Tourist Train Rides | Canada

Canada tourist train attractions and heritage railway museums offer steam train rides, gourmet dinner train rides, and scenic railway day trips from British Columbia to Ontario and beyond.

Round trips to the historic western Prairie village of Big Valley, some 20 mi/32 km away, include live entertainment -- usually a train robbery reenactment -- plus a home-style country buffet. Highlights include steam-hauled runs; live theater excursions; fine dining trains. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: rail museum, onboard cafe/snack services, holiday/event excursions, train charters, gift certificates.

Steaming through the glacial peaks and tall fir stands of Vancouver Island's Alberni Valley, heritage trains deliver visitors to the McClean Mill National Historic Site -- a preserved 19c sawmill and lumber camp. Highlights include tours of the historic site; cab ride experience; winery tour, rail/bike combo and overnight packages. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: cafe services (at mill site), holiday/event excursions, train charters, gift shop (at mill site), wheelchair access (some restrictions).

Operating between Granville Street and Olympic Village Station, this vintage trolly combines a touch of nostalgia with stunning views of the downtown skyline. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: holiday/event excursions.

This restored electric tramway links Nelson's City Wharf area to Lakeside Park. Train operates seasonally.

Past orchards and vineyards and across a 238 ft/73 m high canyon trestle, this authentic steam train makes its way on a 10 mi/16 km journey through the Okanagan Valley. Highlights include onboard entertainment; Great Train Robbery and BBQ runs. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: onboard and station snack services, holiday/event excursions, train charters.

Photo ops and a train robbery reenactment make this scenic 7 mile/11 km steam-drawn round trip a favorite with young and old alike. Highlights include open-air cars and interpretive guides. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: holiday/event excursions, train charters, wheelchair access.

After tackling the steep slopes and sharp curves of the narrow Mark Creek Valley, the railway tunnels through a 2475 ft/750 m underground interpretive area, before proceeding to the base of the Kimberley Alpine Resort. Highlights include live mining show. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: rail museum.

Vintage steam and heritage diesel engines alternate along a historic prairie line, transporting guests on a variety of theme runs. Highlights include engineer experineces; caboose seating. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: onboard snack services, holiday/event excursions, train charters, gift shop, online ticketing.

No excursions have been scheduled for the 2010 season.

The "One Day Rail Adventure into the Heart of the Canadian Wilderness" takes passenger on a 100-plus mile journey across the Canadian Shield. Dense north woods part to make way for Agawa's far-flung railway and to reveal rushing waters, remarkable rock formations and a wide variety of native wildlife. The train's final plunge to the canyon floor is followed by a two-hour layover during which one may explore a wilderness trail or enjoy a picnic. Choose coach or dome seating; dining service available. Train operates seasonally.

Excursions edge the Precambrian Niagara Escarpment along a 44 mi/70 km route that takes in the beautiful Hills of Headwaters and features a 1146 ft/349 m trestle bridge crossing. Highlights include Dinner and Sunday Brunch runs; complimentary refreshments on all trains. Trains operate seasonally year-round. Selected features: train charters, online ticketing.

This streetcar and electric railway museum commemorates Toronto's radial railroads (1917-1948) along a preserved 1.25 mi/2 km stretch of the original Guelph Line. Train operates seasonally. Selected features: rail museum, holiday/event excursions, train charters.

Heritage diesel locomotives take visitors on a round trip up and down the 7 mi/11 km stretch that separates the lakeside resort village of Port Stanley and the London suburb of St. Thomas. Highlights include Murder & Mystery dinner trains. Trains operate seasonally year-round. Selected features: holiday/event excursions, train charters, gift shop, wheelchair access (some restrictions).

Along the scenic Muskoka River, this classic steam train hauls a pair of vintage open-sided coaches. At Fairy Lake, passengers watch as a manual turntable reverses the engine or the return trip. Highlights include interpretive self-tour of Muskoka Pioneer Village. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: rail museum, snack bar, holiday/event excursions, train charters, gift shop, snack bar, wheelchair access.

Through the Beeton Creek valley, heritage locomotives haul restored vintage coaches along a picturesque 4 mi/6.5 km stretch of century-old branchline. Highlights include Tottenham Conservation Area (picnicing, camping, hiking, swimming) adjacent to the railway station. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: train charters, wheelchair access (some restrictions).

Attractions along the historic line between Waterloo and St. Jacobs include glimpses of the area's Mennonite community and a 600-vendor farmers' market. Trains operate year-round (selected days). Selected features: onboard snack services, holiday/event excursions, train charters, online ticketing.

The Toronto area's only heritage railway tracks 12 mi/20 km through the rolling hills and river valleys of Ontario's beautiful Oak Ridges Moraine. Highlights include optional caboose 7 mi/11 km round trip. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: onboard snack services, holiday/event excursions, train charters, wheelchair access (Uxbridge only).

Lakes and mountain vistas form the backdrop for this excursion through Québec's Eastern Townships. Guests choose between fine dining -- lunch and dinner on selected days and Le Brunch on Sunday -- or panorama lounge seating. Highlights include stop at Merry Point on Lake Memphremagog; train/hotel packages. Trains operate seasonally.Selected features: train charters, online ticketing.

Operations, discontinued as of Fall 2011, are scheduled to resume in 2013.

Amid boreal forests, deisel mining trains give visitors a close-up of the boreal woodland site of Whitehorse's 1898 copper rush. Highlights include picnic pavilion. Trains operate seasonally. Selected features: rail museum, holiday/event excursions.

This circa 1925 yellow streetcar makes a series of stops along downtown's Yukon River shore. Highlights include historical narrative by interpretive guides. Trains operate seasonally.