Rail Travel

More than 100 years ago construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway opened access to the majestic Canadian Rocky Mountains and the West. However, the speed of travel and the frequency of passenger service seem not to have improved much since then. But, to be fair, the dimension of Canada, as the second largest country in the world, paired with its low population numbers doesn’t sustain the necessary infrastructure investments.

Therefore most services are limited to the densely populated areas in the Toronto - Quebec corridor, while Canada's transcontinental rail connection "The Canadian" travels only three times a week between Toronto and Vancouver (or vice versa), a journey of almost 4,466 km / 2,765 miles, taking three days and nights. Despite the slow travel time, this service, particular the famous "silver & blue" service class that offers bunkbed-style 'berths' and single, double & triple bedroom sleeping accommodation, is often sold out months ahead for the busy summer tourist season.

Other VIA-Rail services popular with tourists are the Hudson Bay Express to the Polar Bears of Churchill, Manitoba, and VIA-Rails "Skeena" from Jasper to Prince Rupert.

Unfortunately VIA-Rail, in charge of passenger train service in Canada, discontinued the service through the most scenic part of the Rocky Mountains, the Kicking Horse Canyon, about 15 years ago. But a private enterprise quickly saw the potential and started offering a two-day, daylight only tourist train service between Vancouver and Banff/Calgary. Now the "Rocky Mountaineer" also brings tourists to Jasper via the Yellowhead Route and will start in 2006 a new service, connecting Whistler and Jasper via the Fraser Discovery Route through the Cariboo region of British Columbia.