Transportation from Seattle to Vancouver

[JenPinks]

In Seattle you would catch the light rail from SeaTac to King Street Station and Amtrak. In Vancouver, you would get on the light rain from the station to Canada Place, although a cab might be easier there.

Good to know about the light rail, I just figured we could take a taxi. Is the lightrail free?

 

[elvispursley]

To the OP, if looking to rent a car and drive over the border, I'd recommend doing that on Sunday and spend the night in Vancouver or get up SUPER early on Monday, as it a Labor Day. My family made the mistake of going up to Vancouver for the day last year on Labor Day (from Seattle, where we live) and after spending over 4.5 hrs in the car due to traffic, we spent another 3.5 hrs trying to cross the border!! It was so awful that we applied for Nexus passes! I'd highly recommend the train--it's relaxing (even if the train stops on the tracks briefly for other trains, it was really nice not having to sit in traffic on the highway and at the border). We took the train up the same day our cruise left Vancouver (we were sailing on Princess that left the same day--don't know that'd I'd risk it again but I wasn't "in charge" that cruise) and took a short cab to the port. But seriously--the locals often do head to BC for the day on holidays and the border is nearly always a mess...especially when we still are having nice weather in September--everyone is trying to be out and about!

 

[Pooh2]

The light rail in both Seattle and Vancouver were pretty cheap, I think $4/person, maybe?

We enjoy the train, it is a beautiful route.

Our train to Vancouver was delayed due to locomotive issues so people who were getting on a different cruise line that afternoon were stressed about the delay and making it to their ship. We were relieved that our ship did not sail until the next day.

We enjoyed spending time in both Seattle and Vancouver before and after the cruise.

 

[Ravenne]

Everything I've read indicates Amtrak Cascades does not own the tracks from Seattle to Vancouver, so priority is given to other freight trains. Plus there are potential for weather conditions, mudslides, etc. Those who do take the train, do you take it in to Vancouver the day before the cruise and end up staying the night in Vancouver anyway? Or do you chance it the day of? What are the odds for delays? And what about for the ride from Vancouver to Seattle? You'd have to catch the late train out. What do you do with your luggage while you explore Vancouver until your train departure time?

 

[RedSox68]

Everything I've read indicates Amtrak Cascades does not own the tracks from Seattle to Vancouver, so priority is given to other freight trains. Plus there are potential for weather conditions, mudslides, etc. Those who do take the train, do you take it in to Vancouver the day before the cruise and end up staying the night in Vancouver anyway? Or do you chance it the day of? What are the odds for delays? And what about for the ride from Vancouver to Seattle? You'd have to catch the late train out. What do you do with your luggage while you explore Vancouver until your train departure time?

When we did it, we had planned to spend four nights in Vancouver pre-cruise. I would not recommend taking it day of. When we took the return train to Seattle, we were not flying out that day but were staying four nights in Seattle post-cruise. We took it in May and June.