Best way to get from Seattle (SEA) to Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver, BC, CA

[Tanker]

We are researching ways to get from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, BC, Canada.  We are cruising on the Millennium in May 20 and staying at the Pan Pacific hotel located at the Cruise Terminal.  When we researched flights, one option is to use a companion ticket and save a considerable amount of money for a round trip from RDU to SEA and then flying from ANC back to SEA for our return flight.  

Edited August 3, 2019 by Tanker

[cruisestitch]

try the ports of call board, but know that getting from Seattle to Vancouver is not trivial, and may take an entire day == airport to ferry is one option

[Tanker]

Thanks for the quick response and feedback.

[burnoutbabe]

we are doing vancouver to Seattle after the cruise and we are taking quickshuttle. There is one that goes direct from canada place to downtown vancouver (no stops) at 9am. Else we'd have preferred Amtrak but that didn't leave until 5pm or so.

 

Quickshuttle is around $44 or so pp for one way.

[alwaysonaship]

Last year our flight from Seattle to Vancouver was cancelled and we ended up taking Amtrack. It was fine and a bit of an adventure.  Very reasonable, and although we were on a late evening trip, I understand it is lovely during the day. The train station was right downtown, and in Vancouver a very short cab ride to your destination 

[verizon]

16 minutes ago, burnoutbabe said:

we are doing vancouver to Seattle after the cruise and we are taking quickshuttle. There is one that goes direct from canada place to downtown vancouver (no stops) at 9am. Else we'd have preferred Amtrak but that didn't leave until 5pm or so.

 

Quickshuttle is around $44 or so pp for one way.

It’s Canada Place downtown?

[awhfy]

19 minutes ago, burnoutbabe said:

we are doing vancouver to Seattle after the cruise and we are taking quickshuttle. There is one that goes direct from canada place to downtown vancouver (no stops) at 9am. Else we'd have preferred Amtrak but that didn't leave until 5pm or so.

 

Quickshuttle is around $44 or so pp for one way.

I believe you mean from Canada Place (port) to downtown Seattle. You’ll need to do self embarkation to make the 9 am quickshuttle. 

[awhfy]

We opted to do a one way car rental from Vancouver to Seattle a couple of years ago. Easiest car rental ever!  Get off ship, gather luggage, go down to garage, get in rental car & off you go; just wonderful. We did have a substantial delay at the border ( it was a Friday) but we enjoyed the ride. The rental car cost us a total of $48USD for two with luggage. 

[burnoutbabe]

6 minutes ago, awhfy said:

I believe you mean from Canada Place (port) to downtown Seattle. You’ll need to do self embarkation to make the 9 am quickshuttle. 

yes sorry, to Seattle after our cruise.

We'll be self disembarking as we always do that, has been very easy so far in last 4 cruises. Small risk the ship may be delayed into port but if so we will get a later shuttle (and pay again)

[gerelmx]

Several options, like High speed Ferry or Private transfer, look a Viator to book it

[adjustman]

 

 

In my opinion the easiest way to get from SeaTac to Vancouver is the Quick Shuttle as many have mentioned. As I recall the shuttle bus leaves from door 1 in SeaTac. if you google SeaTac Airport and go to ground transportation you will find it. its in the "scheduled airporter" section of ground transportation. Just look for "Quick Shuttle. Tom  

 

 

Edited August 3, 2019 by adjustman

[TeaBag]

There is no direct ferry service between Seattle and Vancouver.  I recommend Quick Shuttle also, if you don't want to rent a car.

 

https://www.tripsavvy.com/getting-from-seattle-to-vancouver-1482167

[Highpeaklad]

We got the train from Seattle to Vancouver  which was a nice scenic trip and the Boltbus from Vancouver to Seattle as the train didn’t fit our schedule. The train was $40 and the bus $8. The bus was very comfortable. 

[HS2BS]

Quick Shuttle is not quick!

 

On 7/24/19 we took the shuttle from Vancouver port to Seattle downtown! The shuttle was supposed to leave at 9am, but it didn’t arrive till 9:30. Then there were 4 stops along the way that were not listed on the billing page including another airport. The drop off in Seattle is at the convention center when not going to the airport.

