Cross-Canada Classic Rail Journey
West to East

10 days / 9 nights Independent Holiday Package

Departs Year Round

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Day 1 — Vancouver / VIA Rail

Tuesday / Sunday

A transfer within Greater Vancouver including the Vancouver International Airport is included. Arrive at Pacific Central station for an evening departure aboard VIA Rail's Canadian. As the train heads into the night, relax in your Sleeper Plus Class car accommodations in the lounges or the dome car. Overnight VIA Rail.

Customize — Your Holiday, Your Way …

John Steel's Tour Consultants can add extra days, activities, and other options to your itinerary. Call for prices.

Day 2 — VIA Rail / Jasper National Park

Wednesday / Monday

Breakfast is served in the dining car. Watch for wildlife and magnificent Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Late afternoon arrival in Jasper, with transfer to your hotel. Remainder of day is yours to explore this picturesque mountain resort. Overnight Jasper — breakfast & lunch in dining car included.

Day 3 — Icefields Parkway / Lake Louise

Thursday / Tuesday

Full-day sightseeing tour of Icefields Parkway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Breathtaking scenery, from soaring mountain peaks to broad valley vistas, greets you at every turn on this 142 mile (230 km) scenic highway. Includes Athabasca Falls, Columbia Icefields Center, Crowfoot Glacier, Peyto Lake, plus a once-in-a-lifetime ride aboard the Ice Explorer, a vehicle specially designed to traverse the glacier. Overnight Lake Louise.

Day 4 — Lake Louise / Banff

Friday / Wednesday

Mid-day pick up for Mountains, Lakes and Waterfalls Tour. Visit beautiful Yoho National Park, The Great Divide, and Takakaw Falls. Overnight Banff.

Day 5 — Banff / Icefields Parkway / Jasper

Saturday / Thursday

Discover Banff with morning half-day motor coach tour, including Cave and Basin National Historic Site. You'll also ride the Banff Gondola with panoramic 360° views of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Late afternoon departure for drive-transfer to your hotel in Jasper. (Approx 5 hours). Overnight Jasper.

Day 6 — Jasper National Park

Sunday / Friday

Discover the beauty of Jasper National Park with part-day sightseeing tour, including Maligne Canyon and Maligne Lake, one of the most photographed scenes in the Canadian Rockies. Remainder of day at leisure. Overnight Jasper.

Day 7 — Jasper / VIA Rail

Monday / Saturday

Your journey continues with transfer to Jasper VIA Rail Station. Mid-day departure on VIA Rail's Canadian. Once again, you'll travel in Sleeper Plus Class car accommodations, with scenic dome, lounge, and dining car privileges. As the train leaves the Rockies, it heads eastward across vast, wide-open prairies. Overnight VIA Rail — dinner in dining car included.

Day 8 — VIA Rail

Tuesday / Sunday

Glimpse out your sleeping accommodation's wide picture window for early morning panoramic views of Saskatchewan's Qu'Appelle Valley, followed by brief late evening stop in Winnipeg. Overnight VIA Rail — breakfast, lunch & dinner in dining car included.

Day 9 — VIA Rail / Toronto

Wednesday / Monday

As you continue eastward, you'll notice a dramatic change of scenery as the train enters Ontario and the rugged Canadian Shield. Take photos from the scenic dome, chat with friends old and new over meals in the dining car, and relax in comfort in your Sleeper Plus Class car accommodations, all while Canada's grand wilderness passes by the train's large picture windows. Overnight VIA Rail — breakfast, lunch & dinner in dining car included.

Day 10 — VIA Rail / Toronto

Thursday / Tuesday

Landscapes transition from remote wilderness to the most populated region in Canada, with morning arrival in the nation's largest city, Toronto. Your classic Canadian holiday concludes with transfer to airport. Bon Voyage! Breakfast in dining car included.

Price includes

  • 5 nights' accommodation in hotels.
  • 4 nights in VIA Rail's Sleeper Plus Class accommodation.
  • Transportation and transfers, as described.
  • Select sightseeing, activities, and admissions, as described (Seasonal Availability).
  • 10 meals: 4 breakfasts; 3 lunches; 3 dinners.
  • Not included — any items not listed such as but not limited to Goods & Services Tax and/or Harmonized Sales Tax; meals (other than listed); baggage handling; gratuities; travel insurance; personal expenses; custom tour add-ons.
  • Please read Things To Know Before You Go for further information.

Info to know

  • Reservations are confirmed upon receipt of $250 CDN per person deposit.
  • A complete self-guiding itinerary and vouchers are provided after receipt of full and final payment, due no later than 60 (sixty) days prior to date of Day 1 of your itinerary. (VISA, Mastercard, AmEx, bank draft)
  • All monies paid are non-refundable. Ask your John Steel Tour Consultant about travel insurance, its coverages, conditions, and limitations
  • If applicable, pack an overnight bag for all overnight rail journeys. Safety rules limit carry-on luggage.
  • Please do not make closely connecting travel arrangements before &/or after tour. John Steel is not responsible for missed connections.
  • All products &/or services are subject to John Sharpe's Rail Tours Ltd., operating as John Steel Rail Tours' (JSRT), "General Conditions & Waiver."
  • Please ask your John Steel Tour Consultant for family pricing.

Prices and inclusions are subject to change without notice and vary by season. Prices shown have been adjusted where necessary to reflect seasonal availability of sightseeing and attractions.

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PRICE DETAILS:
2012 Canadian dollar prices — per guest, double occupancy in hotels • Senior prices available (60 years and better).

2012 Season
January 1 – December 31
  ADULT
Priced from: $1869

mountains, lake, scenery, forest