Getting from Vancouver to Seattle after a cruise - rental car or Amtrak train?

[mickeysgal]

We are considering two options to get from Vancouver to Seattle after our cruise.  How do I find out the average wait time on a Friday at the border to the US going from Vancouver to Seattle?  And - second question - has anyone ever taken the Amtrak cascades train from Vancouver?  Is it scenic?  Are you able to book actual seats and if so, what side of the train do you sit on to see the scenery? 

Edited February 3, 2023 by mickeysgal

[martincath]

Southbound, sit on the right-hand-side of the train if you can - but seating is not reserved in advance unless you physically go to the station and speak to the Amtrak folks! Since we live a block away we used to pop over the day before - but we've just taken what comes more recently to let the n00bs have a go on the good side after many trips!

 

Train has the best views of all the options - at times it's right next to I5, but other times the train is right on the coast and the road is way off to the east.

 

Wait times - official stats are still rather woolly these days, most recent are from 21-22 so still a bit short of TheBeforeTimes, and they amalgamate every crossing  They claim to meet service standards over 95% of the time - which is being processed within 20mins of arrival any day in summer - but there are fundamental flaws with the data as busier crossings like the ones on the coast here can easily see the queue begin much further away than where they start the clock!

 

Since we've had NEXUS for years and mostly head south in the morning, take a definite pinch of salt with my ballpark timings here - hopefully some others who have done a Friday afternoon crossing recently will share their experiences to narrow down timings for you. But in general Fridays are more about locals heading south than US tourists returning home - so the general pattern is busy 8am-10am or so, quieter until maybe 1pm, then getting busier and busier through the afternoon with more lanes opened until they run out of lanes somewhere in the 3 or 4pm ballpark, and after that the queues just keep building before finally starting to decline maybe 7pm. By 9pm, very quiet again.

 

When schools are out things spread a bit more, but enough people still have to work until 4 or 5pm that the worst peaks will still be after 5pm any Friday of the year. If you're renting same day you disembark, you should easily be able to beat all the poor folks who are stuck at work - I'd wait until after 9am to leave Vancouver so you don't hit tunnel contraflow, but hitting the border any time between 10am and about 3pm you can realistically expect <30 mins even in summer.

 

Online you can see current times here, traffic cams here, and subscribe to various Twitter feeds etc. There are also signs over the road if you're without data while driving - you do have the choice of 2 very close together crossing, Peach Arch and Pacific (the 'Truck Crossing' which also takes cars), so if there's a big variance you can peel off east and use the maybe-10-mins-extra-drive-time Pacific Xing if Peace Arch is backed up. If there's a major issue on the 99/I5 corridor you could consider adding about an hour of driving to Seattle by crossing at Lynden or Sumas - they're generally a 5-10min wait time for non NEXUS, but way too far to be worth deviating from 99 except in emergencies (or if the reason for your afternoon crossing is that you want to visit relatives or go see some sights in e.g. Abbotsford, in which case absolutely use the wee crossings over that way!)

[kayehall]

The train times do not look convenient for coming off a cruise.

[don't-use-real-name]

5 hours ago, kayehall said:

The train times do not look convenient for coming off a cruise.

The Amtrak TRAIN schedule only works if planning an overnight stay

Not the greatest for connections to the Empire Builder or Coast Starlight

 

The BUS service alternatively is no better than the existing surface Quick Shuttle.

Anything to do with flying is a challenge via Seattle -

Flying into and out of Vancouver is not competive - VERY EXPENSIVE

All small (100-150 passenger) aircraft between YVR and SEA more distant

cities larger aircraft 150 plus +++

 

As for the Border WAIT times - variable with the security terrorist times.

Don't know about the times on the Amtrak train - but Bus service can be

half hour minimum to more depending on guest documentation -

4 hour trips nominal between Canada Place Cruise Terminal to Seattle Airport

without issue.

 

Plan carefully - don't push the envelope limits for critical connections - 

As above the Amtrak train is scenic and worth it but plan on an overnight !

[Urban trekker]

As for the train and US customs and Immigration or whatever it is called these days you will be screened as your board the train in Vancouver - those in business class will be screened first and then the remainder.

