Travel across Canada with these 6 best train trips

Seeing Canada through the window of a train is one of the best ways to experience the country. Not only are the views incredible, but the trains are comfortable, low-stress, relaxing and allow you to sit back and take your time getting to your destination. Train trips can be multi-day adventures from one end of the country to the other, but they can also be little getaways to nearby destinations. While most people are familiar with VIA Rail, there are a number of train companies that offer their services across the country, including the indigenously owned and operated train line, Tshiuetin Rail Transportation.

Via Ocean Rail

Halifax to Montreal (1 day / 1 night): This one day/one night train adventure takes you between Halifax and Montreal. Pass through small communities along your route, representing French Canadian, Acadian, Celtic and English heritage. You can cross the Canadian Maritime provinces in just one day from the comfort of your cozy quarters. Buy food and drinks on board and enjoy the scenic ride.

Rocky Mountain

Vancouver to Lake Louise and Banff (6-12 nights): The luxury rail journey takes you through historic parts of the Canadian Pacific Railway that other rail tours don’t. Their custom-designed trains feature a panoramic glass roof, giving you an unobstructed view of the scenic Rocky Mountains. This is a day-only train, meaning you travel the tracks during the day and stay in a hotel at night. With several itineraries to choose from, you can visit Vancouver, Whistler, Kamloops, Jasper, Quesnel, Lake Louise and Banff.

Through the path of adventure

Winnipeg to Churchill (2 days / 2 nights): Enjoy Canada’s Great White North through the panoramic dome on this passenger train. It is one of the few railway lines where you travel over permafrost this far north. Your trip will take you from one end of Manitoba to the other. Along the way, passengers experience lush prairie landscapes, pristine deserts, sparkling lakes, boreal forests and vast tundra. Depending on the weather, you may also see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Upon arrival in Churchill, take an optional excursion to get up close with Canadian subarctic animals, including beluga whales (July to August) and polar bears (October to November).

Train from Charlevoix

Quebec City and Coastal Towns and Villages (Day Trips with Optional Multi-Day Trips): This rail trip offers a unique sightseeing experience. Travel between Quebec City and a variety of coastal towns and villages. Choose a one-day round trip, with a few hours at your destination to explore, or split the trip over two or more days. Experience the charm of small communities against the backdrop of rocky cliffs, ocean, pristine forests, hazy purple skies and flying herons right outside your train cabin. Their season runs roughly from June to October each year.

Tshiuetin Rail Transportation Inc.

Tshiuetin Rail Transport is Canada’s first and only Indigenous-owned railway. To ensure the long-term economic and social development of their communities, this train line is shared equally between the Innu Takuaikan Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam, the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach and the Innu Matimekush – Lac John Nation. This track stretches 132 miles connecting Emeril (Labrador) and the town of Schefferville in Quebec. Tshiuetin means “North Wind”.

Agawa Canyon Tour Train

Agawa Canyon Tour (1 day): Your Agawa Canyon tour begins in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and travels through the seemingly endless mixed forests of the Canadian Shield and the shores of northern lakes and rivers. Ride over high plinths and gaze upon the rugged, untouched landscapes that have inspired many great works of Canadian art over the years. Commentary about the region is available in several languages, including French, German, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin, via the wireless headset. Learn about future points of interest and some of the rich history of the Ojibway, the fur traders, explorers and entrepreneurs who opened up this great wilderness. This train runs approximately from August to October every year.