The Essential Journey is a compilation of songs from the rock band Journey.

Released on October 16, 2001, it is part of Sony BMG's "Essential" series of compilation albums. The album includes most of Journey's major and minor hits that have charted on Billboard Hot 100. It covers material recorded while Steve Perry was lead singer of the band, from 1978's Infinity to 1996's Trial by Fire, neglecting Journey albums recorded before and after his membership.

The first disc is Greatest Hits with some minor changes concerning tracks being in a different order and "After the Fall" replacing "Be Good to Yourself".