The 45-hour train service from Winnipeg to Churchill, Manitoba is the only dry-land connection between the port town of Churchill and the rest of Canada.
A lifeline for the isolated northern town, the scenic rail route through the Canadian countryside also offers a mesmerising journey for visitors to tour through the arctic landscape.
Renowned as the ‘polar bear capital of the world’, the sparsely populated town of Churchill is a unique destination for adventure tourism.
Enroute, rail passengers journey through a Canadian wilderness of pine trees and mountains, with a glass-enclosed upper deck providing the perfect setting to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.
The train journey begins by moving through a frosty tundra before merging into hours of towering pine forests which occasionally give way to fields and glimmering lakes.
From the warmth of the specially designed observation cabin, passengers have a panoramic view of the winter wilderness, home to native wildlife including elk, polar bears, and wolves.
At the end of the journey in Churchill, there is an array of tourist expeditions providing guided tours to the prime spots to see the wild polar bears.
The best time of year to visit is usually between October and November as the bears head towards the coastline in search of resting seals along the frozen Hudson Bay shores.
Churchill is also a hotspot for boat trips to see wild yet curiously friendly Beluga Whales, with an estimated 60,000 visiting the Hudson Bay area across the summer months.
The train travels across one of the best areas on earth to see the mesmerising colours of Aurora Borealis.
The unique natural phenomenon is visible for most of the year across the remote northern stretch of Canada, although the longer winter nights usually offer the brightest display.
The route from Winnipeg to Churchill covers close to 1,700km (1,050 miles) and takes nearly two days to fully complete.
The number of stops along the route varies – the train usually pauses at 35 stations between the two towns, with a number of additional stops marked as ‘request only’.
Tourists can book a seat on the service for just over $240 Canadian Dollars, roughly £133. By comparison, airfares for the same route would set travellers back $692 (£385), rising up to $1,490 (£830) during peak times and for last-minute bookings.
Source: express.co.uk