# train from Seattle to Vancouver



## spencersmama (Oct 4, 2012)

Has anyone taken the train from Seattle to Vancouver?  I'm wondering if it is worth doing.  Are there nice views along the way, or is it mostly just good for transportation?

Thanks!


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## DaveNV (Oct 4, 2012)

I haven't done it, but that's because I live about halfway between those two cities.  The tracks run along the coast of Puget Sound and somewhat inland, giving a variety of views.  Depending on time of day, it could be a very scenic trip.  Sunset hours could be really nice.  Probably nicer views than what you'd see driving on the freeway.

Dave


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## aptiva (Oct 5, 2012)

*Loved Seattle*

We did this as a means of transport, going from Seattle to Vancouver & then flying home.
BUT while in Seattle  for the week, we took a ferry over to Victoria BC for the day.
Trying to cram it all in as usual.


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## spencersmama (Oct 5, 2012)

aptiva said:


> We did this as a means of transport, going from Seattle to Vancouver & then flying home.
> BUT while in Seattle  for the week, we took a ferry over to Victoria BC for the day.
> Trying to cram it all in as usual.



I have a cruise out of Vancouver planned next summer, but I want to do Victoria, BC, too.  I asked because I'm trying to figure out if I should do an open jaw flight, flying into Vancouver and out of Seattle, or just round trip Seattle.  the train sounded like it might be fun.  I'll probably wait to see the price differences when the dates get closer.


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## heathpack (Oct 5, 2012)

We have not done the train but we are planning to do so next June.

The route between Seattle and Vancouver is supposed to be one of the most scenic routes in the US.  Check Amtrak times, there is an early morning departure for sure (which allows you to travel completely in daylight).  You don't want to take a scenic train ride in the dark.  There might also be an afternoon or evening train, I'm not sure.

When you get to Vancouver, you have to clear customs and they apparently do this by car. The business class car goes first, and the remaining cars have to sit and wait as long as an hour I hear.  So in this instance I would go for business class.

If you sign up for the Amtrak Rewards Master Card, you can get 32,000 Amtrak miles.  You could get your train fare for free.

H


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## spencersmama (Oct 5, 2012)

heathpack said:


> We have not done the train but we are planning to do so next June.
> 
> The route between Seattle and Vancouver is supposed to be one of the most scenic routes in the US.  Check Amtrak times, there is an early morning departure for sure (which allows you to travel completely in daylight).  You don't want to take a scenic train ride in the dark.  There might also be an afternoon or evening train, I'm not sure.
> 
> ...




I did look up the schedule a couple of weeks ago.  I remember that the morning train was very early.  I think there was a late afternoon train, too, but remember thinking part of the trip might be in the dark depending on the time of sunset.  Maybe I'll try to search for pictures of the route.  (I did that last year trying to decide if I wanted to drive Beartooth Highway in Montana/Wyoming.  The pictures convinced me! )

If we decide to do it, I'll check on the price of business class seats.  The regular seats were only $39 each.  I saw a couple of months ago that you had signed up for the Amtrak MC.  DH doesn't want any credit cards.  (I've been lobbying for the Starwood AMEX. )


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## debraxh (Oct 6, 2012)

We did this about 5 years ago and it was a very nice trip.  Left Seattle in the morning, returned from Vancouver around 5pm a few days later.  It was summer so still light for the most part.  Nice scenery, comfortable, decent price.  No problem or delay with border crossing -- much faster than by car!


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## DaveNV (Oct 6, 2012)

FWIW:  I'd recommend you book your tickets as early as possible.  The train fills up quite a way in advance.  I've had visitors be unable to book the time they wanted because it was already sold out.

Dave


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## spencersmama (Oct 6, 2012)

BMWguynw said:


> FWIW:  I'd recommend you book your tickets as early as possible.  The train fills up quite a way in advance.  I've had visitors be unable to book the time they wanted because it was already sold out.
> 
> Dave



Thanks for the advice.  How long would you recommend?  Three months?  Six months?  I will probably wait a little bit because my son has a commitment and I want to wait to see when he will be back in town before I make the plane reservations.

I did the Yellowstone, Devil's Tower, and Rapid City trip last year.  The Battle of Little Bighorn monument is right off the highway an worth the stop.  I really liked Rapid City much more than I thought I would.  I left wishing I had more time in the area.  There was so much to see out there!


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## Maple_Leaf (Oct 7, 2012)

*Book now*



spencersmama said:


> Thanks for the advice.  How long would you recommend?  Three months?  Six months?



Train fares only get more expensive over time, unlike air fares.  And you can cancel at no cost.  Just make the reservation but don't get the paper ticket.


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## DaveNV (Oct 7, 2012)

spencersmama said:


> Thanks for the advice.  How long would you recommend?  Three months?  Six months?  I will probably wait a little bit because my son has a commitment and I want to wait to see when he will be back in town before I make the plane reservations.



I'd say as far in advance as you can commit, as long as you can alter or cancel the reservation if your plans change.  When the weather here gets nice, people not only come visiting from everywhere, but the locals crawl out of hibernation, too.  We love living here, because when the weather gets to be nice, it's incredible scenery around here. So things like train rides tend to be very popular at that time.



spencersmama said:


> I did the Yellowstone, Devil's Tower, and Rapid City trip last year.  The Battle of Little Bighorn monument is right off the highway an worth the stop.  I really liked Rapid City much more than I thought I would.  I left wishing I had more time in the area.  There was so much to see out there!



