The Canadian: Layovers and landscapes

When you think of Canadian landscapes, what immediately comes to mind are vast boreal forests, big sky country on the Prairies and the majesty of the Rockies. And while you definitely get to see all that on board the Canadian, that’s not all you’ll experience.

With 4,466 km separating Toronto and Vancouver, choosing to travel by train lets you take stock of this immense and immensely varied land over the course of four days and nights. It’s amazing how the evergreen forests of Ontario seem to go on forever, while Manitoba and Saskatchewan pass by in the blink of an eye. A simple pleasure that never fails to enchant? Looking out the window first thing in the morning to see what scene will greet you.

In the summertime, I remember being delighted by the soft light of the Prairies. Far from being featureless, these flat expanses reveal such gorgeously delicate greens and yellows along the horizon as the sun sets. During the stop in Winnipeg, I couldn’t help but call out every time I spotted a prairie dog. These little charmers are impossible to resist!

In the winter, as the snow blanketed the landscapes I’d travelled through only a few years ago, I had the impression that the train ran like a pen stroke across a blank page of infinite possibilities. We chugged along through lands with vague contours, where time seems to stand still. Each season has its distinct appeal.

From Toronto to Winnipeg

Whether you choose to start or end your trip in Toronto, this metropolis leaves no one indifferent. From the bustling downtown and the tranquil islands that provide a unique perspective on the city centre to the eclectic architecture and vast array of public art, the Queen City will royally wow you. The vibrant food scene is reason enough to extend your stay—three meals a day barely allows you to scratch the surface!

Depending on when you arrive in the main cities along the route, it’s sometimes possible to explore the areas around the train station. Manitoba’s capital is especially well-suited to this. For one thing, the train station itself—located right downtown—deserves a visit. Created by the same firm that designed New York City’s Grand Central Station, this Beaux-Arts-style building was named a national historic site of Canada in 1976, and its domed central rotunda is particularly impressive.

A few steps away, you’ll find The Forks National Historic Site, where you can delve into 6,000 years of history. At the confluence of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers, the site served as a meeting place for many Indigenous nations. It’s located on the traditional territory of Anishinaabe, Cree, Anisininewuk, Dakota and Dene people, and the homeland of the Red River Métis. Nearby, The Forks Market features a lively food hall so you can grab a bite to eat and discover tasty local products.

If you have a few days in Winnipeg, don’t miss the superb Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The building utterly transformed the downtown skyline when it was built 10 years ago, and its exhibits have been taking visitors on an emotionally charged journey ever since. A quick jaunt to Saint-Boniface will give you the opportunity to learn about the history of the French-speaking community that calls this area home. Two must-sees: Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum (although the main site is closed until 2026) and the birthplace of celebrated author Gabrielle Roy. 
 

After leaving Winnipeg, the train crosses the Saskatchewan Valley. During the summer, the canola fields almost seem like someone underlined the horizon with a highlighter The contrast is especially striking when both shores of the river are lined with yellow flowers.

Passengers get on and off in Saskatoon. Soon, the mountains…

From Alberta to British Columbia

The Rockies begin to weave their spell about an hour before the train pulls into Jasper. I’ll never forget the expressions on the faces of fellow travellers as we experienced this sublime beauty for the first time. Beyond the click of cameras, it was the mix of gasps and moments of silence—as if we had all exhausted our reserve of exclamation marks—that stuck with me.

The Jasper train station is also ideally located for a visit to the town, surrounded as it is by shops, cafés and restaurants. If you arrive early in the morning, one place I’d recommend for a great flat white or latte: the SnowDome Coffee Bar, which can be found in a laundromat. There, you’re as likely to meet people seeking a good cup of joe on their way to work as travellers taking advantage of the Wi-Fi. While forest fires destroyed some residential areas in 2024, the storefronts around the train station show no evidence of the blaze. (My photos of Jasper were taken a few years ago, before the fires.)

Outside of town, some scars are visible, but that’s also where you’ll start to notice an abundance of wildlife, including elk. A tip for those wishing to enjoy the dome car: Get there early, as everyone wants a front-row seat for the Rockies.

When an animal is particularly visible or when the train is approaching an exceptional viewpoint, a message goes over the loudspeaker. This means you’re unlikely to miss, for example, Pyramid Falls, which can only be seen from the train. And with a bit of luck, the clouds will clear over the peak of Mount Robson—the Rockies’ highest point—when the train goes by.

If the mountains are undeniably the star attraction, many waterways also draw us to the window to admire their beauty. For a long stretch of the journey in the western part of the country, the train tracks follow alongside the Thompson and Fraser Rivers.

Something for everyone

I always ask VIA Rail employees I meet on the trip the same question: What’s your favourite view? Everyone has a different response. A 27-year veteran of VIA Rail who grew up near Winnipeg, service manager Mario Laurencelle admits to a certain bias. “I’m a Prairie boy and I love the Prairies,” he said. Regarding Saskatchewan, he told me, “It’s really rolling.” “Hilly?” I asked him. “Yes. […] Manitoba is as flat as a pancake. In Saskatchewan, there are huge valleys. I love it.”

Depending on the schedule, which direction the train is going and the time of year, the scenery changes. When this part of the trip happens in daylight, Mario recommends looking out your window about an hour before arriving in Jasper on the way to Vancouver, or an hour after on the way to Toronto. “That’s where you’ll see the most wildlife,” he said. The best time of year to see animals? In April, when the bears come out of their den. “We often announce over the loudspeaker when you can see something impressive, like a moose.”

Sherri Gaborieau also mentioned the “rolling mountains” of Saskatchewan. She’s a service manager who just celebrated a quarter century at VIA, and she’s never gotten tired of the Rockies.

There’s what’s going on outside the train, but also inside. Sherri has lost count of the touching stories she’s witnessed over the years. “I love being on board the Canadian,” she said. “The people you meet, the things you see and the folks you work alongside… It’s quite the journey.”

And while getting to Vancouver signals the end of the trip, sadness soon gives way to excitement. Its charms are undeniable (even when it’s raining!). How can you resist a city ringed with mountains? With its beaches, parks—including the iconic Stanley Park, a woodland oasis right downtown—and restaurants, many of which reflect influences from the province’s sizable Asian population, Vancouver is as close to perfect as you can find.

When I think back to my three trips on the Canadian at three different times of year, like Sherri I would say that the natural beauty outside the windows has stayed with me just as much as the special moments on board the train. Conversations occur spontaneously around a meal, a wine tasting or a presentation in the dome car. Travellers from the four corners of the world and from different generations ride side by side. The slow rhythm and lack of Wi-Fi and cell service for part of the trip encourages socializing, while never forcing it.

I completely agree with Sherri—it’s quite the journey!