great continental railway journeys

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Great Continental Railway Journeys

Click here to find upcoming broadcasts of the series. A third series began on 5th November.

You too can follow in the footsteps of Michael Portillo. Ffestiniog Travel provides a comprehensive ticketing service for European rail journeys.

Episode descriptions below are taken directly from the BBC website. Journey details are approximations at the time of first broadcast.

Series 1 Episode 1 - London to Monte Carlo

Leaving London behind, armed with his 1913 Bradshaw railway guide , Michael Portillo follows the most popular route of the Edwardian traveller through France.

His first stop is Paris where he absorbs the atmosphere of La Belle Époque, before he travels south to the Cote D'Azur where he samples the Edwardian highlife and learns why the area attracted the rich and artistic alike. He then ends his journey as he arrives at the gaming tables in glamorous Monte Carlo.

Follow Michael

As in the BBC Documentary the journey starts in the grand St Pancras terminus in London. Eurostar then takes you via the UK's only high speed line to the Channel Tunnel and onto Paris. A change of train, and station, is required in Paris before boarding the French TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) which whisks you to Marseille. From there follow Michael along the coast to visit La Ciotat, Antibes and Nice using local trains before arriving in Monaco (Monte Carlo). Fares to recreate this journey start from £195.00 for a return ticket in second class. A Paris Visite Card would allow you to explore the Paris Metro and RER network before leaving for Marseille.

Series 1 Episode 2 - Hungary to Austria

This week, after looking around the historic Nyugati station Michael Portillo begins his journey from Keleti station in Budapest. Travel from Budapest to Bratislava, then take a catamaran along the Danube to Vienna. After exploring Vienna travel on the new high speed RailJet service, reaching speeds of up to 200km/h, to Salzburg. Fares start from £135.00 in second class, including a day trip to Bad Ischl but excluding the catamaran. The catamaran cruise can be booked direct with Twin City Liner online. You may wish to include City Travel Cards to explore the cities visied.

Series 1 Episode 3 - Berlin to the Rhein

Michael begins this journey in Berlin, the capital of Germany, which at the beginning of the 20th century was a powerhouse of science and technology. Led by his 1913 railway guide, he then heads west via the picturesque Harz Mountains to the industrial Ruhr Valley to learn how imperial Germany was war ready. He then travels south along the tourist trail of the castle-studded Rhein river and ends his journey in the Rheingau to taste the wines of its age old vineyards.

Begin your journey by travelling from Berlin to Hannover, via Magdeburg. After exploring the city travel to Wernigerode, and allow a few days to explore the "Harzer Schmalspurbahen" (HSB) in the Harz Mountains. Then onwards to Wuppertal for a ride or two on the famous Schwebebahn suspension railway hanging from it's rails. End your journey in style by travelling along the banks of the Rhine, one of our favourite scenic routes , stop in Koblenz if you wish and then finally on to Erbach. Fares start from £210.00 for a single journey in second class including a three day ticket for the HSB and a Länderticket valid on the Wuppertal Schwebebahn.

Series 1 Episode 4 - Switzerland

He begins in the truly international city of Basel and travels east to visit industrial Zurich. He then heads for the glorious Alps and learns how astonishing engineering feats conquered the most challenging peaks, before taking in the striking beauty of Lake Lucerne. Michael's journey ends with a spectacular ascent by train to Europe's highest station, perched atop Switzerland's dramatic Jungfraujoch.

Basel is at the border of Switzerland, France and Germany. Begin your journey at Basel SBB, the Swiss station, and travel through Brugg and Baden before reaching Zürich HB. Then travel onwards to Chur. From Chur travel on the famous Glacier Express to Andermatt, change trains here for Goschenen and the amazing railway engineering that is the Gotthard route to Fluelen. A paddle steamer will take you across Lake Lucerne. The town of Lucerne makes a perfect base for visiting Meiringen, the Reichenbach falls and of course the Jungfrau Railway. The most cost effective way to recreate this journey is to purchase one of the range of Swiss Passes which give unlimited free rail travel on most railways in Switzerland and much more. They also give a 25% discount on the Jungfrau line from Grindelwald, discounted tickets can be purchased on board Swiss trains and currently cost CHF67.50. The Glacier Express requires a reservation costing just £10, and lunch can be prebooked at around £30.

