Help!transportation from seattle to vancouver

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the least expensive option would be to get from seattle airport to vancouver cruise port. We would be arriving late the night before. our cruise leaves at 4PM so I assume we need to be at the port by 230 at the latest. Any information would be greatly appreciated:) Thanks!

check out amtrak thay have great prices

Many of the cruise lines offer reasonably priced transfers. I know Princess does.

Check Amtrak Cascades. There is a morning train that leaves Seattle. I think the departure is 7:40 a.m. and arrives in Vancouver around 11:40 a.m. We are traveling on the evening train but I checked prices for both and we got two tickets for under $100 (business class).

Other than a ship's transfer which I am not sure is the least expensive, your options are:

• rent a car which may work if there are more than 2 of you.
  
• Quick Coach http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm
  
• Amtrak Cascades, we took the train from Seattle to Vancouver earlier this month and frankly it won me over (other than having to get up at 5am:eek:) www.amtrakcascades.com/
  

Just took the Amtrak Cascades last week from Vancouver to Seattle and it was wonderful! Highly recommend! Paid something like $72 for 2 people. It's about a 4 hour ride and beautiful scenery along the coast. Once you get to Vancouver, it's a short cab ride to the port.

Just took the Amtrak Cascades last week from Vancouver to Seattle and it was wonderful! Highly recommend! Paid something like $72 for 2 people. It's about a 4 hour ride and beautiful scenery along the coast. Once you get to Vancouver, it's a short cab ride to the port.

Thank you everyone for your very helpful information. jcacruiser- how did you get from the seatac airport to the amtrack cascades? Looking at the map, it seems very far away and when I put in a milage quote on a taxi it came up around 60.00 for a cab to amtrack:eek:

From SeaTac to King Street Station is a medium ride on the Sounder Light Rail. It starts right at SaeTac and there is a stop just across the street from The King Street Station.

We are probably staying at the Courtyard that is .3 of a mile north (One stop on the Sounder) and take a taxi (or two - 5 adults) to the station in the AM

At the other end, Vancouver also has a light rail. You exit Pacific Central Station and cross a small park to board. We are currently debating between that and taxis for the cost/convenience

We're taking the quickcoach from Seattle to Vancouver BC for our cruise for $43.00 pp. We'll be in Seattle at the Lions International Convention and will leave from downtown. They have a stop at SeaTac and it's $57.pp one way from SeaTac. Amtrac Cascade did not have the schedule we needed to get Vancouver BC. It only leaves at 07:40am or 06:50pm. The quickshuttle leaves every 1 hr in the morning and every 2 hrs in the afternoon/evening. Check out the website: http://www.quickcoach.com/

We took Quickcoach in Sept 2009. I was interested in Amtrak (we stayed the night before downtown Seattle) but ended up with the bus as the couple times I was on Amtrak, they were late (in other cities) and I figured since the bus runs regularly, it gave us more time options plus backup. The bus also dropped us off right at the dock so we didn't have to worry about the connection in Vancouver (we were using Ballyntyne dock).

We did have to get off bus at border and go through and show passport but we didn't have to pull luggage off bus. The bus has free wi-fi. The bus also picks up from the airport if that is an option for you.

The Link Light Rail in Seattle was great from airport to downtown. Find their website and it will show you a route planner with your nearest stops.

We are taking the light rail from the airport. It has a station one block from the Amtrak station. It's only $2.50 pp for the trip. I supposed it might be a pain if you have a lot of luggage to haul around. Can't beat the cost, though.

Question

Why not fly into Vancouver I guess I don't understand why your making it so hard by flying into Seattle ??:confused:

Duane

Question

 

Why not fly into Vancouver I guess I don't understand why your making it so hard by flying into Seattle ??:confused:

 

Duane

Have you looked at the prices into Vancouver as compared to Seattle -- outrageous.:(

Question

 

Why not fly into Vancouver I guess I don't understand why your making it so hard by flying into Seattle ??:confused:

 

Duane

Flying into and out of Vancouver is significantly more expensive than flying into and out of Seattle. That is why at the end of our cruise, we are arriving at the port in Vancouver but taking the cruise line transfer to get to the airport in Seattle. Its not that long of a drive and even with the extra cost of transfer the savings are significant.

We decided to go with the cruiseline transfers to avoid some of the headache and the price was very competitive with the Quick Coach price.

Flying into and out of Vancouver is significantly more expensive than flying into and out of Seattle. That is why at the end of our cruise, we are arriving at the port in Vancouver but taking the cruise line transfer to get to the airport in Seattle. Its not that long of a drive and even with the extra cost of transfer the savings are significant.

 

We decided to go with the cruiseline transfers to avoid some of the headache and the price was very competitive with the Quick Coach price.

