Reno to Vancouver

[MaudeLou]

Hi from Australia,

We flying to San Francisco and are visiting friends in Reno, Nevada prior to our Alaskan cruise on the Royal Princess 7th September 2024.

Can anyone tell me what is the easiest/best way to travel from Reno to Vancouver a few days prior to our cruise.

Have tried to research it but its totally confusing and looks very expensive 😞

[cruiseryyc]

There is an Air Canada/Delta flight that leaves Reno at 6:30 a.m., connects in San Francisco, arrives in Vancouver at 11:00 a.m. for $282 CDN one way.  But those are this year's flights and prices.

 

Your choices are flying or renting a car and driving.  However you'll incur a one way drop fee for the rental car.  Or drive back to San Francisco and fly from there.

 

Getting around North America is not cheap.

Edited October 8, 2023 by cruiseryyc

[Northern Aurora]

Alaska Airlines flight from Reno to Seattle (SEATAC).  Then continue on with a Horizon (Alaska Air subsidiary) to Vancouver.  Or spend a day to two in Seattle and take either the train or a motor coach to Vancouver.

[em-sk]

On 10/7/2023 at 10:53 PM, MaudeLou said:

Hi from Australia,

We flying to San Francisco and are visiting friends in Reno, Nevada prior to our Alaskan cruise on the Royal Princess 7th September 2024.

Can anyone tell me what is the easiest/best way to travel from Reno to Vancouver a few days prior to our cruise.

Have tried to research it but its totally confusing and looks very expensive 😞

 

Air Canada/United are partners.

WestJet/Delta are partners.

Alaska Airlines/American would be the third best option.  

 

You can try direct on the alrline websites or some of the travel sites. 

 

The other option if you have a lot of time is the train.  Amtrak operates train service from Reno to San Francisco.  There is also a train from San Francisco to Seattle or Portland.  There is a train service from Portland or Seattle to Vancouver.   This option will take longer and only makes sense if you want to spend some time in one of more of these cities.

 

 

 

[MaudeLou]

Thanks for all your very helpful suggestions, I will investigate.

[GTJ]

On 10/13/2023 at 11:41 PM, em-sk said:

The other option if you have a lot of time is the train. Amtrak operates train service from Reno to San Francisco. There is also a train from San Francisco to Seattle or Portland. There is a train service from Portland or Seattle to Vancouver.

Although there is a train from Reno to Sacramento, the connecting point for the train to Seattle and onward to Vancouver, the train from Reno is early morning while the connecting train is late night, resulting in an inconvenient 9-1/2 hour connection in Sacramento (although the connection is likely to be less in actuality because the train from Reno is frequently delayed). Somewhat better is to use an Amtrak-arranged bus from Reno to Sacramento in mid-afternoon, and a connection of "only" 6 hours. (Because of certain state-imposed restrictions on bus ticket sales, you might have to buy a ticket from Reno to Davis, but only travel by bus only as far as Sacramento.) Once the train arrives in Seattle, there is an overnight connection for the train onward to Vancouver. The actual timings are as follows. Train departs Reno 8:36 a.m., arrives Sacramento 2:13 p.m. Bus departs Reno 2:10 p.m., arrives Sacramento 5:35 p.m. Train departs Sacramento 11:49 p.m., arrives Seattle 7:51 p.m. next day. Train departs Seattle 7:50 a.m. third day, arrives Vancouver 11:50 a.m. In sum, travel by train requires slightly less than 48 hours. Advance purchase fare is about $160. (Travel entirely by bus is a bit quicker, and would require about 30 hours, with connections in Sacramento and Portland. Advance purchase fare is about $150. Depart Reno 2:50 p.m. via Greyhound Lines, arrives Sacramento 6:15 p.m. Depart Sacramento 8:45 p.m. via MTR Western, arrives Portland 9:05 a.m. next day. Depart Portland 12:30 p.m. via MTR Western, arrives Vancouver 8:45 p.m.)

[em-sk]

14 hours ago, GTJ said:

Although there is a train from Reno to Sacramento, the connecting point for the train to Seattle and onward to Vancouver, the train from Reno is early morning while the connecting train is late night, resulting in an inconvenient 9-1/2 hour connection in Sacramento (although the connection is likely to be less in actuality because the train from Reno is frequently delayed). Somewhat better is to use an Amtrak-arranged bus from Reno to Sacramento in mid-afternoon, and a connection of "only" 6 hours. (Because of certain state-imposed restrictions on bus ticket sales, you might have to buy a ticket from Reno to Davis, but only travel by bus only as far as Sacramento.) Once the train arrives in Seattle, there is an overnight connection for the train onward to Vancouver. The actual timings are as follows. Train departs Reno 8:36 a.m., arrives Sacramento 2:13 p.m. Bus departs Reno 2:10 p.m., arrives Sacramento 5:35 p.m. Train departs Sacramento 11:49 p.m., arrives Seattle 7:51 p.m. next day. Train departs Seattle 7:50 a.m. third day, arrives Vancouver 11:50 a.m. In sum, travel by train requires slightly less than 48 hours. Advance purchase fare is about $160. (Travel entirely by bus is a bit quicker, and would require about 30 hours, with connections in Sacramento and Portland. Advance purchase fare is about $150. Depart Reno 2:50 p.m. via Greyhound Lines, arrives Sacramento 6:15 p.m. Depart Sacramento 8:45 p.m. via MTR Western, arrives Portland 9:05 a.m. next day. Depart Portland 12:30 p.m. via MTR Western, arrives Vancouver 8:45 p.m.)

 

As I said, this option only makes sense if you want to spend some time in one or more of those intermediate cities.

[GTJ]

1 hour ago, em-sk said:

As I said, this option only makes sense if you want to spend some time in one or more of those intermediate cities.

Yes, indeed. At least several hours in Sacramento and overnight in Seattle! Add to that the fact that the California Zephyr does not have a good record of on-time performance, so while that might reduce the time spent in Sacramento, it adds an equal amount of time to standing idle in Reno waiting for the train to arrive. The train is good if one likes trains generally, or if one cannot (or will not) fly commercially. But railroad is not a particularly attractive option.