When the train approaches the Blaine/Peace Arch border crossing the train will stop and the border personnel will walk through the train - usually it is just a walk through unless they find something suspicious. 

On the few times I have taken the train we have not had any serious delay at the border. The usual time for the border is reflected in the train schedule.

The trip is very scenic - it follows the coast for much of it's journey as as MartinCath stated try and get a seat on the right hand side.

Hope this helps.

Dennis

[disneyochem]

We enjoy taking the train from Vancouver to Seattle.  Previous poster was correct—you should schedule an overnight either in Vancouver (for the 6 am train the following day) or in Seattle (after the afternoon train).   Try to book business class (go through customs first) and sit on the right hand side of the train.

 

We have booked the train this June after a cruise.  Train leaves late in the afternoon so will leave our baggage with a company at Canada Place and go do something in Vancouver (Stanley Park, rent bikes?).  Train arrives in Seattle at 10 pm.  We’re staying at the Embassy Suites Pioneer Square which is next door to the train station.  Boarding the Coast Starlight the next morning.   On previous trips, we’ve taken the light rail from the Amtrak station to the airport.  
 

 

[donaldsc]

We took the bus.

 

DON

[GTJ]

15 hours ago, disneyochem said:

Train leaves late in the afternoon so will leave our baggage with a company at Canada Place and go do something in Vancouver (Stanley Park, rent bikes?). Train arrives in Seattle at 10 pm.

There are two trains daily from Vancouver. In addition to the afternoon train departing at 5:45 p.m., there is also an early morning train at 6:35 a.m. Alas, that is too early for any arriving cruise vessel passengers (and despite its early morning departure it still arrives in Seattle too late to make a same-day connection with the southbound Coast Starlight).

[kayehall]

18 hours ago, donaldsc said:

We took the bus.

 

DON

How was the bus?  Do you have assigned seats?  What was customs like on the bus?  Any other thoughts on the bus?

 

[disneyochem]

29 minutes ago, kayehall said:

How was the bus?  Do you have assigned seats?  What was customs like on the bus?  Any other thoughts on the bus?

 

We’ve taken a bus to/from Vancouver and Seattle a number of times—twice this past summer (2022).  We’ve been a HAL transfer, QuickShuttle and Amtrak Thruway bus.

 

Based on my experiences, there are no assigned seats on the bus.  First come, first seated.  There have been restrooms on each bus but there are facilities at the customs building.

 

At the border, everyone on the bus has to get off with ALL of their belongings and go through customs.  On the cruise ship transfer we didn’t have to take off our suitcases (stored below) but on the QuickShuttle and Thruway we did.  You cannot reboard the bus until it (and the passengers) have cleared customs.  Bathrooms are available but not a lot of seating.  There were a couple of instances where people ‘took’ different seats than where they had originally been seated once back on board.  Led to some tense discussions!

 

I view the bus option as a necessary evil.  We will spend an extra night in Seattle or Vancouver to avoid taking the bus!  But, unfortunately we do sometimes have to take it.  It was unavoidable last summer due to Amtrak’s suspension of the train service.

 

On the plus side, we’ve always had very good, professional drivers who were great about loading and unloading luggage.

[Gardyloo]

The train is more scenic than the bus, but if you have the time and inclination, traveling by rented car offers the option of using some alternate routes than simply charging down I-5 as the bus does.  

 

Here's a map showing one such alternative route, which can easily be done in a (full) day vs. the 4 hours on the freeway.  Google the places on it.  https://goo.gl/maps/Sicn3GPU86ZD4Hj4A

 

This includes the historic Fairhaven district of Bellingham, WA (shops, cafes etc.) and beautiful Chuckanut Drive (SR 11) which follows the coastline (above the train tracks.)  The route then follows the coast briefly to Bay View State Park, where we've see eagles often, then across a bridge to Fidalgo Island.

 

Deception Pass is the narrow channel between Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands, and at tide change the current flowing through the gap is downright frightening.  The state park on the south side of the bridges offers spectacular scenery, hiking and beaches.

