How do you see Northern Canada by train?

There are two main ways to travel between Winnipeg and Churchill: by plane or by train. 

1. Flying between Winnipeg and Churchill: Flying is the option used in our current Churchill polar bear and Northern Lights itineraries. It significantly reduces travel time and allows more of the vacation to be spent experiencing Churchill itself. 
   
   Our Canadian Train and Polar Bear Experience, for example, combines a sleeper-train journey on VIA Rail’s The Canadian between Vancouver and Winnipeg with flights between Winnipeg and Churchill. 
2. Taking the Winnipeg–Churchill train: VIA Rail’s Winnipeg–Churchill train travels between the two communities in approximately 45 hours and operates through remote northern Manitoba. The route passes through communities including The Pas and Thompson as the landscape gradually changes from boreal forest to subarctic tundra. 

The train offers Economy Class and Sleeper Class, with berth and private cabin options available in Sleeper Class.

Compare the classes below. Prices are shown in CAD, per person, one way from Winnipeg:

*Pricing shown in the table above is for the VIA Rail train ticket only and does not include hotels, flights, transfers, excursions or other trip components. Fares are subject to availability and may change depending on travel dates, class of service and booking conditions.

Our standard Churchill trips do not include the Winnipeg–Churchill train and instead use flights between Winnipeg and Churchill. At approximately 46 to 48 hours each way, it is a long journey with two nights onboard and may not be the right experience for every traveller. The rail journey may be considered as part of a personalized Northern Canada by train itinerary in limited circumstances, depending on schedules and availability.

Our Northern Canada tours can combine iconic Canadian train travel with flights, accommodations and guided experiences in the North. Canadian Train Vacations creates personalized itineraries around the season, destinations and experiences that matter most to you. 

Our current Churchill trips generally fly between Winnipeg and Churchill rather than using the Winnipeg–Churchill train. 

A typical Churchill trip may include:

• Hotel stays in Winnipeg before and after your Churchill experience
• Accommodation in Churchill 
• Tundra Buggy polar bear viewing during fall polar bear season
• Seasonal wildlife and sightseeing experiences, like kayaking tours in summer
• Tour of Churchill town, including the Polar Bear Holding Facility, Parks Canada historic site, or MV Ithaca historic site
• Transfers between airports, hotels and included activities.

For travellers who want to combine Northern Canada with a longer rail journey, our Lords of the Wilderness Bear Viewing and Canadian Train and Polar Bear Experience pair VIA Rail travel with time in Winnipeg and flights to Churchill for polar bear viewing. These itineraries are designed so the rail, flights, hotels, transfers and northern experiences work together as one trip. 

Other Northern Canada vacations focus on aurora viewing rather than Churchill wildlife. Whitehorse, Yukon and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories are both popular destinations for Northern Lights trips, with winter and fall itineraries built around guided aurora viewing and northern activities.