Rocky Mountaineer's First Passage to the West route. Image credit: Rocky Mountaineer

I’m a sucker for the romance of train travel, and spring is the ideal time to get back on track. The iconic, BC-based Rocky Mountaineer rail service launches its seasonal First Passage to the West route from Vancouver to Banff starting April 23.

Trains are the historic connectors of western identity, and Rocky Mountaineer trains single handedly elevated western train travel from necessity to scenic luxury. The family-owned rail service has won 7 World Travel Awards since its start in 1990, including the recently announced “World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train” at the 2011 WTAs.

April travel into the Canadian Rockies – a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site – promises snow-capped mountains, flowers in bloom, bursting waterfalls and plenty of bears, eagles and the occasional lanky moose. Find out more about the spring getaways from Vancouver to Banff after the jump. Continue reading:
Spring getaway by rail on the iconic Rocky Mountaineer