Best way to go from Portland to Seattle? (Eugene, Aurora: to rent, hotels)

[usernametaken]

I am visiting the Pacific NW followed by San Diego and Austin for possible relocation related research. I have no time frame in mind, and will move from city to city based on when I have seen enough at each (and I will prolong my stay in a city if I enjoy myself a lot there).

At present I have two nights booked at a hotel in Portland for Friday and Saturday. I think I will leave for Seattle on Sunday, and hopefully get a cheap hotel in Fremont via Priceline.

Anyone know the best way to get to Seattle from Portland? I could rent a car, but I have heard that parking fees are crazy in Portland and Seattle and parking spaces are limited in both cities. What trains go from Portland to Seattle on Sundays and have scenic routes? Are they friendly to single travellers? Is it better to take a bus? Is it better to travel on Sunday? I will have one somewhat big bag with me and one backpack.

At present, I am thinking a potential itinerary of 2 days in Portland, 4 days in Seattle, 4 days in San Diego and 4 days in Austin. I might extend my stay in Seattle by 2 more days, and then be able to stay in three hotels in different parts of Seattle for 2 nights at each. Anyway, I suppose that should be posted on the Seattle forum for analysis.

[backdrifter]

Amtrak...

I don't know much about it because I have never taken it, but I hear lots of great things. It is worth looking into I think.

[PDX_LAX]

I think I spent about $60 on a round-trip Amtrak trip from Portland to Seattle a couple of weeks ago, and that was booking very last-minute. May be cheaper in advance. Both train stations are in the downtown area.

[DarkWolf]

If you book 14 days in advance you'll save up to 10% , take the Cascades train. The Coastal Starlight recently has been have alot of malfunctions.....so avoid that. It does run through senice areas at an average of 90mph and tops out at 100mph. Average time is 3.30 hrs , add or subtract 10-20 mins on to that. Luxuries on Amtrak trains always beat out a bus , you can get up and walk around , there is a lounge , they serve drinks , they tv's and the train is very comfortable. My cousins in the Northwest always use Amtrak Cascades as opposed to a car for traveling up and down the I-5 corridor. As for a single traveler , you should be fine , i take Amtrak by my self alot and always manage to find someone to chat it up with and the crews are always nice.

[Nell Plotts]

Absolutely take the Cascades, much more reliable schedule.

[pw72]

The train is good, but renting a car gives you more flexibility once you arrive. Mass transit exists, but can be difficult. Parking is not that much of an issue, unless you stay downtown. Most hotels/motels outside of downtown offer free parking. Not sure about motels in Fremont...don't think there are many. I have had good experiences at the Holiday Inn Express, both near Seattle Center, and the Northgate (Aurora) location. But you will spend about $100 a night.

[sofia76]

Do you plan on buying a car when you move to whichever city you want to go to? Or do you plan on going car-less? If you plan on buying or having a car, rent a car after you're done with your trip in Portland and drive it to Seattle. If you're staying in Fremont, parking shouldn't be expensive or problematic - it is not downtown. Then you can use the car to check out different neighborhoods. Seattle is MUCH bigger than Portland; lots more neighborhoods (something like 100 different neighborhoods) spread out over a larger area. The train ride is nice - avoid the Coastal Starlight as it often has delays (comes up from California), but you'll be limited in what you can see without a car - unless that is usually how you travel.

[Visaman]

I live in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada, you may have heard of it), but I have traveled to Seattle and Portland a few times in the past few years, and I found Amtrak to be the best way, compared to Greyhound. There was a train travelling from Vancouver to Portland during the Olympics, but usually I would have to take the Amtrak Coach to Seattle, with a 2 Hour layover, then take the Cascades to Portland. When I went to Eugene, they would play two movies en route, but that was a long day!

Any plans to come up North?

Visaman

[usernametaken]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I ended up traveling by the Amtrak Cascades from Portland to Seattle, and it took 3 hours and 45 mins. The train seemed to go very slowly, and we also got hindered by a freight train in the middle. I asked for a seat on the left side to get a good view, but they put me next to these curtains and I could see very little outside! The train was packed. Evening trains were all full so I had to take the 8:00 am one.

Visaman, I need a passport to come to Vancouver and left mine back home in Cleveland.

How do you guys get the confidence to rent and drive a car in bigger cities than the ones you live in with sometimes different traffic regulations?

[sofia76]

usernametaken - on the railroads, freight trains always take priority. My husband commuted from Portland to Seattle weekly, and considered it preferable to driving. I've done both numerous times and also prefer the train as the car ride is dull, and if you hit Seattle at rush hour, driving can actually take longer. But usually I make it to Seattle in under 3 hours by car.

Traffic regs don't tend to differ dramatically from state to state. Mainly you've got to know whether you can make rights on reds, or if U-turns are allowed. Keep an eye on the posted speed limits, and that's usually all you need to worry about. When in doubt, see what other people are doing, triple check for the police, or err on the side of caution and don't do that thing you're wondering about.

And I strongly recommend a GPS system (you can usually rent one with a car these days). Then you can keep your eyes on the road, and focus on getting where you're going, instead of how to get where you're going. If you're nervous about driving in unfamiliar places, it relieves a lot of stress.