Canada Rail Vacations

03/08/2024

Kathleen was the successful bidder on our train tour package donated to help raise funds for Kids Up Front Calgary. Congratulations Kathleen!

This is the package she won: https://canadarail.ca/tours/charity/kids-up-front-calgary/

02/24/2024

Celebrating a special occasion this year? ⁠
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What better way to celebrate than enjoying breathtaking sceneries and tasting delicious food aboard the world-renowned ? ⁠
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Our Special is still available until February 29, and you can get up to 10% off our tour packages! Don't miss out on the opportunity to plan the trip of a lifetime this year.⁠ Learn more here: https://canadarail.ca/train-tour-specials/

12/26/2023

The Canada Rail Vacations Team wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! This year was amazing, and we would all like to thank all of our wonderful guests who have travelled with us, and those getting ready for an upcoming trip of a lifetime💫🎄

11/30/2023

In support of the Kids Up Front Calgary foundation, Canada Rail Vacations will be donating a 4-day trip from Calgary to Vancouver aboard the Rocky Mountaineer Train.⁠ 🌟⁠
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Kids Up Front Calgary helps children in need, giving them access to enriching experiences such as arts, culture and sporting events. To help support this cause, join the live auction on March 7 for your chance to win! ⁠https://canadarail.ca/tours/charity/kids-up-front-calgary/
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"Beyond the tracks, Canada Rail Vacations is actively involved in supporting local causes and charities. Our commitment as a company to donate train trips aligns seamlessly with our mission to showcase the breathtaking beauty of Canada. By extending the joy of travel to those who may not have the opportunity otherwise, we aim to enrich the lives of recipients while also promoting tourism and appreciation for the diverse landscapes that define our nation ..."⁠
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➡️ Keep reading our blog post and learn how we support local causes: https://canadarail.ca/donations/

11/21/2023

Last month, the Canada Rail Vacations team embarked on a 9-day adventure, experiencing the magic of the Canadian Rockies aboard the Rocky Mountaineer and VIA Rail's nostalgic "The Canadian" train. We would love to thank all of our amazing partners who made this unforgettable journey possible.

Read about our journey here: https://canadarail.ca/rocky-mountain-train-ride/

09/20/2023

Spencer and Martin were in Vancouver this week with one of our incentive groups from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. While exploring the city, we ran into some of our other clients such as the Kern and Sutton families. It was a fun, random meet up and we saw them three different times.

08/26/2023

Not everything is perfect when wildfires close down rail lines. But we make the best of it. These are our last 6 guests affected by the recent VIA Rail suspended services. Our guide Neil is touring them between Edmonton and Jasper today with a stop at The Fresh Vine in Edson for lunch. All trains should be running at full capacity as of Monday.

08/19/2023

Martin's Moab Trip - DAY 3 & 4 | Arches National Park & Aboard the Train 🚂⁠
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If you haven't had the chance to read about Martin's last couple of days, he explored Arches National Park and spent time aboard on his way to Denver. ⁠
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Read about this memorable journey with gorgeous sceneries and wonderful staff at https://canadarail.ca/martins-moab-trip/ -3

08/17/2023

It's time to board the train. https://canadarail.ca/martins-moab-trip/

08/17/2023

Martin's Moab Trip - DAY 2 | Moab 🏜️

A scenic bus ride, biking in Moab, and staying at a beautiful hotel - read about day 2 of Martin's adventure: https://canadarail.ca/martins-moab-trip/ -2

08/16/2023

Martin's Moab Trip - DAY 1⁠ | Salt Lake City
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Travelling with Delta to Salt Lake City, exploring the area, and meeting with the team - thank you, Ben, Coco, and Cari from Rocky Mountaineer for this opportunity! Read about Martin's first day here: https://canadarail.ca/martins-moab-trip/ -1

08/15/2023

The founder of Canada Rail, Martin, is embarking on a new adventure for the next few days, and we are excited to share it with you!

Flying to Salt Lake City tomorrow, and boarding the Rocky Mountaineer from Moab, UT, to Denver, CO, this trip will be one to remember.

Click on the following links to follow his adventure:
Blog: https://canadarail.ca/martins-moab-trip/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canadarailca/

08/13/2023

Doing what we do best - booking clients on the Rocky Mountaineer train, booking their hotels and showing them the Canadian Rockies in style.

June and Allison were the successful winners of the Calgary Flames Alumni fundraiser for CP Kids & Families. This is the trip they won: https://canadarail.ca/tours/charity/calgaryflames/

08/11/2023

The winners of the Calgary Flames Alumni auction for CP Kids & Families boarded the Rocky Mountaineer today!

Thank you June and Allison for supporting such a great cause, have a wonderful trip!

08/04/2023

We love planning guests' holidays from beginning to end. We've been working with Michael and family since August 2022 to plan their family's dream vacation. We've shared emails, had Zoom calls and talked on the phone. For the next six days, Martin is out showing them around the Rockies.
Learn more about our private and custom holidays here: https://canadarail.ca/custom-tours/

07/30/2023

Our guests are loving their time with our guides this summer. Here are some recent photos of our guests out in the Rockies, taken by one of our guides Neil.

