Review: Rocky Mountaineer “First Passage to the West” Vancouver to Banff

The Rocky Mountaineer is considered one of the most luxurious and scenic train experiences in North America, with service through Western Canada and the American Rocky Mountains. What began as a family-owned enterprise in 1990 is now the world’s largest privately-operated luxury train experience.

I had the opportunity to take the Rocky Mountaineer and try it for myself recently, when my partner Jessy and I ventured from the West Coast to the Rocky Mountains for two days of grandeur aboard the train.

While I’ve taken a few train trips before, this would be my first time onboard a luxury train of any kind, and I was excited to see how it would compare to my many flights in premium cabins.

Rocky Mountaineer – Routes

There are four distinct rail routes offered by the Rocky Mountaineer, which operates from April to October each year:

• “First Passage to the West”, which we took, is the most popular route, and was previously known as the “Kicking Horse Route”. This itinerary encompasses a two-day trip from Vancouver to Lake Louise or Banff, with an overnight stop in Kamloops en route.
• “Rainforest to Gold Rush” runs from Vancouver to Jasper over the course of three days, with stops in Whistler and Quesnel.
• “Journey Through The Clouds” travels from Vancouver to Jasper, with only one stop in Kamloops along the way.
• “Rockies to The Red Rocks” is a two-day route available in the US Rocky Mountains. This route runs from Moab to Denver, and is currently the lone route outside of Canada.

Several packages are available. We embarked on one of the “Short Journeys”, which takes two or three days across the various routes.

Mid-length trips are known as “Rocky Highlights”, which provide extra days to visit prominent stops, and “Circle Journeys” are the longest possible booking option, which allows passengers to combine multiple routes for a more extensive experience.

Rocky Mountaineer – Classes of Service

The SilverLeaf cabin is the base-level offering onboard the Rocky Mountaineer, while the GoldLeaf cabin is Rocky Mountaineer’s premier class, with an elevated railway experience.

Both include complimentary meals and snacks, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. However, with the GoldLeaf Service, there are a few notable extra inclusions.

SilverLeaf is a single-level carriage with stationary seats and standard windows. In comparison, GoldLeaf has…