Amtrack train

[DisneyScrapper]

Has anyone taken the Amtrack from Seattle to Vancouver? I know it a little over 3 hours, but is it nice? The price for 2 with AAA is only $50 and I can get tickets from Delta from Ft. Laud to Seattle with a 30 min layover in Atlanta for around $172 per, which is alot cheaper than $600 per flying into Vancouver with at stopover in Salt Lake City.

[Budget Queen]

Yes, I've taken Amtrak to Vancouver. It's over 4 hours. A very nice ride that is a money saver. You do need an overnight in Seattle. Cab from Seatac to the station is about $35. I take the Sky train to Canada Place, you need to pack light and have no mobility issues if you do this. $2.25ca

[DaisyGirl55]

I am also flying in from the east coast, and found that airfare to Vancouver is a lot more than into Seattle. Love the idea of taking a relaxing train ride before my cruise (guess I would be taking one after the cruise too!).

 

Just want to get the info correct:

- fly to Seattle, take cab to train station, and ride train to Vancouver

- take cab from Vancouver train station to hotel, next day cab to port

- reverse to go home

 

With the cab fare, and the hotel rooms - is it still better on the budget to try this? We always fly into whatever port we sail out of a day prior to our cruise, and fly home a day after. A train ride in really sounds interesting....

[DaisyGirl55]

double post - sorry!

[ghouck2532]

There's only one train from Seattle to Vancouver; leaves Seattle 7:40 a.m., arrives Vancouver 11:35 a.m. You'd have to fly into Seattle, overnight, then train to Vancouver.

[Chat Noir]

Amtrak train is my transfer preference unless we're spending enough time to warrant a car rental. It requires a little more 'juggling' than flying direct to Vancouver, since overnighting Seattle is necessary pre-cruise/post-cruise due to Amtrak timetables, however, even with hotel costs, it's a money saver for us. Besides, I don't like to fly in the same day as the cruise unless I'm booking cruiseline air.

 

The tracks follow the waterfront nearly the entire distance, and it's a beautiful ride. The highway is a bit further east, so less waterfront views with a car or shuttle bus. I recommend sitting on the left side of the train to Vancouver, right side to Seattle for best view of the water's edge.

[Maryandi]

If I remember correctly from other posts - Isn't there one trip from Vancouver to Seattle and it's around 6pm ? Then you would need a late flight or wait till the next day for the return trip.

 

Train sounds good from Seattle to Vancouver but not from Vancouver to Seattle - IMO.

 

Have fun, M.A.

[LeftcoastBC]

I highly recommend it. Upgrade to Business Class to get better seating and quick on/off times. = Better Customs and Immigration

 

Train North from Seattle 7:40 AM

Train South from Vcr 6:00 PM

[Gawga Girl]

Hi Disney Scrapper!

We are flying into Seattle for a Vancover departure and are using the train. Have our tickets already, in fact. One concern, a 30 minute layover in ATL is really cutting it close. That's a big airport with many concourses a few minutes delay in landing from Orlando could spell "Missed Connection".. Believe me it has happened more than once. Delta has several flights to Seattle from ATL maybe you could connect with a later one. Your price of $172 is wonderful.

[Italy52]

A 30-minute connection out of Atlanta is WAY TOO CLOSE, especially for Delta flights. If you can, I would highly recommend a little more time. We have taken many Delta flights that connected in Atlanta and always allow ourselves at least an hour between flights.

[creddick]

Definitely take Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver and upgrade to business class. It is worth the few extra dollars. My wife and I took and Alaskan cruise in September and it was the trip of a lifetime. To make it even more special, we took the train from Michigan to Vancouver. Got a sleeper and the whole works. Below is a link that will take you to my Webshots album of the train trip. I cannot seperate out the pictures of the Seattle to Vancouver leg of the trip but the pictures are labeled and you will be able to see the train. There are a few interior shots too. The train is very nice and the scenery is spectacular. Very good food in the dining car too. A few big plusses for business class; seperate boarding and reserved seats, $3.00 coupon for each person in the dining car, larger, more comfortable seats, and the big thing, business class passengers are detrained before coach class. Therefore, you are at the head of the line for customs. Have a wonderful time and do take the train. You'll probably be spoiled from now on.

 

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/554419312tNrDOb

[creddick]

I forgot, here is a great web site for Amtrak discussions. Lots of pictures and good information.

 

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/?act=SF&f=3

 

Bon voyage!

[DisneyScrapper]

I forgot, here is a great web site for Amtrak discussions. Lots of pictures and good information.

