West Coast Rail Adventures

From refurbished vintage to the ultimate in luxury, rail services in British Columbia feature some of the greatest travel experiences in Canada.

A wide selection of routes, regular schedules, and a relaxing pace makes rail travel one of the best ways to discover British Columbia landscapes.

From the Rockies to the Shore

Relax through the Rockies. There is no better way to devour the majestic scenery of the Rocky Mountains than by train. Discover B.C.'s history by following ancient trading rotes used by aboriginal peoples. As you travel between Jasper or Banff on the east side of the Rockies, and Prince Rupert and Vancouver on the Pacific coast, you will discover the historic routes which cross Yellowhead Pass in the Rockies, Yoho National Park, and through the inner plain of British Columbia and Bulkley Valley. Following the river valleys to the Pacific Ocean, you will be exploring the same routes as those traveled by European explorers 200 years ago.

Rich native culture and the beauty of natural British Columbia is evident along the route. The region features many opportunities for the outdoors and sports-minded visitor including: camping, hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, downhill and cross-country skiing, and horse riding.

Rocky Mountain Railtours

Well known for their rail travel packages, Rocky Mountaineer Railtours offer more than 40 different tours exploring Canada's West and the Canadian Rockies. Trips range in length from three to twelve days and all include the Mountaineer rail journey between Vancouver and Banff B.C., Jasper or Calgary, Alberta.

If you prefer travel on the Coast, packages like the Rail and Sail combine a Northern B.C. rail tour with cruise and sail excursions out of Prince Rupert, with Vancouver Island connectors bringing visitors to the Butchart Gardens outside of Victoria.

Discover British Columbia's Northern plateaus aboard Via Rail's Skeena train which climbs to the high-altitude towns of Smithers in the mountains, through the ranchland of Houston, and ending in Prince Rupert.

The Skeena departs from Prince George, where some travelers connect from BC Rail's Cariboo Prospector from North Vancouver; others board the Skeena in Jasper, Alberta to undergo the complete experience of the 1,160 kilometres (725 miles) trip.

Prince Rupert, at the end of the line is a seaside community with First Nations culture throughout the town. The Museum of Northern B.C. is set in a Native longhouse and exhibits the 10,000 years of history along this coast.

The Queen Charlotte Islands are a day's ferry ride from Prince Rupert and worth the trip. Ancient forests, archaeological sites, rare plant life, a few towns, and a variety of bird and wildlife inhabit the 150-island archipelago.

Pacific Wilderness Railway

During the summer from June to September, the Pacific Wilderness Railway offers daily service from Victoria's E&N Rail Station to the Malahat station. The 2½ hour round-trip crosses two exciting 300-foot high trestles and passes through some of the most beautiful scenery on Vancouver Island. Narration is provided throughout the trip.

The interiors of the nostalgic rail cars are painted with vivid pictures of days gone by. The heritage coaches are from the 1920's and feature large viewing windows and comfortable seating in the rich wood-lined interiors. The 1950's era, long distance luxury coaches also have large viewing windows, high back seats, and modern air conditioning. Passengers are able to enjoy a light lunch or afternoon buffet in the first class parlour car. Built in 1928, the parlour car seats 40 passengers. Luncheon is also available at the Aerie Resort at the Malahat summit.

Enjoy the Sunset views of Howe Sound aboard the Royal Hudson's Starlight Train which departs from North Vancouver. Enjoy an evening excursion in the delightful period cars as you relish fine West Coast cuisine and enjoy elegant service.

The Pacific Starlight Dinner Train transports you back to the golden era of train travel. Rolling along into twilight the train takes passengers along the scenic shoreline of Howe Sound to Porteau Cove.

Beyond Whistler

New in 2001 is the Whistler Northwind, a luxury train featuring single-level full-domed passenger cars, white linen gourmet service and luxuriously appointed lounges.

The northbound three day, two night trip includes overnight stays in Whistler, another in the Cariboo ranching country and ending the third day in Prince George. Each stop presents plenty of opportunity to explore or sightsee. The two day, one night southbound trip from Prince George features an overnight stay in the Cariboo and ends at the world-famous resort town of Whistler.

The Whistler Northwind offers two choices of service, Summit Panorama. Summit Service passengers travel in a private, classic, round-end lounge car. Meals are served in the refurbished vintage dining car. Panorama Service passengers will take pleasure in the beautiful mid-train lounge car with cocktail bar. Meals are presented á la carté at-seat in the dome car. The menu features the best of British Columbia's cuisine and is served on fine china, with glassware, linen and spotless tableware.

The trip is designed so that there is plenty of time to explore each stop, with a selection of activities including: nature walks, hiking, horseback riding, storytelling and pampering spa treatments. Numerous packages are available to add on to the basic tour such as longer stays at Whistler at a spa retreat or at one of British Columbia's guest ranches.

Discovering British Columbia by rail is as easy as calling toll-free 1-800-HELLO-BC (North America) or HELLO BC (435-5622) in Greater Vancouver. This reservation and information service puts you in touch with a team of professional travel experts who can provide free help and advice in planning or booking every stage of your trip, from travel ideas and tips to booking your accommodations, tours, and transportation. You can also order your free copy of BC Escapes Getaways Guide.

For more getaway ideas visit the Tourism British Columbia web site.

Read All About It

Trans-Canada Rail Guide
by Melissa Graham

This is THE ultimate Canadian rail travel book. I would even recommend this book for those driving through Canada. The author gives advise (very detailed) on where to eat, sleep, sight-see, and so on. I urge everyone to find this book at your local bookstore and thumb through it. Then buy it here.

At the end of the book it even guides you along the train journey by listing the significant sights along the way (such as....at Mile marker 26 towards the south, you'll see the cemetery containing 145 victims of the Titanic). Best of all, it displays all of the VIA Rail timetables and how many calendar days each leg of the trip takes. This is especially useful for those on the CANRAIL pass package. You can literally plan your entire itinerary from this single book. The size allows you to easily stow it in a small camera bag or purse. The PERFECT Canadian travel book.

~ Review by Michael Hoeflich - From Amazon.com ~