Photo by Charles Forerunner on Unsplash
There are a few popular routes for train trips across Canada. VIA Rail’s Canadian goes from Toronto to Vancouver, traveling through the prairies, Rockies and B.C. interior. Rocky Mountaineer has rail journeys between Vancouver, Banff and Calgary, showcasing mountain scenery. VIA Rail’s Ocean route connects Montreal and Halifax through Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, following the coastline. Researching the routes of major rail providers can indicate the key sights and destinations you’ll travel through on a cross-Canada train trip.
Types of Trains
For train ride across Canada, there are economy or coach class trains, overnight trains with sleeper cabins, and luxury or tour trains as main options. Economy class trains provide comfortable reclining seats on major routes at an affordable fare. Sleeper class like on VIA Rail’s Canadian offers private cabins to get rest in bunks as you travel overnight between stops. Multi-day luxury trains like Rocky Mountaineer have upgraded dining and lodging, along with amenity-filled carriages to optimize sightseeing in places like the Rockies. The train type selected can depend on total trip duration, budget, and comfort needs.
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Timing Your Trip
The timing of a cross-Canada train trip greatly affects what you’ll see and experience based on weather, events and wildlife patterns. Summer has warm weather for sightseeing and activities on stops, but also peak crowds and prices. Fall means fewer travelers, beautiful autumn colors, and cooler temperatures that may require bundling up while admiring views. Winter daytimes showcase magical snowy landscapes outside frosty windows, but bring weather risks for delays. Spring has blooming flowers, active wildlife prepping for summer, and moderate weather, rewarding scenery from the train.
Optimize Viewing
To best take in the passing vistas on a cross-Canada rail journey, aim for good sightlines based on travel direction. Request seats on the left side when heading west for open visibility towards rivers and valleys. The right side tends to get better visibility of scenes when traveling east. Dome cars on certain routes, while seat time is limited, provide a top level with 360-degree open views. Overnight trains may allow aligning bunks and direction of travel to see out windows during dusk and dawn hours. Luxury trains often have open-air observation cars too, enabling photographs up close of Canadian nature in action.
Booking Add-Ons
There are special upgrades and add-ons potentially worth considering when booking a rail trip across Canada’s provinces. Multi-day rail packages provide hotel stays and activities like mountain tours during lengthy stopovers at destinations along the route. Upgraded dining plans allow travelers to indulge in regional cuisine and local wines while admiring the passing views. Guided commentary can also supplement the journey by having onboard hosts share context and stories about signature landmarks and sites seen outside train windows. Booking timed with annual events opens opportunities to participate, like the Calgary Stampede.
Long Haul Tips
While a scenic way to cross this vast country, a passenger rail trip from coast to coast still means covering several thousand kilometers over multiple days and nights. Having entertainment materials downloaded on devices can help pass time between seeking sights when not viewing landscapes outside. Use long stopovers on schedules to take refreshing breaks and walks before the next leg. For overnight portions, come prepared with earplugs and eye masks as needed for proper rest amid the gentle background motions and sounds of the moving sleeper train. Multi-day train travel across Canada requires stamina, but mindfully pacing the experience and changing scenes promises beautiful vistas and discoveries.
Conclusion
By selecting the optimal train route, timing, viewing positions and amenities for interests and budget, Canadian Rail vacations are an unparalleled way to take in the grand natural beauty of the country at a relaxed pace. Careful planning allows maximizing this unique opportunity to be immersed among the stunning and varied landscapes.
