Bellingham, WA to Vancouver

[Lorabelle]

We are exploring our options in getting to Vancouver this summer.  Wondering if anyone has flown into Bellingham, WA post Covid?  This would save us hundreds of dollars in airfare, and it looks like there is a Quick Shuttle that could deliver us to a few hotels in the Vancouver area.  Then it appears that after the cruise, we can catch the shuttle at Canada Place to go directly back to the Bellingham airport.  Just wondering if anyone has traveled using these modes since all the changes in border procedures?  We're not looking for a frustrating mess just to get across the border.  The  website doesn't mention what is required to travel across the border on the shuttle. 

 

There are just two of us traveling, and we are fairly well versed in getting around, so not afraid of a little bit of planning, but don't want things to be complicated either.  We are hearing awful things about YVR with crowds and long lines, so we thought this may be a nice alternative to avoid that as well. 

 

Thoughts?

Edited May 5, 2022 by Lorabelle

[Ferry_Watcher]

Amtrak is not yet running across the US/Canadian border (in either direction).

[Lorabelle]

28 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Amtrak is not yet running across the US/Canadian border (in either direction).

I misspoke when I first typed my question, and I have corrected it.  I meant to ask about Quick Shuttle that runs from the Bellingham Airport into Vancouver.  It appears to be running. But thank you for your response. 

[Bxc53]

I can't speak to direct experience post Covid, but we live not far from the Bellingham (BLI) airport , and have flown in and put dozens of times and we have also used the Quick shuttle to the cruise port (Canada Place).

 

Bellingham is a smaller but well set up airport. Easy/quick to get in and out.

 

Quick shuttle is a good choice (almost the only choice) for BLI to the cruise port directly. 

Its not an excursion or sightseeing situation, just a (usually crowded) bus.. It stops at the border and the passenger are left to deal with Customs, etc. directly- no hand holding. Be sure to have all the needed documentation done before hand and ready. If you are not familiar, Canada currently requires the use of ArriveCan app or website a couple days before the trip. Of course it could change before your trip. Best to review the Canadian border and the Cruise boarding requirements a couple weeks ahead of your cruise- its been a rapidly changing landscape. 

[Lorabelle]

Bxc53,  Thank you for the information.  It sounds like this may be a good option for us.  I have read up on the Canadian crossing requirements and sounds completely doable.  And I do understand they may very well change before we travel in late July. 

 

Can you tell me if our luggage will have to be unloaded and processed through customs when we cross the border?  We will have to complete ArriveCan whether we fly direct to Vancouver or to Bellingham, so that's not a problem. 

 

Thanks again for your insight.  Going this route will save us hundreds of dollars and we can spend that on a nice Alaskan excursion!  We have been to Vancouver a few times, so we don't feel like we're missing anything by not spending the night there.  Our plan will be to fly in, stay the night in Bellingham and then take the shuttle directly to Canada Place on the day we sail. 

[Lorabelle]

Ooops, I just noticed the earliest bus into Canada Place runs at noon, which would get us to Canada Place at 2:35.  Our ship sails at 4:30.  Just wondering, if in your opinion, that is cutting it too close.  Just not sure if there are often delays at the border that would hold up our arrival.  We may have to rethink staying in Bellingham the night before and make our way to Vancouver instead.

 

[martincath]

Given your update @LorabelleI would strongly advise against traveling up from BLI on the day - but if you can arrive early enough the day before to get across the border it makes a lot of sense to use BLI, especially if the lengthy delays at YVR security remain in place when you're traveling. QS have a pretty big fleet of buses and Bellingham is not far at all from Vancouver, so worst-case of a breakdown you won't wait forever to get sent on - but you would definitely end up hosed for boarding same day with any mechanical issue or even a significant border delay. Check Amtrak schedule as well as QS - even if it's only buses running they have later night options than QS, and a cab to Bellingham train station is not very expensive from the airport.

 

Speaking of the border - yes, DO expect to have to schlep your bags in. Despite some utter nonsense that occasionally gets mentioned on here, QS are not magic - they get the exact same treatment as all other buses, no head of the line privilege and no difference in whether or not you need to carry bags inside. Right now with Bolt and Greyhound both dead, the odds are better of only brief delays - but until Amtrak start running trains there will be quite lot more Amtrak buses than usual so the total numbers of coaches being processed might be pretty similar...

 

Whether you need to bring bags in or not is up to CBSA on the day northbound, CBP southbound, and I've only ever seen this skipped when the border is busy. But the biggest issue with buses is that if a single passenger gets a border agent in a bad mood, has a flag on their file, or anything else that means extra questions ALL of you hang around waiting until a decision is made. Check the small print - if you are actually refused entry the bus company can leave you at the border then and there, but until the decision is made the whole busload is held.

