10 Day Eastern Canada by Rail

On arrival in Toronto, make your way to the hotel to freshen up and settle in. You’ll have the rest of the afternoon to spend however you wish. You could start exploring the city or simply make the most of the hotel’s pool, where you can admire the views of the city and Lake Ontario.

You’ll have two full days in Toronto. You can wander around St Lawrence Market, head up to the viewing platform at the CN Tower, and explore the city’s oh-so-cool Distillery District. You can even take the ferry over to the Toronto Islands, where you can hire bikes or kayaks and admire the city skyline.

Since no trip to Eastern Canada would be complete without visiting Niagara Falls, we’ve included a trip as part of your itinerary. On this day tour, you’ll take a coach from Toronto to Niagara. You can explore the city and marvel at the thundering waterfall. If you’re travelling between May and October, why not get up close to the falls on the thrilling Hornblower Niagara Cruise? Your coach trip also includes a stop in the cute town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

You can get up early today to catch the first train from Toronto to Ottawa – or, if you’d prefer to have a leisurely morning, there’s a variety of other train times throughout the day. The journey takes around four-and-a-half hours, weaving along the northern shore of Lake Ontario before chugging through the cities of Belleville and Kingston. On arrival in Ottawa, you can check in to your hotel and begin exploring. Or, if you choose to catch a later train, simply head out for dinner and save the sightseeing for tomorrow.  

Ottawa is Canada’s capital, right on the border between Ontario and Quebec. In recent years, it’s undergone something of a transformation – so there’s plenty to see and do in this charming city.

With just one day here, you’ve got a lot to pack in. You can see Parliament Hill, home to the Parliament of Canada. Head to Major’s Hill Park for spectacular city views, or wander around ByWard Market and mingle with the locals. And you can’t come to Ottawa without trying the signature pastry at BeaverTails. The city is also known for superb Chinese, Lebanese and Vietnamese food, so you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to dinner time.

If you’re travelling in summer, go to Petrie Island for a day of swimming and lounging on the sandy shores. There are also festivals throughout the year, like The Canadian Tulip Festival in May and Bluefest in July. Visiting in winter? Eperience Winterlude in February and skate on the longest outdoor rink in the world, as an eight-kilometre stretch of the Rideau Canal is turned into a massive ice-skating rink.

It’s time to get back on the train and travel into the province of Quebec – the largest of Canada’s 10 provinces. The train journey takes around two hours, so you can either spend the morning seeing more of Ottawa, or catch the train early and arrive in Montreal for lunchtime.

Founded by French settlers, Montreal still has many of its original foundations and architecture, especially in Old Montreal. Spend the afternoon getting to know your surroundings, as you stroll along cobblestone streets filled with artisan markets and galleries. Later, in the evening, check out the fine-dining, chic bars and buzzing nightlife.

Wake up early as Montreal has a lot to offer. Wander through the beautiful Montreal Botanical Gardens and see L’Oratoire Saint-Joseph – Canada’s largest church with one of the largest domes in the world. Or head for the Biodome. Originally built as the velodrome for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, the Biodome is now a zoo with four different ecosystems and more 4,000 animals.

Foodies will love Chinatown and Marche Jean-Talon farmers market. The Plateau neighbourhood is one of the best places to get a real slice of Montreal life, while families will love the Parc Jean-Drapeau and the rides and attractions at La Ronde. Round off your busy day on the 46th floor of Place Ville Marie, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the city from the observation deck. And why not enjoy a glass of wine from Les Enfants Terribles, the resident restaurant?

The final part of your journey sees you travel to Quebec City. We’d recommend catching one of the first trains out of Montreal so you can be in Quebec City for lunchtime, as it’ll take around three-and-a-half hours. This leg of the journey is arguably less scenic than the others, but once you arrive in Quebec City you’ll be delighted and amazed.

This place is the only fortified city on the continent north of Mexico, and it offers magnificent heritage, amazing food, natural beauty, and welcoming locals, known as ‘Quebecers’. Spend the afternoon strolling through Old Quebec – a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the oldest streets in North America. You can admire the city from every angle and discover charming little streets filled with independent shops.

Your last full day in Eastern Canada is sure to be one to remember. One attraction not to be missed is Montmorency Fall – a staggering waterfall which is a whopping 30 metres taller than Niagara Falls. You could take the path that runs along the cliff’s edge to the suspension bridge, where you’ll have a great view of the falls below you. Thrill-seekers can even sip-line past the falls. But, for a more leisurely experience, you can also take the cable car to admire the falls and the sweeping vistas of Quebec City.

Quebec City boasts a selection of galleries and museums, as well as an aquarium with almost 10,000 creatures. The city is also home to Eastern Canada’s largest theme park, where there’s both an outdoor and indoor waterpark. And you’ll have easy access to Jacques-Cartier National Park – a dazzling glacial valley which is paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. With so much to do in Quebec City, you may wish to extend your stay so you can experience it all.

Your Eastern Canada adventure comes to an end today. If you have an evening flight, why not spend some more time exploring before you head to the airport?

Please speak to our Travel Specialists if you’d like to extend your trip, or tailor this itinerary to suit you.