Amtrak Cascades

[janob]

We are sailing anchorage to Vancouver in early June. Can anyone tell me if it would be worth it to take Amtrak Cascades to Seattle. It leaves about 5:30pm & arrives about 10:10 pm. Will it be too dark to see the scenery ?

[Kenswing]

Sunset in June is around 9:00. You should still be able to see plenty.

[WalleyeLJ]

We did the reverse trip in the morning, but it was a great trip - very relaxing and great scenery. For us both our cruises in/out of Vancouver, it was cheaper to fly in and out of Seattle, and the train made a nice bridge between thet two.

 

L.J.

[pizzalady1]

We took the train last year in May and the scenery was really great. It was a nice trip. The train was late so we did not get in until 11pm.

[mknopick]

We did the Amtrak Cascades after our cruise to Vancouver. It is a very scenic ride along the coast.

[chewap]

We are sailing anchorage to Vancouver in early June. Can anyone tell me if it would be worth it to take Amtrak Cascades to Seattle. It leaves about 5:30pm & arrives about 10:10 pm. Will it be too dark to see the scenery ?

 

 

In June it gets dark around 10PM. You mainly go along Puget Sound for over 1/2 of the trip. Scenery is outstanding and if it is low tide, you will see Eagles out in the tidelands.

[libtrek]

Would suggest booking early, sometimes cheaper. Also, consider upgrade to business class. Seats ARE more comfortable. In fact, train seats WAY more comfortable than plane seats. You also can cancel without penalty.

[bonvoyagie]

Seattle is having a real wet spring and that has resulted in several mudslides on the tracks between Seattle and Everett - this has distrupted not only freight but passenger trains - including both the Empire Builder and the Cascades. BNSF will not allow passenger trains until 48 hrs after the slide is cleared. The Cascades route is done with a bus instead.

 

BTW there was another slide yesterday :eek:

[chewap]

Seattle is having a real wet spring and that has resulted in several mudslides on the tracks between Seattle and Everett - this has distrupted not only freight but passenger trains - including both the Empire Builder and the Cascades. BNSF will not allow passenger trains until 48 hrs after the slide is cleared. The Cascades route is done with a bus instead.

 

BTW there was another slide yesterday :eek:

I live close to the slides. In Nov and December, the tracks for passenger trains was only open for 5 days. For three weeks in January, the hillside was frozen, thus no slides. Have had several slides since January.

 

See video below for the slide that hit the train.

 

[Gardyloo]

Slides during cruise season are virtually nonexistent.

 

For the OP, however, just a note that if you don't want to spend a full day in Vancouver between disembarking and the evening train, you can rent a car one-way between Vancouver and Seattle and use the full day for some excellent sightseeing and touring - there are several alternate routes. If there are two of you the car will probably be around $50 more than the combined train fare for a day, but the difference might be even less when you add in taxi fares from boat to train station, then train station to hotel/airport in Seattle.

[bonvoyagie]

Slides during cruise season are virtually nonexistent.

 

.

 

I agree with this during a "normal" season - so far the current season is far from normal - while there is no indication that it will continue into June - but again we are far from normal right now.

[narsibvl]

We did the reverse trip in the morning, but it was a great trip - very relaxing and great scenery. For us both our cruises in/out of Vancouver, it was cheaper to fly in and out of Seattle, and the train made a nice bridge between thet two.

 

L.J.

 

 

We are doing the same this July, taking the early morning train out of Vancouver to Seattle. How did you get to the airport from the Seattle train station ?

[mapleleaves]

We are doing the same this July, taking the early morning train out of Vancouver to Seattle. How did you get to the airport from the Seattle train station ?

 

if you can easily manage your luggage, take the Light Rail from the Int'l District/Chinatown stop to the SeaTac for under $3 pp. It would require a few blocks of walking at the beginning and end. http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedules/Central-Link-light-rail

Otherwise a taxi will be around $40.

[narsibvl]

if you can easily manage your luggage, take the Light Rail from the Int'l District/Chinatown stop to the SeaTac for under $3 pp. It would require a few blocks of walking at the beginning and end. http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedules/Central-Link-light-rail

Otherwise a taxi will be around $40.

 

I guess it has got to be the Taxi.

[WalleyeLJ]

We are doing the same this July, taking the early morning train out of Vancouver to Seattle. How did you get to the airport from the Seattle train station ?

 

We were actually staying in a Marriott in downtown, so we did just take a taxi. It only took about 10 minutes or so, and checking in and boarding at the station was pretty apinless process. We even ran into several CC members that were on our cruise there! FYI - it wasa a GRAND adventure trying to get a taxi at the Vancouver train station. Still worth the ride, but it was pretty crazy for a bit:D!

 

L.J.

[Dan G]

any taxi from Amtrak in Seattle to seatac is a flat $40. No reservation needed.

 

Flatrateforhire.com

 

can send you a cab for $25 to Seatac but you need to call

 

Info on lt rail to Seatac from Amtrak seattle is on tripadvisor Seattle forum. Look for top questions on top right. The fare is $2.75

[Putterdude]

The Amtrak Cascades is an excellent way to get from Seattle to Vancouver and reverse, have done it both way myself and have found it very scenic and comfortable. About a third of the trip is along the water so pick the left side northbound and right seat southbound. I have never heard or read of the train being late during the cruise season. With a mid June date the sunset is not until 9:20 pm with twilight extending a good 30 minutes beyond that so you will be able to see lots.

[zephyr17]

I am a frequent traveler on the Cascades and also a railfan and follow the mudslide situation here.

 

Putterdude is right on about the chances of slides during the summer being slim to none. I've never heard of a slide closing the line in the summer either. We both live in the area and are very familiar with the Cascades service. We are agreed on this point: Don't worry about mudslides stopping the Cascades during summer. Shouldn't happen and worst possible case if it does is they'll substitute a bus.

 

And this winter is not all that abnormal. Lots of rain early in the season, heavier storms than usual but certainly within the range of normal variability, and January and February have been pretty normal, except we haven't had any snow at all and quite a few sunny days, unusual this time of year.

 

In July it'll be daylight for the most scenic parts just south of Bellingham. Won't get dark until south of Mt. Vernon.

[janob]

Thank you so much. All of this information is very helpful!

[Arkansas cruisers]

We are looking at options for getting from Vancouver WA ( or Portland OR, if necessary) to Vancouver BC for a 8/23/13 cruise. any suggestions! Bolt bus? Amtrak Cascades/ bus or Cascades late arrival? I am a bit concerned about arriving in Vancouver and needing to get to a downtown hotel after dark, plus concerned about checking and toting luggage, as we will have 2 large suitcases, a roll aboard and a handbag (me) and a backpack (DH). Thanks for your help!

[Putterdude]

We are looking at options for getting from Vancouver WA ( or Portland OR, if necessary) to Vancouver BC for a 8/23/13 cruise. any suggestions! Bolt bus? Amtrak Cascades/ bus or Cascades late arrival? I am a bit concerned about arriving in Vancouver and needing to get to a downtown hotel after dark, plus concerned about checking and toting luggage, as we will have 2 large suitcases, a roll aboard and a handbag (me) and a backpack (DH). Thanks for your help!

 

You will not have a problem in the world getting from the station to your hotel in downtown Vancouver, BC after dark. There will be lots of cabs and your fare will be about $10 to most downtown hotels.

[Arkansas cruisers]

You will not have a problem in the world getting from the station to your hotel in downtown Vancouver, BC after dark. There will be lots of cabs and your fare will be about $10 to most downtown hotels.

 

Thank you for your help! Booked it!