Joan and Kelly enjoyed their recent trip with Neil so much, they invited him to come visit them in DC,

"Dear Neil,
Again, thank you for being such an incredible guide for us on our tours from Jasper. We truly enjoyed your commentary and your amazing knowledge of the whole area. We hope our paths will cross in the future. Our offer to stay with us if you come to DC stands. You are always welcome, as is your family."

All photos were taken by our guide Neil Zeller Photography. This is the tour he was guiding: https://canadarail.ca/tours/rockies-adventurer-eastbound/

07/27/2023

Another great review about our guide Jake,
“I was on the Rocky Mountaineer last week (July 17/18) and then one of your Lakes, Mountains, Waterfalls and gondola tour with Jake as our guide on July 19/20. Everything was fantastic! The train from Vancouver was spectacular, the food was first class, the accommodations were great and the land tour exceeded all my expectations. The service on the train was first class and Jake was the best tour guide I have ever had. He arranged the tour so we could get to sites before the crowds and and even made sure we got there when the views would be the best. He answered all our questions and was so knowledgeable about the mountains, the geology and the wildfire. I have recommended this trip to others! Well-done!”

Thanks for doing a great job Jake!

07/18/2023

Karen and Carl were some of our clients who booked in 2019 to travel with us in 2020. While many things prevented them from travelling the past few years, we finally got to host them on one of our trips this year. Thanks so much for your patience while waiting to travel with us!

"We booked our holiday through the amazing company Canadarail.ca & can't speak highly enough of the service provided by each team member and the itinerary created for us.

We first contacted Canadarail.ca in June 2019 with a plan to travel in 2020. Like many people, our plans were thwarted by Covid. We were finally able to travel in June 2023. During the 4 years in between, the staff at Canadarail.ca provided updates on the situation, suggestions for our holiday and promptly, patiently & efficiently answered our many questions.

We were already impressed before we flew to Canada (we live in New Zealand) but once we were actually on holiday it became clear how proficient they all were at their job. Our holiday was even more special than we had expected. Every little detail was organised and streamlined. Really, the only thing we had to think about was what we wanted off the menu. This was standout the best holiday we have had so far and it was all thanks to the impressive team at Canadarail.ca.
We sincerely recommend Martin and his team to anyone planning a rail holiday in Canada.

Thanks again to you and your team.
Kind regards,
Karen & Carl"

07/07/2023

There’s no better way to start the Calgary Stampede season than with delicious food and the Stampede Parade. A very special Thank You to Fairmont Palliser for inviting some of our Canada Rail Vacations staff to their Stampede Kick-Off Breakfast this morning! 🤠

05/28/2023

Our Sales Manager Spencer is on his way to Rendezvous Canada with a layover in Ottawa. Boarding VIA Rail Canada from Ottawa to Montreal. We'll see you all soon in Quebec City.

05/19/2023

Support CP Kids & Families and win a trip with Canada Rail Vacations! ⁠

Start bidding today and you may have the chance to win a tour package from Calgary to Vancouver, going through the magnificent Canadian Rockies aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train. ⁠
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The Calgary Flames Alumni foundation has raised thousands of dollars for charity over the years, and your donations will directly support kids with physical disabilities and help them experience childhood pleasures such as riding a bike. The funds raised from this year’s event will be used to expand the Adapted Bike Program to grow its inventory and variety of bicycles and equipment. Residual funds will be dedicated to supporting the increasing demands for family resources, crisis & adapted equipment funding.
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Donate today: https://canadarail.ca/tours/calgaryflames/

05/13/2023

Lee Ann and Michael just finished their trip across Canada with us. There were some wildfires affecting the train route so we figured out a way around for them. This was their trip review,
"I cannot properly express our appreciation for our fabulous vacation.

Starting in Vancouver, the hotel was amazing and we had a great time with the “hop on hop off” tour. The process checking in for the Rocky Mountaineer was seamless and we were so surprised by the service, constant food/drinks, and the organized luggage/hotel transfers.

Once in Banff and Lake Louise, all the hotel accommodations and tours were so much fun. The Discovery tour company guide was super friendly and informative. The Gondola was breathtaking. We just loved Jake. We had such fabulous waterfalls, wildlife and educational experiences with him.

Once we were in Jaspar and the Via Train was canceled due to the fires, your team hunkered down and managed to get us to Calgary as well as a flight to Toronto. Other tourists were left stranded and had to make their own arrangements. We were so grateful that we did not feel abandoned by our tour agent.

Jake was such a good sport spending another day with us. He put in an extremely long day; he was never grumpy, rude or short with us. He is such a pleasant person; we thoroughly enjoyed meeting him. I also want to thank you for getting us the glacier tour.

The Fairmont in Lake Louise and Toronto were so unexpected. Such lavish accommodations. The tour to Niagara Falls with the boat excursion and added stops was also an unforgettable experience.

Our final day with you was simply walking across the street and boarding a train to Montreal.

