Amtrak Cascades

[Dan G]

We are going from Olympia to Vancouver BC. Do we need to get business class tickets or will seats be okay for us

 

Don't know what your asking? regular seats are just fine just without the amenities of Business class (less seats per car, free paper, discount on food, and priority boarding and exiting) Regular is just fine.

[Putterdude]

We are going from Olympia to Vancouver BC. Do we need to get business class tickets or will seats be okay for us

 

Both business class pax and coach class pax arrive at the same time. However business class disembark first, the cars seats are wider and are arranged 2+1 whereas coach class are 2+2 so the cars have a greater density of people. In business class you get a coupon for a discount for food in the Bistro car. Do you need ride in business class...of course you don't, it is just a little more of a pleasant experience.

[Jana White]

Sorry, the reason I asked is I live in So California. The Amtrak from LA to San Diego OFTEN is packed when we get on in Irvine. If we do not book a business class seat you are not guaranteed a seat. We have seen many passengers denied boarding because they had not upgraded to business class and it has happened to us once. So now when we travel to San Diego we always book business class in order to guarantee a seat. I was wondering if the Seattle to Vancouver BC route was the same.

[zephyr17]

Sorry, the reason I asked is I live in So California. The Amtrak from LA to San Diego OFTEN is packed when we get on in Irvine. If we do not book a business class seat you are not guaranteed a seat. We have seen many passengers denied boarding because they had not upgraded to business class and it has happened to us once. So now when we travel to San Diego we always book business class in order to guarantee a seat. I was wondering if the Seattle to Vancouver BC route was the same.

Unlike the Pacific Surfliners, which are unreserved for coach passengers, all the Cascades are reserved seat trains for both coach and business class. So you are guaranteed a seat and boarding.

 

With that said, I do recommend business class.

[zephyr17]

Double post

[Jana White]

Zephyr 17-Why do you then recommend business?

[zephyr17]

Zephyr 17-Why do you then recommend business?

 

As other posters have pointed out, it is a bit more comfortable, more space with 2+1 seating and much more seat pitch, and it usually doesn't cost that much more. If you are returning on the train from Vancouver, you have a separate, and much shorter, check in line. If you are only paying the normal additional fee ($20 from Olympia), with the $3 food/beverage coupon, it is a reasonable deal. However, as noted in another thread, the underlying base fare can jump up in business, since the yield management buckets since coach and business are in different inventories. That can make it a lot more sometimes and that isn't worth it.

 

With that said, there is nothing wrong with or uncomfortable about regular coach.

[rsohn65820]

I am curious how the passport thing works when riding a train that is crossing over into Canada. Do they check your passport before you leave your departure city or do they stop at the border and check passports?

 

About 35 years ago my DH received a DUI and I have heard that people with DUI's on their record can be refused entry into Canada. Would we know before we got to the border or would they make us get off the train at the border and turn around and come home? Or do they check your passport as you get off the train in Vancouver? Does anyone know how this works? I'm not sure how that would work with a flight either. Do they check your passport before you leave your home airport on a flight to Canada or do they wait until you get to Canada and are getting off the plane?

 

We are interested in taking a Pacific coastal cruise Vancouver to LA but don't want to take the chance of being refused entry into Canada before we can get to the cruise ship.

[Putterdude]

Northbound you will clear Canadian Customs in Vancouver. Given that the offense happened some 35 years ago your DH will have not problem at all. Under Canadian law such a person is deemed to have been fully rehabilitated and admissible into Canada after 10 years provided no further offense has occurred in that 10 year period. If he were asked, which is highly unlikely , he should not lie about it but explain what happened and when. If he has any documentation relating the incident it would be good to bring it along but there is no need to tender it unless asked. Relax and enjoy your vacation.:)

[zephyr17]

One minor point of clarification. Amtrak will check that you have your passport when you board the train. But they are just making sure it is in your possession, they don't do anything with it, although if you don't have it you will be denied boarding.

 

You clear Canadian Immigration at the Vancouver station, as Putterdude describes.

[Dan G]

I do believe when you book your ticket they will ask for your passport info so there is time to check before you arrive in Canada.

[zephyr17]

I do believe when you book your ticket they will ask for your passport info so there is time to check before you arrive in Canada.