Series 1 Episode 5 - Amsterdam to Northern France

Michael Portillo uses George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide to explore the dazzling cities of the pre-war Low Countries beforing tasting the delicacies of Brussels. He then travels to the French sector of the Western Front, where from 1914 the trains carried a new cargo of artillery shells, with the Edwardian tourists of 1913 replaced by soldiers facing the horrors of the trenches. He will end his epic journey in the forest of Compiegne to hear how, after four years of conflict, the Armistice was finally signed in a railway carriage

Start your journey by travelling from Amsterdam to The Hague, then on another local train to Rotterdam where you change to a high speed train to Brussels. After exploring Brussels travel via Lille to Mons, and onto Albert before arriving in Amiens. From there day trips to Froissey and Compiègne are possible. Fares from Amsterdam via The Haag, Brussels and Lille to Amiens, with day trips to Froissey and Compiègne start from around £130 per person. The journey from Amiens to Froissey and back is now by SNCF run coach, but you could be rewarded by a ride on the steam hauled "Le P'tit train de la Haute Somme" . Trains run most Saturdays from mid April to the end of September, and daily, except Mondays, in July and August.

Series 2 Episode 1 - Madrid to Gibraltar

After spending some time in Madrid start your journey by travelling from Madrid Atocha to Córdoba, this take about one hour 45 minutes on a high speed AVE train. Continue to Sevilla Santa Justa in just 45 minutes and from there to Jerez De La Frontera in a further one hour ten minutes. The journey from Jerez to Ronda is not as easy as Michael Portillo made it appear. Your journey will require changes of trains in Dos Hermanas and Bobadilla, with time for lunch in Bobadilla. The scenic journey onwards to Algeciras. A bus on route M-120 operated by Transportes Generales Comes SA connects Algeciras with La Línea. Passengers must cross the border to Gibraltar on foot (walking time about 5 minutes). Fares from Madrid via Córdoba, Seville, Jerez, and Ronda to Algeciras start from around £130 per person. You may wish to include City Travel Cards to explore Madrid and Seville.

Series 2 Episode 2 - Turin to Venice

Fares from Torino, with stops in Milan and Verona, would start from around £130 per person. You may wish to include City Travel Cards to explore Milan and Venice. We are not able to issue tickets for the Trenord to Como Lago, but as Michael demonstrated these can easily be purchased from newsagents before travelling.

Series 2 Episode 3 - Dresden to Kiel

Fares from Dresden to Kiel, with stops in Leipzig, Braunschwieg and Hamburg would start from around £80 per person. You may wish to include City Travel Cards to explore Hamburg, Leipzig or Kiel.

Series 2 Episode 4 - Copenhagen to Oslo

Fares from København to Oslo, with stops in Malmö, Lund, Göteborg and Trollhätten start from around £90 per person. This includes crossing the Øersund bridge.Book your trip on a Buda Velocipede in advance for 250SEK per vehicle.

Series 2 Episode 5 - Prague to Munich

Fares from Prague (Praha) to Munich (München) with stops in Plzeň, Furth-im-Wald and Nürnberg start from around £54 per person. You may prefer to use Ländertickets such as the Bayern Ticket or Bayern-Böhem Ticket to make these journeys.

Series 2 Episode 6 - Bordeaux to Bilbao

Fares from Bordeaux to San Sebastian with day trips from Bordeaux to Saint Emilion and Arachon, and a stop in Biaritz start from around £73 per person. We are not able to issue tickets for the EuskoTren from San Sebastian to Bilbao, tickets for this must be purchased locally in cash.

Series 3 Episode 1 - Tula to St Petersburg

Trains from Tula to Moscow take two to three hours, the train from Makhackala currently leaves Tula about 4pm, arriving at Moskva Kurskaya station at 7:45pm. There are alternatives through the day. Sapsan services also run throughout the day from Moscow to St Petersburg. The entire journey costs around £110 per person in 2nd class. The line to Tsarskoye Selo is now part of the St Petersburg suburban system and tickets would need to be purchased locally.

Series 3 Episode 2 - Rome to Taormina

There are frequent trains between Rome and Naples, costing from around £27 per person. Tickets for the Circumvesuivana Railway must be purchased locally. The ferry across to Capri can be booked on our website . The InterCity train from Naples to Taormina costs from just £18.50

Series 3 Episode 3- Warsaw to Krakow

There is a frequent local train service between Warsaw and Łodz, travelling onward to Poznan requires a further change at Kutno. Tickets for the Wolsztyn steam hauled trains must be purchased locally. Tickets from Warsaw to Poznan via Łodz and Kutno, and from Wrocław to Krakow would cost around £80. You may wish to consider using the One Country InterRail pass .

If you wish to find out more about European rail travel or would like to book a ticket please don't hesitate to contact us direct on 01766 515630 or email [email protected] . If you would prefer to book a holiday including all aspects of Michael's travels please have a look at the Ffestiniog Travel website for suggested package breaks.

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Great Continental Railway Journeys Series 7

From docuwiki, [ edit ] general information.

Travel Documentary hosted by Michael Portillo , published by BBC in 2020 - English narration

[ edit ] Cover

[ edit ] Information

Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1936 Continental Railway Guide.

