Seattle to Vancouver in September

We are considering a cruise from Vancouver on 9/28, but would like to visit the Seattle area first.

QuickShuttle has a limited weekend schedule northbound at that time of year, so I am looking at Bolt Bus or the Amtrak Bus. Can someone tell me the times Bolt goes northbound on 9/27 please?

Also do you prefer one over the other?

I prefer quick shuttle....

• it offers service from Seattle airport pickup, as well as downtown.
  
• 6 northbound trips a day to accommodate most flight schedules
  
• it offers hotel transfers in Vancouver. Other options leaves you just outside the downtown (Pacific Central station) where you need to pay extra for a taxi to get you downtown
  
• Bolt offers $1 service, but you have a tight opportunity to get those seats before someone else and then the price quickly escalates
  

Looking at the Quick Shuttle schedule. September 27 is the last day for them to offer the summer 6 daily Northbound trips before going 4 daily trips.

• http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm
  
• http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule/Quick%20Summer2015LR.pdf
  

You can find the bolt bus info here...

https://www.boltbus.com/

Other travel options include...

• Amtrak train
  
• Amtrak bus
  
• Greyhound
  
• Prince of Whales/Victoria Clipper... you might be able to Orca whale watch your way into Vancouver
  

We are considering a cruise from Vancouver on 9/28, but would like to visit the Seattle area first.

QuickShuttle has a limited weekend schedule northbound at that time of year, so I am looking at Bolt Bus or the Amtrak Bus. Can someone tell me the times Bolt goes northbound on 9/27 please?

Also do you prefer one over the other?

If you're spending time in Seattle 1st, Amtrak (train) is the way to go. Leaves from downtown Seattle (quickcoach is from the airport); low stress, and pretty decent timing for taking a cruise that day (dep 0730 Seattle arr 1130ish Vancouver). From Pacific Station (where it arrives in Vancouver), it's a $12 taxi to Canada Place, or grab Skytrain for 4 stops into town for $2.75/ea. Other coaches (Bolt, Amtrak) also arrive at Pacific Station.

We are considering a cruise from Vancouver on 9/28, but would like to visit the Seattle area first.

QuickShuttle has a limited weekend schedule northbound at that time of year, so I am looking at Bolt Bus or the Amtrak Bus. Can someone tell me the times Bolt goes northbound on 9/27 please?

Also do you prefer one over the other?

Bolt only release their schedule 4-6 weeks in advance so this can't be answered. Look at May departures for an idea of 'shoulder season' times as they will *probably* be similar - in general Bolt does not cannibalize Greyhound schedules, so whatever the Greyhound times are Bolt will run buses between them (with possibly one earlier or later).

Amtrak bus is IMO the single stupidest way to travel this route. Older buses than Bolt, no WiFi unless you get lucky with a newer subcontractor coach, less legroom, goes from the same place to the same place and charges much more $. Sheer idiocy to use them unless for some freakish reason they are the only bus with a scheduled time that actually fits your travel plans.

Amtrak TRAIN though - yes, best IMO. Book a Saver ticket and it's one of the cheapest ways, the track improvements are getting on for completion so by September the trip may be faster than now, it's the most scenic route and hands-down the simplest border crossing (you don't even stop at the border northbound, but do it all in Vancouver on arrival). The only downside is the limited schedule, twice daily, but if you're hanging out in Seattle beforehand you can as SB says travel up on the day - it's very, VERY popular to do this though so get those tickets booked ASAP.

Of course what you really SHOULD do is come up to Vancouver early instead of wasting your time in Seattle;-) We have almost as many Starbucks, including two literally across the street from each other...

I prefer quick shuttle....

• it offers service from Seattle airport pickup, as well as downtown.
  
• 6 northbound trips a day to accommodate most flight schedules
  
• it offers hotel transfers in Vancouver. Other options leaves you just outside the downtown (Pacific Central station) where you need to pay extra for a taxi to get you downtown
  
• Bolt offers $1 service, but you have a tight opportunity to get those seats before someone else and then the price quickly escalates
  

 

Looking at the Quick Shuttle schedule. September 27 is the last day for them to offer the summer 6 daily Northbound trips before going 4 daily trips.

• http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm
  
• http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule/Quick%20Summer2015LR.pdf
  

 

You can find the bolt bus info here...

https://www.boltbus.com/

 

Other travel options include...

