What are the best rail trips from Vancouver?

Browse through our most popular train trips departing from Vancouver. All our itineraries include accommodations, train tickets, tours, experiences and transfers, and can be personalized to suit your interests, preferred pace and budget. Many of our trips can be taken in the reverse direction. 

Vancouver has plenty of things to do and places to visit, with options for different interests and activity levels. These include walking the Seawall in Stanley Park, browsing Granville Island Public Market, admiring historic buildings in Gastown, viewing marine life at the Vancouver Aquarium, and more. Whether you enjoy time outdoors, local food or cultural attractions, you can choose activities that suit your preferences.

Vancouver offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors, with outdoor activities playing a big part in local life. 

Away from the main sights, these lesser-known spots show a quieter side of the city.

There’s no direct Vancouver to Calgary train, but you can still make most of the journey by rail. You can take Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West from Vancouver to Banff, then finish with a scenic 90-minute road transfer spanning around 130 km (81 mi) to Calgary. Our Complete Canadian Rockies by Train itinerary runs between Vancouver and Calgary in either direction, so you can travel from Calgary to Vancouver, or vice versa. 

The Vancouver area offers comfortable stays and resorts for families travelling together, including grandparents, parents and children. Options range from waterfront hotels in downtown Vancouver to cozy lodges around Whistler and the North Shore. Many offer amenities such as swimming pools, gardens and nearby walking paths, giving everyone a chance to relax and enjoy time together.

Many of our guests travelling with family choose these hotels for their Vancouver stay:

• Pan Pacific Vancouver: Located at Canada Place, this waterfront hotel sits above the cruise terminal and offers a convenient base for families combining a cruise with a rail vacation. Its central location makes it easier to enjoy Vancouver’s waterfront attractions together.

• Fairmont Hotel Vancouver: This landmark downtown hotel offers comfortable rooms and accessible facilities, with Gastown and the waterfront within reach for family outings. Its central location makes it easy to plan activities for different ages.

• AZUR Legacy Collection Hotel: This boutique hotel offers a central downtown location close to renowned Vancouver shops, restaurants and attractions, making it easier for families to plan outings together.

• Knight Inlet Lodge: Ideal for families who want to experience British Columbia’s coastal wilderness, this remote lodge offers grizzly bear viewing and opportunities to learn about local wildlife. It can be a memorable addition for families travelling with nature-loving children. Minimum child age requirements are typically 6 or 8 years, depending on the package and travel dates.

At Canadian Train Vacations by Fresh Tracks Canada, our local Vacation Advisors can help you find accommodations that work for your travel group. By learning about your needs, preferences, budget and interests, these local travel experts can create a personalized itinerary that includes hotels, activities for different ages, transfers, tours and experiences. 

The best time to visit Vancouver is May to September, as it offers warm, dry weather and longer days. It overlaps with Rocky Mountaineer’s rail season, which usually runs from mid-April to October. 

For a month-by-month breakdown, see our guide to the best time to visit Vancouver.

The Rocky Mountaineer offers two service levels: GoldLeaf and SilverLeaf. GoldLeaf features a bi-level dome coach with panoramic views, an outdoor viewing platform, and meals served in a separate dining room. SilverLeaf offers forward-facing seats in a single-level glass-dome coach with oversized windows, and gourmet meals served at your seat. Personalized train trips that include SilverLeaf on Rocky Mountaineer start at $6,170 CAD per person, and those featuring travel in GoldLeaf start at $6,990 CAD per person. 

VIA Rail’s The Canadian offers three service classes: Economy, with reclining seats and access to the Skyline dome car; Sleeper Plus, with sleeping accommodations and meals in the dining car; and Prestige, with a spacious private cabin, en-suite bathroom, meals in the dining car and personal concierge service. Our trips don’t include rail travel in Economy Class.