Am I correct that if you "train" from Banff to Vancouver on the Rocky Mountaineer, you stay at a hotel, but it you go on Via Rails "Canadian" from Jasper to Vancouver, you sleep on the train? We love sleeping on the train, but do you miss a ton of great scenery by doing it that way?

What would you recommend for a couple of days trip -- we are considering flying to Calgary, spending 3-4 days at Emerald Lake or Moraine Lake or some such (hiking, relaxing, etc.), then train to Vancouver, then 3 days or so in Vancouver. Does that sound good?

Some people love the Rocky Mountaineer and I'll let them talk about that one; I'm sure that's an amazing ride too, although I understand a good bit more expensive.

I loved VIA Rail's the Canadian; took it in 2005 and again in 2008. Depending on what time of year you go, I didn't feel I was "missing out" on the Canadian Rockies by taking the Canadian when I went in June/July. It's daylight quite late that time of year... going west we were in Jasper by early afternoon., so had a number of daylight hours on either side.. there probably are some things you miss, but I hardly felt gorgeous mountain scenery-deprived...(BTW the food is terrific, the general ambience enjoyable...)

If you DO go VIA Rail, you may wish to consider flying into Edmonton. Enjoy Vancouver!

Best wishes, Daniel

Thanks Daniel. Yes, we would fly into whichever of Edmonton or Calgary is the cheapest (either way, we'd have to rent a one-way car) --- when we were there in November, we were able to use miles flying into Calgary and out of Edmonton, but doubt we'd be able to use miles in the summer.

No we wouldn't - I just looked at the map again. We could fly into Edmonton, spend a few days in the mountains somewhere, and get on the train in Edmonton if we do the Canadian. My mistake.

I've done the "Canadian" three times and am about to do it a fourth time at the end of this month.

Yes, you sleep on the train

No, IMO, you do not miss a ton of scenery overnight between Jasper and Vancouver but to each their own

And I'll bet you the FOOD isn't any better on those other trains than it is on the "Canadian" either.

Honestly, I don't care about the food (I can bring my own if it's swill, but otherwise, I'll just deal with it). And since I love sleeping on trains, it sounds like that's the way I should go. How's the view from the Canadian, which I guess doesn't have those huge "dome" windows?

sf7307

No, the Canadian DOES HAVE the "dome" car, where you see things from up high panoramically. Maybe the windows aren't as huge as on the Rocky Mountaineer but nice nevertheless.

Me too... I love sleeping on trains, and bizarrely enough I sleep really well on them. And there's nothing so much fun as going to sleep and waking up in a far-away town.

Enjoy! Daniel

That's great, thanks!! This may not happen until NEXT summer now, but it's good to be prepared. Now I'm thinking a few days biking in the Rockies, then the train to Vancouver, then Vancouver for a few days. Maybe I'll throw in Whistler, too!!