train between seattle and vancouver?

[Budget Queen]

My point was the area, there are better areas with more activites, dining etc . IF you are just looking for a bed and then to the station, this may be a good location for you.

 

Actually I'm an RN too, and yep, I do travel!!! About 12 weeks/year!!!

[SeattleCruiselover]

My point was the area, there are better areas with more activites, dining etc . IF you are just looking for a bed and then to the station, this may be a good location for you.

 

Actually I'm an RN too, and yep, I do travel!!! About 12 weeks/year!!!

 

Small world, ain't it?

[jenjens1023]

Now that we're off subject, I'm a nurse too (also at night--by choice).

 

We're planning to take the train from Seattle to Vancouver next summer. My DD17 is really excited about the idea, so I doubt you'll have trouble getting your kids up in time.

[NightRN]

My point was the area, there are better areas with more activites, dining etc . IF you are just looking for a bed and then to the station, this may be a good location for you.

 

Actually I'm an RN too, and yep, I do travel!!! About 12 weeks/year!!!

 

Now I'm really curious. How do you get that much time off? Do you work registry/traveler and take the time off in between contracts?

[NightRN]

Now that we're off subject, I'm a nurse too (also at night--by choice).

 

We're planning to take the train from Seattle to Vancouver next summer. My DD17 is really excited about the idea, so I doubt you'll have trouble getting your kids up in time.

 

 

Nights are so much better - less politics. When are you going next summer?

 

I didn't even think about it being a holiday weekend. I better book those rooms and the train tickets early next year.

[NightRN]

SeattleCruiseLover, do you by chance know how far away the Navy base is from Seattle?

[krennen]

One more question on this train. We will fly into Seattle on a Sat. Our cruise leaves on a Mon. at 5 pm from Vancouver. If I waited till Mon morning to take the train, is there a good chance that something might happen to make us late and miss our cruise departure. I realize anything COULD happen but is the Amtrak train quite reliable especially on a Mon morning? Thanks

[Lois R]

One more question on this train. We will fly into Seattle on a Sat. Our cruise leaves on a Mon. at 5 pm from Vancouver. If I waited till Mon morning to take the train, is there a good chance that something might happen to make us late and miss our cruise departure. I realize anything COULD happen but is the Amtrak train quite reliable especially on a Mon morning? Thanks

 

Hi,:) I have heard its quite reliable and I am doing the same

thing next weekend.

I fly into Seattle on Saturday, 9/13, staying at the Westin

overnight and taking the train to Vancouver on Sunday morning.

Too late for me to make any changes now anyway;)

And I know a few folks who are on the same train

with me as well.:)

[SeattleCruiselover]

SeattleCruiseLover, do you by chance know how far away the Navy base is from Seattle?

 

Which one? Bremerton, Bangor, Everett, PSNS, or the Naval Medical Center, Whidbey Island or the Oak Harbor Clinic?

[SeattleCruiselover]

One more question on this train. We will fly into Seattle on a Sat. Our cruise leaves on a Mon. at 5 pm from Vancouver. If I waited till Mon morning to take the train, is there a good chance that something might happen to make us late and miss our cruise departure. I realize anything COULD happen but is the Amtrak train quite reliable especially on a Mon morning? Thanks

 

The Cascades train is very reliable timewise unless there is a mudslide or something, and that is totally uncommon in the summer time (not so much in the rainy season, though). I have only had it be more than 10-15 minutes late ONE time in all of the times I have taken it (and I always go up to YVR the day of when cruising), and that was post cruise, thank the Lord, and was because they lost their electrical power and had to wait for a replacement engine to come up from Seattle.

[NightRN]

Which one? Bremerton, Bangor, Everett, PSNS, or the Naval Medical Center, Whidbey Island or the Oak Harbor Clinic?

 

Hmm, I didn't realize there were so many there. I guess I'll have to wait until my son gets his assignment next year to think about spending time with him up there. Thanks for the info.

[Budget Queen]

One more question on this train. We will fly into Seattle on a Sat. Our cruise leaves on a Mon. at 5 pm from Vancouver. If I waited till Mon morning to take the train, is there a good chance that something might happen to make us late and miss our cruise departure. I realize anything COULD happen but is the Amtrak train quite reliable especially on a Mon morning? Thanks

 

This actually is a very timely train run. Key here is, it is only this Seattle/Vancouver run. BIG problems happen with the long runs, like the Coast Starlight, which, say, they are delayed in LA, another delay in San Jose, and by time they get to Seattle, can be hours late!!!! Tends to pile up. :)

 

I previously did a lot of train travel, including San Diego to Seattle, very very nice, IF you have plenty of time. :) But with freight having priority and having to share the tracks, it's far from an efficient system.

[Budget Queen]

Now I'm really curious. How do you get that much time off? Do you work registry/traveler and take the time off in between contracts?

 

I get 8 paid weeks off/year, then have swapping ability with coworkers- unlimited, I'll work my pass days/double shifts for someone- they pay me back when I need it. I'm a long time New York State employee,- max. prison hospital, (paradise job) with also a stock pile of vacation to also use, since it doesn't expire. :)

 

I'm a night shift employee too. :)

[SeattleCruiselover]

Hmm, I didn't realize there were so many there. I guess I'll have to wait until my son gets his assignment next year to think about spending time with him up there. Thanks for the info.

 

Most of them are within 30-50 miles from downtown Seattle, so none of them are horrendously far.

