(The following story by Bill Sheets appeared on The Herald website on January 12, 2010.)
EVERETT, Wash. — Anyone who’s thinking of taking the train to Vancouver, B.C., for the 2010 Winter Olympics might want to make a reservation now.
The two Amtrak Cascades trains that make a daily trip into Vancouver are already about 50 percent booked for the Olympics, which begin Feb. 12, one month from today. Usually, trains don’t start filling up until two weeks in advance, said Vickie Sheehan, a spokeswoman for the state Rail and Marine Office.
The good news for riders is that there are two trains per day to Vancouver when six months ago there was only one. Previously, a morning train went across the border into Vancouver while an evening train went no farther than Bellingham.
This is because Canada would have had to pay an extra $1,500 per day for its customs agents to work in the evening to handle the passengers, and the state would have had to pay Canada in compensation, Sheehan said. This would cost more than $500,000 per year.
Last summer, Canada agreed to accept the night train on a trial basis through the Olympics with no charge to Washington state. If Canada decides enough money-spending tourists are riding the train to make it worth the customs expense, the arrangement could continue beyond the Olympics, Sheehan said.
The decision will be based on the period from mid-August, when the night train began its run to Vancouver, through January, Sheehan said.
So far, an average of 63 people per day have been riding the evening train, which is close the tipping point for whether it’s profitable for Canada, according to Sheehan. The morning train averages about 100 passengers, she said.
While the train trip from Seattle to Vancouver takes longer than driving in light to moderate traffic — four to 4 1/2 hours on the train, compared with three for driving — the train can be easier than sitting in a long line in a car at the border, said Mike Milne, spokesman for U.S. Customs in Seattle.
During the Olympics, lines at border crossings for vehicles are expected to be longer than usual for winter but not as bad as peak times during the summer, Milne said.
“The good news about the Winter Olympics is that they’re in the winter,” Milne said.
Going into Canada, train passengers present documents and are subject to baggage searches in a designated area after they disembark, said Faith St. John, a spokeswoman for the Canada Border Services Agency, the Canadian counterpart of U.S. Customs.
Technically, Americans do not need a passport or enhanced driver’s license to enter Canada, St. John said. Proof of citizenship, such as a regular driver’s license plus a birth certificate, is adequate. Americans do need a passport or enhanced driver’s license to return to this country, however.
For train passengers coming into the U.S., the functions are separated, Milne said. Passengers present their documents in a designated area before boarding the train, he said. The train then stops briefly in Blaine after crossing the border for random luggage checks.
“It usually doesn’t take long because the document piece is already done,” he said.
Reserve a spot
To make a reservation on Amtrak, go to www.amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL. Here is a schedule:
An evening train leaves Portland, Ore., at 2:50 p.m., Seattle at 6:50 and Everett at 7:42, and arrives in Vancouver, B.C., at 10:50 p.m.
A morning train leaves Seattle at 7:40 a.m. and Everett at 8:31, and arrives in Vancouver at 11:40 a.m.
From Vancouver, a train departs at 6:40 a.m., leaves Everett at 10:02 and Seattle at 11:25, and arrives in Portland at 2:55 p.m. The evening train leaves Vancouver at 5:45 p.m and Everett at 8:59, and arrives in Seattle at 10:10 p.m.
All trains to and from Vancouver also stop in Edmonds, Stanwood and other locations.
The average fare from Everett to Vancouver, B.C., runs as low as $23 one way, depending on availability and travel dates.