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B.C. has some of the world's best train trips, report shows

Rocky Mountaineer operates three B.C. train routes while VIA Rail's Canadian route between Vancouver and Toronto earned praise.
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Rocky Mountaineer trains have glass domes to enable passengers to better admire the scenery

The insurance website InsureMyTrip.com today released its list of what it calls the "greatest train trips in the world."

Two of what it considers "trips" are in B.C. The site lists the Rocky Mountaineer at No. 6, while the Canadian is at No. 8. 

The Rocky Mountaineer is actually a company, however, and not a specific route. The venture has four routes, including three that are in B.C. Its First Passage to the West runs between Vancouver and Banff via Kamloops, while its Journey Through the Clouds runs between Vancouver and Jasper via Kamloops. Its Rainforest to Gold Rush runs between Vancouver and Jasper via Whistler and Quesnel. Passengers do not travel during the nights on Rocky Mountaineer routes and instead sleep in hotels to maximize their ability to appreciate scenery during the day.

The Rocky Mountaineer's fourth run, in the U.S., travels between Moab, Utah and Denver, Colorado. 

VIA Rail operates the other train route that includes B.C.: the four-night, four-day Canadian route between Vancouver and Toronto. 

Top 10 greatest train trips in the world, listed by InsureMyTrip are:

  1. Bernina Express – Switzerland
  2. Glacier Express – Switzerland
  3. Inca Rail – Peru
  4. Napa Valley Wine Train – U.S.
  5. Pacific Surfliner – U.S.
  6. Rocky Mountaineer – Canada
  7. Jacobite Steam Train – Scotland
  8. The Canadian – Canada
  9. The Ghan – Australia
  10. Alaska Railroad – U.S.

To determine the top 10, analysts at at InsureMyTrip.com looked at the frequency of the train, number of national parks it traverses, and quality of the journey, according to the company.

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