Transportation from Canada Place to Seattle

Looking for recommendations on easiest way to travel to Seattle. Arriving Canada Place on Tuesday, April 10 on Star Princess.

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Easiest = fly from YVR. Even if it means going via SEA, you'll still have access to all the same flights out of there and you'll get through all of the US immigration rigamarole without even leaving the city. This is also often the most expensive way though.

In April, the one big advantage of QuickShuttle isn't in play - a pick up at the pier for an express port-to-port that goes from Canada Place to Seatac airport. That starts in May with their summer schedule. However, it's still pretty durn easy to walk outside and get on their bus that picks up at the Pan Pacific (which is upstairs from the terminal) or even their street pickup outside the Holiday Inn. They will still drop you at SEA if it's a flight you're going for. Again, you pay a price for the convenience - it's the priciest of the coach companies at $59pp. For solo travelers that's a better deal - unless you can handle your bags on transit (when $3 gets you to SEA from downtown train and other buses) you're looking at more than doubling a Bolt ticket by adding cab fare in Seattle.

Other bus companies - Greyhound, Bolt, Cantrail - all go from the same station as Amtrak trains, Pacific Central. That's a few minutes by cab from the pier in Vancouver, say $12 on the meter. Bolt have the newest, shinest fleet and the only one with free WiFi on all buses. They're also the cheapest, have most legroom, and the quickest trip too - fewer stops than the rest since QS won't be running their port-to-port express. All of these you need to get from downtown Seattle to SEA if you're flying - but even with ~$30 for a car service for that and the taxi in Vancouver, you can usually save useful amounts of money compared to QuickShuttle. You also have to stop at the border, schlep your bags inside, do immigration, then reboard the bus.

Train has only one downside - schedule. You won't get to Seattle until very late evening. Compared to any bus though it's much more pleasant as you do immigration here before boarding, the route is closer to the water (though sunset is quite early in April, so it'll be dark for ~half the trip), you can buy food and booze onboard, no traffic delays, and at $33pp full fare it's an absolute bargain.

Last option - rental car - can be cheaper than anything except Bolt with a bit of luck. One way traffic is common throughout cruise season so drop fees disappear - but April 10 is very early, so you may not see the deals available in peak season. Regardless it's the most flexible - take any route, choose any of 4 potential border crossings, use trunk to store luggage while sightseeing here or there or in-between.

So, depending why you're going to Seattle, when and exactly where you need to be there, any of these options could be the best - for you...

Martincath, I was hoping you would see my post. Thanks for the info.

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One way traffic is common throughout cruise season so drop fees disappear - but April 10 is very early, so you may not see the deals available in peak season....

Agreed. Worked at Budget for five years and it was uncommon to see cross-border drop-offs before at least June, with July and August being peak season.

Thank you for your replies. Have a rental car booked. Yes it is more expensive, $122US, but it does not take 6 hours and delay at the border. We are spending a couple a week on Bainbridge. Will keep checking.

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Thank you for the information. Just a follow up question if you and original poster don't mind:

I've read some threads about taxi from port to airport. However, I'm not sure about cost, and whether sharing is allowed for these trips (Canada Place or perhaps the hotel to YVR). I know YVR to the port is a set amount, but going opposite direction is by meter. So what's a likely price, and can the two of us share with one or two others? If we end up at different terminals, can there be a difference in price? (We'll likely take Alaska to Seattle.)

Also, just because I'm curious, is anyone willing to offer a guess as to much time (traffic-wise) needs to be allowed for getting through a CA/US border crossing at I-5 & the Peace Cross, maybe on a Saturday in June mid-morning?! Google Maps provides a range of time for the Vancouver to Seattle trip, but I'm wondering just how much time is needed in a traffic slow down when approaching the border. Thanks.

Some answers in red inside your quote

... However, I'm not sure about cost, and whether sharing is allowed for these trips (Canada Place or perhaps the hotel to YVR). I know YVR to the port is a set amount, but going opposite direction is by meter. So what's a likely price, and can the two of us share with one or two others?

 

Port to airport is usually around CAD$35, much the same as the set rate inbound. It's totally traffic dependent - hit all the green lights and it might get down to $31, but hit all the reds and it will be more like $40. More than that means you were taken for a ride by the driver or else there was a major problem at one of the bottlenecks - e.g. if there's a collision on the main bridge onto Sea Island options are very limited to get around it! You can share with anyone you like, the price is per car - but be aware that since over 80% of our local fleet are Prius models, even fitting in 4 people plus typical cruise luggage can be challenging.

 

If we end up at different terminals, can there be a difference in price? (We'll likely take Alaska to Seattle.)

 

There's only one building at YVR, but on the meter being dropped at the first door compared to the last door will be a tiny bit less - traffic does go slowly as pedestrians cross, folks load and unload, so average speed is much less than the posted 20km/h limit. I could imagine watching an extra dollar or even two tick over on the meter. Ask to get dropped at the Fairmont Airport Hotel if you want to ensure paying the lowest possible fare you can easily walk into the terminal from.

 

 

Also, just because I'm curious, is anyone willing to offer a guess as to much time (traffic-wise) needs to be allowed for getting through a CA/US border crossing at I-5 & the Peace Cross, maybe on a Saturday in June mid-morning?! Google Maps provides a range of time for the Vancouver to Seattle trip, but I'm wondering just how much time is needed in a traffic slow down when approaching the border. Thanks.

Is there a big baseball game or concert on in Seattle that Vancouverites could be going to? Is there a cruise departing Seattle that afternoon? Will CBP decide to run any kind of training exercise? Crack down on particular imports? Is there an enhanced threat level for some external reason? Have gas prices climbed in BC? Are Costco or Target running a really good sale? Has the CAD-USD exchange rate moved recently? All of these do make a difference and most are impossible to predict until very close, day of travel, or simply not at all...

Before we had NEXUS we used to arrive early (before 8am is consistently quiet, 8-9 gets busy, then it does drop some midmorning before getting busier again around lunchtime, dropping, busy again dinnerish, then quieter as the evening moves later on) and we'd generally assume a 20 minute delay at Peace Arch. More often than not it took less time, but some times the delays seemed to have no discernable reason - all gates open but processing time per car was just really slow (maybe CBP were changing their procedures, training n00bs, asking extra questions about importing booze or food or Something - depending what we were asked we sometimes figured out why the delay, other times not).

As someone who has no discretion when to travel in terms of date, I'd be inclined to assume an hour to play safe - and if you have discretion about the time, definitely go early. We always stop in Bellingham for breakfast to save time on the way to the border if we're crossing in the morning.