30th August, 2022

All Aboard: Great Journeys by Rail

Travelling by train evokes a certain old-world glamour. The passage of time is marked by  gradually evolving landscapes, which unfold lazily outside your window. You'll glimpse tableaux that air passengers or road trippers will never see. You can wander when you need to, chat with fellow passengers if the mood strikes, and – depending on the rail line – indulge in a snack or full-fledged feast. 

Big country: While European rail travel gets a lot of attention, there are routes in Canada that rival the world's best train journeys or “land cruises.” The country's vast footprint – nearly 10 million square kilometres (3.8 million square miles) spanning six time zones – allows for long, leisurely journeys with plenty of scenery to keep passengers entertained. The journey between Vancouver, BC, and Toronto, Ontario, for example, is approximately 1.5 times the distance of the route between London, UK, and Moscow, Russia. And, with some trains featuring glass-dome viewing cars, passengers are treated to uninterrupted views of the country's spectacular outdoors. 

Steaming ahead: Rail travel has been part of Canada's makeup since the 19th century, when the arrival of steam-powered railways revolutionized regional transportation. The first railway built in Canada was the Champlain and Saint Lawrence Railroad, which ran between La Prairie and St. Johns, Quebec; the line opened in 1836. Three years later, the first railway in the Maritimes opened: the Albion Mines Railway, which was built to carry coal from Albion Mines to a loading pier near Pictou, Nova Scotia. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was formed in 1881 to connect eastern and western Canada; it was a cornerstone to confederation and its building is considered one of Canada's greatest feats of engineering. Today, Canada's railway heritage can be seen across the country.

Tower of power: The CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, for example, is built on an area called the Railway Lands. It was originally a railway switching yard, until it was moved to a better location outside the city. Train sleeps: Canada is home to several railway hotels, built between the late 19th and early 20th centuries by national railway companies and independent hoteliers. They include the Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff, Alberta, which opened in 1888 under ownership of the Canadian Pacific Railway; the  Fairmont Château Frontenac in Quebec City, Quebec, which opened in 1893, also under ownership of the Canadian Pacific Railway; and the Algonquin Resort St. Andrews by-the-Sea in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, which was managed by the Canadian Pacific Railway between 1903 and 1970.

Historic first: Canada's first Indigenous-owned railway, the Tshiuetin Rail Transportation, is shared between the Nations of Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam, Matimekush-Lac John and Kawawachikamach. The track stretches 213-kilometres (132.5-miles) and connects Emeril, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Schefferville, Quebec. 

Five tickets to ride: Eager to experience the romance of train travel in Canada? The five routes below will take you through some of the country's most picturesque landscapes with plenty of opportunities to explore regional history and culture. If you prefer to hop between major cities, VIA Rail connects destinations like Toronto, Ontario, Montréal, Quebec, and Vancouver, BC on a comfortable, sustainably minded ride.  

• Rocky Mountaineer's First Passage to the West: The luxurious rail trip takes you through historic parts of the Canadian Pacific Railway that other rail tours don't. Its custom-designed trains have panoramic glass roofs, providing an unobstructed view of the picturesque Rocky Mountains. This is a daytime-only train, meaning you travel the rails during the day, and sleep in a hotel at night. With several itineraries to choose from, you can visit Vancouver, Whistler, Kamloops, Jasper, Quesnel, Lake Louise, and Banff. Lonely Planet awarded the Rocky Mountaineer train tours with the Best Sustainable Train Journey award. Route: Vancouver, BC, to  Lake Louise and Banff, in Alberta, from one to 12 nights.

• The Ocean: Canada's intercity passenger rail service, Via Rail, operates this 1,346-kilometre (836 miles) one day/one night adventure through Canada's Maritime provinces. Inaugurated in 1904, the Ocean is the oldest continuously operated named passenger train in North America. Major city stops include Quebec City and Moncton, though you'll also pass small communities along your route, representing French Canadian, Acadian, Celtic, and English heritages. This is an overnight sleeper train experience, with panoramic viewing cars and meals included. Route: Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Montreal, Quebec.

• Winnipeg–Churchill: Explore Canada's Great White North on one of Via Rail's Adventure Routes, in a  two day/two night sleeper  with a panoramic dome. It's one of the few rail lines where you travel over permafrost so far north. Your trip will take you from one end of the province of Manitoba to the other. Along the way, passengers experience blooming prairie landscapes, untouched wilderness, shining lakes, boreal forests, and the vast tundra. Depending on the conditions, you might see the aurora borealis also known as the northern lights. Upon arrival in Churchill, take an optional excursion to get up close with Canadian sub-arctic animals, including beluga whales (July through August) and polar bears (October through November).  Route: Winnipeg to Churchill, Manitoba.

• Train de Charlevoix: Travel between Quebec City and several coastal towns and villages along the northern banks of the St. Lawrence River, on this small train line. Choose a roundtrip in one day, with several hours at a destination such as Baie-Saint-Paul or La Malbaie to explore, or split the journey over two or more days. Experience the charm of the small communities next to the backdrop of rocky cliffs, ocean, pristine forests, purply hazy skies, and soaring herons outside your train cabin. The season runs from approximately June to October each year.  Route: Quebec City to La Malbaie, Quebec 

• Agawa Train: Travel 463 Kilometers (228-miles) round trip  by rail through northern Ontario's seemingly endless mixed forests of the Canadian Shield and the shores of the northern lakes and rivers. Your destination is the Agawa Canyon, where you can hike on trains and get a panoramic view before the return trip (four hours each way). Cross towering trestles and view rugged untouched landscapes that have inspired landscape artists such as the Group of Seven. Learn about upcoming points of interest and some of the rich history of the Ojibway, fur traders, explorers and entrepreneurs that touched this vast wilderness. The season runs from approximately August through October.  Route: Round trip from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Image Credit : 

Rocky Mountaineer Onboard Gold Leaf Service 

Via Rail Winter Train 

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