Canada by Rail - Starting in Halifax

Canada by Rail - Starting in Halifax (15 days)
Journey by train in comfort and style from Halifax to Canada’s West Coast. There is something special about taking the train in Canada, for it was the railway that linked this country together. Recreate the great era of train travel as you ride the rails across this beautiful country.
VIA’s Sleeper Plus Class brings you to Toronto where you will spend two nights at the historic Fairmont Royal York, in the heart of the city. From here, enjoy first-class service aboard VIA’s “Canadian”. Watch the rugged Canadian Shield, the untamed wilderness of Northern Ontario, and the vast rolling prairies of Manitoba and Saskatchewan pass by your window. Spend four nights in the heart of the majestic mountains of the Canadian Rockies: first in Jasper and then Banff. Travel the breathtaking Icefields Parkway by motorcoach and, weather permitting, ride the Ice Explorer up the Athabasca Glacier and experience the sensational Columbia Icefield Skywalk. In Banff, board the Rocky Mountaineer – “The Most Spectacular Train Trip in the World”. This two-day narrated rail tour twists through the spiral tunnels of the Rockies and follows the beautiful Fraser River Valley to Vancouver, where you unpack for a three-night stay.
Highlights
VIA Rail’s Sleeper Plus Class from Halifax – Toronto and Toronto – Jasper
26 Meals
Canadian Rockies
2 Nights in Toronto
2 Nights in Jasper
2 Nights in Banff
Columbia Icefields Ice Explorer and Skywalk
Tours of Banff & Victoria
Rocky Mountaineer 2-Day Rail Tour
City Tour of Vancouver
3 Nights in Vancouver
Fully escorted from Halifax
Flight to Halifax
Itinerary
Day 1: Oct. 1, 2023
Halifax, NS to Montreal, QC
Depart Halifax for Montreal in the early afternoon aboard VIA Rail’s The Ocean. This includes your own cabin and use of the lounge car. Overnight VIA Rail (Sleeper Plus Class). (Lunch, Dinner)
Day 2: Oct. 2, 2023
Montreal, QC to Toronto, ON
Business Class service takes you from Montreal to Toronto. Stay two nights in the heart of the city at the historic and elegant Fairmont Royal York. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 3: Oct. 3, 2023
Toronto, ON
The entire day is yours to explore Toronto at your leisure. (Breakfast)
Day 4: Oct. 4, 2023
Depart Toronto, ON
This morning, depart on VIA Rail’s transcontinental train, restored to its original 1950’s style. “The Canadian” is a handsome stainless-steel re-creation of the great era of train travel. Enjoy your private room, socialize over a drink with friends in the Mural Lounge, or ascend the staircase to the dome of the Park Car for coffee under the stars. Overnight VIA Rail (Sleeper Plus Class). (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 5: Oct. 5, 2023
Northern Ontario to Manitoba
After a peaceful night’s rest, awake and enjoy the view of the untamed wilderness of Northern Ontario. Cross the rugged rocks of the Canadian Shield to enter the Province of Manitoba. Overnight VIA Rail (Sleeper Plus Class). (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 6: Oct. 6, 2023
Manitoba to Saskatchewan to Alberta
As your westward journey continues, be sure to visit the Dome for sweeping views of the vast rolling prairies as you travel across Saskatchewan and into Alberta today. Overnight VIA Rail (Sleeper Plus Class). (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 7: Oct. 7, 2023
Jasper, AB
This morning, arrive in the resort town of Jasper, in the heart of the mountains. No trip to Jasper National Park is complete without seeing Maligne Canyon and Lake, one of the most picturesque spots in the Canadian Rockies. Keep your eyes open for grizzly bears and other wildlife as you drive through the park. Spend two nights in Jasper, Alberta. (Continental Breakfast)
Day 8: Oct. 8, 2023
Jasper, AB
The entire day is yours to explore Jasper at your leisure. (Breakfast)
Day 9: Oct. 9, 2023
Jasper, AB to Banff, AB
Travel by motorcoach south on the Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefields. Board the Ice Explorer for a ride up the Athabasca Glacier, followed by the exhilarating Skywalk (weather permitting). Continue along the Parkway, whose scenery is rated “the most spectacular in the entire Canadian National Parks System”, en route to Lake Louise. Spend two nights nested under imposing peaks in the bustling resort village of Banff, Alberta. (Breakfast)
