Thinking about Amtrak Seattle/Vancouver

BSeabob

Forum Manager
Staff member
The latest from The Vancouver Province Newspaper 22 AUG 2010
Quote:

  • Article rank
  • 22 Aug 2010
  • The Province
  • by Frank Luba staff reporter fluba@theprovince.com twitter.com/frankluba
Amtrak keen to add trips to Vancouver


Amtrak’s long-range plans for trains into Vancouver could mean four trips a day instead of the current two.
The two trains — which were expanded for the 2010 Winter Olympics from a single daily trip — are only running now because the Canadian government extended through September a pilot project providing border-clearance service to the American carrier. It’s been a hit. The second train attracted a record of nearly 25,000 passengers in July, and the second-quarter total of 214,641 passengers was an increase of 12 per cent over the second quarter of 2009.
Total ridership on the service, which runs all the way to Portland, was 398,414 through to June 30 — a 17.3-percent increase over 2009.
Andrew Wood of the Washington state Department of Transport, which helps run the Amtrak service to Canada, said a decision on the pilot project is imminent.
“[The B.C. government] have notified us that a decision has been reached. They will be notifying us shortly,” Wood said Friday.

“The B.C. government is very enthusiastic about the train being on and they have been working with us on this,” he said.
“It’s our intention for this to remain permanent and, building on our long-range plan, we would like to have more service.” Wood indicated those plans are for four trips each way. A spokeswoman for the Canadian Border Service Agency, which deals with the border-clearance project, declined to answer queries about the situation Friday.
The B.C. Ministry of Intergovernmental Relations, which has been working with Washington on Amtrak, failed to respond to a request for an interview.
Whatever happens, travellers to Vancouver from the U.S. can get some good deals if they purchase a trip by Sept. 27 for travel though Sept. 30.
In addition to a 25-per-cent reduction on the price of the train ticket, passengers can get a downtown Vancouver hotel from $107 US through Tourism Vancouver and a brochure of reduced fees to a variety of local attractions.
 

BSeabob

Forum Manager
Staff member
Well someone in the budget process somewhere is hesitating to pick up the added costs for our Border Services people for the second train & the situation is once again in Play.

I always thought that a border with a crossing was to be used and staffed & paid for with my Federal Dollars. Guess cause we are in the west far from the Real Power in Canada we will get the shaft again stay tuned
 

PEB

Staff Captain
I've taken Amtrak between Seattle and Vancouver and the reverse a few times. It is actually a nice way to travel between the two cities. I'm sure I will do it again.
 

Jeanie

Staff Captain
I've taken Amtrak between Seattle and Vancouver and the reverse a few times. It is actually a nice way to travel between the two cities. I'm sure I will do it again.


Sounds like a nice way to travel that area. :doubleup:
 

gyanzminds

New Member
Hi,

I travelling from Seattle to Vancouver in Amtrak. I know that I have to go through the US Customs while coming back to US, do anyone know where this custom happens, is it taken care in the Vancouver amtrak station or is there any other stop in between which has customs.

Your reply will be appreciated.


Thanks !!!
 

BSeabob

Forum Manager
Staff member
US authorities come onboard at the border.. Fairly quick and painless.
 
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