Canada Rail Vacations — Local services in Vancouver

I had booked the Rocky Mountaineer Gold Leaf just as covid hit in ‘19. Unable to enter Canada I asked for my deposit back. VIA Canada refused and incredibly was going to also charge me $1200 for provisions. So, paying for a trip I could not take and paying for beans I would not eat was simply train robbery. Nonetheless,my wife and I wanted to experience the Rockies and the Mountaineer. I contacted Canada by Design and worked with a very professional designer,Zahra Farhang,to plan a trans-Canadian tour. Zahra put together a complete itinerary for Halifax to Vancouver; including excursions, hotel, private transfers, and various other aspects. As fate would have it, we were due to arrive Halifax the same time as Hurricane Lee. Our time in Halifax was reduced from 4 to 1 night. Given my previous fleecing by Via Rail, or the other agency I had booked with, I expected to lose 3 nights payment to the Lord Nelson. Happily; I was told by Zahra that I would be refunded 3 nights(thank you Lord Nelson). The Via Rail passenger trains are second fiddle to the freight trains and we missed an excursion in Jasper. Zahra worked with SunDog Travel and I received a refund for the missed Wildlife tour. Zahra and her co-workers helped us on a couple of mis-steps(of my making)and we made every destination. The Via Rail service was quite good; the cabins obviously cramped, but no issue. The hotels Zahra booked for us were exquisite and gave us relief from some of the tiring train travel. After Jasper; the scenery became magical. The coach transfer to Banff; driven/guided by Chuck of SunDog, was an education on all aspects of the Rockies. I highly recommend anyone considering a Canadian Rockies tour to do so before long and for certain enlist the assistance of Zahra at Canada by design. They...

Andre our trip planner, helped us plan a trip for our 60th wedding anniversary. The entire trip was perfect since every detail was given to us ahead of time. Andre spoke with us several times prior to the trip to find out what our tours could be and then gave us a very detailed itinerary. Our hotels were beautiful, first-class hotels will amazing breakfasts included. Every one of our tours was wonderful as well as the places we traveled to and things we saw. The 19-hour train trip was amazing. We had our own room with a private bathroom and ate delicious meals in the dining car. Every tour guide was wonderful, and Andre was available to us the entire trip if we needed him. We have traveled frequently over the years, but this trip planned just for us was a highlight and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment. There were numerous car pick-ups at the hotels and airport, and everyone was on time with beautiful vehicles to deliver us to our next destination. I can't encourage you enough to take this trip with Canada Rails Vacations from Montreal to Quebec City, the train, and on to Prince Edward Island, ending in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The perfect length for a trip with wonderful sights and things to do. If you're fortunate enough you might get Andre as your trip...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My wife and I have finally planned our holiday to Vancouver, and I’ve been so fortunate to have had the amazing support of Julie McAulay from Discover Holidays Inc. throughout the process.

From the very beginning, Julie has been incredibly helpful, patiently answering all my many questions about train rides, Whistler, and everything in between. Her local knowledge, thoughtful recommendations, and attention to detail made the planning process smooth, stress free, and genuinely enjoyable.

What really stood out was Julie’s professionalism, knowledge, responsiveness, and her warm, friendly, and sincere approach. Every email was met with a timely and thorough response, and it was clear she genuinely cared about making sure this trip would be the best experience possible. She made me feel like a truly valued client and went above and beyond in every way.

Julie is an absolute credit to Discover Holidays Inc. and Canada by Design. I cannot recommend her highly enough, if you’re planning a holiday, ask for Julie McAulay. You’ll be in the very best hands.

Thank you again, Julie, for making this such a fantastic and exciting journey before the trip...