 

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/?act=SF&f=3

 

Bon voyage!

Thanks form the site I will have to check it out.

I also will rethink the layover time in Atlantic and poss. take a later flight out of Ft. Laud instead of the 6am. I think the next one is a 90 min layover, which should give us extra time.

[cruzy-sue]

Has anyone taken the Amtrack from Seattle to Vancouver? I know it a little over 3 hours, but is it nice? The price for 2 with AAA is only $50 and I can get tickets from Delta from Ft. Laud to Seattle with a 30 min layover in Atlanta for around $172 per, which is alot cheaper than $600 per flying into Vancouver with at stopover in Salt Lake City.

 

I, too, am travelling from Fort Lauderdale to Seattle. Where in the world did you find airline tickets for $172???

 

I thought $297 was pretty good - haven't bought them yet.....

 

PLEEEEEZ let me know ASAP!!

 

Thanks!! P.S. We are taking the train to Vancouver, too!

[cruzy-sue]

Just bumping this up so Disney Scrapper can let me know where she found that airfare???

[Cruisechick82]

Definitely take Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver and upgrade to business class. It is worth the few extra dollars. My wife and I took and Alaskan cruise in September and it was the trip of a lifetime. To make it even more special, we took the train from Michigan to Vancouver. Got a sleeper and the whole works. Below is a link that will take you to my Webshots album of the train trip. I cannot seperate out the pictures of the Seattle to Vancouver leg of the trip but the pictures are labeled and you will be able to see the train. There are a few interior shots too. The train is very nice and the scenery is spectacular. Very good food in the dining car too. A few big plusses for business class; seperate boarding and reserved seats, $3.00 coupon for each person in the dining car, larger, more comfortable seats, and the big thing, business class passengers are detrained before coach class. Therefore, you are at the head of the line for customs. Have a wonderful time and do take the train. You'll probably be spoiled from now on.

 

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/554419312tNrDOb

 

I agree with the business class recommendation. While waiting in the train station, be sure to sit near the booths where they hand out seating assignments so you can get in line quick. Ask for a waterside view. If you want to eat in the dining car, be sure to listen for when they announce that the car is open since it fills up fast. The food is pretty good, we loved the stuffed french toast.

[wayne101642]

We are taking Amtrack from Ohio , will get slepper from Chicago to Seattle. Were did you stay in Seattle and how far from the station was the motel and how did you get there and back to the train for Seattle to Vancouver? We are trying to decide whether to go to Vancouver and then to a hotel close to Canada Place for the pre cruise night or go the way you did.

 

Wayne

[GORDONCHICK]

I agree with the business class recommendation. While waiting in the train station, be sure to sit near the booths where they hand out seating assignments so you can get in line quick. Ask for a waterside view. If you want to eat in the dining car, be sure to listen for when they announce that the car is open since it fills up fast. The food is pretty good, we loved the stuffed french toast.

 

When you get in the line for the seating assignments, can one person get them (will be me, DH & 6-year old DS) or does each person have to get theirs? Do you have your luggage with you at this point?

 

We will be doing this in September for a voyage on the Mercury. Our ship will disembark in Seattle, so this is a one-way gig for us.

[creddick]

We are taking Amtrack from Ohio , will get slepper from Chicago to Seattle. Were did you stay in Seattle and how far from the station was the motel and how did you get there and back to the train for Seattle to Vancouver? We are trying to decide whether to go to Vancouver and then to a hotel close to Canada Place for the pre cruise night or go the way you did.

 

Wayne

In Seattle, we stayed at the Crowne Plaza. It was a great hotel. Huge rooms, very comfortable beds, and close to everything. It is at the corner of 6th and Seneca and I highly recommend it. We walked to the waterfront - about 6 blocks straight down Seneca. Close to Pike Street market too, again, walking distance. Downtown hotels are all close to the train station. The Crown Plaza was about a mile away, about a $6 cab ride for the two of us. We took a cab both ways. Convenient and easy. You are dropped off right at the front door.

 

We spent a night in Vancouver pre cruise too. We stayed in a fabulous little hotel called the Times Square Suites. I have postings about both of these hotels in other threads on CC. Do a search and you will find them.

 

We thought the train was great. We did a round trip on the Empire Builder. It is a great train. If you get a sleeper, all meals in the dining car are included. We also got champagne or sparkling cider when we boarded, a wine and cheese party for sleeper passengers, and fresh baked cookies each night. Like cruising, we met some great people on the train and had lots of fun. One couple we are getting together with next month.

