Train Vacations: Rocky Mountains Rise to Occasion

By Travel Alberta,

travelalberta [at] raremethod . com
www1.travelalberta.com

When you arrive in Alberta by train from the west, you confront a wall of mountains. The Canadian Rockies rise to meet you and the glittering, snowy peaks provide a shiver of primal recognition, regardless of the season. As you cross the Continental Divide, the tracks take you to the zenith of Canadian train vacations.

Canadian train trips to Jasper, Banff, Lake Louise and Calgary showcase the province's national parks and formidable terrain and wildlife, while onboard you can enjoy fine dining, the know-how of experienced guides and take the pleasure to stretch your feet (and your neck, as you gawk at the scenery).

There are several train operations providing services in the province, and in most cases they link with Alberta's western next-door neighbor, British Columbia, which in 2010 hosts the Winter Olympics in Whistler.

You can take trains that run from the port city of Vancouver or the mountain town of Whistler, or you can begin your journey (usually a few days) from Banff National Park, Jasper National Park or Calgary, the international gateway city to the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

You'll find highlights of some of the Canadian train trips below. At the bottom of the story are links to the websites for more information on scheduling, pricing and routes.

Rocky Mountaineer Train Vacations Rock

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations is recognized as a providing holidays that rock: it has won the prestigious World Travel Award, World's Leading Travel Experience by Train.

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations' manager of communications, Michelle Dunn, has taken all the routes. She provides a sneak peek of the very popular Kicking Horse Route (Vancouver to Banff).

"We sell the Canadian Rockies by daylight by rail," says Dunn. "You always go through stunning scenery by daylight. The last thing you want to do is go through this scenery in the dark. That's why we run April to October. If you look at some of most popular packages, they focus on long stays in the Rockies and include Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise in Alberta."

Lake Louise is the second most visited natural site in Canada next to Niagara Falls, says Dunn, and packages upon arrival in Jasper, Lake Louise or Banff include the Icefields Parkway. The parkway runs through Jasper and Banff national parks and it's one of the world's most scenic drives, featuring the Columbia Icefields, where you can take a specially designed rugged vehicle out onto glaciers.

"I did it myself and couldn't believe it," says Dunn. "You are touching and climbing over glaciers. The Canadian Rockies are the draw for people from around the world and we give them a way to get there by train."

Get a Rocky Mountain High with Kicking Vistas

Here's Dunn's view from the Kicking Horse Route train.

"As you are coming up on the Continental Divide, which is the highest point on the trip, you go through the spiral tunnels. The train is cutting a four per cent grade through stunning mountains, including Mount Cathedral and Mount Ogden. As you go through, you see the car behind you is at a ninety degree angle and you realize the train has overlapped itself. The whole thing is a perfect maze, the railway doubling back upon itself twice, going under mountains and over rivers in order to cut down the grade. It's an engineering marvel."

"As you come into Alberta, it's like a wall of mountain, you catch your breath and understand 'this is what mountains are all about'; it's almost like you turn a corner and boom, there they are with their snowy peaks."

"Nature seems that much more accessible and closer. I saw a mother bear down by the tracks and a baby bear climbing up a tree. As soon as you de-train in town, the sheep and elk are wandering down the streets."

Lake Louise, Banff and Jasper: Different Strokes

"Lake Louise makes you feel like you are a million miles away from civilization; the environment around you is larger than life. The lake is a stunning glacial, blue and green colour, just like the postcard pictures. You can easily go on a hike and not bump into anyone. You feel completely away from the world. Banff is nice if you want a more resort feel, it has great dining and shopping."

"My favourite is Jasper, because you get the lodge experience with all those log cabins. I personally like my vacations peaceful, quieter, calmer but also experiential. You want to come away having learned about your destinations and Rocky Mountain vacations does that."

On this trip, during the day when you spend most of your time in B.C., the menu reflects ingredients from B.C. And the day you are going into or starting in Alberta, then Alberta is the focus. Here are some of the Alberta menu items from all three routes: Slow Roasted Alberta Bison; Slow Roasted Alberta Beef Strip Loin; and North Alberta Pickerel Tortellini with Julienne Beef.

Train Your Eye on Royal Canadian Pacific

Royal Canadian Pacific (RCP) is a world-renowned provider of luxury rail tours, and it's a World's Leading Luxury Train nominee for World Travel Awards 2006. Royal Canadian Pacific guests dine and sleep on board the fleet of magnificently restored vintage rail cars, while enjoying superior personal service and attention to detail. Private en suite rooms combine modern convenience with the old-world charm of the early 1900s.

The classic, all-inclusive tour between June and October in the 2006 season showcases the signature Royal Canadian Rockies Experience, featuring a six-day, 650-mile train trip amid the majestic Rocky Mountains, including stops in Banff and Lake Louise, and through the scenic Columbia River Valley.

Royal Canadian Pacific's parent company, Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), is celebrating its 125th year as a company, so this is a great year to hop aboard. Other planned trips include RCP's Royal Clubhouse Golf Excursion, featuring stops at Stewart Creek, Greywolf, Trickle Creek and Banff Springs golf courses, and the Royal Fly-Fishing Adventure, to some of the best sport fishing rivers in the world.

The Royal Culinary, Wine and Music Experience goes to the heart of Canada's wine region and highlights the skills of the rail tour operator's chefs, as they present a potpourri of food and cultural diversions unique to western Canada.

Custom private charters can be arranged outside of Royal Canadian Pacific's scheduled offerings. Guests have the ability to customize their own exciting land-cruise journeys and choose from a variety of routes and guided, off-train activities.

VIA Rail Canada: Height of the Rockies, Depths of the Prairies

VIA offers many different packages and Canadian train trips, including Alberta. It gives you the option of stopping in Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, the international gateway to the North. You can travel inland from Jasper aboard the Canadian and stop off in Edmonton, otherwise knows as Festival City because of its many year-round festivals. As well, Edmonton is home to the West Edmonton Mall, the largest indoor shopping centre in the world.

Getting to and from Jasper is made very easy by the route of the Canadian, which connects to Vancouver in B.C. to the west and tours Alberta and the Prairies, ending in Toronto in Ontario to the east. The Skeena also starts in Jasper, but travels through British Columbia to Prince Rupert.

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Travel Alberta (http://www.travelalberta.com) is the destination marketing organization for the Province of Alberta. Guided by the Strategic Tourism Marketing Council, Travel Alberta is the steward for the effective delivery of tourism marketing programs. For information about our organization, please visit our Travel Alberta industry web site at http://industry.travelalberta.com