The Rocky Mountaineer is taken into account some of the luxurious and scenic practice experiences in North America, with service by means of Western Canada and the American Rocky Mountains. What started as a family-owned enterprise in 1990 is now the world’s largest privately-operated luxurious practice expertise.

I had the chance to take the Rocky Mountaineer and take a look at it for myself not too long ago, when my companion Jessy and I ventured from the West Coast to the Rocky Mountains for 2 days of grandeur aboard the practice.

Whereas I’ve taken a number of practice journeys earlier than, this may be my first time onboard a luxurious practice of any sort, and I used to be excited to see how it could evaluate to my many flights in premium cabins.

Rocky Mountaineer – Routes

There are 4 distinct rail routes supplied by the Rocky Mountaineer, which operates from April to October every year:

• “First Passage to the West”, which we took, is the most well-liked route, and was beforehand often called the “Kicking Horse Route”. This itinerary encompasses a two-day journey from Vancouver to Lake Louise or Banff, with an in a single day cease in Kamloops en route.
• “Rainforest to Gold Rush” runs from Vancouver to Jasper over the course of three days, with stops in Whistler and Quesnel.
• “Journey By way of The Clouds” travels from Vancouver to Jasper, with just one cease in Kamloops alongside the way in which.
• “Rockies to The Pink Rocks” is a two-day route accessible within the US Rocky Mountains. This route runs from Moab to Denver, and is at present the lone route outdoors of Canada.

A number of packages can be found. We launched into one of many “Brief Journeys”, which takes two or three days throughout the varied routes.

Mid-length journeys are often called “Rocky Highlights”, which offer additional days to go to outstanding stops, and “Circle Journeys” are the longest potential reserving possibility, which permits passengers to mix a number of routes for a extra in depth expertise.

Rocky Mountaineer – Lessons of Service

The SilverLeaf cabin is the base-level providing onboard the Rocky Mountaineer, whereas the GoldLeaf cabin is Rocky Mountaineer’s premier class, with an elevated railway expertise.

Each embrace complimentary meals and snacks, in addition to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Nevertheless, with the GoldLeaf Service, there are a number of notable additional inclusions.

SilverLeaf is a single-level carriage with stationary seats and normal home windows. Compared, GoldLeaf has a two-level carriage, with a eating room and out of doors viewing platform on the decrease degree.

Moreover, GoldLeaf options full-dome glass home windows on the higher degree for unparalleled panorama views. Furthermore, the seats are roomier, and have the flexibility to recline.

Should you’re travelling in SilverLeaf, you can also improve to SilverLeaf Plus on sure routes, which grants you entry to a lounge automotive. This lounge has its personal devoted host, bar, and lounge chairs, which makes for a pleasant, social ambiance.

Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Reserving

You may ebook the Rocky Mountaineer straight on-line or by means of a journey company. A journey agent can organize the practice journey as part of a extra in depth package deal journey by means of the area.

For a two-day journey on the First Passage to the West route that travels from Vancouver to Banff, it’s round $1,800 (CAD) in SilverLeaf and $2,000 (CAD) in SilverLeaf Plus. Reserving a GoldLeaf journey comes with a price ticket of round $2,500 (CAD) per particular person.

Recall that Rocky Mountaineer additionally gives a partnership with Aeroplan. You probably have Aeroplan Elite Standing of at the very least 50K standing or a premium Aeroplan co-branded bank card, you get an computerized improve from SilverLeaf to GoldLeaf, topic to availability on the time of reserving.

Moreover, all Aeroplan elite members, in addition to premium co-branded credit score cardholders, will get pleasure from a resort room improve on the primary and final nights of their journey.

As an Aeroplan elite member or premium bank card holder, your finest guess is to ebook SilverLeaf, affirm an improve to GoldLeaf if potential, and in addition safe upgraded lodging on the motels alongside the way in which. 

It’s additionally potential to redeem Aeroplan factors for Rocky Mountaineer present playing cards to cowl the ticket value, though it isn’t essentially the highest-value use of Aeroplan factors. 

For full disclosure, I booked this journey on the “First Passage to the West” route within the GoldLeaf class of service at a beneficial journey agent fee to assessment the expertise.

Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Departure

For this two-day expertise from Vancouver to Banff, we confirmed up on the Vancouver trainyard vivid and early at 7am.

The Rocky Mountaineer Station is situated near the Pacific Railway Station; nevertheless, the Rocky Mountaineer has a separate trainyard of its personal.

The check-in course of is easy and swift. Merely present the attendants your boarding cross, and they’re going to seize your checked baggage. Baggage is then loaded onto a separate bus that travels by highway to Kamloops, and finally onwards to Banff.

The boarding cross consists of your pre-assigned seat and coach for the journey. For these on a “Circle Journey” round-trip reserving, a unique coach and seat are assigned for every leg.

Earlier than making our means onboard, we have been invited to assist ourselves to some espresso or tea within the ready space.

As I sipped on a heat beverage, I spent a while admiring the outside of the gorgeous façade of the practice.