[ edit ] Salamanca to Canfranc

Michael Portillo sports a strikingly modern edition of his Bradshaw's Continental Handbook, dated 1936. His destination lies close to his heart: the ancient kingdom of Spain and land of his father, recommended in Michael's guidebook for its exceptional climate and glorious history. 1936 was a turbulent time in Spain, with political upheaval descending into a brutal civil war. Michael begins an emotional rail journey, which takes him deep into his family's past and reveals the tentacles of the regime which forced his father into exile. Michael begins in the beautiful golden city of Salamanca, where his father was happy as a young, left-wing professor. He visits the university to hear of opposition to the fascist takeover of Spain by General Francisco Franco and gains access to the general's archive of enemies of the state. In the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid, Michael hears how the bombing of a small town in the Basque region in 1937 inspired one of the 20th century's most shocking works of art. Zaragoza's modern tram network takes Michael to a factory, where he is invited to test-drive new rolling stock destined for Britain. In the shadow of the city's splendid cathedral, Michael learns to dance the jota. In the northern town of Huesca, Michael meets the son of author George Orwell, who fought against Franco on what was the front line during the Civil War between Nationalist and Republican forces. Together, they visit the preserved trenches, and Michael finds out how Orwell's experiences shaped his novels. Michael's final stop is on the border with France at Canfranc station. At the time of his guidebook, it was a magnificent terminus, yet today it is ruined and derelict. Michael learns of the role it played in the evacuation of Jews during the Second World War and hears about its forthcoming new lease of life.

[ edit ] Orleans to Reims

Michael Portillo travels from the chateaux of the Loire Valley to the heart of the Champagne region at Reims. Beginning in historic Orleans, Michael follows his Bradshaw's guide to the magnificent stained-glass windows of the Cathedral of Sainte-Croix, which tell the story of the heroine of France, Joan of Arc. The image of the saintly teenage warrior endures as a symbol of resistance, and her life is celebrated in an annual parade. Michael meets her modern-day incarnation. Among the spectacular Renaissance palaces and fortresses of the River Loire, Michael is intrigued to discover a castle much modernized during the 1930s, which became a refuge for a British royal couple embroiled in scandal. The wedding of the former king, Edward VIII, and the American divorcee Wallis Simpson at Chateau Cande in the summer of 1937 was shunned by the British establishment. Michael takes a spin around the track at Le Mans in a French-built car that won two endurance races during the 1920s. At Versailles, Michael visits the opulent palace and neighbouring Trianon Palace Hotel, where his Bradshaw's guide describes the signing of the Peace Treaty at the end of the First World War. Arriving in the capital, Paris, Michael heads for Montparnasse, where wildly creative artists and writers of the 1920s and 30s spawned new art movements. Michael joins a life-drawing class at an art school with an impressive legacy. Backstage at the Folies Bergere, Michael asks the 'enfant terrible' of fashion Jean Paul Gaultier about his homage to the black American dancer of the 1920s Josephine Baker. East of Paris in champagne country, Michael finishes his journey in style with a tour of the cellars at Domaine Pommery and a glass of fizz with the owner.

[ edit ] Berlin to Stuttgart

Michael Portillo embarks on a rail journey through Germany, steered by a Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide published in 1936. His unique window on Europe between the world wars takes him through a tumultuous period in German history, when the nation's first democracy and its vibrant culture of art, design and decadence were swept away by fascism, nationalism and the increasing likelihood of war. In a vast stadium, Michael hears how new rail lines were constructed to transport crowds of spectators to the Nazi Olympic Games of 1936. Michael learns how a planned boycott by the United States and other European nations failed and how the success of a black American athlete undermined the Nazi ideology of Aryan superiority. At the Museum of Modern Art in Berlin's Kreuzberg, Michael sees how a leading artist of the era, George Grosz, warned of the rise of fascism in a haunting self-portrait. Michael goes to the movies in Potsdam and discovers the success of the Babelsberg Studios, where directors such as Fritz Lang and stars such as Marlene Dietrich worked. He hears how production was taken over by the Nazis for propaganda. In the Schöneberg district of the capital, Michael researches the decadent night scene of the 1920s, where sexual freedoms attracted gay and lesbian visitors from across the world. Michael sees how cabaret culture is being revived today - a burlesque performance is on the bill. At the birthplace of German democracy in Weimar, Michael investigates the beginnings of Bauhaus design and visits the movement's first building – a single-family house which went beyond a statement of style to present a vision of how people would live in the 20th century. Travelling with author Julia Boyd to Nuremberg, Michael discovers that during the 1930s, despite the First World War and the Third Reich, Britons and Americans loved Germany and German culture. Michael hears how one Briton above all was welcomed by Hitler to Germany - the Duke of Windsor, former King Edward VIII. In the medieval Bavarian city of Nuremberg, Michael visits the monumental buildings and parade grounds, which were the stage for vast Nazi rallies to publicise the regime around the world and arouse popular support at home. Michael finishes in Stuttgart, where an ambitious engineering project is under way, which will integrate the city into a high-speed train route connecting Paris with Bratislava. Michael bags a ride in a high-performance Porsche to the manufacturer's Stuttgart headquarters and discovers that in the 1930s, the founder designed an affordable car for mass production – the Beetle.

