Rocky Mountaineer

The Rocky Mountaineer began as a once weekly VIA Rail daytime service between Calgary, Jasper and Vancouver on June 9, 1988, called the 'Canadian Rockies by Daylight.'.[1] This service was the same as it is today, with an overnight stop in Kamloops. Trains departed Vancouver on Sundays, with trains to Jasper and Calgary (by way of Banff) departing Monday morning. These were express services, with no intermediate stops. Return service began westward on Thursdays from Calgary and Jasper, terminating on Friday in Vancouver.[2] On June 4, 1989, VIA began its second season of the service, renamed the service the 'Rocky Mountaineer.' Scheduling remained the same as the previous season.[3] The final Summer Rocky Mountaineer under VIA branding departed Calgary and Jasper on October 12, 1989, and arrived in Vancouver on October 13.[4] VIA Rail experienced massive reductions in scheduling in 1990, resulting in the Southern transcontinental service being terminated. Service on the Rocky Mountaineer continued through the winter of 1990,[5] being removed from schedules and marketing in May 1990.[6]

After the sale of the branding in 1990, the current company was founded by the Armstrong Group in 1990, and is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It ran its first train on May 27, 1990.[7] It is the busiest privately owned passenger rail service in North America, having transported over one million passengers since 1990.

In July 2020, the company announced the suspension of its service for the remainder of the 2020 season in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] The company's decision to refuse to issue passenger refunds, contrary to its published cancellation policy at the time of ticket purchase, has generated negative media attention. In October 2020, a Toronto CTV consumer alert article reported over 200 passengers were still fighting for compensation from The Rocky Mountaineer. [9]

• Rockies to the Red Rocks: This route will travel between Denver and Moab with an overnight stop in Glenwood Springs. It will operate on Union Pacific Railroad trackage. Announced in November 2020, this route will begin service in 2021.[14][15]

• Whistler Mountaineer/Whistler Sea to Sky Climb: This route was a day trip operating between North Vancouver and Whistler on Canadian National Railway trackage. It was discontinued after the 2015 season and incorporated into the overlapping Rainforest to Gold Rush route.[16]
• Coastal Passage: This route was a day trip operating between Seattle and Vancouver on BNSF Railway trackage, intended to provide travellers from the United States with easier access to the other Vancouver-based routes. It was discontinued after the 2019 season due to low demand.[16]

Operating on all routes, Rocky Mountaineer's GoldLeaf service is a custom-designed, bi-level, glass-domed coach with full-length windows and reclining seats that can be rotated to accommodate groups of four. Guests on board this service are attended to by three to four onboard hosts, in addition to the culinary team. Guests are offered hot meals prepared on board the train, served to them in the lower level dining car. Beverages and snacks are also offered to guests throughout the journey. The two levels of the GoldLeaf coach are accessible by a spiral staircase or an ADA elevator.[17][18]

GoldLeaf service will not be offered on the future Rockies to the Red Rocks route, as the coaches are taller than Amtrak's Superliner cars, and thus would not be able to clear the 28 tunnels on the planned route.[19]

Rocky Mountaineer SilverLeaf

Operating on the same routes as GoldLeaf, Rocky Mountaineer's SilverLeaf service is a custom-designed, single level glass domed coach with oversized windows and reclining seats. Guests onboard are attended to by two to three onboard hosts, and offered a hot entrée option for breakfast and lunch served at their seat and plated to their preference. Complimentary beverages are served throughout the journey, including: wine, beer, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks. Gourmet snacks are also offered throughout the journey.[17][18]