# Best scenery on Western Canada Greyhound routes



## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 23, 2014)

Looks like my overseas travel plans may well get forgotten about. Now I'm looking for some scenic Greyhound routes in Western Canada. I'm thinking of making my way to Vancouver and want to go from there to Calgary for the old transit buses. Then I would like to come back to Vancouver on a different route.

*Rare Coaches*

I know Greyhound Canada has some rare coaches like the 102D3SS, 102DL3SS, and the ex-Brewster 102DL3, but I'm not familiar with Greyhound Canada. I know the ex-Brewster ones are based from Vancouver. Does anyone know where the rare coaches operate?

*Stopovers*

I can take a few stopovers along the various routes in BC. I don't like places that have too much rain and I don't want to stop over in an overpriced tourist trap. Also, going to try escaping the summer heat so warm weather is gonna drive me nuts. Suggestions would be welcome.

*Scenic routes*

What do you guys think are the most scenic Greyhound route segments in Western Canada? If you have travelled along it in any way, by bus, car, train, or whatever, I would value your advice. Varied scenery preferred. I already know about the Sea-to-Sky Highway and Icefields Parkway, anything else?

I'm looking for segments, places where the scenery is not to be missed, instead of complete routes. I have Greyhound's System Timetable so I can easily build an itinerary once I know which places are most scenic.

I can consider the Skeena _only _if the Cariboo Highway is a scenic route from Vancouver to Prince George so that I can connect to the Skeena and get to Jasper. All other trains are out of this, even the best deals are still too expensive.

Thank you for your time and replies.


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## Long Train Runnin' (Jan 24, 2014)

I have driven the Columbia Ice Fields parkway. Pretty good scenery along that road. Although I found a lot of Alberta to be rather uninspiring scenery wise.

Pretty cool busses that take you on the ice!


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 24, 2014)

As I said, I already know about Icefields Parkway. But I let me clarify, Trans-Canada Highway or Crowsnest Highway, which one is more scenic? Also, how's Cariboo Highway between Vancouver and Prince George?


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## NS VIA Fan (Jan 25, 2014)

Greyhound’s route between Calgary and Kamloops on the Trans Canada Highway pretty well parallels the CPR mainline, the route of the original "Canadian" and what most consider the best of the mountain scenery.

Between Kamloops and Vancouver most Greyhound runs follow BC5 the Coquihalla Highway. The Coquihalla is an Expressway built through the mountains to Hope in the mid 1980s. At Hope, Greyhound runs rejoin the Trans Canada route into Vancouver.

Prior to the 1980s, runs between Kamloops and Vancouver took about 6 1/2 hrs......now it’s 4 to 4 1/2 hrs via the Coquihalla .

The Coquihalla is very scenic, especially south of Merritt where it’s built over a high mountain pass on portions of the abandoned right-of-way of the CPR’s Kettle Valley Railway.

http://www.thekvr.com/

You can still follow the Trans Canada west of Kamloops to Hope and Vancouver with a change of buses in Cache Creek where you connect with a Prince George – Vancouver run. This section of the Trans Canada continues to parallel the CPR (and CNR) through the Thompson and Fraser River Canyons.

The Crow’s Nest Route (BC3) is also scenic and crosses several mountain passes running along the Idaho and Washington Border. It will require a couple of connections on Greyhound. If you want to stopover somewhere.....can I suggest Cranbrook? The home of the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel with complete restored train consists. Very interesting!

http://www.trainsdeluxe.com/

You will probably also have to stopover in Kelowna, a fairly large city in the Okanagan Valley. In the south Okanagan is Osoyoos, Canada’s only desert complete with sand, cactus and rattlesnakes.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 25, 2014)

Oh yeah, I was thiking about Cranbrook too! I know the Greyhound Canada routes, I have their System Timetable and I looked through every sin Western Canada, I just don't know which ones are most scenic.

I'm thinking about riding either the *Trans-Canada *or *Crowsnest *one way to Calgary and the *other *back (with stopovers at various points), or I could hoof it up to Jasper and ride either the *Skeena *to Prince George or the *Canadian *to Kamloops, then stopover and ride a Greyhound to Vancouver.

I don't want to ride the Canadian from Kamloops to Vancouver because it's an overnight segment, can't see anything. I also don't want to ride the Skeena west of Prince George because I hear it's less scenic until you get Terrace.

Right now I'm being flooded with scenic bus and train routes from various web articles and I can't decide which ones to choose.


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## railiner (Jan 26, 2014)

Do 'em all! 

While you still can......


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## Swadian Hardcore (Jan 26, 2014)

railiner said:


> Do 'em all!
> 
> While you still can......


So you want me to do the Trans-Canada Highway, the Crowsnest, the Cariboo, the Skeena, and the Canadian? Uh, sorry, no can do. The Trans-Canada route probably won't get cancelled by Greyhound any time soon, so I can hold off on that. I guess the Crowsnest wins over the TCH, who knows if Greyhound will axe it?

So now I'm trying to choose between either a combination of the Skeena and the Cariboo or just the Canadian. I'm leaning towards Skeena plus Cariboo because the Canadian has a poor arrival time into Kamloops. Plus I always like these little trains through the middle of nowhere.

Also, is the Brewster scheduled service along Icefields Parkway worth the $75? That would be from Lake Louise to Jasper.

I'll ask more about the VIA Rail trains on the VIA Rail forum section, not here.


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## Swadian Hardcore (Feb 16, 2014)

Well, I've changed my mind, Greyhound takes Crowsnest Pass at night, so I'm going for the Rogers and Kicking Horse Passes (TCH) instead. Now I'm going for a mix of the Crowsnest and TCH, possibly riding Vancouver-Penticton then Penticton-Calgary via the Okanagan Valley and TCH.

I used GTE to help me with the bus models so all I need now is a stopover. Is Jasper better for that or something along the TCH?


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