The Rocky Mountaineer is taken into account one of the luxurious and scenic prepare 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 prepare expertise.
I had the chance to take the Rocky Mountaineer and take a look at it for myself lately, when my associate Jessy and I ventured from the West Coast to the Rocky Mountains for 2 days of grandeur aboard the prepare.
Whereas I’ve taken just a few prepare journeys earlier than, this is able to be my first time onboard a luxurious prepare of any variety, and I used to be excited to see how it might examine to my many flights in premium cabins.
Rocky Mountaineer – Routes
There are 4 distinct rail routes provided by the Rocky Mountaineer, which operates from April to October annually:
- “First Passage to the West”, which we took, is the preferred route, and was beforehand referred to as 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 Via The Clouds” travels from Vancouver to Jasper, with just one cease in Kamloops alongside the best way.
- “Rockies to The Pink Rocks” is a two-day route out there within the US Rocky Mountains. This route runs from Moab to Denver, and is at present the lone route exterior 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 referred to as “Rocky Highlights”, which give additional days to go to outstanding stops, and “Circle Journeys” are the longest attainable reserving choice, which permits passengers to mix a number of routes for a extra intensive expertise.
Rocky Mountaineer – Courses 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 embody complimentary meals and snacks, in addition to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Nonetheless, with the GoldLeaf Service, there are just a few 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 outside viewing platform on the decrease stage.
Moreover, GoldLeaf options full-dome glass home windows on the higher stage for unparalleled panorama views. Furthermore, the seats are roomier, and have the power to recline.
When you’re travelling in SilverLeaf, you can also improve to SilverLeaf Plus on sure routes, which grants you entry to a lounge automobile. This lounge has its personal devoted host, bar, and lounge chairs, which makes for a pleasant, social environment.
Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Reserving
You possibly can e-book the Rocky Mountaineer immediately on-line or by means of a journey company. A journey agent can organize the prepare experience as part of a extra intensive bundle 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 individual.
Recall that Rocky Mountaineer additionally presents a partnership with Aeroplan. If in case you have Aeroplan Elite Standing of not less than 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 lodge room improve on the primary and final nights of their journey.
As an Aeroplan elite member or premium bank card holder, your finest wager is to e-book SilverLeaf, verify an improve to GoldLeaf if attainable, and in addition safe upgraded lodging on the accommodations alongside the best way.
It’s additionally attainable to redeem Aeroplan factors for Rocky Mountaineer reward 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 evaluate 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 brilliant and early at 7am.
The Rocky Mountaineer Station is situated near the Pacific Railway Station; nonetheless, 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 go, and they’ll seize your checked baggage. Baggage is then loaded onto a separate bus that travels by street to Kamloops, and finally onwards to Banff.
The boarding go consists of your pre-assigned seat and coach for the journey. For these on a “Circle Journey” round-trip reserving, a distinct coach and seat are assigned for every leg.
Earlier than making our method onboard, we had 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 attractive façade of the prepare.
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.
Under the prepare steps was a vibrant purple 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 automobile, 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 mushy pure color palette, with leather-lined seats and touches of wood parts.
This upper-level viewing cabin is the place drinks and snacks are served, and can be the place passengers go the time through the day. On the far finish of the viewing deck is a galley space, the place the employees collect to arrange drinks and snacks.
The GoldLeaf cabin is organized in a 2-2 configuration throughout 18 rows, and may accommodate as much as 72 company.
{Couples} travelling collectively are normally seated collectively. When you’re travelling alone, you’ll almost certainly be seated subsequent to a stranger.
Needless to say luxurious prepare 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 automobile.
The GoldLeaf cabin’s true spotlight is the viewing deck, with its expansive glass ceiling home windows that provide 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 moderately snug. I’d say they’re corresponding 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 regulate the seat’s angle, recline, footrest, and temperature.
The GoldLeaf cabin seats mean you can recline a good bit, which is a function you gained’t discover within the seats of the SilverLeaf cabin.
Constructed-in seat heaters preserve the seat toasty and comfy, because the air con is cranked on at the start of the prepare experience 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 at the back of the seat in entrance of you, and a few area beneath that seat.
A tray desk pops immediately forwards from the armrests, after which rotates upwards after which downwards alongside one other axis into place. There’s sufficient area for a snack and drink, however extra fulsome meals are consumed downstairs.
Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Eating Automotive
Heading again down a set of stairs, an computerized glass door gives entry to the eating automobile. Breakfast and lunch are served on the prepare on each days, whereas snacks are offered at your seat.
There are extra passengers onboard the prepare 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 move down for each breakfast and lunch, after which on the second day, we needed to wait till the primary group completed eating.
When 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 automobile has a handful of two-person and largely four-person cubicles, out there on a first-come-first-served foundation.
When you’re travelling solo or as a pair, you may end up seated at a four-person sales space, which gives one other alternative to attach and socialize with fellow passengers.
Notice that there’s no meal provided for dinner, so should you’re on the lookout for one thing to eat later within the day, you’re by yourself – whether or not that’s through 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 just a few recent 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 had been pleasant, well-prepared, and really a lot befitting of the GoldLeaf cabin. They had been a step above what you would possibly count on on a prepare, and I used to be impressed with the kitchen employees’s means to arrange meals of such high quality onboard a shifting carriage.
I’d examine the general eating expertise onboard Rocky Mountaineer to someplace in-between enterprise class and First Class, though not fairly on the stage 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 had 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 prepare, which we shortly found as we made our method north by means of British Columbia. Except for consuming and taking within the views, we often went downstairs to the outside vestibule for a breath of recent air.
Finally, we switched our sizzling chocolate out for gin sodas, and continued to soak up the views of the forests and fields of the Fraser Valley.
As we sipped on our drinks and ready to move 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 had 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 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 lodge keys to the Delta Kamloops had been offered immediately on the prepare, so we didn’t must test in.
Somewhat, we merely disembarked from the prepare and boarded the coach that introduced us on to the lodge, and instantly headed upstairs to our room.
I’ll evaluate 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 brilliant and early begin, boarding the bus on the Delta Kamloops at 6:15am to return to the Kamloops trainyard.
On this present day, we had been the second group to move down for breakfast. Whereas we waited, the prepare employees 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 just a few hours of beautiful 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 recent baguettes.
I helped myself to braised veal cheek for the principle 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 gorgeous wide-open ranches, rocky lakeshores, and mountain peaks set towards sunny blue skies – with the primary few snow-capped peaks beginning to seem as we climbed in 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 Cross.
These spiral tunnels are an engineering feat, by which a sequence of tunnels spiral inside the inside of the mountain. They had been designed this fashion in order that trains can safely acquire elevation right here.
We had been a bit delayed alongside the rails alongside the course of our journey, so we had been handled to an extra snack of butter hen within the late afternoon.
To be frank, the butter hen wasn’t that nice, but it surely nonetheless tided us over till our 8:30pm arrival in Banff.
By this time, we had 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 an enduring impression.
Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” – Different Services
The restrooms on board are located on the decrease stage, and had been spacious, clear, and easy. The bathroom has two railings on either side for stabilizing your self because the prepare strikes.
There’s a bench that folds down beside the bathroom, a fairly large mirror, and a small sink beneath.
Except for the glass ceiling on the viewing deck, the spotlight of the Rocky Mountaineer is the outside vestibule. The outside deck permits passengers to get nearer to the surroundings round them.
We cherished leaning over the railings and feeling the recent air and wind on our faces, taking within the surroundings because it handed by. We spent plenty of day out right here merely absorbing and appreciating the views.
Conclusion
The Rocky Mountaineer presents a extra romantic and slow-paced fashion of journey in comparison with what I’m sometimes used to.
After my maiden expertise, I’d describe luxurious prepare journey as a kind of “land cruise”, well-suited for travellers who’re completely happy to soak up views at a leisurely tempo with out having to stand up and exert themselves an excessive amount of.
Nonetheless, it’s additionally not going to be the best kind of journey expertise for everybody. For instance, Jessy and I had been nearly the one people below 50 years previous on board.
I’d say that the Rocky Mountaineer is good for travellers of their wiser years who need to relish the social component 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, contemplate bringing your mother and father alongside a particular journey on the Rocky Mountaineer if this kind of luxurious prepare journey suits their journey fashion.
For us, this was a pleasant change from the standard busy airports and lengthy flights. We actually loved our first luxurious prepare expertise, and look ahead to attempting out extra rail adventures around the globe.
