Holiday Overview
Experience the best of Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific on this comprehensive rail tour of Canada.
Begin in Halifax, where the ocean air sets the tone for the adventure ahead, before boarding the sleeper train to Montreal. Continue through Ottawa and Toronto, two cities full of culture, food and energy, each with their own distinct character. Fly to Calgary, the gateway to the Canadian Rockies, and lose yourself in the alpine towns of Banff and Jasper, where the mountains demand your attention at every turn. Then climb back on board the VIA Rail service for the final leg to cosmopolitan Vancouver, where the mountains meet the Pacific.
Canada By Rail includes:
- International and domestic flights
- 12 nights hotel accomodation
- 2 nights VIA Rail private cabin accommodation
- Transfer from Calgary Airport to Banff hotel
- Walking tour of Montreal
- Ottawa Hop on Hop off Bus
- Icefields Parkway Explorer with Glacier Skywalk & Glacier Adventure
- Maligne Lake guided walk
- Vancouver City highlights tour
Day 1 - Fly to Halifax
Arrive in Halifax, check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 2 - Halifax to Montreal
On VIA Rail's Ocean Train you'll cross the Maritimes in one single day, on an epic journey through Moncton, Bathurst, Rivière-du-Loup and more.
Boarding the train in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for an overnight journey in Sleeper Plus Class to Montreal, a cosy cabin for two will play as your room for the night and food and beverage service is included.
As dusk is falling you will travel along the coast of Baie-des-Chaleurs, and, as dawn breaks the following morning, you'll find yourself in the Monteregian Hills.
You will arrive to VIA Rail's Central Station in Montreal.
Day 3 - Montreal
Arrive in Montreal, check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day exploring or at leisure.
Day 4 - Montreal
Today take the included walking tour of Montreal, a great way to acquaint yourself with this fascinating city.
Staying at Hotel Le Germain Montreal
Day 5 - Montreal to Ottawa
Travel by rail from Montreal to Canada's capital Ottawa. Departing from Central Station in the heart of downtown Montreal today, cross the Ottawa River into Ontario for your journey into the nation's vibrant capital city.
Complimentary newspapers and non-alcoholic beverages are available in the lounge, and power outlets and free Wi-Fi are conveniently at your seat.
A rail journey of just under four hours, you'll travel through rural Ontario's maple forests and pastureland as you approach Ottawa, a city regarded for its grand Victorian architecture and museums such as the National Gallery of Canada.
The train will arrive to Ottawa Station, just east of downtown
Spending the rest of your day at leisure or activate your included Hop on Hop off bus pass to start exploring Canada's capital.
Day 6 - Ottawa Sightseeing
Enjoy a day of sightseeing via your hop on hop off bus ticket.
Staying at Alt Hotel Ottawa
Day 7 - Ottawa to Toronto
Today travel onbaord VIA Rail's train from Ottawa to Toronto.
Departing the nation's capital of Ottawa today, board the VIA Rail train bound for Toronto, Canada's largest city. Complimentary newspapers and non-alcoholic beverages are available in the lounge, and power outlets and free Wi-Fi are conveniently at your seat.
Traveling out of Ottawa you'll enjoy views of Ontario's small villages and scattered maple forests, then the train will pass Trenton Junction and travel along the shores of Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes of North America.
Your journey will take approximately four hours, arriving to Toronto at Union Station. Known as Canada's busiest transport hub, approximately 250,000 visitors pass through Union Station every day.
Day 8 - Toronto
Enjoy a day of leisure exploring Toronto at your own pace, Excursions are available to Niagara Falls, just ask your consultant for details.
Staying at Hotel Le Germain Mercer
Day 9 - Toronto to Banff
Today board a domestic flight from Toronto to Calgary, then transfer by express coach to Banff in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
Day 10 - Banff to Jasper - Scenic Transfer
Today's tour to Jasper takes us through some of the most spectacular mountain landscapes in North America.
Travel through Banff and Jasper National Parks along the stunning Icefields Parkway. Witness towering peaks, ancient glaciers, and turquoise lakes. Stops include Lake Louise, Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake, Columbia Icefield, Weeping Wall, and Athabasca Falls. With dramatic scenery and engaging commentary, this unforgettable journey showcases the natural wonders of the Canadian Rockies.
