Train passing between a large lake and a mountain
Rocky Mountaineer attendant
two women smiling on the Rocky Mountaineer: Ultra-Luxe Canadian Rockies Adventure journey
Rocky Mountaineer rounds bed w red bushes
Dining car on the Canadian train

Trans-Canada Rail Adventure Toronto-Vancouver

North America
16-day Independent Tour
Reverse Direction
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Overview

The Highlights

  • Spotting Canadian wildlife from trains’ domes—big-horned sheep, elk, black bears, bald eagles, osprey
  • Enjoying VIA Rail’s The Canadian, with all meals included, wine-tasting in the dome car, and your private compartment
  • Tasty meals in the lovely diners of The Canadian and Rocky Mountaineer
  • Private tours of Banff, Yoho National Park, Jasper National Park, Icefields Parkway and Niagara Falls
  • Time to explore Lake Louise, Banff and Jasper
  • Riding on some of the best equipment in the world on the Rocky Mountaineer’s GoldLeaf service, the double-decked dome cars with open-air platforms and on The Canadian with its great dome observation cars

The Tour

Take this legendary Trans-Canada rail tour on two first-class trains: The Canadian, with VIA Rail’s lovely service, including its luxurious Prestige Class, and the all-daylight Rocky Mountaineer train.

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See Niagara Falls, and spend four days exploring the pristine wilds of Lake Louise, Jasper and Banff National Parks. Tour runs between Toronto and Vancouver. Cross northern Ontario’s scenic lake lands, the prairies of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta and the towering Canadian Rockies, before ending on the Pacific Coast.

View eastbound (Vancouver-Toronto) Trans-Canada itinerary.

Trans-Canada Rail Adventure Toronto-Vancouver map

Countries Visited

  • Canada

Itinerary

Download itinerary

Day 1: Toronto

Arrive Toronto, and explore Canada’s largest city at your leisure. Overnight in a Deluxe Room at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto.

Day 2: Private tour of Niagara Falls

Enjoy a full-day private tour to Niagara Falls, one of the world’s great wonders. Includes Hornblower Cruise (formerly Maid of the Mist; subject to cruise schedule) and lunch. Overnight at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. (B, L)

Day 3: Depart Toronto

In the morning, begin your four-day journey across Ontario and Prairie Provinces on board The Canadian. Enjoy a decadent brunch and dinner, and settle into your cozy Prestige Class cabin. (B, Brunch, D)

Days 4-5: On board Canadian

Continue rail journey across western Canada toward Jasper, with all meals included on the train. Overnight on VIA Rail’s The Canadian. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Jasper

Early morning arrival in Jasper, surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery and teeming with wildlife. Transfer to Jasper Park Lodge for a three-night stay in a Deluxe Room. (B, L)

Day 7: Private Jasper sightseeing

Jasper National Park is a World Heritage Site and Canada’s largest National Park. Today you will enjoy a private scenic tour including the many natural attractions and rugged peaks in the area. You might even catch a glimpse of some of the many animals that call this mountain park home. The remainder of the day is free to explore Jasper at your leisure. Overnight at the Jasper Park Lodge. (B)

Day 8: Jasper

Enjoy a day at leisure in Jasper. Overnight at the Jasper Park Lodge. (B)

Day 9: Lake Louise

Private tour and transfer to Lake Louise via one of the most scenic highways in the world, the Icefields Parkway. A stop will be made at Athabasca Falls before arriving at the Columbia Icefield. Here you will ride on an Ice Explorer to the middle of the Athabasca Glacier to learn more about its geological features. Your driver/guide will explain how glaciers are formed and point out some interesting geological features. Afterwards, a brief stop will be made at Bow Lake before arriving in Lake Louise this afternoon. Overnight in a Deluxe Lakeview Room at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. (B, L)

Day 10: Lake Louise

Enjoy a day at leisure in Lake Louise. Overnight at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. (B)

Day 11: Private Yoho Tour, Lake Louise-Banff

This morning is at your leisure in Lake Louise. Private afternoon half-day tour into Yoho National Park. See the Spiral Tunnels, Emerald Lake and natural rock bridge spanning Kicking Horse River before arriving in the charming mountain hamlet of Banff. Overnight in a Premium King Room at the Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff. (B)

Day 12: Private Banff sightseeing

Private tour of Banff—Bow Falls, Banff Gondola, Lake Minnewanka, Surprise Corner, the Hoodoos. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at your leisure in Banff. Overnight at the Rimrock Resort Hotel. (B)

Day 13: Banff

Enjoy a day at leisure in Banff. Overnight at the Rimrock Resort Hotel. (B)

Day 14: Banff-Kamloops

Board the Rocky Mountaineer for daylight trip to Kamloops. Travel between high peaks of Canadian Rockies, over mountain passes through tunnels, along rocky lakeshores and across ranchlands. Experience the Continental Divide, Spiral Tunnels—a remarkable feat of railroad engineering, Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass, Craigellachie (where last spike of Canadian Pacific Railway was driven), glaciers, and snow-capped Canadian Rockies peaks. Most exciting spot on the train: the open-air observation platform. Overnight in Kamloops. (B, L)

Day 15: Kamloops-Vancouver

Reboard the Rocky Mountaineer for another full day on board. The scenery changes to desert interior through winding river canyons and pristine forests, to the Coast and Cascade Mountains and lush green fields of Fraser River Valley. Be on the lookout for the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate. Arrive Vancouver. Overnight in a Signature Harbour View Room at the Fairmont Waterfront hotel in Vancouver. (B, L)

Day 16: Vancouver

Tour ends with checkout from Vancouver hotel. A private airport transfer is included today. (B)

Dates & Prices

2023 Dates

April 6 - 30

May 1 - 31

June 1 - 30

July 1 - 31

August 1 - 31

September 1 - 30

October 1 - 15

*Train operating season is April through early October. Contact us for availability.

  • Prices are per person in US Dollars and do not include Canadian GST (5%) or fuel surcharge.
  • Pricing varies depending on the exact dates of travel.
  • We include GoldLeaf Service on the Rocky Mountaineer and Prestige Class on the Canadian because we feel these classes are so superior to anything else offered on the train.
  • Room upgrades from the listed room types are available; please inquire. The tour operates in the early Spring and late into the fall – but we recommend choosing a more moderate time to travel, from June through August.

Our Process

This is a suggested itinerary for a wonderful private journey. It will be fully customized for you.  Please contact us at (800) 478-4881, or (502) 897-1725, or email us at tourdesk@irtsociety.com, to schedule a brief conversation with one of our specialists to discuss our process.

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B=Breakfast Included, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

Note: The Vancouver-Toronto (eastbound) itinerary is 15 days, with one fewer day in Jasper, than the 16-day Toronto-Vancouver (westbound) itinerary outlined above. View the eastbound itinerary.