Polar Bear Express

Moosonee and Moose Factory sit near James Bay in northern Ontario with no road connection to the rest of the province, so the Polar Bear Express is not a tourist excursion but the lifeline: it carries residents, freight, supplies and vehicles on flatcars over about three hundred kilometres of muskeg and boreal forest from Cochrane, taking around five hours. It is operated by Ontario Northland. Moose Factory, on an island across the river, is one of the oldest English-speaking settlements in Ontario, founded as a Hudson's Bay post in 1673, and is reached by freighter canoe in summer or ice road in winter. Despite the name, polar bears are rarely seen.

What you actually see

• The lifeline service - a working train for communities with no road.
• Moose Factory island - a 1673 Hudson's Bay post site, reached by canoe.
• The muskeg crossing - three hundred kilometres of boreal forest and bog.
• The Cree communities - Moosonee and Moose Factory at the end of the line.

When to go

June to September for river crossings by canoe and the least difficult travel; the train runs year-round several days a week. Winter access to Moose Factory is by ice road.

Honest expectations

Polar bears are essentially never seen despite the name. This is a working service, not a scenic excursion, and the line crosses flat bog for hours. Accommodation in Moosonee is very limited.

Nearby

Cochrane is the southern terminus; James Bay lies north of Moosonee.