Which are the most scenic Canadian rail tours?

All our itineraries can be personalized to match your travel preferences and needs. 

The most scenic rail journeys in Canada each offer different experiences, but all provide spectacular views. Routes include Rocky Mountaineers two routes in the Rockies, VIA Rail’s Canadian train across the country, and VIA Rail’s Ocean train in the Maritimes. 

Note: Prices are for complete itineraries offered by Canadian Train Vacations by Fresh Tracks Canada, not standalone rail fares. Itineraries include rail booking, hotels, transfers, and sightseeing activities. 

Not every scenic rail journey suits every traveller, and the best train rides in Canada for a relaxed, scenery-first experience are the ones that keep the pace gentle and put the view front and centre throughout. Rocky Mountaineer is the natural first choice for comfort-first guests. Daytime-only travel means no sleeping on the train, as guests stay in hotels at night. 

The Ocean by VIA Rail offers a different kind of relaxed pace: a daytime and evening journey through the Maritime provinces from Montreal to Halifax, with coastal views of the Bay of Fundy and the rolling countryside of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. At 23 hours it is a gentler commitment than a multi-day trip, and the scenery changes steadily throughout.

Rail travel is one of the finest ways to photograph the Canadian Rockies because it places you in front of the best viewpoints with no driving, no parking and no need to plan your own route. The train does the work while you watch the light change on the peaks.

Rocky Mountaineer's glass-dome coaches give an unobstructed view of the mountains, canyons and rivers that make up the most photographed landscapes in Canada. Because Rocky Mountaineer runs entirely in daylight, no great vista is lost to darkness, and guests can keep a camera to hand from the first moment the train leaves Vancouver until it arrives in Banff or Jasper.

A few practical notes before you travel:

• Charge all devices fully the night before departure. Power points are available on board, but a fully charged camera and phone give you the most flexibility from the first mile.
• Bring more memory cards than you expect to need. The scenery changes continuously, and it is easy to fill a card between the Fraser Canyon and the Spiral Tunnels alone.
• Keep your camera accessible on your seat rather than stowed overhead. The most dramatic views often arrive without warning, and a camera in a bag overhead means a missed shot.
• Glass domes reduce glare significantly compared with standard windows, but a polarising filter or a lens hood can still help when the sun is low and directly ahead.

On the First Passage to the West route, several moments stand out as the most rewarding for photography from the train window:

• The Spiral Tunnels near Field, British Columbia, where the train loops through the mountain to descend safely, and guests can sometimes see the tail of their own train through the upper portal.
• Kicking Horse Canyon, where the train runs along the narrow canyon floor beside the Kicking Horse River, with sheer rock walls rising on both sides.
• The first clear views of the Rockies near Field, British Columbia, where the foothills give way to the full height of the Continental Divide and the peaks appear suddenly and close.
• The Columbia River wetlands near Golden, a flat, reflective stretch surrounded by mountain walls that photographs well in any light.

In Banff and the surrounding national park, the following locations are the most photographed and best suited to guests arriving by rail:

• Lake Louise, where the turquoise water and the Victoria Glacier behind it make one of the most iconic compositions in Canada.
• Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, accessed by shuttle  or private tour from Lake Louise. 
• Johnston Canyon, a short and level walk to the lower and upper falls, with the canyon walls framing the water in a natural composition.
• Sunshine Meadows, reached by gondola from the Banff townsite, offers open alpine views across to the Continental Divide that are difficult to reach at any other time of year.

Our local travel experts at Canadian Train Vacations can include time in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper as part of your scenic rail itinerary, with transfers and accommodation arranged so you arrive at the best viewpoints refreshed and ready.