Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver is back up and running, which means it’s easier to travel to Canada
A major part of a iconic train route again available for those who want to travel across Pacific Northwest. For the first time in years, you can now ride by amtrak Cascades The ship crossed the northern border, to Vancouver, British Columbia.
On September 26, Amtrak resumed the northernmost part of the Cascades for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The restoration of the more than 140-mile section of this popular route means train enthusiasts and other travelers looking for a scenic ride through Oregon, Washington state and indeed British Columbia, at last. can enjoy the whole trip again.
Change also comes at a good time: Canada just removed its last remaining COVID-19 entry requirements in early October, so if you’re looking for a fall getaway, you can rail to northwest Canada without having to check in, enter vaccinations, or fill out health data on a application.
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This is also just the latest example of Amtrak restoring Canadian services like demand for train travel has increased again; railway operator restore its service between New York City and Toronto earlier this year for the first time since the pandemic began.
Amtrak’s Cascades Train
Just one of many iconic train lines across the country, Amtrak’s Cascades service runs between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver if you catch a train that runs the length of the route. Take the Cascades all the way and you’re looking at a journey that takes more than 10 hours.
However, it’s one of those things you’ll definitely remember. Starting at Eugene, the full route includes stops in Salem and Portland, Oregon, as well as Tacoma and Seattle. Northbound service was terminated in Seattle during the pandemic, but passengers can now continue to cross the border to Vancouver.
As explained by Amtrak, a ride on the Cascades takes you along the water, through river and mountain vistas. Have your camera ready, as you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of Mount St. Helens and the Columbia River Gorge along the way.
Service pack
For the newly restored portion of the trip between Seattle and Vancouver, a train will depart Seattle at 7:45 a.m. Pacific Time each morning and arrive in Vancouver at 11:45 a.m. later 4 hours later.
Southbound trips will include a 5:54pm departure from Vancouver, arriving in Seattle at 10:10pm
This portion of the service will only include one round-trip per day, although Amtrak notes that it hopes to add a second daily round-trip between Seattle and Vancouver as staff and equipment allow.
In addition to the Canadian portion of the route, there are three daily round trips between Portland and Seattle.
Book a trip
Between the simpler immigration process to Canada and the restoration of Amtrak rail access to Vancouver, it could be a great excuse for a weekend getaway in the fall.
Looking at the weekend of October 15-16, you could leave Seattle early Saturday morning, arriving at Vancouver’s Pacific Coast Station just before noon. The trip north costs $64; note that business class is sold out, a testament to the route’s immediate popularity once it has been relaunched.
The Sunday night return trip allows you quite a few days in the city before taking the leisurely train back to Seattle.
With a round trip costing $82, that brings the total for the whole round trip to $164. It’s no exaggeration that you can find reasonably priced airfare and a quicker trip by plane, but of course, part of the appeal here is the incredible sights you’ll see along the way. his itinerary during his trip to the North; since the sun sets earlier and earlier, it will get dark pretty quickly when you get back by car.
Where
For your stay in Vancouver that weekend, one of the better options we found for a night is the Hyatt Regency, located right in the heart of downtown and about a block from Vancouver’s Pacific Coast station 1.6 km, it is only a short distance. Take an Uber as soon as you reach the city. A one-night stay costs $264. Or, you can get 9,000 World of Hyatt points to stay – worth about $153 per TPG points and miles pricing.
If you’re looking to book a room in the Marriott portfolio, one of the better cash deals you can find is at the downtown Metropolitan Hotel, for just under $200 a night. You can also book it for 56,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, but a quick check of TPG’s points against the cash register suggests you’d be better off paying cash for this stay.
Key point
While there are plenty of great sights to see on the US portion of Amtrak’s Cascades, the restoration of its service across the northern border to Vancouver makes it even more appealing for road trips. Iron. With fall foliage visible and access to Canada easier than at any time since early 2020, it might just be the reason you need to book a trip to British Columbia.
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