Riding Through the Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer Train

The Rocky Mountaineer train snakes in and out of valleys of the majestic Canadian Rocky Mountains. Riding through the Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer train is the best way to see one of the God’s greatest creations. British Columbia and Alberta are two of the prettiest places on the planet but in order to see much of the best views, you have to go by train. Unless you work for Canadian National, the Rocky Mountaineer is the best way to go!

I boarded the Rocky Mountaineer train in Vancouver, British Columbia and my destination after 2 days of travel was Jasper, Alberta. I sat in the Goldleaf Cabin; which is essentially their first class cabin.

It was fabulous to say the least. Not only for the views but for the world-class service and I really mean that. The Rocky Mountaineer staff are pretty much amazing at what they do and make you feel right at home at all times.

The glass-domed roof in Goldleaf service is great for viewing the scenery and is the best way to do the trip. However, it is not without faults. Often times, there was a bad reflection in the pictures that I took so many did not come out very well. This obviously couldn’t be helped but it was a bit annoying.

Additionally, the cabins are extremely comfortable and the seats are great. This is great because each of the two days, you spend about ten hours or so in the cabin. The only problems with the cabin are that there are not outlets at your seat and only one per cabin. There is also no Wi-Fi.

That said, on a 10-hour journey, you need to recharge, phones, cameras, computers, etc. I mentioned that to the staff and they said the lack out outlets and Wi-Fi are the top two complaints. It would be tough to complain about anything else, as everything else was stellar.

The other great thing about riding through the Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer train is the food. Breakfast and lunch are served each day and the food is fabulous. Goldleaf service cars have 3-4 chefs per car. Aside from the food, the service is also excellent.

There are two seatings each for lunch and dinner and the dining area is downstairs. The dining car is still equipped with huge clear windows so you don’t miss any of the great scenery.

As I mentioned, it is a 2-day journey but you don’t sleep on the Rocky Mountaineer. We stopped overnight in a place called Kamloops, British Columbia. Kamloops is a nice little town that is fine for a night or so. There isn’t a ton going on but it was certainly pleasant for a night.

There was a ‘music in the park’ concert that I checked out while I was there and there is a nice little beach area at the edge of the park. I was told that Kamloops has some good trails for mountain biking and hiking but I didn’t get a chance to do it.

It is worth noting I ate at a pretty good restaurant/bar called the Noble Pig. Notable because it was good but also because it was designed after the Spotted Pig in New York; which is right by my apartment back home.

This was basically the theme of my experience on the Rocky Mountaineer; amazing service, great scenery and a stop in Kamloops. It wasn’t perfect but it was a cool experience I am glad I had a chance to do.