Canadian Tours
Rail ToursDEPARTURE INFORMATION
Lower Mainland
September 22, 2026 – 9 Days
Vancouver Island
September 22, 2026 – 9 Days
BC Interior
September 22, 2026 – 9 Days
Activity Level 3
GROUP SIZE
TOUR SUMMARY
Agawa Canyon, VIA Rail Sudbury to White River, and Polar Bear Express to James Bay
Each year, Wells Gray Tours offers several tours with a theme of train travel and all of them are immensely popular. Some customers are retired railroaders, some want to enjoy sights that cannot be seen from highways, and some want to relive the nostalgia of train travel. This tour features three scenic railway routes – Agawa Canyon from Sault Ste. Marie, VIA Rail’s Budd cars from Sudbury to White River, and the Polar Bear Express from Cochrane to Moosonee. In late September, the fall foliage on all three trains should be awesome. There are no roads to Moosonee, located just inland from gigantic James Bay, so this is a unique destination reached only by train. Come and enjoy vibrant fall colours and wonderful train rides with Wells Gray Tours.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
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Meals
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20 meals
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Transportation
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Accommodation
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Guides & Gratuities
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Knowledgeable Wells Gray tour director
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Tour Highlights (Included)
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TOUR FARES
| Departure Point | Fares per Person |
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$6,320$7,255$6,045 |
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$6,470$7,405$6,195 |
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$6,370$7,305$6,095 |
- Please add 5% GST.
- Earn 166 Experience Points
Early Booking Bonus!
$200 on first 8 seats; $100 on next 4.
DEPARTURE POINTS & DATES
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Level
High Activity: You are an active traveller who wants to explore wherever you go. You don’t mind a mix of full days, early morning starts, and some late nights. You can walk longer distances, up to 4 km without difficulty which may be over uneven ground or beaches; climb in and out of small boats without any assistance; climb several steep stairs onto the trains; walk on docks which may have steep ramps; and stand for prolonged periods. You can climb three flights of stairs easily and unassisted and can handle your own luggage in airports and at hotels/motels where luggage handling is not available. There is lots of walking during the guided tours in Moosonee and Moose Factory where there is no coach transportation available.
This tour is not appropriate for people with canes, walkers, wheelchairs, or other mobility assistance devices. Walking poles are recommended. Additionally, this tour is not appropriate for those who have cognitive impairments such as memory loss or confusion, difficulty expressing thoughts, repeating questions, or getting lost. The tour director and drivers have many responsibilities, so please do not expect them, or your fellow travellers, to provide ongoing assistance. If you are not capable of keeping up with the group or require frequent assistance, the tour director may stop you from participating in some activities or some days of the tour.
Please note: Prior to accepting your booking, you will be required to sign a declaration that you are capable of travelling on an Activity Level 3 tour.
Tour Size
This tour is limited to 25 participants, making it a more intimate travel experience.
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Please book early: This tour has three train excursions and they are extremely popular during fall foliage season. Sault Ste. Marie hotels are heavily booked during the three weeks of peak colours on the Agawa Canyon train. Train seats and rooms will be recalled if Wells Gray cannot guarantee that they will be used. If this happens, we have to consider the tour full, even though seats are available on the motorcoach. Therefore, waiting too long to book usually means “Sorry, wait until another year.”
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Flight seating: We are unable to take requests for window or aisle seating on the planes. The airline will not accept them, as group seating is assigned as a block. If this is important to you, we suggest you take the “No Flight” option with a fare reduction of $750 and book your own flight which allows seat selection. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for more information on taking the “No Flight” option.
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Flight upgrades: Please enquire about current prices for upgrades on the flights to and from Toronto. Premium economy and business class may be available. Premium is probably not available on the smaller planes to Sault Ste. Marie and from Timmins.
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Flight delays or cancellations: In the event flights are delayed or cancelled by airlines due to weather or other reasons, there may be additional costs to you. Wells Gray Tours will not pay for hotel rooms and meals during the delay. Most travel insurance policies cover expenses incurred for flight delays.
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Accommodation: White River has two small motels and Moosonee has only one motel. If you expect deluxe lodging while travelling, this tour may not be appropriate for your needs. Rooms in White River and Moosonee are not up to the standard that Wells Gray uses elsewhere, but they are the only rooms available.
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Food Allergies: You must notify us no later than at final payment if you have a food allergy. This tour goes to some remote places where restaurants probably cannot satisfy all food allergies. The trains have limited on-board meal service for some allergies. An allergy causes medical distress, a preference does not. For some allergies, please consider bringing your own snacks or food items so you are not dependent on what restaurants are able to serve.
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Payments: deposit of $500 per person is requested at the time of booking and balance is due July 9, 2026. By paying the deposit, you agree to the Terms & Conditions, Activity Level 3 Declaration, and Cancellation Policy outlined. Payments can be made by online banking or cheque (3% discount on tour fare), or by Visa or Mastercard.
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Early Booking Bonus: Receive a $200 discount on the first 8 seats and $100 on the next 4 seats for booking early with deposit. The discount is not offered after July 9, 2026.
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Cancellation Policy: Up to June 9, 2026, the cancellation charge is $100 per person. From June 10 to July 9, the cancellation charge is $300 per person. From July 10 to July 21, the cancellation charge is 40% of the tour fare. From July 22 to August 21, the cancellation charge is 80% of the tour fare. After August 21, there is no refund.
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Itinerary and Fare Changes: Our many suppliers may notify us about changes to the itinerary prior to departure and sometimes during the tour. We do our best to substitute a similar service if something cancels, but occasionally the only alternative is to provide a refund for the missed activity. Please note that if we are forced to cancel a tour component due to an issue beyond our control, the current penalties still apply if you choose to cancel the entire tour. Fuel surcharges and changes to taxes or other tour costs can occur at any time, therefore Wells Gray Tours reserves the right to increase fares due to such changes up to departure.
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Travel Insurance: A Comprehensive Insurance policy is available through Wells Gray Tours and coverage is provided by Travel Guard. Policies purchased at deposit include a waiver of the pre-existing condition clause for medical and cancellation claims, otherwise policies can be purchased no later than at final payment. This tour stays in Canada, but medical costs can vary wildly from one province to another. While your BC Services Card may partly cover you for a medical issue that arises during the tour, you will probably benefit from trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage in case of illness or a mishap before or during the tour. Many other benefits such as luggage insurance are included. Medical questionnaire is not needed. Please contact us for details. If you have your own travel insurance, please read the policy carefully to be sure that you are adequately covered for medical, cancellation, interruption, and luggage.
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Photo Credits: Agawa Canyon Tour Train (Scenic Rail Adventure Agawa Canyon), Pixabay (Agawa Canyon), and Roland Neave (VIA Rail near White River).
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Experience Points or E-points: This tour earns 166 e-points. Each time you travel on a Wells Gray tour, you earn e-points that are added to your account after the tour returns. One e-point equals $1. Redeem your earned points on select tours or accumulate enough points to earn a free tour! Redemptions offered until July 9, 2026.
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Consumer Protection BC Licences: Kamloops 178, Vernon 655, Kelowna 588, Penticton 924, Victoria 65842