All Aboard: Taking the Train from Vancouver to Jasper

The Rocky Mountaineer with its iconic scenic dome car – and pricey tickets – is not the only way to take a train journey to the Canadian Rocky Mountains from Vancouver. And it’s not the answer if you want to experience sleeping on a gently rolling train overnight. To celebrate my 40th birthday we climbed aboard The Canadian with VIA Rail for an unforgettable 18 hour journey by train, from Vancouver to Jasper.

The Route

The Canadian Pacific railway was completed in 1885, spanning the entire continent. It revolutionised trade, and opened up more of the country to settlers. And then of course came the tourists. A second line, the Canadian Northern Route opened in 1917 – it is this route that is now traversed by The Canadian.

VIA Rail is Canada’s national rail service, and is the only provider to offer a complete cross-country service. The Canadian links Vancouver with Toronto, a mammoth 92 hour journey. Passengers can travel all or part of the 12,500 km route, with stops in Jasper, Edmonton and Winnipeg. The journey sweeps through flat prairies, and between super-sized summits which make valleys look as deep as canyons. Moose and grizzly bears look on as this meal on wheels – or rails – speed past. Each day brings a new spectacular landscape.

The Train

The Vancouver to Jasper route is served by The Canadian with it’s sleek stainless-steel coaches constructed in the 1950s.

There are three different tickets available: Economy, Sleeper Plus and Prestige. The most basic ticket gets you a seat – albeit a comfortable, reclining one – but it’s worth choosing a sleeper option. Private cabins are more costly, however we opted for an upper and lower berth; this suited us fine for one night aboard. Sleeper Plus has all meals and (non-alcoholic) beverages included, which on our journey meant breakfast and a three-course lunch.

Berths are small semi-private seating areas, converted at night into bunks. Thick curtains provide plenty of privacy and create a cosy sleeping environment. The lower berths have the best visibility from the windows. Toilets and showers are at the end of each car, limited to the guests in that area only.

All classes have access to the elevated Skyline Car, its domed windows affording breathtaking panoramic views. Breakfast is first come first served; lunch is served in three different sessions meaning that guest dining can be managed efficiently. There’s also a bar, with a decent selection of craft beers from regions along the route.

Each area of the train (excluding Economy) also has an activity car where you can find books, magazines and board games, and various entertainment or information sessions take place here. There’s also a small self-service refreshments area, with hot drinks, juice, fresh fruit and sweet snacks available throughout the day.

Our experience on The Canadian

This was a bucket-list journey for me. I planned our whole Canadian trip around this journey by train from Vancouver to Jasper. Having never taken a sleeper train before, we had no idea what to expect. Would we have any privacy in our berths? What would the bathroom facilities be like? Is there wi-fi? Can I charge my phone? And what would we actually DO for 18 hours on a train?

We began our journey at Pacific Central in Vancouver, a city which boasts mountains, beaches and metropolis all in one. Our two large suitcases are checked in through to Jasper. Stuffed into an overnight bag is everything we might require for the next 18 hours. Boarding begins at 7:30pm. Our sleeper car 212 seems to be miles down the platform; we begin to get a sense of how long the train is. 26 carriages to be exact.

Melanie, our VIA Rail attendant, greets us. She will look after us for the next 18 hours. Trying to offset the costs of sticking a big expensive train ride in the middle of our trip we opted for an upper and lower berth rather than a cabin. The berths are in groups of three. We have no-one directly opposite us, giving us a certain degree of privacy.

The train slowly starts moving through the Vancouver suburbs. The outskirts of the city are industrial; seemingly never-ending freight trains carry their goods in the opposite direction. We’re invited to a “Bon Voyage” party. This is our first chance to wander around our section of the train, and for Melanie to transform our seats into bunk beds. After a dribble of sparkling wine and a single hors d’oeuvres, we head back to 212 to settle down for the night.

Mr Fletche kindly lets me have the lower bunk. This means that I don’t have to wrestle with the ladder in the middle of the night for any bathroom visits. Being rocked to sleep with the gentle rumbling of the train underneath me is surprisingly soothing. Having the lower bunk means I get the window. Which provides my entertainment in the early hours of the morning. I should be sleeping but prefer not to miss any of the slowly lightening sky outside.

Taking the Morning Train

We’re both awake and ready for first breakfast service at 6:30am. Mr Fletche has the omelette of the day and a seemingly endless supply of coffee. I have pancakes with stewed apple and granola. And a proper pot of tea. This is much better than normal train grub. On returning to our berth, we note that Melanie has already changed it round to a “daytime configuration”.

Being early birds we get a much coveted seat in the Dome car, with panoramic views. We don’t leave these seats until our designated 12:30 lunchtime. Much to the chagrin of those that hopefully pop their head up the stairs. We get to watch the changing landscape, and we begin to see lakes, mountains and waterfalls even before we hit the Rockies themselves. There’s not much else to do. There’s no Wi-Fi, and 3G is sketchy to say the least. The focus is on relaxation, letting the train take the strain and contentedly admiring the colossal landscapes outside your window.

Lunch is a three-course affair, and we dine at a communal table for four. Our table mates are a semi-retired Danish-Canadian couple, excellent lunch companions with a love for travel that equals ours. We spend an enjoyable hour or so comparing adventures.

After 18 hours aboard (we gain an hour as we cross into Alberta), we disembark at Jasper, a wonderful town with a myriad of charms, perfect for hiking and exploring, and a gateway to the stunning Icefields Parkway. Jasper was the starting point of our Canadian road trip, taking us to Banff, Revelstoke, Kamloops and Whistler before returning to Vancouver ten days later.

Is The Canadian the same as the Rocky Mountaineer?

The Rocky Mountaineer gets all the press. It’s one of the world’s most epic train journeys. And if you are looking for the most luxurious train from Vancouver to Jasper then it sure takes some beating. But whilst The Canadian can be expensive, The Rocky Mountaineer is SUPER-EXPENSIVE. There’s no economy option on the Rocky Mountaineer, with their Silver Leaf class coming in at almost double the cost of a Sleeper Plus ticket on The Canadian (a shocking £1100 per person)

The Rocky Mountaineer travels during daylight hours only, with passengers disembarking to spend evenings in a hotel. But when travelling on board The Canadian, your journey continues through the night, meaning you sleep aboard the train.

The Vancouver to Jasper route is almost identical on both trains. Rocky Mountaineer calls this their “Journey Through The Clouds” route and it traverses the original trans-continental Canadian Pacific route. The Canadian shares its track with freight trains, meaning that the journey can be prone to long delays – freight takes priority over passengers. It’s best not to schedule any onward connections just in case (although our train actually arrived ahead of schedule).

How to book your train from Vancouver to Jasper

Bookings can be made via the VIA Rail website up to 11 months before your travel date. You can often find promotions and special deals on their website – when we booked there were always discount rates released on a Tuesday so its worth doing a bit of research beforehand.

The train from Vancouver to Jasper is not a cheap option. Sleeper Plus for two (with a lower and upper berth) was around £800 (discounted rate, standard rate is around £1300). But it’s an amazing experience, and for me, was worth every single penny. I genuinely felt sad to leave the train. 18 hours sounds like such a long time on a train, but in reality the time flew by. If you ever have the chance to travel across Canada by train, jump at the chance.

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