I've been through the area east of Yellowstone Park before, but didn't have time to really stop and explore things as much as I wanted.  This time we'll focus on more of the other stuff there, in addition to the main monuments.  Little Bighorn is one area I haven't been to.

And just for the heck of it, while in Rapid City, I want to make the trek east back to the town of Wall, SD, so I can once again answer the age-old mystery of life:  "Where the hell is Wall Drug?"  It won't be quite the same as seeing the white bees and giant baby rattlers at Stuckees, but it's close! 

Dave


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## geekette (Oct 8, 2012)

spencersmama said:


> I have a cruise out of Vancouver planned next summer, but I want to do Victoria, BC, too.  I asked because I'm trying to figure out if I should do an open jaw flight, flying into Vancouver and out of Seattle, or just round trip Seattle.  the train sounded like it might be fun.  I'll probably wait to see the price differences when the dates get closer.



This is why I was on that train - did a Southbound AK cruise, although we docked in Vancouver.

Open Jaw air was actually much cheaper than I thought it would be.  Flew into Anchorage, took train to Whittier (that was DEFINITELY worth doing, we enjoyed our first 'tour' of Alaska), flew home out of Seattle.

Unless something has changed, that Amtrak train makes one round trip per day so check times carefully.  

our Alaskan cruise had a bit of everything - planes, trains, helicopters, ship, boat on Prince William Sound, dog sled...    only missing kayak and horseback ...


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## hypnotiq (Oct 8, 2012)

spencersmama said:


> I think there was a late afternoon train, too, but remember thinking part of the trip might be in the dark depending on the time of sunset.



If you're coming in Summer (which I believe you said you were) you still have daylight till 9 and 10pm, depending if you're in Seattle or a little further north.


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## spencersmama (Oct 8, 2012)

hypnotiq said:


> If you're coming in Summer (which I believe you said you were) you still have daylight till 9 and 10pm, depending if you're in Seattle or a little further north.



I looked up the sunset times for Vancouver next year, and the train schedules.  Sunset is about 9 pm at the end of July, and gets a couple of minutes earlier each day.  The train schedules are:

Lv Seattle 7:40am - arr. Vancouver  11:40am
Lv Seattle 6:50 pm - arr. Vancouver 10:50 pm

It looks like half the later train ride will being the dark that time of year.  It looks like they have buses, too, but that doesn't sound nearly as nice.  Looks like I still have lots of research to do.


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## spencersmama (Oct 8, 2012)

geekette said:


> This is why I was on that train - did a Southbound AK cruise, although we docked in Vancouver.
> 
> Open Jaw air was actually much cheaper than I thought it would be.  Flew into Anchorage, took train to Whittier (that was DEFINITELY worth doing, we enjoyed our first 'tour' of Alaska), flew home out of Seattle.
> 
> ...



We actually did a southbound cruise three years ago, from Seward to Vancouver.  I think seeing calving glaciers was one of the best travel experiences of my life!  We (me, DH, DS, DD) did a week on land on our own, then did the cruise for a week, topped off by a couple of nights in Vancouver.  We got an inside cabin, and we traveled on our own up north, so it was actually a pretty cheap vacation.  (We stayed in a cabin about seven miles north of the entrance to Denali.  The cabin had two queen beds, a pull out couch bed, and a mini kitchen for $150 a night, including all the taxes.  rooms in Glitter Gultch, right outside the park gates, were going for over $400 a night.  plus, we found the best little local restaurant with freshly caught salmon, wild blueberries and such fresh delicious food.  We ate there for all three dinners while we were there because I like it so much! )  

This trip is during our 20th anniversary.  We were supposed to be in Europe, but schedules changed and things didn't work out.  We decided to do Alaska again, but am splurging a little more this time.  We are taking my mom, too, to celebrate a milestone birthday.  She hasn't been to Alaska yet.  DH and I have our own balcony cabin. I booked a private whale watching tour for the 5 of us. (My sister is thinking about going, too, so it may be 6.)  I am considering doing either the bear viewing, or fjord sightseeing on a floatplane.  I'm not a dog lover, so I don't think I'll get my money's worth of enjoyment from a dogsled adventure.    

And, I really, really want to go to Victoria!  So, I'm trying to juggle everyone's schedules, the cost, and the time...


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## geekette (Oct 8, 2012)

Definitely get some flightseeing in there!  Had it not been for dogsledding on a glacier, I would not have been in the air as our Misty Fjords floatplane trip out of Ketchikan was cancelled (I forget if it was wind or fog or what, exactly).

I sooo want to go back to Alaska.  mind if I live vicariously through you???


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## spencersmama (Oct 9, 2012)

geekette said:


> I sooo want to go back to Alaska.  mind if I live vicariously through you???



Haha.  Sure, but you'll be bored 98% of the time!


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## geekette (Oct 10, 2012)

spencersmama said:


> Haha.  Sure, but you'll be bored 98% of the time!



oh, I doubt that!!  I can spend many hours staring at glaciers or whales or just about anything in Alaska.  I'll be the angel on your shoulder.


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