Seriously thinking about a trip in 2026 through Canada and am thinking that train travel is the way to go. Budget is not too much of a consideration...definitely willing to spend at least $10K per person for the right tour. I am in the very early stages of planning and just need some pointers right now. Would love to go from Vancouver to Toronto or beyond as the title says, or go in the opposite direction. Thinking sometime when weather will be good. Would love to do excursions and stop-overs, not just constant train travel.

Any ideas to get me started??

Thanks in advance!!

Hi Austintraveller—

I have taken the train from Toronto to Vancouver a few times, either part way or the whole way. Many who take this train prefer picking it up in Edmonton toward Vancouver as that gives one a chance to see the Rockies which are spectacular and otherworldly. I actually appreciate the boreal wilderness in northern Ontario and the wide open spaces and occasionally hilly terrain of the Prairies but I understand those who wish to skip the Toronto to Edmonton portion of the journey.

I advise those who still wish to do the whole ride who are not from a spectacular mountain area to go east to west because that puts the gorgeous part last. I see people on tours but I personally prefer taking VIA Rail’s Canadian train self-organized. As for splitting up the journey, Jasper is one of the more logical choices but do realize that you only get there on Day 4 in the morning leaving from Toronto. Jasper is truly stunning—the few days I’ve spend there have been treasured days in my life. In between, if you like exploring cities, there is Winnipeg on Day 2 late, Saskatoon and Edmonton day 3 morning and evening respectively but note wherever you get off in the middle, you’d have to spend a few days as the Canadian train does not run daily. Of these cities, I’ve only been to Winnipeg and between museums, the legislature and parks, I think many with enough planning would find enough to explore for the days between trains. Check to see if any of these cities appeal to you. I’ve seen people get off at other more remote stops (one American family got off at Sioux Lookout ON in the summer of 2024); they were doing some outdoors activities—I have never investigated such a possibility though and imagine this would take significant planning.

Have fun deciding!
Daniel

Where are you visiting from?

Train travel is the way to go IF you're here in the summer (so you can take advantage of the long daylight hours) AND the goal is to appreciate the vastness of Canada (it's the size of a continent) AND you have a lot of time and flexibility AND you're okay that the bulk of the train trip takes you through the lesser-appreciated, less touristy, less visually dramatic parts of Canada, like the vast flat prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, as well as the vast flat forested lakes of the Canadian shield ecosystem of Ontario. They have their own subtle beauty, don't get me wrong, and I feel like this is such an underappreciated part of Canada, but some visitors assume they're going to be seeing mountains the entire way, when that is not the case. The mountains only exist in British Columbia up until the BC-Alberta border, and then you don't see mountains again.

If you do go this journey, Winnipeg, the capital city of Manitoba, is an underappreciated gem of a city and is definitely worth several days. And the tiny town of Jasper, located in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies, is a tourist hot spot and well worth several days with a rental car. Without a car, you're pretty limited. In fact, I'd say most of the stops between Vancouver and Toronto will require a car once you're off the train.

There is only one passenger train company, VIA Rail, connecting Vancouver to Toronto. I know that this train departs about 3 times a week and if you do decide to stop off along the journey, you're going to be in that town (like Jasper) or city (like Winnipeg) for several days before there's another train. I can also tell you that VIA Rail uses the freight train tracks, but the freight trains have priority of the tracks, which means VIA Rail's passenger trains must get shunted off to the side and wait, sometimes hours, before they can resume their journey. As a result, the VIA Rail schedules are more like estimates than rigid. The trains are known for being hours and hours late. Like sometimes more than 12 hours late. So just a heads up. You have to really be up for going with the flow.

If you're expecting this train journey to take you through the most dramatic mountain scenery, it does for a few hours, but most of this journey is not mountainous. If your goal is to focus on the landscapes that most tourists flock to Canada to see, the train journey is not the best option. But if you want the "off the tourist path" experience of Canada and are okay with basking in the old-fashioned pre-airplane train travel culture, this is certainly a bucket list journey... but it's not for everyone. Not trying to be a downer, but trying to set expectations. These are not quick, efficient European train or scenic tourist trains, but trains that take you through farmland and through forests and industrial towns and humble cities for the most part.

If you do want more of a tourist train experience that focuses on mountain wilderness, the Rocky Mountaineer offers a summer-only two-day train journey between Vancouver and Jasper or Vancouver and Banff, but you don't sleep on the train. They take you off the train at the end of day one and set you up in a 3-star hotel in Kamloops so that you can be on the train during the daylight hours. But once you arrive in the Rockies (into Banff or Jasper), you need to transfer onto a shuttle bus or rent a car to actually tour the Rockies (Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Yoho National Park, Mount Revelstoke National Park, Glacier National Park, Kootenay National Park, Mount Robson Provincial Park, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, etc.). The Rocky Mountaineer doesn't tour through the Rockies; they're just transportation from Vancouver TO the Rockies.

Those are really your only train options in Canada.

Hi austintraveller

I will add to Robyn’s post that while I have heard of extreme delays and even occasionally the Canadian trains have been cancelled for part of the route due to wildfires, derailments, etc… that the Canadian trains I have taken have ranged from on-time to 2-4 hours late (and more on-time than not!). Nevertheless, while things could go smoothly, it’s wise to have contingency plans and not plan ongoing travel the day of arrival into Van or Toronto.

Best wishes, Daniel

Thank you both for your thoughtful responses. The more I read, the more reluctant I am to take a train tour through Canada. I think I am like most in thinking that the whole trip would be spectacular mountain scenery, which of course, one only needs to look at a map to see that is not the case. I need to talk to my friend who suggested doing a train tour as I think she is under the same impression. Taking the train from Vancouver to Jasper does sound inviting and then renting a car once there. I'll continue to research and see what my options are. Again, thank you both!!

Hi AustinTraveler

You’re welcome. I think Van to Jasper by train sounds like the right decision for you, then renting a car to explore that area of the Rockies and flying home from Edmonton or Calgary. I would definitely go with a sleeper class on VIA Rail to make the experience more special (they do spoil you)—I’ve never been moved to try the Rocky Mountaineer train as I could never justify to myself the expense but you might think differently.

Best wishes, Daniel

With your budget, I would rent a camper van.

https://www.canadream.com/

If you are 55+, look at Road Scholar trips to Canada.

When I started daydreaming about a cross-Canada train trip, I knew I didn’t want it to be just about sitting on a train the whole time—I wanted room to breathe, explore, and actually experience the places along the way. What worked best for me was treating the train like a cozy, moving boutique hotel and planning a few 2–3 night stopovers. Jasper was perfect for hikes and hot springs, Winnipeg had this unexpectedly cool food scene, and Toronto was a great place to reset before flying out or heading further east. I went all in on Prestige Class on The Canadian, and yeah it was a splurge, but totally worth it for the private cabin, priority everything, and that “I’m being taken care of” feeling.

Also, quick tip: sort out your eSIM before you go. I used one that worked across all the provinces, and it made life so much easier—booking last-minute tours, checking train updates, pulling up maps when I wandered too far off-track. It’s one of those little things that keeps the trip smooth without you even thinking about it. If you’re aiming for good weather and epic views, late spring through early fall is the sweet spot. And seriously build in some slow days. Canada’s the kind of place that makes you want to sip something warm and just stare out the window for hours.