• Amtrak train
  
• Amtrak bus
  
• Greyhound
  
• Prince of Whales/Victoria Clipper... you might be able to Orca whale watch your way into Vancouver
  

Thank you very much. We prefer QuickShuttle too, as we have used it in the past. The problem is that it looks like it just has one trip on Sunday, and that is at 8 p.m., which would get to Vancouver very late. (Am I reading that correctly?)

Thank you so much for the Bolt Bus link. If we book, we will make reservations about 4 weeks in advance.

We would be dropping a rental car at the airport and taking Skylink to the pickup location, which is more complicated than QuickShuttle.

Bolt only release their schedule 4-6 weeks in advance so this can't be answered. Look at May departures for an idea of 'shoulder season' times as they will *probably* be similar - in general Bolt does not cannibalize Greyhound schedules, so whatever the Greyhound times are Bolt will run buses between them (with possibly one earlier or later).

 

Amtrak bus is IMO the single stupidest way to travel this route. Older buses than Bolt, no WiFi unless you get lucky with a newer subcontractor coach, less legroom, goes from the same place to the same place and charges much more $. Sheer idiocy to use them unless for some freakish reason they are the only bus with a scheduled time that actually fits your travel plans.

 

Amtrak TRAIN though - yes, best IMO. Book a Saver ticket and it's one of the cheapest ways, the track improvements are getting on for completion so by September the trip may be faster than now, it's the most scenic route and hands-down the simplest border crossing (you don't even stop at the border northbound, but do it all in Vancouver on arrival). The only downside is the limited schedule, twice daily, but if you're hanging out in Seattle beforehand you can as SB says travel up on the day - it's very, VERY popular to do this though so get those tickets booked ASAP.

 

Of course what you really SHOULD do is come up to Vancouver early instead of wasting your time in Seattle;-) We have almost as many Starbucks, including two literally across the street from each other...

Thank you for all the information about the choices. What you say about the Amtrak ride and the views is tempting. But 7:30 a.m.? My husband would want to be there at 6:30 and we would be there at 6! Also we will have to return a rental car that morning at the airport.

I know I should see more of Vancouver, but we would be heading to the Oregon Coast as well as hoping to see relatives in the greater Seattle area.

Thank you very much. We prefer QuickShuttle too, as we have used it in the past. The problem is that it looks like it just has one trip on Sunday, and that is at 8 p.m., which would get to Vancouver very late. (Am I reading that correctly?)

There are six Quick Shuttle trips on Sunday from Seattle's airport going North to Vancouver.

• 8am (8:40am downtown pickup) for Vancouver at 12:25pm
  
• 10am (11:10am downtown pickup) for Vancouver at 2:50pm
  
• 1pm (1:40pm downtown pickup) for Vancouver at 4:55pm
  
• 4:30pm (5:20pm downtown pickup) for Vancouver at 9pm
  
• 6:30pm (7:10pm downtown pickup) for Vancouver at 10:50pm
  
• 8pm (8:30pm downtown pickup) for Vancouver at 11:50pm
  

I got frustrated with delays in Quik shuttle posting their routes (they were Months late, and over 45 mins to get anyone to answer the phone.)

Finally gave up. Amtrak timing didn't work for us, so I looked into One

way rental cars.

There are 2 or 3 rental car companies that have drop off and pickup at Canada Place terminal.

I booked 2 One way rentals.

We pickup Alamo rental from Sea/Tac in the morning.

and drop off Pier when getting on ship in Vancouver.

On the return, same in reverse.

Its alittle more expensive for the One way rental on drive up, than drive back. Don't know why. Perhaps when I booked it.

Has anyone else done it this way? How simple was drop off at the Pier? Thx

We pickup Alamo rental from Sea/Tac in the morning.

and drop off Pier when getting on ship in Vancouver.

 

How simple was drop off at the Pier? Thx

• Main challenge I had with a Vancouver drop off was it was a Yukon XL. That extra length was a challenge going into the turns at the North end of their pier. You might want to look at your vehicle corners for damage pre-trip.
  
• Vehicle return spaces was located on the South side of the pier. Then you need to look for the key return.
  
• Luggage...
  
  • I would drive my large bags onto the cruise level to drop off the heavy bags first... then exit the terminal, drive around the block and then return the vehicle to car return (Level 1?)
    
  • Otherwise, ride the elevator up to the cruise terminal level by the fitness centre with the checked luggage.
    

  [*]love Alamo/National for having a fleet at the terminal