Highlights: Columbia Icefields Glacier Adventure and Skywalk, Icefields Parkway, Bow Lake / Crowfoot Glacier. A hearty picnic lunch is included and will be enjoyed at a secluded location along the Icefields Parkway.
Ice Explorer Ride
Facing the Columbia Icefield Visitors Centre lies the Athabasca Glacier - a tongue of ice 6 kilometres long and one kilometre wide descending almost to road level.
Take time for Brewster's Ice Age Adventure, a tour onto the icy slopes of the Athabasca Glacier. You will travel in a specially designed Brewster Snocoach to the middle of the glacier, on a 5 kilometre round trip journey. Your driver/guide will explain how glaciers are formed and point out interesting geological features as you travel in safety and comfort.
At the icefall below the glacier headwall, you will have the option of stepping out onto ice formed from snow falling as long as 400 years ago.
Glacier Sky Walk
A 500 metre interpretive boardwalk and a glass-floored observation platform extending 30 metres out over the Sunwapta Valley. Glacier Skywalk offers spectacular scenery and a rare view of nature.
Anyone of any age and any activity level can immerse themselves in nature in a way that makes them feel truly overwhelmed by their surroundings and their unique vantage point!
Day 11 - Jasper
Today an introductory excursion in Jasper begins with a short tour of the town before heading across the Athabasca River to Maligne Lake.
A century after Mary Schaeffer's remarkable adventure, come discover the world-renowned Maligne Lake for yourself!
A stop at Maligne Canyon offers staggering views of the river thundering through a series of magnificent waterfalls in a gorge 10,000 years in the making.
Farther up the valley, stop to solve the mystery of "disappearing" Medicine Lake. Next we'll carry on to the pinnacle of our tour, breathtaking Maligne Lake! Enjoy a gentle guided walk along the shores of this pristine lake before heading back to Jasper.
Staying at Chateau Jasper
Day 12 - Jasper to Vancouver
Back on board VIA rail for a spectacular overnight journey through the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast and cosmopolitan Vancouver
Day 13 - Vancouver at leisure
Arrive in Vancouver and make your own way to your downtown hotel. Spend the afternoon exploring Vancouver, and some of the best attractions that Vancouver has to offer.
Day 14 - Vancouver at leisure
Enjoy a full day at leisure exploring Vancouver at your own pace.
Staying at Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver
Day 15 - Fly from Vancouver
Enjoy your last day in Vancouver, catching up on any shopping or sight seeing before catching your homeward flight.
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Image Gallery
VIA Rail JAsper
MAligne Lake
Toronto
Montreal
VIA Rail Rockies
Banff
Halifax
Jasper
Montreal
Vancouver
Vancouver
Ottawa
Icefields parkway
Halifax
Malignr Lake
Toronto
Stanley Park Vancouver
Ottawa
Glacier Skywalk
Montreal
Mount Robson
Alternative Holidays That May Interest You
Below you will find a small selection of 2026, 2027 holidays that may interest you. Remember, we tailor-make each holiday to your exact needs, so please call us on 0800 917 5742 and let one of our Holiday experts design the perfect trip for you
Canada Holiday Offers
Rockies & Alaska Experience
- 15 Nights
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- Lake Louise
- Jasper
- Rocky Mountaineer
- Kamloops
- Vancouver
- Alaska Cruise
Rocky Mountaineer and Alaska Cruise
Rocky Mountaineer and Alaska Cruise
- 13 Nights
- Banff
- Kamloops
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- Alaska Cruise
Canadian Rockies & Grand Alaska
- 17 Nights
- Banff
- Jasper
- Rocky Mountaineer
- Kamloops
- Vancouver
- Alaska Cruise
- Whistler
Rockies Highlights and Alaska Cruise
- 14 Nights
- Banff
- Rocky Mountaineer
- Vancouver
- Alaska Cruise
Spectacular Rail Journeys
Trans Canada Rail Adventure
- 14 Nights
- Toronto
- Jasper
- Vancouver