The outside is adorned in a deep blue, with touches of gold and white. The double-mountain brand is printed sharply between a Canadian and British Columbian flag.

Beneath the practice steps was a vibrant crimson carpet, able to welcome us onboard and into the GoldLeaf cabin to kick off this thrilling two-day journey.

Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Cabin

Within the GoldLeaf cabin, the decrease deck performs host to the eating automotive, the place passengers go for his or her meals. The higher deck is the viewing cabin, accessible by a set of curved stairs.

The inside of the higher cabin has an ultra-modern look. It’s glossy and clear, with a full glass dome ceiling offering crisp, uninterrupted views.

The cabin has a delicate pure color palette, with leather-lined seats and touches of picket parts.

This upper-level viewing cabin is the place drinks and snacks are served, and can also be the place passengers cross the time throughout the day. On the far finish of the viewing deck is a galley space, the place the workers collect to organize drinks and snacks.

The GoldLeaf cabin is organized in a 2-2 configuration throughout 18 rows, and might accommodate as much as 72 company.

{Couples} travelling collectively are often seated collectively. Should you’re travelling alone, you’ll probably be seated subsequent to a stranger.

Understand that luxurious practice journeys are sometimes a social affair, and also you’re inspired to socialize with different company whether or not you’re up within the viewing deck or down beneath within the eating automotive.

The GoldLeaf cabin’s true spotlight is the viewing deck, with its expansive glass ceiling home windows that supply panoramic views of the passing surroundings.

Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Seat

The leather-based seats onboard Rocky Mountaineer’s GoldLeaf cabin are fairly snug. I’d say they’re similar to an airplane’s premium economic system seats.

Navigating the seat is sort of easy, as controls are situated on the seat’s armrest to fine-tune your seat’s place. Right here, you may alter the seat’s angle, recline, footrest, and temperature.

The GoldLeaf cabin seats help you recline a good bit, which is a characteristic you gained’t discover within the seats of the SilverLeaf cabin.

Constructed-in seat heaters preserve the seat toasty and comfortable, because the air-con is cranked on in the beginning of the practice journey to maintain the cabin from overheating later. Thus, the seat hotter is available in fairly helpful within the mornings.

Must you want a little bit of cupboard space, there’s a pocket behind the seat in entrance of you, and a few house beneath that seat.

A tray desk pops straight forwards from the armrests, after which rotates upwards after which downwards alongside one other axis into place. There’s sufficient house for a snack and drink, however extra fulsome meals are consumed downstairs.

Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Eating Automobile

Heading again down a set of stairs, an computerized glass door supplies entry to the eating automotive. Breakfast and lunch are served on the practice on each days, whereas snacks are offered at your seat.

There are extra passengers onboard the practice than can match within the eating cart directly. So, passengers are separated into two teams, and are invited to take their meals in two separate intervals.

On the primary day, our group was the primary to go down for each breakfast and lunch, after which on the second day, we needed to wait till the primary group completed eating.

Should you’re a part of the group who has to attend for breakfast, you’ll be handled to a beverage service and freshly baked pastries on the viewing deck when you wait.

The eating automotive has a handful of two-person and largely four-person cubicles, accessible on a first-come-first-served foundation.

Should you’re travelling solo or as a pair, you would end up seated at a four-person sales space, which supplies one other alternative to attach and socialize with fellow passengers.

Be aware that there’s no meal supplied for dinner, so if you happen to’re on the lookout for one thing to eat later within the day, you’re by yourself – whether or not that’s throughout the intermediate cease in Kamloops or upon arrival in Banff or Lake Louise. 

Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Day 1

Shortly after our departure from Vancouver, we headed down for breakfast and sat down with a pleasant aged couple from Australia.

We began with a number of contemporary croissants, adopted by a really intricately garnished cocktail with strawberries and apple slices within the glass, and a goldenberry on the prime.

I ordered the Shuswap bacon breakfast skillet, which was a bowl of soppy sunny aspect up eggs over crispy bacon, tender mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, and baked potatoes.

In the meantime, Jessy ordered the Eggs Benedict, which got here with hollandaise sauce poured over scorching bacon and tender salmon, in addition to tossed arugula and crunchy house potatoes on the aspect.

Each breakfast dishes have been pleasant, well-prepared, and really a lot befitting of the GoldLeaf cabin. They have been a step above what you may anticipate on a practice, and I used to be impressed with the kitchen workers’s skill to organize meals of such high quality onboard a transferring carriage.

I’d evaluate the general eating expertise onboard Rocky Mountaineer to someplace in-between enterprise class and First Class, though not fairly on the degree of first-rate eating on the bottom.

After breakfast, it was time for drinks again at our seat, the place I helped myself to some sizzling chocolate and a few snacks that have been handed out. It was nonetheless earlier than midday, so I didn’t get began on the alcoholic drinks fairly but.

To be trustworthy, there isn’t all an excessive amount of to do whereas on the practice, which we rapidly found as we made our means north by means of British Columbia. Other than consuming and taking within the views, we sometimes went downstairs to the out of doors vestibule for a breath of contemporary air.

