Canada’s most scenic train ride offers sweeping views of lakes, mountains, and valleys

With more than 9.9 million square kilometres of land to explore, Canada is practically made for road trips and long, scenic adventures. While there are plenty of ways to travel from coast to coast, few offer a better view than travelling by rail.

A train ride lets you take in some of the country’s most gorgeous landscapes without having to worry about keeping your eyes on the road. And according to a recent ranking, one particular route stands out as the most scenic train journey in Canada.

Travel company and tour operator Journeyscape analysed search interest, social visibility, traveller ratings, and proximity to natural landmarks to determine the top 10 most scenic train rides in Canada, and the White Pass & Yukon Route came out on top.

Scoring 7.8 out of 10 for scenery, the White Pass & Yukon Route (WP&YR) was named Canada’s most scenic rail journey. The route offers incredible views of lakes, mountains, and valleys, while outdoor viewing platforms give passengers an unobstructed way to take in the scenery along the way.

According to Journeyscape, global searches for the northern train ride jumped to 256,100 in the first quarter of 2026, more than any other train journey in the country, including Via Rail’s The Canadian, the second-longest train ride in the world. 

Though it has been named Canada’s most scenic rail journey, the White Pass & Yukon Route actually begins in the United States, in Skagway, Alaska.

From there, the historic railway climbs from sea level to nearly 914 metres in elevation in just 16 kilometres. Along the way, your eyes can feast on stunning views of mountain peaks, deep gorges, waterfalls, and steep cliffside drops.

The railway has been operating for more than 125 years, with construction beginning in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush. It was originally built to connect the coastal port of Skagway with Whitehorse, Yukon, and the line eventually reached Whitehorse. However, regular passenger service no longer runs all the way to the Yukon capital.

Depending on the excursion, passengers can travel by train through parts of B.C., including Fraser and Bennett, before continuing into Carcross and Whitehorse, Yukon.

According to WP&YR, it is the only passenger railroad that goes through a state, a province, and a territory.

How much to hop on board the White Pass & Yukon Route?

If you’d love to experience this incredible train ride through the White Pass Summit and all the way up to the Yukon, one adult ticket costs US$210 (around C$290) on WP&YR’s website.

It’s roughly a 109-kilometre trip that takes 4.5 hours to complete, with passengers boarding the train in Skagway, Alaska.

It’s a fully narrated train ride with comfortable coach cars, and passengers get a free water bottle and a “hearty boxed lunch” served on board. The website also states there is a 45-minute layover in Bennett, offering passengers time to stroll through the White Pass museum and take part in a self-guided walking tour of the historic gold rush townsite.

Curious travellers have the option to choose the Bennett Scenic Journey, which is the same route that the Klondike stampeders traversed in 1898. The excursion combines the historic train ride with a motorcoach tour along the scenic Klondike Highway, making for a 193-kilometre round trip lasting eight hours. This journey also includes a 45-minute layover in scenic Bennett, B.C.

One adult ticket costs US$289 (around C$399) on WP&YR’s website.

Originally published on Daily Hive. 

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