Day 10: Oct. 10, 2023
Banff, AB
Today’s tour of Banff includes Bow Falls, the Banff Springs Hotel and Tunnel Mountain. The Banff Gondola takes you to the top of Sulphur Mountain to experience a stunning bird’s eye view of six mountain ranges. The rest of the day is free to explore on your own. (Breakfast)
Day 11: Oct. 11, 2023
Rocky Mountaineer
Today it’s “All Aboard” as you pull out of the Banff Station on the “Rocky Mountaineer” a two- day rail tour, and “the Most Spectacular Train Trip in the World”. Sit back and relax in spacious, comfortable reclining seats with picture windows. Meals, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are served at your seat. Your Onboard Service Attendant provides interesting and informative commentary on the history and geography along the route. Travel through the snow-capped mountains of Banff, Yoho and Glacier National Parks. Twist a figure eight through the “Spiral Tunnels”. Watch for wildlife on the hillsides. Traverse Rogers Pass. Discover Craigellachie where, in 1885, the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railroad was driven. Overnight in Kamloops, British Columbia. (Continental Breakfast, Lunch)
Day 12: Oct. 12, 2023
Kamloops, BC to Vancouver, BC
Re-board the train as you continue westward through Canada’s semi-arid desert. Travel down the Thompson River, where whitewater rafters challenge the rapids at the Jaws of Death Gorge. Along the historic Fraser River, see Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon before entering the lush, fertile fields of the Fraser Valley. In the late afternoon, arrive in Vancouver, British Columbia for a three-night stay. (Continental Breakfast, Lunch)
Day 13: Oct. 13, 2023
Day Trip to Victoria, BC
It’s an early start for a day trip to charming Victoria. Board the ferry at Tsawwassen to cross the Strait of Georgia to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. Victoria – “the Emerald of the West and Sunshine City” – is a regal capital with a British accent and old English charm. Your tour of the city includes the Tudor-style buildings, parks, flower-lined streets and more. Visit Butchart Gardens, offering four seasons of magnificent flowers, trees and much more. Return to Vancouver for overnight. (Breakfast)
Day 14: Oct. 14, 2023
Vancouver, BC
A morning city tour will acquaint you with this impressive western Canadian city, site of the 1986 World Exposition and the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. See historic Gastown, 1000-acre Stanley Park, the downtown area, English Bay beaches, the waterfront and Chinatown. The afternoon is free to pursue your own interests. This evening, join your tour director for a Farewell Dinner. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 15: Oct. 15, 2023
Depart Vancouver, BC
Depart Vancouver for Halifax on your included flight back home taking with you fond memories of your cross Canada rail adventure!
Ask us about beginning this tour from other VIA stations en route to Toronto.
Accommodations
Day 1 | Via Rail Sleeper Plus Class | Overnight on The Ocean |
Day 2 & 3 | Fairmont Royal York | Toronto, Ontario |
Day 4, 5 & 6 | Via Rail Sleeper Plus Class | Toronto - Jasper, Alberta |
Day 7 & 8 | Forest Park Hotel | Jasper, Alberta |
Day 9 & 10 | Mount Royal Hotel | Banff, Alberta |
Day 11 | Riverland Inn or similar | Kamloops, British Columbia |
Day 12, 13 & 14 | Blue Horizon Hotel | Vancouver, British Columbia |
Rates
2023 Rates Per Person From Halifax, NS
TWIN | TRIPLE | QUAD | SINGLE |
$11,279 | $10,909 | $10,679 | $12,899 |
Plus 8.6% HST/GST
Payment & Cancellation Policy:
Deposit: $500 per person at time of booking
Full Payment: 90 days prior to departure: July 1, 2023
Cancellation Up to 91 days before departure: deposit retained
Cancellation 90 to 61 days before departure: 50% retained
Cancellation 60 days to date of departure and after departure: 100% retained
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