 

Farther south on Whidbey, the picturesque waterfront towns of Coupeville and Langley offer shops, galleries, cafes and pubs.  Just south of Coupeville is Fort Casey State Park, with its lighthouse and cool coastal defense gun batteries.  

 

Finally, you'd cross back to the mainland on a 20-minute ferry ride into Mukilteo, a pleasant coastal town with a very pretty little lighthouse and driftwood-covered beach with great views of the Olympic mountains.  You'd return to Seattle or Seatac airport via SR 526 and I-5.  On WA 526 you'd pass the Boeing Everett factory, home of the big jets and the biggest building in the world.

 

Google's time on this route is nonsensical, but it can easily be done in a day.  If you have more time, staying the night on Whidbey (or in the very nice Silver Cloud Hotel in Mukilteo, sitting over the water) then so much the better.

Edited February 5, 2023 by Gardyloo

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, disneyochem said:

We’ve taken a bus to/from Vancouver and Seattle a number of times—twice this past summer (2022).  We’ve been a HAL transfer, QuickShuttle and Amtrak Thruway bus.

 

Based on my experiences, there are no assigned seats on the bus.  First come, first seated.  There have been restrooms on each bus but there are facilities at the customs building.

 

At the border, everyone on the bus has to get off with ALL of their belongings and go through customs.  On the cruise ship transfer we didn’t have to take off our suitcases (stored below) but on the QuickShuttle and Thruway we did.  You cannot reboard the bus until it (and the passengers) have cleared customs.  Bathrooms are available but not a lot of seating.  There were a couple of instances where people ‘took’ different seats than where they had originally been seated once back on board.  Led to some tense discussions!

 

I view the bus option as a necessary evil.  We will spend an extra night in Seattle or Vancouver to avoid taking the bus!  But, unfortunately we do sometimes have to take it.  It was unavoidable last summer due to Amtrak’s suspension of the train service.

 

On the plus side, we’ve always had very good, professional drivers who were great about loading and unloading luggage.

 

I would say that this was our experience exactly.

 

DON

[don't-use-real-name]

Had it go both ways - everyone off the bus check passport ID physical scan for uneasiness

due to being other than cruise related ? Terrorist level raised related ?

 

AND then remain on bus officials come on board for perfunctory passport ID check and

on the way - half hour waiting time waiting for traffic to clear the entry portal (several buses

waiting).

[GTJ]

6 hours ago, disneyochem said:

We’ve taken a bus to/from Vancouver and Seattle a number of times—twice this past summer (2022). We’ve been a HAL transfer, QuickShuttle and Amtrak Thruway bus.

What I read here is the standard procedure used throughout the entire United States when entering overland from a foreign country. Nothing different or unusual.

 

The only thing I would note is that while a thorough immigration and customs check is made on regular-route buses, including Quick Coach Lines Ltd. ("QuickShuttle") and Cantrail Coach Lines Ltd. ("Amtrak Thruway"), chartered buses are sometimes given a less thorough check, given that the common purpose of chartered parties typically presents fewer risks. Thus, a HAL-arranged transfer using a chartered bus may benefit from such lesser thoroughness.

 

(I am not certain what carrier HAL uses for the transfers it arranges. In Alaska, it uses, of course, Royal Hyway Tours, Inc., d/b/a HAP Alaska, as it is a Carnival corporate subsidiary. But in Seattle it appears that the motor carrier corporate subsidiaries of Carnival, including Evergreen Trails, Inc., are no longer operating. Can anyone confirm that to be the case? If so, what carrier(s) is (are) being used by HAL when it arranges transfers? The legal lettering printed on the side of the motorcoaches used should spell out the carrier name, including USDOT and MC numbers.)

[Nolafan]

Thanks everyone for their comments and suggestions in this thread - especially to @disneyochem. I like the car travel idea with those stops.

 

My husband and I are planning to go to Seattle a few days after our June Alaskan cruise that ends in Vancouver. We are doing Vancouver 1st for a few days and want to do Seattle after.

 

Originally we were going to take the train but with the late departure time of it I am now leaning on the car trip to see the coastline and do a little sightseeing along the way.

 

Also I want to thank the OP @mickeysgalfor starting this post. This is the info I was looking for.