Rocky Mountaineer is your ultimate scenic train experience in Canada! Luxury service while viewing unique landscapes across the country.
Banff, Alberta train station
Travel in style with GoldLeaf service on the Canadian Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer is your ultimate scenic train experience!
Every midlifer should add the ultimate train experience on board the Canadian Rocky Mountaineer to their bucket list. If you enjoy excellent service, all-inclusive products, and amazing views, this experience is for you! We chose to take the two-day train ride from Banff to Vancouver, connecting the two parts of our Canadian trip. The train pulled away from the Banff station with a champagne toast provided by our train hosts, Jaime Lee and Dori.
With four different route options, you can get your fill of a variety of Canadian landscapes. From the Canadian Rockies, through the arid West, and onto the coast, there’s always something new to see. With nothing to do but sit back, relax, and be waited on hand and foot, you’ll be constantly awed by amazing views, so have your camera ready!
We started with snowy scenes in the Canadian Rockies, that gradually changed to arid desert-like landscapes, and back to the Cascade and Coast mountains.
What makes Rocky Mountaineer the ultimate train experience?
In a fast-paced, busy world, taking a few days to experience midlife train travel through the Canadian Rockies is such a special treat. My train travel in the US has been limited to taking Amtrak to Chicago or New Orleans. Those trips provided many fun and interesting experiences and stories, but they definitely weren’t luxurious. Your hosts and the staff will anticipate every need during your journey, creating a relaxing, pampered experience.
The pickup from the hotel, transfer of luggage, and settling in on the train were all seamless. The staff and our hosts took care of everything. Before we knew it, we were on our way relaxing with a beverage, while the crew waved us off on our journey!
Choosing Your Route
Rocky Mountaineer offers four rail routes in Canada. We chose First Passage to the West, as we wanted to spend time in both Banff and Vancouver during our vacation. Some of our fellow travelers were enjoying the Circle Journeys. This involves taking multiple trains, beginning and ending in Vancouver, to see more Canadian landscapes. The Circle Journeys include up to four days on the trains, along with eight to nine hotel nights, and include excursions throughout your trip. We also met people who were riding the train on their way to an Alaskan cruise. Some had already completed a cruise and were topping off their trip with a two-day train ride across Canada. There are so many opportunities to include this amazing experience in your Canadian vacation!
Circle Journeys – Multiple options begin and end in Vancouver
Keep in mind that many of the rail routes go both directions, so you can pick and choose your starting and ending location. You can also extend your stay at either end of your trip with curated Rocky Mountaineer experiences. We chose to plan our own experiences in Banff (read more here) and in Vancouver (post coming soon!)
Train Service
Prepare to be spoiled with the level of service on the Rocky Mountaineer! Whether you choose the SilverLeaf service or splurge on the GoldLeaf level, you will be impressed with the care your hosts provide during your rail journey. We went with the GoldLeaf, and I truly felt the level of service rivaled our experience on our Viking cruise last summer.
The SilverLeaf service brings meals to your seat rather than eating in a separate dining car. We actually had dinner served in our seats the first evening due to train delays, and we still thought the service was excellent! Since we were arriving in Kamloops later than planned, Rocky Mountaineer offered us dinner on the train. All meals are provided in your package each day except dinner. We really appreciated the staff preparing and serving another delicious meal so we wouldn’t be scrambling late at night trying to find dinner in Kamloops!
When you feel the need to move around, take advantage of the outdoor viewing platform. This ultimate train experience provides unobstructed views of the passing landscapes, which make for excellent videos and photos. You might need a light jacket though, the air can be quite a bit cooler on the platform!
Rocky Mountaineer Hosts
Our hosts were funny, attentive, thoughtful, and hard-working – I can’t say enough good about them! GoldLeaf service has up to four hosts, in addition to the culinary team. SilverLeaf has up to three hosts per rail car. Our hosts learned everyone’s drink preferences and customized menus to accommodate everyone’s dietary needs. They provided just enough interesting information about the landmarks we passed without overwhelming us with facts. While half the rail car enjoyed the dining car, the other half sipped drinks snacked at their seat. Then they would seamlessly switch us all around and make it look effortless! Best of all, tips are included in your package!
Train Travel Tips
I have a confession to make: I’m an overpacker. I always have last-minute adds to my suitcase for those “what ifs.” I am working to improve this, as the more I travel, the more exhausting it becomes to carry all the extra luggage. Also, there are many weight restrictions, especially when traveling outside the US. Rocky Mountaineer allows you to take one small bag on board. All of your other luggage will be transported for you to and from each hotel via shuttles. One option was to check our larger bag through to Vancouver and have our small carry-on suitcases delivered to our hotel in Kamloops. Read more here for their packing and luggage recommendations.
I chose to take my Luka Calpak duffle on the train. Although there was room, I wish I had opted for a smaller backpack like many other travelers. You don’t need much during the day, and I could have had Rocky Mountain Express deliver my Calpak with my overnight case. That would have opened up additional legroom at my seat, and I’d have had less to lug around. The staff always seemed worried I would fall off the train steps at each destination carrying that bag!
Another tip I read on Rocky Mountaineer’s website was to wear layers on the train. This was excellent advice! It snowed and rained on our first day, so it was cooler under the dome windows, as it was overcast. However, our second day was sunny, and I ended up wearing a tank top to stay cool! Plan to bring a light sweater or jacket depending on the weather and the air conditioning.
Bring your charging cable, as there are charging ports in your seats. Be ready to spend the day taking hundreds of photos and videos! The hosts will let you know when something interesting is ahead, so you can be ready to take photos. They will also announce animal sightings from the front car. Your fellow passengers are encouraged to holler “Bear on the right!” or “Eagle on the left!” It makes for an exciting ride!
Osprey nest on a bridge
If you can’t make it to Canada’s ultimate train experience, another branch of Rocky Mountaineer is Canyon Spirit. This series of rail operates in the American Southwest. Choose from a two-day route from Denver to Moab, or a three-day train experience between Salt Lake City and Denver. Both routes take you through the Rocky Mountains and the Red Rocks. Our trip was so amazing, we hope to soon try the American West by train! Please share in the comments if you’ve had an amazing train experience in Canada, the US, or even another country!
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