[ edit ] Palermo to Mt Etna

Michael Portillo's 1936 Bradshaw's Guide brings him to the Italian 'treasure island' of Sicily, full of natural beauty and 'scenery of the greatest charm'. But the interwar guide book also tells Michael that the head of government in Italy is the fascist leader Signor Benito Mussolini. On a railway journey from the capital, Palermo, through the ancient town of Agrigento and the port of Siracusa, to Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, Michael explores Sicilian life under the dictatorship. Michael finds out how the dictator took on the mafia and asks whether it is true that under Mussolini, the trains ran on time. In Palermo, Michael takes in the art and architecture of the futurists and feasts on a Sicilian speciality - spaghetti and sardines - in the city's Ballaro street market. In the Capo district, Michael learns how the island's distinctive puppets are made and is enchanted to see them in action. Among the spectacular ancient Greek and Roman temples of Agrigento, Michael hears of the passionate ten-year search by a British archaeologist at the time of his guide for a long-lost ancient Greek theatre. The drama of the interwar period comes to life in front of Michael's eyes as he joins six characters in search of an author at the Teatro Pirandello. Michael takes the helm to explore the port of Siracusa by boat before visiting a controversial monument, which depicts a dark chapter in Italian history. He concludes his Sicilian journey on the circular railway around Mount Etna, aboard the sleek, futurist-inspired train inaugurated by Mussolini in 1937 - La Littorina.

[ edit ] Linz to Bratislava

Michael Portillo travels by train through Austria and the Czech Republic, following his Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, published in 1936. Michael's journey takes him through spectacular scenery, from the handsome Baroque buildings of the northern Austrian city of Linz, through Czech South Bohemia to Prague, the city of a hundred spires, and onto the canyons and caves of the Moravian Karst region near Brno. He finishes on the River Danube in the Slovakian capital, Bratislava. Along the way, Michael explores a dark era in European history, beginning with the return to Linz in 1938 of Adolf Hitler, who lived there as a boy. Beneath the balcony of the old town hall in the city's main square, Michael hears how cheering crowds welcomed the Fuhrer's announcement of the annexation of Austria to Nazi Germany. At Prague Central Station, Michael meets 87-year-old Zuzana Maresova, who, as a seven-year-old girl, climbed aboard a train to travel to safety in London. She tells Michael she was among hundreds of Jewish children rescued from Czechoslovakia by British stockbroker Sir Nicholas Winton, as part of the Kindertransport. Czech gymnasts at the Sokol sports stadium in Ceske Budejovice put Michael's flexibility and balance to the test and explain how their mass movement inspired the Czech nation at the time of his guidebook. Michael joins the great grandson of artist Alphonse Mucha to hear how the father of art nouveau helped define Czech national identity in highly political paintings and designs for stamps and banknotes. A luxurious steel and glass villa designed in 1930 by the German architect Mies van der Rohe in a suburb of Brno is today a Unesco World Heritage Site. Michael discovers its history as a wedding present to a Jewish couple, who had to leave it to escape the Nazis. Michael's guidebook recommends a famous gorge, where he descends in a cable car to explore stalactite and stalagmite grottos deep in the subterranean river Punkva. Crossing the Czech border into Slovakia, Michael reaches his final destination, one of Europe's youngest capital cities, Bratislava.

[ edit ] Stockholm to the Arctic Circle

Michael Portillo embarks on a scenic, thousand-mile rail journey from the Swedish capital, Stockholm, to Abisko in the northern reaches of the Arctic Circle. Steered by his 1936 edition of Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, Michael boards a steam train to celebrate Midsummer in Marielund, learns to decorate a Dala horse in Mora and takes an icy dip in one of the country's 96,000 lakes. In Stockholm, Michael braves a precarious tour of the city from its rooftops before boarding a heritage tram to get the lowdown on 1930s Sweden from an expert. At the capital's Royal Institute of Technology, Michael investigates the transport of the future in a near-vacuum tube. He tours Uppsala University and takes Sweden's 1,300km Inlandsbanan railway, which was completed in 1937, to travel north to Ostersund and Kiruna. Michael finishes deep in the Arctic Circle at a remote climate research station, where scientists are building on data recorded at the time his guidebook was published. En route, Michael learns why Sweden built the strategic inland railway on which he is travelling. He discovers how the nation created a welfare state, has lunch with traditional Sami people in Vilhelmina and checks into a chilly hotel made of ice.