Yes, they send the passenger manifest, including the passport numbers, to CBSA. I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall at least once when they had to delay the departure of the train, because it hadn't been sent.

[rsohn65820]

Thank you everyone. I didn't want to take the chance of making a final payment on a cruise and then get turned away at the border and miss the ship. I don't think insurance would even help in that case.

[jlijny]

We just returned from taking Amtrak Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver. While we had our tickets for business class, we still had to stand in line to get our seat assignments. The entire process went very smoothly and we enjoyed the train ride.

[CupKayke]

We just returned from taking Amtrak Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver. While we had our tickets for business class, we still had to stand in line to get our seat assignments. The entire process went very smoothly and we enjoyed the train ride.

 

What time did you get to the station?? One person says no later than 6:15am, another 7am...:confused:

[Mary Ellen]

In our experience earlier is better than later. While we arrived before the counter where the Business seats were assigned, we did get our seats together on the train. Since seating in Business is 2-1, those who arrived later were assigned seats on the 1 side of the aisle. It was more difficult for those couples to talk to each other. That could be a good thing - or not.

 

We also noticed the line to check baggage got quite looooong after we'd done so. There was a train to Portland departing a little before our north-bound one. Both checked their baggage at the same counter.

[Putterdude]

What time did you get to the station?? One person says no later than 6:15am, another 7am...:confused:

 

Amtrak recommends at least 30 mins before departure but to allow extra time if you are checking luggage or need tickets. I would say sometime between 0630 and 0645 will be lots of time.

[CupKayke]

We took the Amtrak Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver about three weeks ago and LOVED it!! Would highly recommend it. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask! I have some pics of the station and of the train also, if you are interested.

 

Just returning the favors as I used these boards for all my info pre-trip! :)

[Putterdude]

We took the Amtrak Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver about three weeks ago and LOVED it!! Would highly recommend it. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask! I have some pics of the station and of the train also, if you are interested.

 

Just returning the favors as I used these boards for all my info pre-trip! :)

 

Happy to hear that it worked so well for you.

For those who are using the service southbound I would recommend being at the station a full hour or more before departure. Last month we arrived an hour beforehand and even at that we were unable to get seating together in Business Class.

[CupKayke]

We took the Seattle to Vancouver route (northbound) and I would DEFINITELY recommend being there between 6:30 and 6:45 am - NO later.

 

By 6:50 am there were LINES everywhere... SEE.... (you can see the clock in the far left background of the pic)

 

[pizzalady1]

Happy to hear that it worked so well for you.

 

For those who are using the service southbound I would recommend being at the station a full hour or more before departure. Last month we arrived an hour beforehand and even at that we were unable to get seating together in Business Class.

 

We will be doing the southbound on May 6 next year. Do you still think more than one hour would be needed that early in the season? I already have the tickets in hand, but will be checking luggage.

[Putterdude]

Tickets are one thing but seat selection and clearing US Customs at the station does take time....I would allow the hour if it were me.

[hello]

Southbound ... how early do they start doing seat assignments? If we take a cab from NCL to the station in the morning, would we be able to check in our bags -- get our seat assignments -- and then leave to explore the city a little? Is there ample seating at the Vancouver station?

[zephyr17]

They start doing assignments at 4:30, but frequently the line up starts forming before they open.

 

You can day-check your bags at the Via ticket desk for $3/bag, but must retrieve them before checking in with Amtrak. You cannot check your checked baggage before train time at Vancouver, BC, nor can you get seat assignments before Amtrak check-in opens at 4:30. How it works is you pick up your blue customs form, get in line, check-in, the line proceeds to US Immigration. After immigration you put your bags through an x-ray machine. Then, as you walk out on the platform, you check your bags trainside.

[zephyr17]

We will be doing the southbound on May 6 next year. Do you still think more than one hour would be needed that early in the season? I already have the tickets in hand, but will be checking luggage.

You need to be there at least by 5 at the latest. Despite the fact that the train does not leave until 5:45, the check-in line closes at 5:30, probably because of US Immigration processing that follows check-in. I always allow at least 45 minutes (4:45, 45 minutes before cut-off), and I often travel in the off season (winter).