canadian train trips with sleeper accommodations

Though the colourful wooden grain elevators have become as rare as prairie cinemas, the wide landscape usually has something to arrest the curious eye, and the mind is set wondering about life in the shrunken prairie towns. You can be rewarded with a glimpse of deer, moose, mountain goats or bears, but the prairies come as a welcome change. Even a game reserve here can cover almost 2,000 square miles. The Canadian Shield covers half of the country, and the dense boreal forest growing in its thin soil can seem unending after half a day, even though it is broken up by rivers and thousands of lakes. This is certain to happen at some point in the Canadian Shield, which follows the grandstand views of Toronto as the train leaves Union Station. There is no better way to appreciate the size and diverse landscapes of Canada It leaves from Union Station, built by the Canadian Pacific and unquestionably Canada’s finest railway station. The train takes the more northerly of the two trans-continental routes, passing through Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Jasper. VIA Rail Canada’s flagship train takes 86 hours over four nights to cover the 2,775 miles between Toronto in Ontaria and Vancouver in British Columbia. Question 7 was a trick one: they both have double-decker carriages.ĭo what I did – try them both! You won’t regret it… The Canadian If yes to 3, 5 and 6, the Rocky Mountaineer would be a better fit. If you answered yes to 1, 2 and 4, go for The Canadian. Are you a fan of double-decker carriages?

Would you like to be able to see every bit of passing scenery (by not travelling at night)?ħ. Fancy the idea of the breeze in your face and a camera lens unobscured by glass on an open veranda?Ħ. Do social history and topography float your boat?ĥ. Are epic cross-continental journeys your thing?Ĥ. To help you choose which would work best for you, I have given an overview of both (below) – and compiled a short quiz:Ģ. Problem is there are two options – the Rocky Mountaineer and The Canadian – both very tempting. How about this for a dilemma… you’re crossing the Atlantic to spend time in a country of epic, pristine beauty and want to take a train journey through the stupendously scenic Rocky Mountains.

Canadian train trips with sleeper accommodations