[SeattleCruiselover]

I get 8 paid weeks off/year, then have swapping ability with coworkers- unlimited, I'll work my pass days/double shifts for someone- they pay me back when I need it. I'm a long time New York State employee,- max. prison hospital, (paradise job) with also a stock pile of vacation to also use, since it doesn't expire. :)

 

I'm a night shift employee too. :)

 

I used to work for the state in SoCal, and we didn't have benefits like that. You are very lucky.

 

In fact, if I weren't on time loss right now for a hazardous materials exposure at work, I wouldn't be getting even my one week this year because of all of the layoffs at the health care system I work for.

[NightRN]

I agree that you're very lucky. Our benefits aren't nearly that good.

 

Off the topic of our off topic :p, how easy is it to get from the train to the ship? Any advice on the best way to do it?

[Budget Queen]

how easy is it to get from the train to the ship? Any advice on the best way to do it?

 

Cabs are lined up right out front. I take the Skytrain- I'm cheap. :) $2.25ca pp. Very doable, with only one rolling bag and no mobility limitations. :) There is an elevator- CROSS the street, rather than taking the stairs, which is what you come upon first. Get off the last station, waterfront.

[NightRN]

Cabs are lined up right out front. I take the Skytrain- I'm cheap. :) $2.25ca pp. Very doable, with only one rolling bag and no mobility limitations. :) There is an elevator- CROSS the street, rather than taking the stairs, which is what you come upon first. Get off the last station, waterfront.

 

How far would it be to the ship from the last station? With having to pay for that many people, cheap works well for me as long as we can physically do it.

[SeattleCruiselover]

How far would it be to the ship from the last station? With having to pay for that many people, cheap works well for me as long as we can physically do it.

 

The station will take you right into the mall that is part of the Pan Pacific Hotel, which is located at Canada Place. That, of course, presumes that you are leaving from Canada Place and not Ballantyne Pier. If you are leaving from Ballantyne, you need a taxi. (Or, with that many people, several taxis).

 

It is still a bit of a walk from the station to the check in site in the cruise terminal, think a block or two in terms of distance. With luggage and that many people, it could be more than you want to attempt.

[zippyh]

I'll chime in with my experience on the Seattle->Vancouver train.

I've taken it several times and it has *always* been late.

Not horribly late but at least 1/2 hour with the worst being about 1 1/2 hours. That's both directions too.

 

I've found that one good reason to get the business class seats is the separate boarding line. It was worth it to me not to have to wait in the line which can get rather long.

 

You can also catch the train in Edmonds or Everett and some other places north of Seattle I can't think of offhand.

 

The view is nicer if you sit on the west side of the train too.

[CC Help Michell]

I'll chime in with my experience on the Seattle->Vancouver train.

I've taken it several times and it has *always* been late.

Not horribly late but at least 1/2 hour with the worst being about 1 1/2 hours. That's both directions too.

 

I've found that one good reason to get the business class seats is the separate boarding line. It was worth it to me not to have to wait in the line which can get rather long.

 

You can also catch the train in Edmonds or Everett and some other places north of Seattle I can't think of offhand.

 

The view is nicer if you sit on the west side of the train too.

 

Hopefully by the time the OP takes the train business class will again be offered... it's been unavailable due to renovations to the Talgo cars (think that's the right technical term for them) for many months now.

 

We took the train this past May 31 and it was precisely on time through the entire route. I do agree with trying to get a seat on the left side of the train -- I just asked nicely when in the seat assignment line if we could have seats on the water side, since we were from Georgia and it was our first trip to the area, but the conductor is ultimately the one who assigns who sits where.

 

To NightRN, our approach might or might not work with the size of your party, but we flew into Seattle from the East Coast, arriving at 11:00 PM or so Seattle time. We stayed that night at a hotel near the airport we got on PL ($50 for our room at the Radisson Gateway -- great room, very clean and nice). The next morning we booked the Already There limo service and they were quite prompt, and delivered us to the train station around 5:50 AM, before the exterior doors even opened, which didn't feel early because for us that was nearly 8 AM our time. We saw the employees arrive at the train station. :) I should say this was on a Sat. morning, so it wasn't a workday rush hour. We had plenty of time to pick up our tickets, check our bags, be among the first in line for seat assignment, etc. It was all very nice and relaxing.

[NightRN]

Do you remember how many people the Already There limo could take? That may be the way for us to go if it's not too expensive.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Do you remember how many people the Already There limo could take? That may be the way for us to go if it's not too expensive.

 

I know they are sending a town car for me, and it will be $35.00 from my apartment to Terminal 30 (about 12 miles give or take from here). I also think they may have one of the big SUV limos, but even those don't hold 13, I don't think.......

[CC Help Michell]

I know they are sending a town car for me, and it will be $35.00 from my apartment to Terminal 30 (about 12 miles give or take from here). I also think they may have one of the big SUV limos, but even those don't hold 13, I don't think.......

 

I think it was around $35 from the airport to the train station as well, and SeattleCruislover's right, you might need more than one vehicle for your group. You could just call and talk to them about it -- they were very nice and professional on the phone.

[NightRN]

I'm sure we would need at least two, maybe even three, but it might still be cheaper than the number of taxis we'll need. Also, my mother gets lost very easily, and my younger sister will have two small children with her. This way, I could make sure some of the more reliable members of my family would be there to help and guide them.