How Rail Continues to Move Canadian Tourism

From luxury scenic journeys to urban streetcars, trains remain one of the most sustainable ways to travel.

In Canada, the story of rail began with the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885, laying the foundation for both settlement and tourism. 

While the car era led to the decline of many of these systems, rail’s legacy has never disappeared.

Internationally, high-speed networks crisscross Europe and Asia, while heritage and luxury routes draw travellers seeking slower, more sustainable journeys. 

UNESCO has even recognized historic railways.

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(Photo Credit: Via Rail)

Rail Travel’s Ongoing Canadian Journey

VIA Rail continues to operate Canadianjourneys that bind the country together through remote areas that no roads can reach. 

Rocky Mountaineer attracts visitors from around the globe with its glass-dome coaches through the Rockies, while northern routes connect travellers to remote landscapes.

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Rocky Mountaineer (Photo Credit: Rocky Mountaineer)

Beyond scenic routes, Canada’s heritage attractions help preserve the stories of rail travel, and museums, such as Ontario’s Halton County Radial Railway (HCRR), keep that history alive with restored rolling stock and live demonstrations.

This year, the HCRR marks its 70th anniversary with a commemorative book documenting its evolution since 1954. For editor Caroline Rose, the project was as much about education as it was about preservation, as rail’s past continues to inform its role in travel today.

 

The HCRR marks its 70th anniversary with a commemorative book documenting rail's evolution (Photo Credit: Caroline Rose)

Rail Reimagined

As sustainability becomes a growing priority, rail is being reimagined as a practical, lower-carbon alternative to air and car travel as travellers seek slower, greener ways to explore.

Whether through panoramic luxury coaches or remote northern lines, trains continue to offer what few other modes of transport can: a chance to journey through landscapes and time itself.

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