I Rode This Luxury Train For 2 Days – I Thought I’d Be Bored

I travelled on the Rocky Mountaineer luxury train for two days across Canada, with no phone signal, no WiFi, not even a book. I expected to be bored, but it turns out I was very, very wrong about that.

“Eagle on the left!” exclaims Kyra over the microphone, and we all lean breathlessly towards the huge windows, cameras poised.

At first all I see is the icy green river below us and the snow-dusted mountains beyond, but then it slides into view: a magnificent white-headed bald eagle, perched on a dead tree next to the tracks.

We only get a brief glimpse before it’s gone, whisked away as the train glides onwards through the vast landscape.

Is luxury train travel boring?

If you’d told me a week ago that I’d be able to sit on a train for two days straight, without phone signal, Wi-Fi or even a book, and not go insane with boredom, I’d have laughed.

But the Rocky Mountaineer is no ordinary railway journey: according to the 2022 World Travel Awards, this is the ‘World’s Leading Luxury Train’.

With heated, reclining seats, domed windows, at-seat drinks service and an elegant dining room, it’s as far removed from the processed sandwiches and standing-room-only of the 08.30 from Waterloo as a Rolls-Royce is from a wheelbarrow.

What is the Rocky Mountaineer?

The privately-owned service was founded in 1990 as an all-daylight journey through Western Canada and the Rockies. Today they offer three Canadian routes between Vancouver, in British Columbia, and either Jasper or Banff in Alberta, as well as one US route across Utah and Colorado.

There are two levels of service – the luxury Gold Leaf, which I’m taking, and the more affordable Silver Leaf, in smaller carriages where meals are served at your seat, airline-style.

I’m riding the ‘Journey Through the Clouds’, 560 miles from Vancouver to Jasper. This trip takes two days, with approximately ten hours a day on the train and an overnight stop in the city of Kamloops.

And while I’ve been promised spectacular views, I’m still a bit concerned: I’m not good at doing nothing, so I’ve packed my Kindle and downloaded some TV shows, just in case I get bored.

Boarding the train

But as I walk around Vancouver on the afternoon before our departure, I begin to get a sense that I needn’t worry. It’s late September, the sun is golden, the maples and aspens are exploding in autumn hues of amber, rust, and lemon, and the city has never looked so photogenic.

Just after sunrise the next morning we roll out of Rocky Mountaineer’s private Vancouver station, and as we follow the dramatic Fraser River eastbound and leave the city behind, there are photo opportunities everywhere.

With its enormous, curved windows and outdoor viewing platform, our carriage is the perfect place to snap them from, and at key moments the driver slows to ‘Kodak’ speed so we can fully savour each moment.

Kyra, our cheerful host, gives us some history. “The railway line was completed in just five years in the 1880s,” she tells us as we glide past soaring suspension bridges, lumber yards stacked with fragrant cedar, and vivid green farmland.

“It was an astonishing feat of engineering, and crucial in unifying east and west Canada. But Indigenous peoples have traversed this land for thousands of years before that. On this trip we’ll cross through upwards of 30 First Nations communities.”

Read more: Jasper In Fall: 10 Reasons Autumn Is The Best Time To Visit

Luxury train, luxury food

I could admire the views all day (and I do!) but there’s the pressing issue of breakfast to attend to. We’re summoned downstairs, where we’re seated at window booths with crisp white tablecloths and polished cutlery that gleams in the morning light.

We’re offered a menu featuring ingredients sourced from the regions the train crosses: a fruit salad containing local blackberries, Canadian maple syrup pastries, and a choice of mains including melt-in-the-mouth eggs Benedict with smoked Canadian bacon, or a sizzling skillet of sausage from British Columbia with a glistening sunny-side-up egg and sourdough from an artisan bakery in Vancouver – all magicked up from a tiny galley kitchen at the back of the carriage.

Breakfast is a great time to chat to some of my fellow passengers, most of whom are taking the bucket-list trip of a lifetime. Walter and Vera are here for their 60^th wedding anniversary, and two other couples are celebrating their 50^th.

There’s also Tara from Australia, who’s doing the journey both ways – from Vancouver to Jasper and then from Banff back to Vancouver – and another couple from Pennsylvania who are finally enjoying their dream holiday three years after it was cancelled due to Covid.

Endless views from the train in Canada

We return to our seats and press our faces to the windows again. Every bend in the track brings another stunning vista: from mint-coloured river bends to frothing rapids, and from craggy mountains to plunging gorges carved out over millions of years by ancient glaciers.

At Hell’s Gate the rock walls of the canyon squeeze together, forcing the churning river through a gap only 35 metres wide – and we crowd onto the back deck to take photos.

Mid-morning the bar opens. Ivan, from Mexico, brings me a Caesar, the national cocktail of Canada containing vodka, clamato (clam and tomato) juice, and rimmed with celery salt. I expect it to be fishy, but it’s surprisingly savoury and nourishing.

“I love my job,” Ivan tells me with a grin. “It’s amazing to see people’s faces light up when we show them our backyard. The scenery is constantly changing – I see something new every single trip.”

But the Rocky Mountaineer is as much about the food as the views, so it’s not long before we’re summoned to lunch.

There’s a platter of smoky Pacific tuna, poached prawns and tangy pickled vegetables, a choice of mains including Fraser Valley chicken with sundried tomatoes or a steelhead trout salad from Vancouver Island’s Lois Lake, and a rich chocolate torte sprinkled with sea salt – all paired with Chardonnay or Shiraz from BC’s Okanagan Valley wine region.

