VIA Rail (tel: 1 888 842 7245; website: www.viarail.ca) is the national rail service provider. The infrequent rail services are generally reliable and standards within the carriages are high. A large number of passengers choose rail for the scenic trip, rather than to get from A to B.

Pacific Central Station is the terminus for the main transcontinental lines. It is located at 1150 Station Street, adjacent to the main coach station. Facilities include bureau de change, food and drink concessions, gift shop and newsagents.

Rail services: VIA Rail operates the transcontinental Canadian service. This thrice-weekly train passes through Winnipeg, Edmonton and Jasper on its 3-day journey from Toronto. Both economy and first-class services are available. Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245; website: www.amtrakcascades.com) provides a daily service from Seattle (journey time - 4 hours). A service from Calgary is offered by the privately run Rocky Mountaineer (tel: (604) 606 7245 or 1 877 460 3200; website: www.rockymountaineer.com), with an overnight stop in Kamloops so that the entire rail journey through the scenic Rockies is in daylight. The thrice-weekly service runs from mid-April to mid-October and advance reservations are required. A similar service, the Whistler Mountaineer (tel: (604) 606 8460 or 1 888 687 7245; website: www.whistlermountaineer.com) travels along the Sunshine Coast and then inland to Whistler from May to October.