Luxurious Train Trips from Vancouver

Vancouver is the perfect starting point for your Canadian train adventure. This West Coast city sits beside the Pacific Ocean against a backdrop of mountains. Give yourself time to explore the city before or after your train trip. Train rides based out of Vancouver take you through British Columbia's interior. See Canada’s beautiful valleys, rivers, lakes and mountains.

The travel experts at Canadian Train Vacations can help you pick the best Vancouver train trip for you. We specialize in creating customized trips and have a deep local knowledge of this area.

Vancouver to Banff train tours wind their way through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Get off the train and explore the region, visiting Banff and Lake Louise. Travel even further across the wide-open prairies on a Vancouver to Toronto train. It's the most comfortable way to experience the sheer scale of Canada.

There are several different train trips from Vancouver to choose from, and our travel experts have picked some of our most popular trips to share with you.

Complete Canadian Rockies by Rail 

One of our bestselling Canadian Rockies train trips! This 8-day itinerary starts in Vancouver and ends in Calgary. Relax as the Rocky Mountaineer train takes you from Vancouver to Jasper. Then, spend five days in the Canadian Rockies. Travel the Icefields Parkway, see turquoise-coloured Lake Louise and explore Banff National Park. 

Miles covered on train: 594 

Days on train: 2 

Nights on train: N/A 

Vancouver to Toronto Train Tour 

On this across-Canada tour, you’ll experience a daylight sightseeing train and a sleeper train. First, enjoy the luxury of Rocky Mountaineer’s daylight train from Vancouver to Banff. Discover the beauty and wildlife of Banff and Jasper national parks before boarding VIA Rail’s The Canadian train. You will then sleep on the train for three nights before arriving in Toronto. 

Miles covered on train: 2,775 

Days on train: 5 

Nights on train: 3 

Canadian Cross Country Journey 

Spend four days and nights on VIA Rail’s The Canadian. See as the scenery changes from towering mountains to flat farmland to lake-dotted countryside. In Toronto and Vancouver, choose from a unique selection of small-group sightseeing tours for a full experience of these cities. 

Miles covered on train: 2,762 

Days on train: 4 

Nights on train: 4 

How to plan a train trip from Vancouver?

Step 1: Plan your trip with a Canadian Insider 

There’s nothing cookie-cutter about our train tours from Vancouver. Combining deep local knowledge and a passion for sharing Canada with the world, our travel experts work directly with travellers to design their perfectly personalized experience of Canada.

Step 2: Have everything organized for you 

From booking hotel transfers and accommodations to arranging tours and activities — and even restaurant reservations — our local experts make your travel arrangements from the time you arrive in Canada to the time you leave. All you have to do is enjoy your train trip from Vancouver. 

Step 3: Get help when you need it 

We're here to make sure you get the inside scoop before you even leave home. And you can relax on your vacation because you know that we're a phone call away if you have any questions while you're in Canada.

Vancouver Train Experiences

These are some suggested experiences for your train journey from Vancouver. Your Canadian adventure starts here.

Rocky Mountaineer

The Rocky Mountaineer operates three daylight train routes through the Canadian Rockies. The train has an outdoor viewing platform, large windows and glass-dome coaches. Passengers enjoy optimal photo opportunities and spectacular views. The train runs from mid-April to mid-October and only during daylight hours. Each evening, passengers step off the train and stay overnight in a hotel. From Vancouver, you can go to Whistler, Quesnel, Kamloops, Jasper, Lake Louise, or Banff. City stops depend on the route you choose. 

Explore: Rocky Mountaineer Train Trips

VIA Rail Train 

VIA Rail trains operate across Canada, connecting the East Coast and the West Coast. Four main train routes run year-round. From Vancouver, you can embark on a train trip to Prince Rupert, Jasper, Winnipeg or Toronto. You can also go to Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax and more. VIA Rail offers daylight and overnight sleeper train experiences.

Explore: VIA Rail Vacations 

Sleeper Train 

There are three train routes in Canada that allow you to sleep on the train. Travel between Vancouver and Toronto on The Canadian and stop in Jasper or Winnipeg on the way. Choose to continue your travels on The Ocean train from Montreal to Halifax. You can also sleep onboard the Winnipeg to Churchill train. These sleeper train routes are available all year long. Some sleeper trains in Canada have panoramic viewing cars, so you have the best views day or night. 

Vancouver City Information

• Vancouver is the largest city in British Columbia, Canada’s western-most province. Greater Vancouver is also Canada's third-largest metropolitan area. The city sits next to the Pacific Ocean, is close to the US border, and has the Coast Mountains to the north. Vancouver has a mild coastal climate, making it a delightful place to visit year-round. 
• You can spend hours discovering Vancouver’s neighbourhoods. Visit Robson Street for excellent shopping and dining. Stroll past Gastown's heritage buildings. Shop for local food and artisanal products at Granville Island. There are many art galleries, museums, and gardens to explore as well. Whale-watching tours and harbour cruises are popular activities during the summer. Other major attractions include Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge. 
• Stanley Park, Vancouver’s first park, is considered to be one of the world's top urban parks. Close to downtown, the park features ancient cedars, rainforest, beaches, and more. Every year, the scenic seawall path is used by millions of walkers and cyclists. 
• Both Rocky Mountaineer and VIA Rail run trains into and out of Vancouver.