VIA Rail adds new tourism options

VIA Rail Canada Inc. last week announced expanded tourism options for North American travelers through its partnership with Yankee Leisure Group (YLG), which currently operates Amtrak Vacations, Unique Rail Journeys and Yankee Holidays.

The passenger railroad's new vacation packages include a Canadian Rockies trip, which makes stops in the British Columbian cities of Vancouver and Victoria, as well as Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff, and Calgary in Alberta, VIA Rail officials said in a press release.

The railroad also has plans for a "Cross Canada" trip that stops in Toronto and Niagara Falls before departing to the Canadian Rockies, and a "Capitol to Capitol" program with  stops in Ottawa, New York City and Washington, D.C.

The railroad plans to operate the new itineraries on most days and in any direction throughout the year.