[ edit ] Screenshots

[ edit ] technical specs.

• Video Codec: x265 CABAC Main@L4
• Video Bitrate: CRF 21 (~2801Kbps)
• Video Resolution: 1920x1080
• Video Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Frame Rate: 25 FPS
• Audio Codec: AAC-LC
• Audio Bitrate: 128Kbps CVBR 48KHz
• Audio Channels: 2
• Run-Time: 59 mins
• Number Of Parts: 6
• Part Size: 1.21 GB (average)
• Source: HDTV
• Encoded by: JungleBoy

[ edit ] Links

[ edit ] further information, [ edit ] release post.

• MVGroup.org (torrent)

[ edit ] Related Documentaries

• Great Continental Railway Journeys
• Great Continental Railway Journeys Series2
• Great Continental Railway Journeys Series3
• Great Continental Railway Journeys Series4
• Great Continental Railway Journeys: Series 5

[ edit ] ed2k Links

BBC.Great.Continental.Railway.Journeys.Series.7.1of6.1080p.HDTV.x265.AAC.MVGroup.org.mkv (1197.31 Mb) Subtitles : [eng] BBC.Great.Continental.Railway.Journeys.Series.7.2of6.1080p.HDTV.x265.AAC.MVGroup.org.mkv (1241.21 Mb) Subtitles : [eng] BBC.Great.Continental.Railway.Journeys.Series.7.3of6.1080p.HDTV.x265.AAC.MVGroup.org.mkv (1133.82 Mb) Subtitles : [eng] BBC.Great.Continental.Railway.Journeys.Series.7.4of6.1080p.HDTV.x265.AAC.MVGroup.org.mkv (1059.19 Mb) Subtitles : [eng] BBC.Great.Continental.Railway.Journeys.Series.7.5of6.1080p.HDTV.x265.AAC.MVGroup.org.mkv (1178.03 Mb) Subtitles : [eng] BBC.Great.Continental.Railway.Journeys.Series.7.6of6.1080p.HDTV.x265.AAC.MVGroup.org.mkv (1625.27 Mb) Subtitles : [eng]

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Categories : Travel | Michael Portillo | BBC | 2020 | English | Name Language > English Name Narrator > Michael Portillo Publisher > BBC Subject > Travel Year > 2020

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Taking the train in Canada - all you need to know

Jul 4, 2024 • 9 min read

From scenic routes to booking tickets, here's our guide to taking the train in Canada © Pete Seaward / Lonely Planet

Canada has an extensive rail network and some spectacular rides. However, with the bulk of the system given over to freight and most Canadians preferring to travel long-distance by car or plane, trains outside the eastern corridor cities of Toronto and Montréal are little used compared to countries in Asia or Europe. 

It wasn’t always so. Annual ridership on Canadian trains peaked at 60 million in the 1940s with numbers declining sharply in the 1950s as car ownership became more common. Today, around 5 million passengers a year use 500 weekly trains (excluding commuter trains) operated by the government-run Crown Corporation,  Via Rail . Several more deluxe journeys are run by private companies, headlined by the legendary Rocky Mountaineer , a veritable five-star hotel on wheels.

Trains can be slow

While the overall quality of service on the Canadian rail network is high, especially if you opt for business or sleeper classes, the trains, in comparison to Japanese bullet trains or France’s TGVs, are slow. Obligated to yield to the requirements of freight, which makes up the bulk of the country’s rail traffic, passenger trains can spend long periods of time waiting on the sidelines and are often late.

An exception is the fast intercity trains between Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal that zip along the eastern corridor route in just over five hours.

VIA Rail runs most services

The bulk of the rail network is run by VIA Rail, with a handful of private companies operating special lines, mostly for tourist purposes. There are also several services overseen by US company  Amtrak that shuttle across the international border to Vancouver , Toronto and Montréal.

VIA Rail has two named trains, the cross-continental Canadian – one of the world’s great rail journeys – that links Vancouver and Toronto, and the Ocean that carries passengers between Montréal and Halifax in Nova Scotia . The corporation also operates five Scenic Adventure lines geared towards a mix of tourists and rural dwelling locals who utilize the trains’ flag-stops (where the service stops by request only, often in the middle of nowhere).  

Outside of VIA Rail, various commuter lines operate in the vicinity of Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal. All log significantly higher passenger numbers (up to 100 million per year in total). Vancouver has the  West Coast Express , Toronto has  GO Transit and Montréal has Exo .

The VIA Rail network doesn’t extend to Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador . Nor does it serve the territories, although the Yukon maintains the privately-run White Pass and Yukon Route tourist train that travels in summer between Carcross and Skagway, Alaska.     

