Canadian (train) - Route

Route

Starting from Vancouver, the Canadian begins at Pacific Central Station. It follows along the CN track to New Westminster, then crosses the New Westminster Bridge. The Canadian then goes on the east track and goes directly to Gifford. It then recrosses the Fraser River to Mission, switching to the CP track and continuing on it all the way to Basque (near Lytton). It is here that both the CP and CN are on the same side of the river and have crossovers to access each other's tracks, and here where the eastbound Canadian transfers from the CP onto the CN line. Shortly thereafter the CN line crosses back over to the west/north side of the Thompson River for the rest of the way to Kamloops. Actually the Canadian stops at the CN station, which is in North Kamloops, across the river from downtown Kamloops. The Canadian continues east on the CN to Toronto, making stops at Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Going west the Canadian does not switch to the CP track in Kamloops; instead it stays on the CN tracks all the way into Vancouver. Two of the highlights of the CN route include the ride through Painted Canyon in which the train clings about 200 feet (61 m) above the Thompson River and the crossing of CN's 800-foot (240 m) steel-arched bridge over the Fraser River and the CP mainine at Cisco.