Thanks again everyone for your great ideas. Upon reading some of the responses we called princess and are going to take their transfers to vancouver from the sea tac airport. As Vmom had mentioned the price is competitive with quick coach. Thanks again!:)

Have you looked at the prices into Vancouver as compared to Seattle -- outrageous.:(

OK so I checked prices I still don't get it Delta from Tucson (my home) to Seattle $616 for two people and Tucson to Vancouver was $624 for two. That's a lot of hassle for $8 and if you know Seattle traffic like I do you would fly to Vancouver. Maybe I'm still missing something ????

Have a good day everyone

Duane

If you're flying in Seattle and want to grab the train north, remember that the later train starts in Portland OR, and stops at "TUKWILA/RENTON" station, a mere 2 miles from SEAtac airport.

OK so I checked prices I still don't get it Delta from Tucson (my home) to Seattle $616 for two people and Tucson to Vancouver was $624 for two. That's a lot of hassle for $8 and if you know Seattle traffic like I do you would fly to Vancouver. Maybe I'm still missing something ????

 

Have a good day everyone

Duane

May depend alot on timing and where you are flying from. When we looked at airfare from Chicago to Vancouver vs Seatle, and also return Vancouver to Chicago, the difference was significant. i was able to do a one way from Chicago to Seatle for about $200 and a round trip for just a bit more than $400. Chicago to Vancouver was just about double. $325-400 one way and about $750-800 round trip.

I was checking in May for flights the 3rd and 4th weekend of June.

May depend alot on timing and where you are flying from. When we looked at airfare from Chicago to Vancouver vs Seatle, and also return Vancouver to Chicago, the difference was significant. i was able to do a one way from Chicago to Seatle for about $200 and a round trip for just a bit more than $400. Chicago to Vancouver was just about double. $325-400 one way and about $750-800 round trip.

 

I was checking in May for flights the 3rd and 4th weekend of June.

there's always going to be an advantage on a domestic flight vs an international one; and the inequity of the US Government charging a passenger $35 to enter the US by air (in the form of Immigration and Agricultural inspection fees), when that isn't charged at a land border (Rail or Car).

Me again

I checked Delta only but here is what I found. I just picked 6/29/2011 as a date. Chicago to Vancouver $365 one way $680 round trip and to Seattle it's $239 one way $419 round trip so you save $261 by flying into Seattle. Now it makes sense that you want to save the $261 but what is the cost of the transfer to Vancouver and back to Seattle ? Being from the Northwest I know it can take time getting through customs at the boarder. sometimes hours if you hit it when they have issues.

What ever you do have fun that's the main thing !!!!

Duane

One of big advantages in taking Amtrak to Vancouver is immigration. I have seen huge lines of vehicles (and their passengers) at the border crossing in Blaine, and if you are taking a bus and encounter the congestion, you can wait a while.

The Cascade on Amtrak goes straight to Vancouver's Pacific Central Station, where the only people who go through immigration are the ones who have just gotten off this train. There is no one ahead of this group.

Also, for whatever the reason, the Canadian Immigration in Blaine seems to be tougher (more inquisitive) than their counterpart at the Pacific Central Station in Vancouver.

Now it makes sense that you want to save the $261 but what is the cost of the transfer to Vancouver and back to Seattle ?

You have to multiply that $ by the number of people... For me alone, it would be a wash... But there is 5 of us...

The last time we cruised to Alaska we did a B2B flying into Seattle and taking the cruise line (Princess) bus from Seattle to Vancouver and Vancouver back to Seattle. I don't remember what the price was then - this was in 2007 - but I am sure it is more now. Does anyone know what the cost is for this Princess bus this year? We re doing another B2B next year.

The last time we cruised to Alaska we did a B2B flying into Seattle and taking the cruise line (Princess) bus from Seattle to Vancouver and Vancouver back to Seattle. I don't remember what the price was then - this was in 2007 - but I am sure it is more now. Does anyone know what the cost is for this Princess bus this year? We re doing another B2B next year.

We took the Princess transfer at the end of May going Seattle to Vancouver and it was $49 per person. Took about 3.5 hours total. Less than 5 minutes going across the border. Driver had a manifest, no one even came on board to look at passports. Quick and easy. Delivered right to the terminal, and our luggage was delivered straight to our cabin when we got there. For the extra $6 over the quick coach price, the hassle free customs and not having to deal with luggage was more than worth it. Also since you check in w/Princess at the Seattle Airport, you know the ship is not going to leave without you if any problems arise.

We took the Princess transfer at the end of May going Seattle to Vancouver and it was $49 per person. Took about 3.5 hours total. Less than 5 minutes going across the border. Driver had a manifest, no one even came on board to look at passports. Quick and easy. Delivered right to the terminal, and our luggage was delivered straight to our cabin when we got there. For the extra $6 over the quick coach price, the hassle free customs and not having to deal with luggage was more than worth it. Also since you check in w/Princess at the Seattle Airport, you know the ship is not going to leave without you if any problems arise.

Do you have to use Princess Air to get Princess Transfer. The above sounds fantastic if we can do it without Princess Air which right now does not show any Non-stops to Seattle from Boston and return.

And if you can use Princess Transfer without Princess Air, where do you find this? Thanks so much:):)