Finally, we switched our sizzling chocolate out for gin sodas, and continued to absorb the views of the forests and fields of the Fraser Valley.

As we sipped on our drinks and ready to go down for lunch, we handed by one of many details of curiosity of the day.

The dashing white waters of Hell’s Gate within the Fraser Canyon have been fairly a sight to behold, because it’s an abrupt narrowing of the river with towering rock partitions.

For our lunch starter, we had a small candied salmon platter with some naan bread to share.

I then opted for the steak with roasted greens as my essential course, whereas Jessy selected the wholesome tofu bowl with grains and greens.

For dessert, we helped ourselves to cheesecake, which was creamy and candy, with a raspberry sauce drizzled over it.

As we continued in the direction of Kelowna, the surroundings started altering from lush and inexperienced to dramatic and dry. We handed by the city of Lytton, BC, which was devastated by wildfires the earlier summer time, making this leg a extra sombre a part of our journey.

Round 5:30pm, we arrived within the metropolis of Kamloops, BC. Our resort keys to the Delta Kamloops have been offered straight on the practice, so we didn’t must test in.

Reasonably, we merely disembarked from the practice and boarded the coach that introduced us on to the resort, and instantly headed upstairs to our room.

I’ll assessment the Delta Kamloops in a separate article, so keep tuned for that.

Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Day 2

Day 2 started with one other vivid and early begin, boarding the bus on the Delta Kamloops at 6:15am to return to the Kamloops trainyard. 

On this present day, we have been the second group to go down for breakfast. Whereas we waited, the practice workers got here by means of the viewing deck with some espresso, tea, and pastries.

We started breakfast with extra croissants and refreshing smoothies. This time, I had eggs with roasted potatoes topped with salmon for my essential dish, whereas Jessy had a yogurt parfait bowl.

After breakfast, I returned to my seat and opted for a Caesar, persevering with to admire the views as we approached the border of British Columbia and Alberta. The surroundings grew to become lush and inexperienced as soon as once more, as we moved into the mountains.

After a number of hours of pretty chatter with the older Scottish couple seated reverse us, it was lunchtime as soon as once more.

For lunch, we had a charcuterie plate with blue cheese unfold, some sausage, and contemporary baguettes.

I helped myself to braised veal cheek for the primary course, whereas Jessy had the risotto with salmon. I had a chew of Jessy’s and located it to be fairly tasty, however I wasn’t an enormous fan of my veal.

The views on Day 2 consisted of beautiful wide-open ranches, rocky lakeshores, and mountain peaks set in opposition to sunny blue skies – with the primary few snow-capped peaks beginning to seem as we climbed in the direction of Lake Louise within the afternoon.

We handed by Craigellachie, the place the final spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was hammered, after which approached the spiral tunnels of Kicking Horse Move.

These spiral tunnels are an engineering feat, during which a sequence of tunnels spiral inside the inside of the mountain. They have been designed this manner in order that trains can safely acquire elevation right here.

We have been a bit delayed alongside the rails alongside the course of our journey, so we have been handled to a further snack of butter rooster within the late afternoon.

To be frank, the butter rooster wasn’t that nice, but it surely nonetheless tided us over till our 8:30pm arrival in Banff.

By this time, we have been nearing the top of our journey, so I helped myself to a different Caesar as we approached Banff. The solar was setting over the mountains as we arrived, and the orange glow on the bushes passing round us was spectacular, and left a long-lasting impression.

Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Different Services

The restrooms on board are located on the decrease degree, and have been spacious, clear, and easy. The bathroom has two railings on either side for stabilizing your self because the practice strikes.

There’s a bench that folds down beside the bathroom, a fairly large mirror, and a small sink beneath.

Other than the glass ceiling on the viewing deck, the spotlight of the Rocky Mountaineer is the out of doors vestibule. The out of doors deck permits passengers to get nearer to the surroundings round them.

We beloved leaning over the railings and feeling the contemporary air and wind on our faces, taking within the surroundings because it handed by. We spent loads of trip right here merely absorbing and appreciating the views.

Conclusion

The Rocky Mountaineer gives a extra romantic and slow-paced model of journey in comparison with what I’m sometimes used to.

After my maiden expertise, I’d describe luxurious practice journey as a sort of “land cruise”, well-suited for travellers who’re blissful to absorb views at a leisurely tempo with out having to stand up and exert themselves an excessive amount of.

Nevertheless, it’s additionally not going to be the appropriate kind of journey expertise for everybody. For instance, Jessy and I have been nearly the one people beneath 50 years outdated on board.

I’d say that the Rocky Mountaineer is good for travellers of their wiser years who need to relish the social factor of wining and eating with fellow travellers, whereas additionally taking within the excellent lush forests, rocky lakes, and epic mountains from the consolation of a panoramic viewing deck.

In the meantime, for the youthful travellers on the market, take into account bringing your mother and father alongside a particular journey on the Rocky Mountaineer if one of these luxurious practice journey matches their journey model. 

For us, this was a pleasant change from the standard busy airports and lengthy flights. We actually loved our first luxurious practice expertise, and stay up for attempting out extra rail adventures around the globe.