Amtrak into Seattle?

[Kuffam]

Thinking of taking Amtrak from Chicago. Has anyone done this? Should we arrive a day early as if we were flying or does traveling by train more reliable?

[briangl]

Thinking of taking Amtrak from Chicago. Has anyone done this? Should we arrive a day early as if we were flying or does traveling by train more reliable?

 

The train is routinely late and sometimes very late, > 12 hours. I would plan on arriving at least a day early, plus you'll have more time in Seattle.

[GORDONCHICK]

I think getting to the port the day before is always a good idea.

[Arnold Don]

Thinking of taking Amtrak from Chicago. Has anyone done this? Should we arrive a day early as if we were flying or does traveling by train more reliable?

 

We have done that trip and it is beautiful and has the best on time record of any of the Amtrak cross country trains. But delays do occur, we were stopped in Whitefish, Montana over night and then bused from Spokane to Portland and Seattle due to a derailment. Best to go a day ahead!!

[jacksan1]

Yes, the Empire Builder is a great ride, and I have done it a number of times. As others have said, this kind of long-distance train can experience significant delays enroute, so it is a good idea to give yourself at least a day of safety cushion before sailing out of Seattle. Although I have not experienced huge delays personally, a friend of mine had an 8-hour delay, and a cousin of mine a 5-hour one on different runs of the Empire Builder.

[orenb]

That should be AMTRAK's motto. I would not take AMTRAK if I had any kind of a deadline (no pun intended). It took 37 hours from Tacoma to Santa Barbara.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I haven't done this exact route, but did take the Coast Starlight from Oxnard to Seattle three years ago. We got there four hours late and returned south four hours late. While we were on our cruise, a fire broke out in a tunnel in Oregon and for a week, passengers had to get off north of there, board a bus, drive for about nine hours until they got south of the damaged tunnel and then get back on a train.

 

I would definitely pad your time (and have alternative methods such as flight info handy just in case). We were glad we had the extra day.

[Luckysll]

I have done the Empire Builder route twice and both times there was absolutely no delays. One trip was in June, one in early February. The train arrives in Seattle around 10:30 am and there is a bus waiting to take you to Vancouver, which arrives around 2 pm if I recall correctly. You'd have to make your way from the train station to the pier, which isn't far, but if there is a delay for any reason, you do run the risk of missing the ship.

 

I'd recommend you take the train, arrive a day early, enjoy a visit to Seattle, and take the train (the Cascades) the next morning at 7:40 am to Vancouver.

 

I actually did a return trip from a Caribbean cruise on the train. Four days from Miami to Washington DC to Chicago to Seattle. Loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat.