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Rocky Mountaineer Holidays
Travel the Rockies in style
The incredible Rocky Mountaineer train journey is legendary. The century-old route traverses stunning scenery, reaching places and seeing views you can’t get to any other way. The Canadian Rockies provide the backdrop to your trip, where glacier-fed lakes, old-growth forests and abundant wildlife await you. You can make any holiday to Western Canada extra special by adding a Rocky Mountaineer train journey. Or you can opt for a Canada package holiday with added days, excursions and points of interest in beautiful Canadian mountain towns like Banff and Jasper, all with flights to Canada included.
Every detail on board this Canadian Rockies Train journey is meticulously planned, from the 5-star welcome to the gourmet meals and locally sourced wines served in the onboard dining room. You can choose from two excellent service levels to best suit your desired experience and budget. SilverLeaf Service lets you sit back, relax and enjoy the view from oversized picture windows with meals served at your seat. If you want unparalleled comfort and 360° views from a glass-domed carriage, then GoldLeaf Service is for you. For breakfast and lunch, head to the restaurant of your bi-level carriage and enjoy gourmet meals created by the onboard executive chefs.
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Rocky Mountaineer train routes
Rocky Mountaineer train holidays offer three spellbinding Canadian routes through the Rockies. All routes have stop-offs at Western Canada’s finest destinations and operate in both directions.
The First Passage to the West is the most historic route, taking you to Lake Louise and Banff. The Rainforest to Gold Rush climbs the spectacular Sea to Sky route from Vancouver to Whistler before it continues to Jasper via Quesnel. On the Journey Through the Clouds, you will also soar up to Jasper but via Kamloops.
The iconic train now offers a fourth route in the United States. Rockies To The Red Rocks connects Moab, Utah, with Denver, Colorado, travelling through the scenic American Southwest.
Swipe left or right to learn more about each Rocky Mountaineer route.
First Passage to the West
The First Passage to the West is a historic rail route via Kamloops through the Canadian Rockies, connecting Vancouver with Lake Louise and Banff. It is the first route operated by the Rocky Mountaineer train and retraces the steps of 19th-century explorers.
Highlights of the route include the mighty Hell’s Gate, Craigellachie, where the final spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven, Rogers Pass, Kicking Horse Canyon, Castle Mountain and the engineering marvel, the Spiral Tunnels.
Experience spectacular and dramatically changing scenery as you travel through lush green fields, forests and winding canyons, along rocky lakeshores and raging rivers, and of course the glaciers and snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies.
Journey through the Clouds
The Journey through the Clouds route follows the First Passage to the West from Vancouver to Kamloops, but instead of continuing to Banff, it soars up to the charming mountain town of Jasper.
After sun-kissed Kamloops in British Columbia’s interior, you’ll follow the banks of the North Thompson River through the Monashee and Cariboo Mountains. Along the way, you’ll see the spectacular Pyramid Falls, mountains stretching to the sky and the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson (3,954 m).
Your Rocky Mountaineer train journey ends in Jasper. Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Rockies and is known for its outstanding natural beauty, magnificent peaks, and abundant wildlife.
Rainforest to Gold Rush
On the Rainforest to Gold Rush route, your Rocky Mountaineer train journey will take you from Vancouver to Jasper with two overnight stops, one in the world-famous mountain resort Whistler and one in Quesnel.
Climb the spectacular Sea to Sky route between Vancouver and Whistler, marvelling at the scenic fjords of Howe Sound. Between Whistler and Quesnel, dive into the Gold Rush history, retracing the steps of the gold prospectors while winding your way through dramatic canyons.
On the last stretch of this breath-taking rail route, you will witness the majestic Mount Robson (the highest mountain peak in Canada). Once you reach Jasper, you’ll be treated to stunning National Park scenery and a friendly centre.
Rockies to the Red Rocks
The newest route operated by the legendary Rocky Mountaineer train will take you on an unforgettable journey through the scenic American Southwest.
Available in both directions, you can choose to start or end your journey in Moab or Denver. Travel through red sandstone mountains and rock canyons carved over millions of years by the Colorado River.
Upgrade to SilverLeaf Plus service onboard for extra comfort. The train stops at Glenwood Springs, where guests spend the night in hotel accommodation. Make sure to try the world-famous hot springs of the resort.
With our itineraries you can enjoy the Rockies in Denver and use Moab as a gateway to explore the national parks of Utah as well, with Arches National Park being just five miles from Moab.
Rocky Mountaineer Holidays FAQs
Rocky Mountaineer is a privately owned, luxury rail service which runs on some exclusive routes through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The aim of the train is for customers to sit back and relax while they see incredible scenery. The impeccable service keeps you wined and dined while hosts tell you about the history and wildlife of the Rockies.
