Passengers line up at Pacific Central Station the Vancouver, British Columbia, for that afternoon’s Amtrak Cascades departure. The round-trip that includes this train is to be restored at the end of September. (Bob Johnston)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amtrak will resume single daily round-trip Cascades service between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sept. 26, two years after trains were suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The first Cascades train to Vancouver will depart Seattle at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 26, stop at five cities along the way, and arrive Vancouver at 11:45 a.m. A southbound train will depart Vancouver at 5:45 p.m. and arrive Seattle at 10:10 p.m. Amtrak says a second daily trip will added in the future “as Amtrak staffing and equipment allow.”
Amtrak had announced in May 2022 that service on the U.S.-Canada route would not resume until December 2022 [see “Amtrak Cascades service to Canada pushed back to December,” News Wire, May, 16, 2022].
In addition to resuming service to Canada, Cascades service includes three daily round trips between Portland, Ore., and Seattle and two daily round trips between Eugene and Portland, Ore., plus two daily buses between Seattle and Bellingham, Wash., and four daily buses between Seattle and Vancouver.
In addition to standard entry documentation required at the border, the Canadian and U.S. governments have these additional requirements:
• Travel into the U.S.: Non-U.S. citizen passengers must be fully vaccinated with a U.S. FDA or a WHO approved COVID-19 vaccine. See details on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website.
• Travel into Canada: All passengers must use the ArriveCAN app before travel and wear a mask in Canadian stations and aboard trains while traveling through Canada. Non-Canadian citizens must be fully vaccinated and carry a vaccination record visible on ArriveCAN. See details on the Government of Canada and VIA Rail websites, and additional Cantrail thruway bus service Vancouver travel requirements.
Resumption of trains to Vancouver represents the second of three Amtrak services traveling to Canada, follows a restoration of service to Toronto announced earlier this year
Canada’s Covid rules are ridiculous. What good is proving vaccination when you can get Covid anyway. I am fully vaccinated but still got Covid and since caring is sharing gave it to my wife. If Canada had zero cases and they wanted to keep it that way I could see the requirement but that is not the case. Canadians who don’t travel anywhere can spread Covid. I am staying home for now.
I only wear a mask when I’m robbing a liquor store. Canada won’t get any of my loonies or toonies till they get rid of their draconian covid rules.
How about Andrew Jackson’s?☺
Canada still freaking out. Somebody somewhere some day might get COVID.
Certainly not the Canadians who stormed Normandy on the”longest day” and then liberated Holland.
Closed as far as I’m concern. The covid insanity has gone on long enough. Sweden is my word of the day.
o great would b great w out covid crap good luck now there will b a fifth shot geez
Next time, use proper American English and not internet speak, or your comment will be deemed irrelevant(aka unimportant). It’s a good thing I wasn’t planning on going to Canada anytime soon anyways.
The border was closed for a long time. Would you prefer it stayed that way?