I couldn’t have imagined the detail you put into planning our trip or as pleasantly surprised at the enjoyment of every hotel, tour experience, train, plane and automobile adventure across Canada!

We have friends at home that are interested in our vacation experience, and we will highly recommend your company. "

05/03/2023

Book before May 12, 2023, and Save 10% on 2024 Travel!⁠ 🚂
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As of May 13, prices will be increasing by more than 10% for the 2024 travel season – secure your space before these prices go live!⁠
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**All departure dates will fall on the same days of the week as 2023 – Please request a quote to learn more.⁠
***Some prices for 2024 may already be shown online: They will not take effect until all 2024 prices are online⁠
****Not applicable to rail-only bookings⁠
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Get more details by contacting us or by visiting canadarail.ca.

04/29/2023

Our guide Jake Pawis loves to show off our national parks. Today we're in Banff with 6 clients who are boarding the Rocky Mountaineer train tomorrow.

10/10/2022

With Canadian Thanksgiving here this weekend and our 2022 season coming to a close, we’ve been reflecting on how grateful we are for all our guests who travelled with us this year. As a small tour operator these last few years have been extremely difficult, and because of you this year is one to remember! We are busier than ever, and are thankful and fortunate for all our guests who put their trust in us during such uncertain times.

Our team at Canada Rail thanks you again, words really cannot describe what this year has meant to us.

09/28/2022

We just heard from some more happy guests who loved their trip across Canada. Ginger and John just travelled with us on the The Canadian Adventurer (https://canadarail.ca/tours/the-canadian-adventurer-westbound)
"We can share photos of the great views, the gorgeous hotels we stayed at and the wonderful train experiences we had. What we can't share in photos is how the service from Martin and the employees at Canada Rail Vacations made our experience top notch. From Toronto all the way to Vancouver, it didn't matter if we traveled by Via Rail, Rocky Mountaineer, tour bus or tour shuttles we were treated with dignity and kindness and everything went smoothly. I would use this company again and I have recommended this company to several of my friends.

It's been a heck of an emotional, stressful year for us. This vacation was exactly what we needed and one of the reasons we were able to relax and enjoy everything was that we knew everything had been handled.

One thing that stands out is their communication. Prior to our trip we had several questions that they answered and elaborated on. During our trip, when we contacted Canada Rail Vacations with a question, they were able to provide answers. They spent the time speaking with us and followed up after with an email. The itinerary they sent us was clear and easy to follow. Their website had lots of information about our itinerary as well. The other thing that we appreciated is that when ever we spoke with anyone in the office it was clear they had been on the trains we were going to be on, had gone on the same tours, and visited the same hotels. This was evident and they provided us answers based on first hand knowledge with additional information we wouldn't have thought to ask about.

Everything was amazing. The food was great. Just about every person we met was kind and helpful. The hotels were gorgeous. The tours we took were interesting and informative. All of this was in large part because Canada Rail Vacations worked on our behalf to ensure we had a great experience. "

09/14/2022

September is the busiest month of the year that we see for our guests travelling - and after the last few COVID years, we have been enjoying the feedback we've been receiving!

This morning we heard from Miland and Myrna, who were part of a Rockies Adventurer Eastbound group tour that originally booked with us in 2019 and were finally able to travel with us this year:

"Our August, 2022, Canadian Rockies trip with Canada Rail Vacations in Calgary was amazing in every way. Your attention to detail along with top shelf hotels and the Rocky Mountaineer, Sky Tram, Ice Explorer and Gondola added to the unique experiences we enjoyed. Your vast amount of knowledge of this beautiful area made this vacation both interesting and educational. It was definitely worth the two year (Pandemic) wait!"

Thank you Miland and Myrna for joining us this year, we are so happy we were finally able to make your trip happen!

09/14/2022

We have some guests inquiring about the air quality in the Rockies right now. Martin is out guiding in Banff and Yoho National Parks today and has these photos to share!

08/31/2022

Jim and Kathy had a great time too,
"Dear Martin,

My wife Kathy and I want to extend our most sincere thanks to you and Canada Rail Vacations for a truly fantastic adventure through the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

The beginning of our trip with the Vancouver Tour followed by the Rocky Mountaineer Train experience were absolutely delightful and first class all the way. However, little did we know then that the best was yet to come. The real treasure of this remarkable adventure began when you became our guide for the four days through the Jasper and Banff areas.

Your local knowledge and special insights about these areas was both amazing and tremendously enlightening. It provided a special meaning to this journey and one we will always remember. Not only did we see and hear about the many mainstream
attractions that are so special to these areas, but you also guided us into special places off the beaten path that provided extraordinary views and magnificent travel experiences.

Our hats off to you Martin for sharing your knowledge and expertise with our group. We could not have selected a better Company, travel guide and companion than what was provided to us by Canada Rail Vacations. We will strongly recommend Martin Flanagan and Canada Rail Vacations to our friends and acquaintances.

Thank you again for making this a truly memorable travel experience.

Very best wishes,

Jim and Kathy Bartl
Eau Claire, Wisconsin"

08/30/2022