Rockies and all there is to do there, why is a luxury trip through the mountains by rail how you should spend your time?
Beyond the Road
From the tracks, get a glimpse of the Canadian Rockies beyond, travelling among the natural beauty of untouched wilderness. This is the Rockies as they are seen by few, giving you a chance to connect to the nature around, as it has been seen since the railroad's first inception.
Enjoying the journey onboard Rocky Mountaineer | Credit: Rocky Mountaineer
Slow Travel
Travelling onboard Rocky Mountaineer cements the journey as part of your trip. As the train journeys through, your onboard Hosts act as guides to the landscapes, telling tales and contextualizing the lands they travel through each week. With an average of 30mph, you are invited to indulge in the journey, rather than let it hurry by.
Luxury Rail
This is the Canadian Rockies' luxury rail service. If you're considering a Canadian Rockies train trip, this is the finest offering. With transfers included between the train and your hotel, you have nothing to worry about other than enjoying the natural beauty unfolding outside your windows.
This is the quiet luxury of Rocky Mountaineer — an unhurried journey accompanied by the utmost care and commitment to comfort.
Just the Beginning
The expert Hosts teach you everything about the mountains, acting as the perfect introduction to your time in the Canadian Rockies. And, with each core route connecting the Rockies to Canada's West Coast, a trip onboard Rocky Mountaineer transports you between two of the best places to visit in Canada, making for the perfect opportunity to explore the beauty of Western Canada to its fullest.
Our Travel Designers experiencing your journey firsthand
Book your Rocky Mountaineer Journey Today
Connect with one of our Travel Designers to begin crafting your Rocky Mountaineer journey. They will offer expert guidance every step of the way.
If you're not ready to book your trip, subscribe to our newsletter for more inspiration and curated packages from across Canada, all directly in your inbox.
Tips for Booking the Perfect Rocky Mountaineer Experience
- Book early, especially if you're planning on traveling in GoldLeaf Service The best times to travel are mid-summer, when the daylight hours are longest. But, for a unique look at the landscapes, a trip in early fall will reveal golden larch along the tracks
- Keep your arrival evening free — freight trains take priority on the tracks and can lead to delays
- Upgrade your trip with a tour through the Rockies, or create a bucket-list experience by adding a train across Canada to the end
Rocky Mountaineer FAQs
How much does Rocky Mountaineer cost?
Trips onboard Rocky Mountaineer start at $2,245 in 2025 for SilverLeaf Service along the Journey Through The Clouds route. This includes all meals onboard the train, luggage handling and transfers, as well as overnight hotel stays between train days.
GoldLeaf Service and added packages cost more.
Can I sleep onboard Rocky Mountaineer trains?
No, Rocky Mountaineer is a daytime-only train service. At night, you disembark the train and are transferred to a hotel by Rocky Mountaineer to sleep. The hotel accommodations and transfer are included in your trip.
Can I bring my pet on Rocky Mountaineer trains?
No, you cannot bring pets or animals onboard Rocky Mountaineer. Trained service dogs are allowed onboard if they remain at their owner's feet without blocking aisles, exits or other guests. If you are bringing a service dog on your journey, please inform your Travel Designer at time of booking.
Are kids welcome on Rocky Mountaineer?
Children are welcomed onboard Rocky Mountaineer so long as they can safely sit in their own seat. However, the experience is designed around adults and includes being seated for extended periods, and listening to the onboard Hosts about the scenery and history.
What is the best Rocky Mountaineer Route?
First Passage to the West is Rocky Mountaineer's most popular route. However, each route is designed to give you a different experience of the Canadian Rockies and offer an ideal Rocky Mountain train vacation.