VIA Rail carriages are generally good quality with large reclining seats and power outlets, even in economy class. The long-distance overnight trains are particularly spacious with passengers also getting access to a skyline car with a special dome section for panoramic views. Food and drink can be purchased at an on-board cafe. The veteran Canadian train still uses its original stainless-steel coaches inaugurated in 1955.

Sleeper plus class is available on the Canadian, the Ocean and the Winnipeg – Churchill services. Passengers may choose between open berths or one- or -two-bed private compartments. Apart from the Winnipeg–Churchill service, overnight trains also include access to a special restaurant car, offering three meals per day (included in the ticket).

A step up from sleeper plus is prestige sleeper, only available on the Canadian, which delivers deluxe hotel-style accommodation with private bathrooms, a comp mini-bar, TVs and access to a private bullet lounge in the so-called “park car” at the back of the train.

The daytime trains in Canada’s eastern corridor offer either economy or business class. The latter includes meals and extra baggage allowance.

Montréal and Toronto are major rail hubs for commuters

Trains in Canada are nowhere near as busy as countries in Europe which – in the case of the UK or France – deal with over one billion passengers a year. Notwithstanding, occupancy is noticeably higher in the rail corridor between Québec City and Windsor, particularly between Montréal and Toronto, the two major hubs. Outside of this, people tend to take trains mostly for scenic journeys, and they are little used by commuters.

Scenic trains are mainly used by tourists

The five Scenic Adventure routes are the Jasper–Prince Rupert (the Skeena) in BC, the Winnipeg–Churchill in Manitoba, the Sudbury–White River in Ontario, and the Montréal–Senneterre and Montréal–Jonquière routes in Québec. Some services such as the Jasper–Prince Rupert line are particularly quiet attracting a mere 7000 passengers a year.  

Several private companies supplement VIA. The most celebrated is  Rocky Mountaineer whose swanky trains run between Vancouver and Banff or Jasper. The “First Passage to the West” route is the only passenger train to utilize the original Canadian Pacific Railway tracks (the nation’s first cross-continental railway completed in 1885) and passes through the legendary Spiral Tunnels in Yoho National Park .

Of a similar bent is  Royal Canadian Pacific whose trains lay on cruise-ship-like luxury on multiday excursions with nights spent in hotels between and around the Rockies. Neither company has sleeper services. You are put up in hotels instead.

There are two private rail routes in Ontario, the  Algoma Central Railway providing access to northern Ontario wilderness, and the  Ontario Northland that operates the Polar Bear Express five times a week.

The  White Pass and Yukon Route between Carcross (Yukon) and Skagway (Alaska) dates from 1900 and follows the trail once trampled by feverish prospectors en route to the Klondike gold fields . Diesel trains pull vintage parlor-style carriages.

Book early for the best-value tickets

Canadian trains are very reasonably priced for what they offer, particularly when compared to buses and planes. Of Canada’s three main modes of public transport (air, bus and train) , the railway is easily the most comfortable.

June to mid-October is peak season , when prices are about 40% higher. Buying tickets in advance can yield significant savings (up to 30%). The earlier the better. Book online using the official VIA Rail website . Alternatively, you can buy tickets at stations or by phone on 1-888-842-7245.

Seat reservations are highly recommended, especially in summer, on weekends and around holidays. During peak season, some of the most popular sleeping arrangements are sold out months in advance, especially on long-distance trains such as the Canadian. The Winnipeg–Churchill train often books solid during polar-bear season (around late September to early November). You can choose a specific seat in advance.

It's possible to upgrade from economy to business class on day-trains and sleeper class on overnighters, although the price is over twice as much.

Limited discounts are available

Discounts are available for children under 12 (50%), Hosteling International members (12.5%), Canadian military (25%), Indigenous people (33%), Canadian Automobile Association members (up to 20%), and groups of ten or more. Children under two travel free. Bring all relevant ID when traveling. There are currently no rail passes on Canadian trains, but frequent travelers can sign up for “VIA preference” and collect points towards future trips. Fares are discounted on Tuesdays.

The price of a train ticket is comparable with the cost of car hire and fuel

Canada, like the US, is a car-oriented country. Plenty of Canadians, especially in the west, go their whole lives without using an intercity train. It’s easy to rent a car in Canada and the road network is far more comprehensive. However, trains emit less carbon per person (55kg of CO² compared with 104kg for a car) and are marginally quicker on the fast intercity routes in the eastern corridor. Car hire costs about the same as a train ticket once you factor in fuel. 

Most urban train stations in big cities are close to the downtown cores with good onward transport connections. Additionally, most large stations have a car-rental desk.

Onboard facilities are generally good

All VIA Rail trains have some form of onboard food provision from cafes and trolleys on daytime-routes to restaurant cars on the overnight Canadian and Ocean trains. There are toilets on all trains, and they are generally kept clean. Free wi-fi is available on most trains, although it can be patchy in some areas.

