Driving from Seattle to Vancouver

[albyman32]

Our group of 7 is thinking about flying into Seattle the night before our cruise, renting a car, then driving to Vancouver the next morning. How much time should I budget for this drive and what time should we leave in the morning?

[zephyr17]

It is a 3 hour drive, but you should add 2 hours to allow for the border crossing wait.

 

I have heard that one-way rentals across the international border are difficult to get and/or expensive. Don't know that first hand, because I use my own car if I want to go to Canada and have a car available.

 

Since you flying in one day and heading to Vancouver the next, have you considered the Amtrak Cascades train from Seattle to Vancouver. It leaves Seattle at 7:30 am and arrives in Vancouver at 11:35. It is a very scenic and relaxing trip, and is quite reliable. Also, all the Canadian entry formalities are done upon arrival in Vancouver and go quite quickly.

[albyman32]

It is a 3 hour drive, but you should add 2 hours to allow for the border crossing wait.

 

I have heard that one-way rentals across the international border are difficult to get and/or expensive. Don't know that first hand, because I use my own car if I want to go to Canada and have a car available.

 

Since you flying in one day and heading to Vancouver the next, have you considered the Amtrak Cascades train from Seattle to Vancouver. It leaves Seattle at 7:30 am and arrives in Vancouver at 11:35. It is a very scenic and relaxing trip, and is quite reliable. Also, all the Canadian entry formalities are done upon arrival in Vancouver and go quite quickly.

We did but with such a large group it was cheaper (although not by a ton) to just rent a car. We also figured it would be less stress than trying to catch an early train and it'd be easier to just control our own time instead by driving ourselves.

[zephyr17]

We did but with such a large group it was cheaper (although not by a ton) to just rent a car. We also figured it would be less stress than trying to catch an early train and it'd be easier to just control our own time instead by driving ourselves.

 

If you are cruising out the same day, I'd target to leave Seattle about 8 am, and get to Vancouver about 1. You could be in Vancouver as early as 11:30 or so if the border is smooth.

 

Here is a link to the border traffic conditions you may find useful:

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/border/

[Putterdude]

I would seriously consider driving up towards the border the evening you come in, there are a number of motels in the Bellingham, WA area which is a short 30 mins to the border or perhaps even Ferndale, WA which is 15 mins from the border. There is a Super 8 motel at Ferndale on the freeway. The concern I would have with driving up from Seattle in the morning is construction or border dealys and secondly having the time to turn in the rental car. If you do decide to drive from Seattle in the morning then I would be leaving closer to 6am rather than 8 am.

[albyman32]

I would seriously consider driving up towards the border the evening you come in, there are a number of motels in the Bellingham, WA area which is a short 30 mins to the border or perhaps even Ferndale, WA which is 15 mins from the border. There is a Super 8 motel at Ferndale on the freeway. The concern I would have with driving up from Seattle in the morning is construction or border dealys and secondly having the time to turn in the rental car. If you do decide to drive from Seattle in the morning then I would be leaving closer to 6am rather than 8 am.

6AM? Would it really take 6 hours to get there? The car return would be right at the terminal so not too much time expensed there. Our flight gets in at around 9 pm so after getting baggage and then getting the car etc. it would be around 10 pm, thus the not wanting to drive up until the next morning.

[Putterdude]

6AM? Would it really take 6 hours to get there? The car return would be right at the terminal so not too much time expensed there. Our flight gets in at around 9 pm so after getting baggage and then getting the car etc. it would be around 10 pm, thus the not wanting to drive up until the next morning.

 

Check to be sure that you can return car at terminal, if so then I would move it up to 7am; if not then I still lean towards 6am. I like to be in my port of departure the day before....just to avoid the stress and worry of taking a wrong turn or? Here is the Port of Vancouver's link concerning rental cars.

 

http://www.portvancouver.com/vanAlaCruise/content/infoPassengers/otherServices.html

[briangl]

I'm not sure of the exact dates but they are reconstructing I-5 through Bellingham this Summer. Sure to add at least an hour to the trip.

[zephyr17]

I don't know. When I drive up to Vancouver it usually takes between 4 and 5 hours, and it all depends on the border. The fastest I've made it is a little over 3, but I went through the border at about 6am on a Sunday that time and there way no back up at all. Generally, I've gotten more hung up coming back to the US.

 

On the other hand, I've not been aiming for a cruise ship on the Vancouver end, either. If I wanted to get to Vancouver to catch a cruise, I'd take the train because I like it and I know that there won't be a big disparity based on border crossing waits. However, if I did drive to a cruise, I'd still probably leave at 8 and take my chances (but that is 8, not 8:15). There is still a couple of hours of leeway to board if you target 1 pm.

 

It all depends on how conservative you feel you need to be. Allowing 2 hours for the border feels fine to me.

 

One thing, though, is even with the late arrival, I wouldn't stay right in the airport area, since that starts you in the hole, being south of town. I'd take the extra 30 minutes and at least find a place to stay on the north side of town, like Shoreline, Edmonds, or Lynnwood. That will give you a useful head start in the morning.

[whimseysgirl]

I agree with the above about heading out of Seattle - yes you'll be tired, but the traffic can be a bear in the morning. I adore Bellingham, but have found that all their rooms are booked throughout town at various points in the year. I'd look at anything north of Everett - at night it'll take maybe an hour (going slow, if the traffic's heavy), and it gets you past the bottlenecks in Seattle and Everett. I guess it also depends on what day of the week you're traveling on - weekend mornings are not nearly as busy.

 

I don't stress about the borders - unless its a long weekend in summer, it's doubtful you'll find 2 hour long lines - we find it's usually 20 to 45 minutes, often less, though you can't count on it. There are 2 crossings within 10 minutes of each other, and the wait times can vary immensely. If you tune in to AM 1130, they give border reports every 10 minutes, and you can decide which to take - the main crossing is the Peace Arch, the other is the Pacific (truck) crossing. The roads are clearly marked and if the difference is more than 10 minutes, it's worth taking that route. there was a long thread on this on the "Ask a Cruise Question" forum a few weeks ago, including lots of info on rentals. Canadians are not allowed to rent a car in the US and drive it across the border, but US citizens are fine.

[scottbee]

I would definitely try and put some distance in the night you arrive. Seattle traffic is not good, and you'd be starting at SeaTac (south of Seattle), driving right through Seattle during rushhour, heading north. Seatac to everett at 07:00am will probably take you two hours,

 

I would plan to try and get to at least Everett, or maybe Marysville/Arlington on that 1st night. It'll save you hours of frustration at 6:30 in the morning.

 

If you do feel that you must drive through Seattle during rush hour, I405 has always been a lot faster/easier than I5 in my past history. It looks a lot longer on a map, but has always been faster for me.

[zephyr17]

405 has gotten to be a real bear between Renton and Bellevue in the mornings. I'd stick to 5. At least it is wider (and shorter). Once you get past Seattle on 5 or Bellevue on 405, it will open up until you get north of Lynnwood, where 5 northbound seizes up again in the mornings until you are past Everett.

 

At least get north of Seattle the evening you arrive.

[Putterdude]

405 has gotten to be a real bear between Renton and Bellevue in the mornings. I'd stick to 5. At least it is wider (and shorter). Once you get past Seattle on 5 or Bellevue on 405, it will open up until you get north of Lynnwood, where 5 northbound seizes up again in the mornings until you are past Everett.

 

At least get north of Seattle the evening you arrive.

 

I agree, I seldom use I-405 anymore. With I-5 I always hope that I am going to win the lottery and find the Express Lanes open which relieves some of the pain of driving thru Seattle.