The Rocky Mountaineer (https://www.rockymountaineer.com/) is an unforgettable journey through Canada’s stunning landscapes.
My journey on the Rocky Mountaineer was in August 2023. At that time British Columbia and Alberta were battling multiple wild fires. The thick smoke from the fires clouded the landscape, making visibility poor, especially on day two of our journey. However, as you can see from the image above, the smoke added a layer of mystery to the landscape.
Service on Board the Train
The impeccable service and luxurious amenities made up for some of the disappointment I felt in not being able to spend a lot of time on the viewing platform due to poor air quality. The staff literally rolled out the red carpet for us on the platform and greeted us with a smile and warm welcome as we boarded the train.
Each car on the train has dedicated staff that travel with you for your entire rail journey. Our car had three staff serving approximately 40 passengers. They provided us with exceptional customer service, they shared stories, and kept their eyes open for wildlife along the way.
Food on Board the Train
Each morning we were given a menu in order to choose our meals for the day. The choices included several meat options and vegetarian options. Vegan options were available upon request. Meals included breakfast and lunch. The food was plentiful and the quality was on par with fine dining restaurants. Snacks were also plentiful. Savory and sweet choices were available to satisfy everyone’s preferences.
Gold Service vs. Silver Service
One thing I would recommend is to spend the extra money and upgrade to Gold Service. I was in Silver Service which meant we didn’t have a separate dining car, nor did we have the larger viewing platform as seen on the ads. The viewing area in Silver Service was very disappointing. On several occasions I had to patiently wait for someone to vacate the small viewing area in order to get close to the open window.
There were four of these small windows available. These windows had to be shared by the passengers in two cars (approximately 80 people). As you can see there is only room for two people to share the window at the same time.
When I did get near the window I was able to get fantastic shots of the amazing Canadian Rockies.
My train journey took me from Jasper to Vancouver with an overnight stop in Kamloops.
I spent a few days in both Banff and Jasper prior to boarding the train which gave me an opportunity to visit Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, explore the towns, ride the gondola in Banff, and hike the Columbia Icefields in Jasper.
Weather
If you’ve visited the west coast of Canada you will be familiar with the ever changing weather. While most days in August are warm and sunny, I did experience snow while hiking the Icefields. This added to the experience and gave me an excuse to buy a souvenir hoodie.
End of the Line
My journey ended with an overnight stay in Vancouver. I regret not staying longer as there is a lot to see and do in Vancouver. So, if you are planning on riding the Rocky Mountaineer, add in extra time before and after the train journey.
The West Coast of Canada does not disappoint.