VIA Rail baggage rules are similar to airplanes. You can bring a carry-on of up to 23kg for free. Checked luggage is C$25 per bag. Small folding bikes are classed as carry-on luggage. All other bikes incur a C$25 checked baggage fee.

Canadian trains might be slow and scant compared to European counterparts, but they are generally more comfortable, from economy going up through business and sleeper plus to prestige class. Blankets and pillows are provided for overnight travel. Extra coziness can be procured in business class in the southern Ontario/Québec corridor and sleeper plus class on the Canadian and the Ocean. For the ultimate in luxury, book prestige class on the Canadian.

Station facilities vary

Urban stations are usually situated in or close to city centers and usually have a few food and drink outlets, although they’re a long way from the mini-airports common in European cities. Toronto and Montréal have special lounges for business class passengers. Rural stations are invariably small with limited staff. Some are merely flag-stops. 

Here's our pick of Canada's best train routes

The canadian.

Canada’s most famous train navigates a monumental cross-continental route that takes four days to cover 4466km (2775 miles) between Vancouver and Toronto with stops in Jasper, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. The scenery is an unending nose-to-the-window collection of the nation’s ever-changing ecosystems, from the Rocky Mountains to lonesome prairies to the lakes and forests of the Canadian shield. Traveling west allows longer stops in Jasper and Edmonton.

White Pass and Yukon Route

This is a short but spectacular journey that traverses the precipitous slopes of White Pass in the footsteps of the Klondike gold rush. The heritage railway uses original parlor carriages dating from the 1880s. Grab a perch on the outside viewing platform as you descend into Skagway.

Winnipeg–Churchill

Canada’s most northerly passenger train service chugs arctic-wards across pancake-flat prairies and scattered boreal forest providing the only overland connection to the polar-bear watching hub of Churchill on the shores of Hudson Bay.

The Skeena: train number 5

Cutting through the heart of British Columbia, VIA Rail’s train number 5, formerly known as the Skeena, offers an epic two-day voyage between Jasper and Prince Rupert that incorporates coniferous forest, rolling farmland and snow-dusted mountains. Locals use the line’s numerous flag-stops en route. A highlight is the view of the imposing southeast face of Mt Robson, an hour west of Jasper.

First Passage to the West

The crème de la crème of Canadian train rides is operated by the Rocky Mountaineer who lay on services as spectacular as the scenery with gourmet breakfasts, expert guides and leather seats. Of the three routes, this is the original and most popular running between Banff and Vancouver with an overnight in Kamloops.

Book ahead with accessibility needs or special requirements

All trains are accessible for wheelchairs and have washrooms with grab-bars. Most stations have wheelchair lifts. Passengers who can’t make it to the restaurant-car may be served meals in their seat. Service dogs are welcome on trains and can occupy an additional seat at no extra cost.

Book well ahead for accessible facilities and cite any special requirements in advance as space may be limited. For more information, see VIA Rail’s  accessibility page .

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6 Longest Train Rides You Can Take

Posted: July 4, 2024 | Last updated: July 4, 2024

These Are the 6 Longest Train Rides To Take Now

Many travelers find a certain allure in train travel since it provides breathtaking vistas of rural areas that are inaccessible by car. Explore the world's longest train rides, such as the vast Trans Siberian Railway system, with our in-depth guide.

With a length of over 9,000 km, the Trans Siberian Railway network is the world's longest rail journey, passing through stunning Russian sites including Lake Baikal and the Ural Mountains. The Beijing-Moscow Railway follows this path and provides interested travelers with a seven-day journey. While some routes have several trains, others, such as the world's most opulent train, Palace on Wheels , cover particular routes across Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in India with an emphasis on the nation's historical sites .

The travel frequently ends up being the most memorable aspect of the trip, whether you are enjoying the opulent amenities or gazing out of the train's windows at stunning scenery on the longest train rides in the world.

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6. The Maharajas’ Express

Take the Maharajas' Express and set out on a regal expedition through the breathtaking state of Rajasthan, India.  Over the course of seven days, this opulent train travels 3,285 kilometers while displaying colorful cultural treasures, impressive forts, and princely kingdoms as one of the longest train rides. Savor fine dining influenced by local flavors, travel in luxurious carriages from the colonial era, and take part in unique tours to famous locations like the Taj Mahal and Amber Fort. There is a condensed version of the train that operates for four days and three nights. 

As per Tour My India, "The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) launched Maharajas' Express, India's premier luxury train, in March 2010." The train carried 86 people when it made its first run. Numerous honors have been given to it over the years." 