Between April and October, with twice-weekly departures. Travel in summer to make the most of the daylight for sightseeing!
No, the train doesn't stop in every town like a normal train service. You'll spend a full day on the train and then stop over for the night.
Canada's Rocky Mountaineer, train tours service, provides transfers from the train to the hotel and handles your bags, so they are waiting at your hotel when you arrive.
No. Rocky Mountaineer is a daylight service which means you don't travel overnight. Instead, you spend stopovers in a hotel, so you don't miss the views.
The sumptuous food onboard the Rocky Mountaineer train journeys is one of its highlights! The freshly cooked, chef-created food focuses on local ingredients. Depending on your service level, you'll be served a delicious breakfast, lunch, and snacks each day at your seat or in the dining car. Dishes include British Columbia salmon, Alberta beef and local wines.
The best way to book a ride on the Rocky Mountaineer train is to include it as part of a packaged Canada holiday. The average package price for a 7-night holiday is £3,000. This includes a two-day Rocky Mountaineer journey in SilverLeaf Service with onboard meals, hotel accommodation, international return flights, rail station transfers, luggage handling, and a selection of carefully crafted tours.
To get an extra special experience you can upgrade to GoldLeaf Service. It costs more but not only includes more perks onboard the train but also luxury hotel accommodation. Rocky Mountaineer offers circle journeys, as well, which include more days onboard the train, and the holiday price is higher if you opt for this.
All of the routes are spectacular, but here are some of the highlights you can see on each journey:
- First Passage to the West: The First Passage to the West is the most historic of Rocky Mountaineers’ three Canadian routes as it was the first route to open and it has been running since 1990. The route traces the steps of 19th-century explorers, and you can see some spectacular scenery which ranges from snow-capped peaks and glaciers to forests and raging rivers.
- Journey through the Clouds: The Journey through the Clouds route follows the First Passage to the West from Vancouver to Kamloops, but instead of continuing to Banff, it soars up to the charming mountain town of Jasper. After stopping at Kamloops, you will follow the picturesque stretch of railway along the banks of the North Thompson River through the Monashee and Cariboo Mountains before your journey ends in Jasper.
- Rainforest to Gold Rush: On this route, you will climb the spectacular Sea to Sky route between Vancouver and Whistler, whilst on the second day of your journey, you will travel between Whistler and Quesnel and dive into the Gold Rush history retracing the steps of the gold prospectors while winding your way through dramatic canyons before travelling to Jasper.
The length of the Rocky Mountaineer train ride depends on the route you decide to take, but the Rocky Mountaineer says that on Canadian routes, you will travel around 280 miles each day in daylight. Below is the distance between different stops along the Rocky Mountaineer route:
- Vancouver - Kamloops: 285 miles
- Kamloops - Jasper: 274 miles
- Kamloops - Banff: 309 miles
- Vancouver - Whistler: 74 miles
- Whistler - Quesnel: 311 miles
- Quesnel - Jasper: 332 miles
There is no Wi-Fi access onboard Rocky Mountaineer, and along some of the different routes, there is no mobile phone coverage. With no Wi-Fi access, it allows guests to truly unplug and take in all the stunning scenery. There will be Wi-Fi access and service at your hotel accommodation so you can check in with family and friends to tell them all about your day and what you’ve seen.
GoldLeaf: Guests who have chosen GoldLeaf Service will travel in a bi-level dome coach. From the upper level, you can enjoy panoramic views through fully domed windows while gourmet meals from regional cuisine are served in the exclusive dining room lined with large picture windows on the lower level. GoldLeaf also offers exclusive outdoor viewing in a large, open-air vestibule as well as guests staying in luxurious hotel accommodation during your trip.
SilverLeaf Service: On the SilverLeaf Service, you will travel in a custom-designed single-level dome coach with oversized domed windows. In terms of food, you can enjoy hot entrées which are served at your seat. On the SilverLeaf service, you can enjoy outdoor viewing, but it is between coaches. In terms of accommodation, the SilverLeaf service offers you comfortable accommodation but is not as luxurious as the GoldLeaf service.
Both GoldLeaf and SilverLeaf services offer guests gourmet meals, and the Rocky Mountaineer host team onboard will be telling you lots of stories about the route you are on and the scenery that you are seeing.
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Did you know?
Rocky Mountaineer is the only all-daylight journey to travel the historic routes from Vancouver through the Rockies. This means that guests don't miss a moment of the majestic mountains, stunning rivers, and curious wildlife.
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