Best way to get to and from Seattle to Vancouver

[CruznLexi]

We have 6 of us going to Alaska we will fly SW into Seattle. I will have my then 82 mom who is very active but I want to make it not stressful. The two options that I have seen are the train and the shuttle bus. Hi much does it cost to get from Vancouver to the Pan Pacific from the train station? For those that did the bus how long we're you at the boarder? Long delays? What time did you get to the pier ?

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Look for the big Vancouver FAQ thread. Has all the answers.

 

[DisneyOHFan]

I believe this is the thread that Lollipop's Mom is referring to:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2283011&highlight=vancouver

 

[MouseMomx2]

We flew into Seattle and did one-way car rentals for our trips to/from Vancouver. It couldn't have been easier. There are a couple of rental agencies located right in Canada Place (where the cruise terminal is) so it was just like we had our own car parked in the garage there. We just stopped at the rental counter and then were on our way.

 

[BuffaloFan]

I did this earlier this year. It was much cheaper to fly into Seattle and rent a car for the day ($100 one way). Here is a good blog post on the topic. http://powertouring.blogspot.com/2012/10/to-vancouver-via-seattle.html

 

[bumbershoot]

For those that did the bus how long we're you at the boarder? Long delays? What time did you get to the pier ?

Well, the very first thing anyone needs to remind you is to get into town *at least* a day before your cruise. That way a delay at the border isn't going to ruin the cruise.

I love the train, but for those flying in it does put extra days into the schedule because of Amtrak's schedule. You might have to stay a night in the Seattle area, and if you don't want to risk anything on the train day, that will be a day ahead of time as well.

(we live near Seattle and still went up 2 full days before our cruise, to make sure we didn't miss it, and, well, we LOVE Vancouver, love love love it)

 

[*pixie*]

We flew into Seattle and did one-way car rentals for our trips to/from Vancouver. It couldn't have been easier. There are a couple of rental agencies located right in Canada Place (where the cruise terminal is) so it was just like we had our own car parked in the garage there. We just stopped at the rental counter and then were on our way.

It was much cheaper to fly into Seattle and rent a car for the day ($100 one way).

Can I ask what car rental companies you used? I've been trying to research this online, and haven't been able to come up with much.

 

[MouseMomx2]

Can I ask what car rental companies you used? I've been trying to research this online, and haven't been able to come up with much.

I believe we used National or Alamo. Their desk is n the lobby of the Pan Pacific which is a floor or two above the cruise terminal.

 

[*pixie*]

I've tried the National site, and it will only give me a quote for a week long rental. A week long rental for a suburban (we have 6 people plus luggage) is $1200. If I try to do a one way rental from Seattle to Vancouver, it tells me they are sold out. Is that possible for August 2013?

 

[MouseMomx2]

I've tried the National site, and it will only give me a quote for a week long rental. A week long rental for a suburban (we have 6 people plus luggage) is $1200. If I try to do a one way rental from Seattle to Vancouver, it tells me they are sold out. Is that possible for August 2013?

Try Budget and/or Avis. On our rental to Vancouver were turned to the airport. We dropped our bags at our hotel, took the car back to the airport and hopped the Skytrain back into the city. After the cruise we picked up right at Canada Place.

 

[*pixie*]

I went back to National and tried a one way from Seattle Airport to Vancouver Airport, I had been trying to drop off at Canada Place before, and this time it worked! $270 for a Chevy Tahoe one way.

Thank you so much for your help!

ETA: I wonder if I would have better luck dropping off/picking up at Pan Pacific if I called them directly?

 

[scubadiver]

We fly Southwest into Seattle and took a shuttle bus. Bus picked us up at the the seattle airport and took us to within 1 block of our hotel. cost was about $90. We spent less than 15 minutes at the border. Trip took about an hour, as there were other stops to pick up some people.

quick shuttle was the company.

 

[*pixie*]

We fly Southwest into Seattle and took a shuttle bus. Bus picked us up at the the seattle airport and took us to within 1 block of our hotel. cost was about $90. We spent less than 15 minutes at the border. Trip took about an hour, as there were other stops to pick up some people

Interesting. Which shuttle bus was this and was it $90/person?

 

[scubadiver]

Interesting. Which shuttle bus was this and was it $90/person?

yes it was $90 per person just looked up quick shuttle and a family of 4 would be $277.44. I made reservations and had to change the reservations at the last minute as a thunderstorm shut down Midway Airport. I called and got on the last shuttle at no charge. We arrived in vancouver about 11 pm and the cruise left the next day at 11. Brutal but the darling kids made sure we made it. Youth is funny that way.

 

[momma2]

We fly Southwest into Seattle and took a shuttle bus. Bus picked us up at the the seattle airport and took us to within 1 block of our hotel. cost was about $90. We spent less than 15 minutes at the border. Trip took about an hour, as there were other stops to pick up some people.

quick shuttle was the company.

"The trip took about an hour"?? From where to where- not from Seatac to Vancouver!

 

[DarthTod]

"The trip took about an hour"?? From where to where- not from Seatac to Vancouver!

Lol, yeah, it's about 150 miles from Seatac to Vancouver. And traffic into downtown Vancouver can be a bear - they don't have highways in the city, once you get to the outskirts of town, it's all surface streets. It can take an hour just from the border into Vancouver.

 

[Spart02]

What great advice! It didn't even occur to me that there would be rental car agencies at Canada Place. I booked our rental from Alamo from Vancouver to Seattle, but was unable to book one from Seattle to Vancouver without making the drop-off be the Vancouver airport rather than Canada Place. Does anyone know of a way to drop off from SEATAC to Canada Place? I even called Alamo and she said she didn't think the cruise ship terminal was a drop off location. It will be okay the way we have it; we'll just have to drop off our stuff at the Pan Pacific, then my husband and I will run to the airport and drop off the rental car and take a taxi back to the Pan Pacific. However, it would be ideal to just drop off and pick up at the cruise terminal.
We were planning on just renting from Seattle and keeping it the whole time we are away. With parking costs and a full week rental, we are saving over $300 by just doing 2 one-way rentals. Thanks again for the advice!

 

[MouseMomx2]

What great advice! It didn't even occur to me that there would be rental car agencies at Canada Place. I booked our rental from Alamo from Vancouver to Seattle, but was unable to book one from Seattle to Vancouver without making the drop-off be the Vancouver airport rather than Canada Place. Does anyone know of a way to drop off from SEATAC to Canada Place? I even called Alamo and she said she didn't think the cruise ship terminal was a drop off location. It will be okay the way we have it; we'll just have to drop off our stuff at the Pan Pacific, then my husband and I will run to the airport and drop off the rental car and take a taxi back to the Pan Pacific. However, it would be ideal to just drop off and pick up at the cruise terminal.
We were planning on just renting from Seattle and keeping it the whole time we are away. With parking costs and a full week rental, we are saving over $300 by just doing 2 one-way rentals. Thanks again for the advice!

Instead of a taxi, think about taking the Skytrain from the airport to the city. It is far cheaper and just as convenient. There is a station right near the airport and you can get off very close to the Pan Pacific.

 

[Spart02]

That sounds like a great option! Thank you! That's exactly why I love the disboards! Such fantastic suggestions!