Rocky Mountaineer

Rocky Mountaineer is a Canadian rail-tour company that provides luxury scenic train journeys on routes in Western Canada and the American Southwest. The company's business model is centered on premium, daylight-only travel, allowing passengers to experience the scenery without overnight travel on the train; instead, guests stay in hotels at the journey's midway points. This tour-focused approach means trips are sold as complete end-to-end packages, with options ranging from two to over twenty-five days. Revenue is generated through the sale of these vacation packages, which include the train journey, hotel accommodations, and onboard services like chef-prepared meals.

The concept for a scenic, daytime train through the Canadian Rockies was originally developed by railroad engineer Harry Holmes and tourism entrepreneur Pat Crowley. It began in 1988 as a weekly service operated by the government-owned Via Rail Canada. Following two financially unsuccessful seasons and a shift in government policy to privatize tourist services, the federal government sold the business in 1990. Vancouver-based entrepreneur Peter Armstrong, through his family's Armstrong Hospitality Group Ltd (now Major Rock Corporation), acquired the assets and officially launched the private Rocky Mountaineer on May 27, 1990. Under Armstrong's leadership, the company expanded significantly, introducing its signature bi-level GoldLeaf Service glass-dome coaches in 1995 and growing to become the largest privately-owned luxury tourist train company in the world, having served over two million guests.

The company operates three rail routes in Canada connecting Vancouver with Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper, and one route in the United States between Denver, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. The Canadian routes are "First Passage to the West," "Journey Through the Clouds," and "Rainforest to Gold Rush." In 2021, the company expanded into the U.S. with its "Rockies to the Red Rocks" route. Service levels include SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf, with GoldLeaf offering premium features like bi-level coaches with full glass-dome windows and a separate dining car. The company has received numerous accolades, including being named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies (Gold Standard) and receiving multiple World Travel Awards.

Keywords: luxury train travel, scenic rail journeys, Canadian Rockies tourism, North American rail tours, daylight train tours, GoldLeaf service, SilverLeaf service, First Passage to the West, Rockies to the Red Rocks, Peter Armstrong, Vancouver, Banff, Jasper, luxury travel, scenic tourism, rail vacation packages, glass-dome train, tour operator, hospitality, adventure travel