Rocky Mountaineer Cancels Rest of 2020 Season

Rocky Mountaineer Cancels Rest of 2020 Season

July 22, 2020 Jim Byers

One of the world’s most iconic train trips has been forced to cancel operations for the rest of the year.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued government travel and health restrictions, Rocky Mountaineer says it will suspend the remainder of its 2020 travel season to include all departures through to October 11, 2020.

“We are incredibly disappointed to announce the suspension of our rail operations through to the end of the 2020 season,” said Steve Sammut, president and chief executive officer. “Like so many in the tourism and hospitality industry, the pandemic has had an overwhelmingly negative impact on our business.

“Despite the challenging environment, we remained hopeful we would be able to operate our trains at some point this season. However, given the continuing government travel and health restrictions, we have no choice but to postpone our rail tours until the scheduled start of our 2021 season,” Sammut said.

I had a tremendous trip with Rocky Mountaineer two years ago; a ride from Vancouver to Banff via the magnificent interior of British Columbia.

The Rocky Mountaineer is a fabulous way to witness the Canadian Rockies. PHOTO COURTESY ROCKY MOUNTAINEER

“To the guests affected by this suspension, Rocky Mountaineer remains committed to providing their rail tour experience when it is possible and appropriate to do so,” officials said. “Guests on a suspended departure will receive a future travel credit of 110% value of monies paid, which is valid through to the end of the 2022 season. The rail prices for 2021 and 2022 are being held at the 2020 level, so guests will not experience an inflationary price increase for the rail portion of their itinerary.

“For guests rebooking a similar package in 2021, within 14 days on either side of the original departure date anniversary, Rocky Mountaineer will guarantee they will not pay more for the new package, including third-party hotels, tours and attractions, due to the later travel date. Guests on a suspended departure can contact their travel professional or Rocky Mountaineer before November 30, 2021 to select their new travel date.”

Additional information is available at www.rockymountaineer.com/covid19-keeping-you-updated.

“We know this has been an exceptionally challenging time for our guests, partners and team members, and we thank them for their patience and continued support,” said Sammut. “In the coming months, we will work with our guests and travel partners to rebook their travels from this year, and then shift our focus to our 2021 season. When we do operate our trains, the health and safety of our guests and team members will be at the forefront, while still continuing to provide the superb service for which we are known.”

Rocky Mountaineer has made a number of modifications across its operations to align with government guidelines and industry best practices for the prevention of COVID-19 and other viruses and illnesses. These will include pre-travel health screening of guests, modifications to boarding and seating procedures to ensure space between travel groups, and enhanced sanitization of all rail cars using electrostatic disinfectant sprayers. In addition, the rail cars are equipped with air filtration systems that ensure a constant intake and circulation of fresh air, using filters that capture 99.9% of airborne particles. An overview of these modifications is available at https://www.rockymountaineer.com/plan-your-trip/our-health-safety-procedures.

These offers are subject to terms and conditions as outlined at www.rockymountaineer.com.