Seattle to Vancouver to catch a Ship (hotel, flying, cheap)

[markg91359]

We are taking a ten day Cruise/Tour to Alaska in June.

We are planning on flying into Seattle (SEATAC) a day before the ship sails. There are different transportation options for getting between Seattle and Vancouver. Has anyone done this before? Do you have any advice for me? I've done some searching on the internet and this is what I've found so far:

1. We can stay at a hotel near SEATAC and something called the "Quick Shuttle" will pick us up at the airport at about 8:00 a.m. The shuttle takes about four hours to get to "Canada Place" in Vancouver (the harbor from which our ship sails). Disadvantages are that there isn't much to do around the airport and the Quick Shuttle is relatively expensive.

2. We can stay in downtown Seattle near the King Street Station for Amtrak. An Amtrak train leaves for Vancouver at 7:40 in the morning and gets to Vancouver about 4 hours later. The train station in Vancouver is about 3 miles from the pier at Canada Place. However, cab fare is only about $10 I'm told. The Amtrak train is relatively cheap. Fare is listed at about $29. Disadvantages are that we would have to take some kind of transportation from the airport into downtown Seattle and stay overnight in a hotel downtown. Hotel rates for downtown seem quite expensive.

Is there a third option we are leaving out? I thought about a one-way car rental and simply driving from Seattle to Vancouver, but in my experience one way car rentals are hideously expensive. Is there another cheaper bus or shuttle system that would get us from the airport to Canada Place in Vancouver than Quick Shuttle?

I'm choosing to fly into Seattle, instead of Vancouver because airfare to Vancouver is much higher than it is to Seattle. Also, my frequent flier miles will get us a free flight to Seattle, but couldn't be used to fly to Vancouver.

Appreciate advice from anyone who has competent suggestions.

[Hemlock140]

The Link Light Rail from the Airport to Downtown is fast and cheap. What I would suggest is to come a day or two early, and take the Victoria Clipper from Pier 69 to Victoria, BC. You can take the 99 bus from Westlake station (walk 2 blocks) to Pier 69 weekdays at commute times.

l would spend a day there, maybe take a bus to Butchart Gardens. Then you can take a long but scenic ferry to Vancouver. I can't tell you how to get from the ferry to the cruise terminal, maybe someone up there can but it must be a common practice.

The least expensive 4 hour trip is Greyhound from $18 if bought online to about $40 each way, and their station is about 4-5 blocks walk from the Westlake light rail station.

[EnricoV]

Downtown hotels ARE expensive. My biggest question would be, what time do you arrive in Seattle? If it's late in the day, definitely stay at the airport. Even if it's earlier, light rail will take you to downtown for a look around.

My preference would be to take Amtrak to Vancouver. Four hours is a long time, and the train is much more comfortable. You can take the light rail from the airport to downtown ... it's about a 30 minute trip. There's a Hilton that is the nearest to the station. A Holiday Inn is a bit further northward.

However, my second consideration would be luggage. Will you have more than one suitcase each? If I did, I'd probably take the bus. It will pick you up at one end, deal with your suitcases, and deliver them at the other end. That convenience would probably be worth the cost, to me.

Don't drive yourself. Traffic at the border is usually horrendous. Public transportation gets you through all that much easier.

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Don't drive yourself. Traffic at the border is usually horrendous. Public transportation gets you through all that much easier.

I'll agree with this. However, once in Bellingham WA, one can switch on 1130 (or 1110) AM and get traffic at the border every 10 minutes and can choose whichever border crossing has the shorter wait times. However, if you are pushed to an eastern border crossing, one then has to double back to Van on the Trans-Canada highway (1), which has 3 insufficient lanes once it gets close to Vancouver.

I'll second the Amtrak suggestion. However, keep in mind that many, if not all, of those Amtrak runs use a connector coach bus, since train service from points south ceases at Seattle. Amtrak does this in other locations, too, crossing the Sierra Nevada from California into Reno with Amtrak buses, and running only one milk train (because of the grades) a day from the Bay Area/Sac.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

I'll agree with this. However, once in Bellingham WA, one can switch on 1130 (or 1110) AM and get traffic at the border every 10 minutes and can choose whichever border crossing has the shorter wait times. However, if you are pushed to an eastern border crossing, one then has to double back to Van on the Trans-Canada highway (1), which has 3 insufficient lanes once it gets close to Vancouver.

I'll second the Amtrak suggestion. However, keep in mind that many, if not all, of those Amtrak runs use a connector coach bus, since train service from points south ceases at Seattle. Amtrak does this in other locations, too, crossing the Sierra Nevada from California into Reno with Amtrak buses, and running only one milk train (because of the grades) a day from the Bay Area/Sac.

I think the early morning one is a real train. I know I've looked at the possibility of taking Amtrak from Portland to Vancouver in the past, but it required an overnight in Seattle. Unless you wanted to bus from there north. Which I didn't.

[Chilkoot]

If taking the train there is a SkyTrain stop at Main St in Vancouver that will take you to the Waterfront station for $2.50.