 

We've personally experienced delays in TheBeforeTimes of over two hours on buses due to heavy traffic - northbound if the general traffic queue gets much beyond 30mins, that means the buses cannot reach the turnoff to their crossing point as cars are in the way! We've also experienced delays waiting for one person or one couple to get cleared that ran 15mins, on one occasion 45mins. You cannot afford to take the risk of a delay with only a couple of hours of padding on a privately-arranged transfer!

Edited May 5, 2022 by martincath

[Lorabelle]

Martincath, thank you so much for your detailed information.  While I wish your answer were different, lol, I completely agree with you.  There is nothing like having to start out a really nice vacation as a ball of stress worrying about whether the stars will align and we'll make it to the ship. 

 

I am going to rewrite my plans, and we will stay at one of the two hotels that are on the QuickShuttle's route.  That way we can jump on after our flight lands and go into the Vancouver area the night before our ship sails.  Much less stressful, and not that much more costly, so it's all good.  I do enjoy saving money so we can take even more trips, but not at the expense of my sanity!

 

 

[Bxc53]

Lorabelle, you are making the smart choice. The border can be a breeze through, but can also take hours. As far as hotels in Vancouver, there are many choices a short walk from the Quick Shuttle stops.

The River Rock is a nice casino/resort with food and entertainment on site. You would need an Uber or cab to the pier in the AM. The Holiday inn is Ok but typical. Also a short cab ride to the pier.

 

If your inclination and budget supports it, check out the Pan Pacific, in the cruise terminal. 4+ stars and could not be more convenient..

Edited May 6, 2022 by Bxc53

[martincath]

Agree with bxc - unless a few minutes/few blocks walk seems like just too much after a day of travel, don't lock yourself in to the RR/Holiday Inn. The RR is effectively an airport hotel so you're then stuck still needing to schlep bags downtown - a downtown hotel means if you wake up early you can go wandering without needing to wait until bag drop at the pier opens. You could be circling Stanley Park on the Seawall at 6am if you're early birds, grab a nice brekky on your travels, do some ticketed attractions when they open (very few earlier than 9am even in summer), have a nice lunch too then head for the pier when it rolls around to boarding time mid-afternoon if it's a typical ~5pm departure slot.

 

YWCA remains the bargain hotel to beat downtown - and since their brand new tower got completed when Covid was kicking in, half the rooms in the hotel have barely even been slept in, they should have the least beat-up mattresses of any hotel in the city even ones costing five times the price...

[Lorabelle]

All good thoughts.  And I have been thinking just that.  Have been looking at hotels near Canada Place and we could be dropped there and just walk the couple of blocks to various places.  The Pan Pacific sounds wonderful and simple, but maybe just a bit too much for us to spend this time.  This is the beginning of a 19 day cruisetour through Yukon Territory, then around to Fairbanks, Denali, etc along with 10 days of sailing, so there will be many excursions we're going to plan on, and we all know those Alaskan excursions are costly!  LOL  Not to mention we are doing B2B from Seattle in June, so we are trying to scale back the ancillary things in order to focus our money on the good stuff. 

[dboone24]

Lorabelle, my daughter and I are taking an Alaskan cruise in May of next year from Vancouver and I found that flying into Bellingham will also save us hundreds of dollars as well.  I am curious if you all did in fact fly into Bellingham and if so, did the transportation to Vancouver work well and without any problems for you.  We would rather spend more money on excursions than airfare.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

16 hours ago, dboone24 said:

Lorabelle, my daughter and I are taking an Alaskan cruise in May of next year from Vancouver and I found that flying into Bellingham will also save us hundreds of dollars as well.  I am curious if you all did in fact fly into Bellingham and if so, did the transportation to Vancouver work well and without any problems for you.  We would rather spend more money on excursions than airfare.  

 Try to catch @Lorabelle's attention by using this highlighting method.  

[Dan G]

another option since this was written is Amtrak train will go from Bellingham to Vancouver.  Train station is a short taxi from dock.  Right now there is only a morning train but should have an evening train by summer.  While you would need a taxi to get to train station in Bellingham its in a very cute area so lots to see and do.  Quickshuttle logistically is going to be the easiest  and would be ok from Bellingham but from SEattle are about the slowest option and never my 'first' choice.

amtrak.com

[GTJ]

3 hours ago, Dan G said:

another option since this was written is Amtrak train will go from Bellingham to Vancouver. * * * Quickshuttle logistically is going to be the easiest

With Quck Coach Lines offering service from the airport itself, that would likely be the most convenient of all options. Amtrak is near the city center, adjacent to the Alaska Marine Highway terminal, and sharing the same facility as Greyhound Lines (but the twice-daily Greyhound schedule is not especially convenient, with departures at 3:30 in the morning and 7:20 in the evening). Also available is MTR Western, which departs from Western Washington University in Bellingham, going direct to Waterfront Station in Vancouver, with tickets sold by FlixBus.