 

Check out my pictures via the link I have posted in one of my replies above. Have a great trip.

[wayne101642]

Thanks for the information on your Amtrak trip creddick .

[fti]

I, too, am travelling from Fort Lauderdale to Seattle. Where in the world did you find airline tickets for $172???

 

I thought $297 was pretty good - haven't bought them yet.....

 

PLEEEEEZ let me know ASAP!!

 

Thanks!! P.S. We are taking the train to Vancouver, too!

 

Fares within N. America change constantly and it appears this $172 fare is no longer available. Reminds me of a fare of $38 round trip between Minneapolis and Chicago that was available two weeks ago for about 3 hours. Now it is over $100 round trip. Fortunately I got in on that $38 deal and am spending a night in Chicago in December as a result.

 

One of the best ways to monitor airfares is to sign up for the Fare Watcher alert on travelocity.com, or even better a similar one on farecompare.com. With travelocity, you enter up to six city pairs that you want to monitor. I check the box that says they will notify me by EMail if the price goes up or down by $25 or more. That way I have a pretty good idea of how often the price changes. Once they EMail you about a fare you need to act quickly since the fare may only be there for a short time. The nice thing about the watcher on farecompare.com is that they sometimes EMail you even before the fare becomes available to the public. So you have a heads up and can check for the availability over the next couple of hours after receiving their EMail.

[Cassandra]

The other thing with Amtrak also is that they are members of AAA, so when you are pricing your trip, make sure you hit that dropdown. You'll get an extra 10% off the fare price.

 

AS a FYI....I don't think Amtrak really checks AAA membership when you check-in. We use it to go to Orlando, Florida with sleeper cars & although I'm a member, my BF is not. I hit the dropdown for both & low & behold, on all 3 trips to Florida, no AAA ID was ever asked for. Although it says they need to see it on check-in, however, Penn Station, NY never checked at the baggage drop-off.

 

So, cheating the system? Yes, but considering the price of a sleeper car, well worth it.

[Cruisechick82]

When you get in the line for the seating assignments, can one person get them (will be me, DH & 6-year old DS) or does each person have to get theirs? Do you have your luggage with you at this point?

 

We will be doing this in September for a voyage on the Mercury. Our ship will disembark in Seattle, so this is a one-way gig for us.

 

When we enter the station the baggage check area is to the left. I think it's 2 bags per person at 50lb each max. There are little tags next to the door to put on your luggage. When we were there the baggage check opened at 6:30 which is right when we got there.

 

I think everyone has to get the boarding passes because they were checking passports/birth certificates while they handed out the assignments. Make sure to ask for a waterfront view as I noticed some people were mad on the train that they had to sit on the other side of the train. We sat next to the booth and when someone came to it, we jumped up to get in line. Soon after the line stretched all the way to the back of the building. (Longer on the coach side.)

 

We stayed at the Sheraton Towers. We booked it on Hotwire for $130 taxes included. It was downtown, near Pike's Place, etc. It was only about a 10 min. cab ride from there to the station.

[DisneyScrapper]

Fares within N. America change constantly and it appears this $172 fare is no longer available. Reminds me of a fare of $38 round trip between Minneapolis and Chicago that was available two weeks ago for about 3 hours. Now it is over $100 round trip. Fortunately I got in on that $38 deal and am spending a night in Chicago in December as a result.

 

One of the best ways to monitor airfares is to sign up for the Fare Watcher alert on travelocity.com, or even better a similar one on farecompare.com. With travelocity, you enter up to six city pairs that you want to monitor. I check the box that says they will notify me by EMail if the price goes up or down by $25 or more. That way I have a pretty good idea of how often the price changes. Once they EMail you about a fare you need to act quickly since the fare may only be there for a short time. The nice thing about the watcher on farecompare.com is that they sometimes EMail you even before the fare becomes available to the public. So you have a heads up and can check for the availability over the next couple of hours after receiving their EMail.

 

I just looked on the Delta site and they still have the $172 from Ft. Laud to Seattle for that price. Of course it's only 1 way not round trip.

Thanks everyone for there input and I'm going to get myself signed up for the Fare Watch also.

Getting really excited about putting this whole trip together now. This board has been really great with the help.

[kruisecat]

how far in advance should you buy the tickets for Amtrack? We're actually really excited about beginning and ending our trip on the train! I'm thrilled that the scenery will be so beautiful, can't think of a better way to start or end a vacation!