We’re so well-fed that we don’t need dinner when we arrive in Kamloops, and after a relaxed night in the smart Marriott Delta hotel, we rejoin the train for Day Two.  

Wildlife and history on the Canadian train

For the first couple of hours the track snakes between dark green pines dotted with aspens, their silvery trunks topped with clouds of golden foliage.

At one point a team member in one of the forward carriages spots a bear and radios through to Kyra; we all leap up to see, but it’s already vanished into the forest.

There are more landmarks, from a 90-metre waterfall visible only from the train, to the telegraph poles where railway workers would hang important messages for the drivers travelling down the line.

Some of the stories are sobering – we spot a memorial to the 21 victims of a train collision in 1950 – the devastating result of one of those messages being missed – and later we pass huge swathes of charred forest and even an entire village destroyed by recent wildfires. 

Read more: 4 Days In Jasper National Park: An Awesome Jasper Itinerary

The food and views continue

At lunch we’re served a charcuterie board featuring prosciutto and a soft Canadian brie, and for main I opt for the special: a perfectly-pink tenderloin steak with crushed potatoes and a rich red wine jus.

I’d savour every mouthful, but Kyra keeps announcing another unmissable view – the dazzling blue Moose Lake, or the glacier-topped peak of Mount Robson, the highest in the Canadian Rockies – so I have to keep abandoning my meal and dashing outside to see. Our waiters Sean and Miranda take it all in their stride – they see this behaviour every day.

When, early in the evening, we finally arrive in Jasper, I realise I haven’t picked up my book once. I’d thought I’d be bored; that a 20-hour train journey would be a struggle for someone who likes to get their steps in, but from the three-course meals and cocktails on tap to the ever-changing landscapes there was always something to draw my attention.

The Rocky Mountaineer really is the embodiment of that quote attributed to TS Eliot: ‘The journey, not the destination matters.’

Read more: 18 Stunning Photo Spots In Jasper National Park

Three animals you may see from the train in Canada

Western Canada is teeming with wildlife, and the railway takes passengers deep into the wilderness where animals roam undisturbed by humans. Here are three iconic creatures you might spot from the train (if you’re lucky).

Bears

BC and Alberta are home to both enormous grizzlies and the smaller black bear. The Fraser River, along which the train runs for much of its journey, is famously also the route of the salmon run, when millions of salmon swim back upstream to spawn.  

You may see bears fishing along the river’s edge, especially in autumn when they emerge to fatten up for winter.

Moose

The largest members of the deer family, male moose can weigh up to 700 kg and stand over 2 metres tall. Their impressive antlers, which can spread up to 1.5 metres wide, fall off every winter and re-grow again in the spring.

Moose are surprisingly good swimmers – in warmer temperatures they like to spend time in water to cool off and escape biting bugs – so if you’re travelling in the summer, look out for them in the rivers and lakes alongside the track.

Bighorn sheep

These impressive animals are recognisable from the males’ large, curled horns, which can weigh up to 10% of their body weight.

Bighorn sheep are often seen perched on mountainsides and are one of the most commonly spotted animals by guests on the Rocky Mountaineer. But you need to keep your eyes peeled as their sandy-coloured coats blend well into the rock face.

How to book Canada’s top luxury train

You can book through your travel agent or find Rocky Mountaineer routes and tours here.

How much does this luxury train trip cost?

The Journey Through The Clouds route that I did includes two days on the train, one night in a really nice hotel in Kamloops, plus breakfast and lunch on board and unlimited drinks and snacks. At the time of writing it cost from £1290 per person in Silver Leaf or £1744 in Gold Leaf.

Where to stay for your train journey through the Rocky Mountains

Recommended hotel in Vancouver

I stayed at the Listel Hotel Vancouver the night before boarding the luxury train. My room was cosy and comfortable and it was in a great central location. From there I was able to walk both to the city centre/waterfront and also down the hill into Stanley Park.

Recommended hotels in Jasper

After my train journey, I spent four nights at Bear Hill Lodge in Jasper in a cosy one-room cabin. The lodge is about a 15 minute walk from the town centre, and was quiet and comfortable.

A great alternative is Pyramid Lake Lodge. I didn’t stay here, but I’ve been there twice and had dinner in the restaurant. It’s in an incredible location overlooking Pyramid Lake, and you can do activities like kayaking and canoeing directly from there. The dinner was one of the best I ate in all of Canada!

Recommended hotel in Banff

Fairmont hotels are known for their luxury, and the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel is no exception. The elite choice if you’re heading to Banff and have the budget.

Another great but more affordable option in Banff is the Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. Rooms are spacious and comfy and the mountain views are incredible.

This article was originally published in Sainsbury’s Magazine. I was hosted by Rocky Mountaineer.

Buy me a coffee

Did you enjoy this website or find it useful? If you did and fancy showing your appreciation, that would be amazing!

A small token of support helps keep Passport & Pixels going, so I can carry on creating free content for travellers like you. Also, it makes my day! Thank you!

Where to next?

If you enjoyed this post, why not try some of my other Canada or train travel posts?

• Taking The Sleeper Train In India: What’s It Really Like?
• A day trip to Port de Sóller on the Palma Soller train, Mallorca
• Finding Dinosaurs in Alberta: An Epic Canada Dinosaur Safari
• A Perfect Sri Lanka 2 Week Itinerary (With Stunning Photos)
• Things To Do In Winnipeg: My Ideal 1-Day Winnipeg Itinerary
• The Canadian Big Five: The Most Iconic Animals In Canada