Connection to Coast Starlight from Vancouver, BC Question

[Skeena_PG]

My mother and I are going to be going down to Oceanside, CA this Christmas and New Year's, and we will be taking Amtrak down (except from Prince George-Vancouver, no more trains that run that route anymore). We'll be on the Dec. 18 CS leaving SEA.

However, I have a question to ask. It's about trying to get to SEA from VAC to connect to the CS. We'll have to stay overnight somewhere in order to get on the CS on the 18th. I would prefer taking Cascades 517 down on the evening of the 17th and staying overnight in SEA. My mother would rather stay overnight up in Vancouver and take the thruway bus leaving RBC (Richmond, BC, Sandman Hotel, since it is closer to Vancouver Int'l. Airport) on the morning of the 18th. Even though the thruway bus is a "guaranteed connection," I'm concerned about the border crossing and how long it will take, plus I'd rather take the train.

What are your suggestions?

 

[the_traveler]

Since it is a dedicated Thruway bus for the CS, the CS will not depart SEA prior to the arrival of the Thruway bus. (OK maybe if it's like 12 hours late!) Otherwise, if you are delayed 10 minutes, the CS would depart 10 minutes late. If you were delayed 30 minutes, the CS would depart 30 minutes late. Etc...

Even if it were to depart, if it is a guaranteed connection (which it would be with the Thruway) - you would be protected! It may not be if you take #517 the day before - since you would be starting in SEA!

 

[henryj]

My mother and I are going to be going down to Oceanside, CA this Christmas and New Year's, and we will be taking Amtrak down (except from Prince George-Vancouver, no more trains that run that route anymore). We'll be on the Dec. 18 CS leaving SEA.
However, I have a question to ask. It's about trying to get to SEA from VAC to connect to the CS. We'll have to stay overnight somewhere in order to get on the CS on the 18th. I would prefer taking Cascades 517 down on the evening of the 17th and staying overnight in SEA. My mother would rather stay overnight up in Vancouver and take the thruway bus leaving RBC (Richmond, BC, Sandman Hotel, since it is closer to Vancouver Int'l. Airport) on the morning of the 18th. Even though the thruway bus is a "guaranteed connection," I'm concerned about the border crossing and how long it will take, plus I'd rather take the train.

What are your suggestions?

I rode the 517 last year and the border check was nothing. It was over in a few minutes. The problem for me is the morning thruway bus leaves Vac at 5:30 in the morning. ugh. If you take the 517 it arrives so late you miss some of the scenic delights unless you are there during the longest days of summer. There are three more thruway buses you can take at 8AM, 11:30AM and 5PM. The 5PM only takes 3 1/2 hours vs 4+ for the train. The day I rode the train all the buses were sold out. Get a ticket in advance. The train never sells out. I stayed at the Roosvelt Hotel in Seattle which was really nice and strategically located. If you look on Expedia and select downtown Seattle there are many options including closer to King St and Amtrak, but the neighborhood near Amtrak is kind of seedy. I like Seattle(well I like Vancouver too) and downtown is alive and fun(and safe) with good food and shopping...plus they have a big electric trolley bus system downtown just like Vancouver does. If it were me, I would take an early bus, check into my hotel, relax and do a little sightseeing that afternoon and evening and get on the train the next morning. On the other hand, if you are an early bird and want to take that 5:30AM bus, after you board the train you can relax and take a nap on the train to catch up on the sleep. You can't go wrong either way.

 

[wayman]

My mother and I are going to be going down to Oceanside, CA this Christmas and New Year's, and we will be taking Amtrak down (except from Prince George-Vancouver, no more trains that run that route anymore).

Is Prince George to Jasper to Vancouver not a good connection?

 

[Skeena_PG]

My mother and I are going to be going down to Oceanside, CA this Christmas and New Year's, and we will be taking Amtrak down (except from Prince George-Vancouver, no more trains that run that route anymore).

Is Prince George to Jasper to Vancouver not a good connection?

Two things about that connection:

1) We'd have to stay overnight in Jasper.

2) We don't have the time to do that little detour.

I wish the Cariboo Prospector was still around -_-

 

[wayman]

My mother and I are going to be going down to Oceanside, CA this Christmas and New Year's, and we will be taking Amtrak down (except from Prince George-Vancouver, no more trains that run that route anymore).

Is Prince George to Jasper to Vancouver not a good connection?

Two things about that connection:

1) We'd have to stay overnight in Jasper.

2) We don't have the time to do that little detour.

I wish the Cariboo Prospector was still around -_-

Wow, I had no idea BC Rail ran their own passenger trains into the 2000s! (I'm guessing a lot of people here didn't know that.) Here's a very nice six-minute documentary on the Cariboo Prospector that someone posted to Google Video. I've driven up Fraser Canyon and taken many photographs of CN and CP freights (of course, I was following TransCan 1 to Kamloops and so turned away from the Cariboo's route at Lytton, well short of Lillooet). It's one of the most beautiful railroads I've ever seen. Nowadays you can ride the Rocky Mountaineer and Canadian through it (I imagine they also don't even go as far as Lillooet, since they're both going to Kamloops too), but I had no idea there used to be little trains of Budd RDCs running up and down the canyon every day! I wonder if there's any chance of it running again....

 

[Cascadia]

The day I rode the train all the buses were sold out. Get a ticket in advance. The train never sells out.

She's going at Christmas - they definitely can sell out at Christmas. And if as you say, all the buses were sold out, what do you think sells out next? I ride that Cascades route regularly, it does sell out sometimes! If it's ever going to, it will be at a peak holiday travel period like Christmas and New Year's.

 

[Neil_M]

I would go for the all train option and not bother with the bus option... :angry:

Bus travel is grim.