Discover the pinnacle of extravagance and splendor aboard the Maharajas' Express, which offers four meticulously planned heritage-themed voyages that span a variety of locations and lengths throughout India, including Jodhpur, Ranthambore, Agra, Khajuraho, and Varanasi. These six- to seven-day trips, which highlight India's rich cultural tapestry, range from The Heritage of India and The Indian Splendour to The Indian Panorama and Treasures of India. The other train travels span durations ranging from 860 km to 2,724 km, with The Heritage of India being one of the longest train rides in the world at 2,771 km.

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5. The Indian Pacific

Take The Indian Pacific for an amazing transcontinental voyage over Perth, Adelaide, and Sydney, connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans. This experience, which offers three specially designed journeys to suit varying tastes, includes amazing off-train activities including a trip to the Blue Mountains, brunch at Adelaide Central Market, and a visit to the Barossa Valley alongside one of the longest train rides.

In Australia, another well-known train trip is the Indian Pacific. Western Australia, South Australia, and New South Wales are the three states covered in the four days and three nights of travel. You will pass through the Blue Mountains, the Nullarbor Plain, and the Outback on your journey.

The Indian Pacific travels from Perth to Sydney, covering a distance of four days and three nights. Adelaide, Cook's abandoned town, and Broken Hill—a former mining town turned artist colony—are among the places it stops on one of the longest train rides. Views of the Australian outback and the Blue Mountains' forests and waterfalls are available from your comfortable seat; in the meantime, tourists traveling east can now enjoy new off-train adventures.

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4. The Ghan

One of Australia's most famous rail trips and one of the longest train rides is the Ghan. Three states are covered on the three-day, two-night trip: South Australia, Northern Territory, and Western Australia. The MacDonnell Ranges, the Nullarbor Plain, and the Outback will all be seen as you go.

The Ghan train, named for the Afghan cameleers who were instrumental in building the outback's infrastructure, travels throughout Australia's enormous landscapes, including verdant hills and pastures, on its route from Adelaide to Darwin, stopping at well-known locations including Alice Springs and Katherine. This wonderful three- to four-day trip offers delicious onboard dining experiences in addition to off-train adventures as one of the longest train rides. A highlight is a picturesque cruise through Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park, which offers amazing views of the surrounding landscape.

3. California Zephyr

The longest journey in the United States is from Chicago to San Francisco, which takes slightly longer than two days each way. It travels 2,438 miles following the pioneers' trail, passing through the Sierra Nevadas, Colorado's Western Slope gorges, and the Rockies. If you're willing to give up the natural world for neon, you can also end the ride at Reno on one of the longest train rides.

In addition to being one of the longest train rides, the California Zephyr passes through some of the most breathtaking locations, including Chicago, Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Emeryville (San Francisco). Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevadas, Moffat Tunnel, Colorado's Gore, Byers, and Glenwood Canyons, Winter Park, Truckee River, Donner Lake, San Pablo Bay, and the Carquinez Strait are some of the breathtaking train ride's highlights. The facilities and accommodations change according on which Amtrak train is selected for this particular itinerary.

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2. Beijing-Moscow Railway

The second-longest and most picturesque railway line in the world is the Beijing-Moscow Railway. Four nations are covered in the six days and five nights of travel: China, Russia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. You will pass by the Great Wall of China, the Altai Mountains, and the Gobi Desert.  "Such a journey covers three countries, Russia, Mongolia, and China, and provides a chance for the in-depth exploration of three great nations," reads the Trans-Siberian Express website, advertising the longest train rides. Such a train journey often takes 20–23 days, or longer than three weeks. 

There are two routes available for the Beijing to Moscow train trip: one departs from Manchuria and joins the Trans-Siberian Railway in Chita, while the other route goes through Mongolia. On this route, two trains run: 003/004 and 019/020 (Russia). The trip through Mongolia is roughly 7,622 kilometers shorter. This intriguing six-day train trip, which links two nations, promises one of the longest train rides as it passes through a variety of environments, including grasslands, deserts, and lakes, including the Gobi Desert and Lake Baikal.

Read More: 8 Rare Purple Animals from Around the World

1. The Trans-Siberian Express - Longest Train Rides

A train trip that begins in Moscow and ends more than six days later in Vladivostok is the stuff of legends—the longest train rides in the world, and it's only getting longer. The scenery continuously shifts as the train travels through multiple time zones, passing through the Ural Mountains, Lake Baikal, and all the desired steppes in between. Trains run every other day.

 The trains on this route travel through the breathtaking Ural Mountains, the tranquil rivers Ob and Yenisey, Lake Baikal, Russia's border with Mongolia, Khabarovsk on the Amur River, and, at last, Vladivostok. On this network, three trains with rather different routes run: the Trans-Siberian Train, the Trans-Mongolian Train, and the Trans-Manchurian Train.

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