All together is was a 5 hour trip including the mandated stop at the boarder, where we had to remove our luggage and take it inside with anyone else touching it. There was a bus that was direct to SeaTac that was inspected before leaving Canada Place and a seal placed on the outside door.

 

Rent a car or take the train if your going or coming from Seattle, it’s easier.

 

Hal

[lovecruzin]

Am I missisng something? Why not fly direct to YVR?

or fly SEA to YVR? Looks to be about $123 pp.

[Tanker]

We are also looking at the flights from SEA to YVR and then from ANC back to SEA.  

[GeorgesGal]

Why fly into Seattle and not Vancouver?

[erniesband]

Amtrak is how we do it.

[varoo]

7 hours ago, Tanker said:

We are researching ways to get from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

 

Quick shuttle (Quick coach) is certainly the easiest way to do it.

    

https://www.quickcoach.com/

 

They pick you up right there at SEA airport and drop you off at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

 

The train ride is more scenic, but that requires getting yourselves and your luggage to and from the train station on your own at both ends.

                  

 

 

[Von & John]

23 hours ago, GeorgesGal said:

Why fly into Seattle and not Vancouver?

 

OP is utilizing a companion ticket to Seattle - quite possibly there are not applicable flights to Vancouver &/or additional expense...

[martincath]

I think the only method not mentioned already is checking if your cruiseline is actually running their own shuttle bus from SEA to the pier (if so, this is even easier than QuickShuttle as it will have no stops at all except at the border - well, probably a 'comfort stop' right before heading to the border as there are no public loos at the crossing).

 

In addition to QS and Bolt there's also Greyhound and Cantrail buses, just in case the schedule worked better for you, but all buses have tthe same problem of a potentially-lengthy border stop. Your own rental car may face just as bad a delay, but you have options - there are four crossings that are practical for Vancouver, and signs on the highway give current delays in time to choose which route so you can choose the most efficient (and if you have a smartphone, you can check any time you like what the delay is); if worse comes to worst and there's a huge delay at all of them, you can always just drive to a restaurant, mall, cinema etc. and kill a few hours until the border is quiet again. Traveling the day before gives a LOT of flexibility on the time you cross the border by car...

 

If your flight to SEA is early enough to get the evening Amtrak though, that would be my preference - because the border is never a problem. You won't even stop northbound, as you meet CBSA at the station on arrival in Vancouver. Business Class folks are first off so that makes for just a few minutes from getting off the train to getting in a cab at the station, but even the last coach car rarely sees more than a 30min delay. No other method is as relaxing - and you can even dine on the train without being gouged on price, and there are some perfectly decent food options (Ivar's clam chowder for example) as well as local booze.

 

Amtrak (and all buses except Quickshuttle) arrive at Pacific Central station, which is about a $12 cab ride to the Pan Pacific hotel. Unless you're travelling solo, the total cost to get from SEA to downtown to get on another train or bus plus cab fare in Vancouver is still cheaper than 2+ folks pay on QS as the price from airport to pier is US$59pp, whereas Amtrak runs $33, Bolt can be as little as a dollar (realistically it's usually more like ~$20pp). Convenience comes at a cost!

[Tourist1292]

We took the Amtrak Cascade which is very nice and we paid around $35 this year with discount. The only problem is the schedule. It either arrives near midnight or noon. 

[Cruise Raider]

On 8/3/2019 at 6:16 AM, burnoutbabe said:

yes sorry, to Seattle after our cruise.

We'll be self disembarking as we always do that, has been very easy so far in last 4 cruises. Small risk the ship may be delayed into port but if so we will get a later shuttle (and pay again)

 

We've taken Quick Shuttle several times from Canada Place down into Washington state and twice, when the ship's disembarkation was delayed.  Both instances, we were in contact with them and they held the bus.  If everyone is delayed, no question that they held the bus ... the one time we were about 10 minutes late because of customs, they were there waiting for us.  I don't think you will have to pay  again ... but, that's based on my experience.  They seem pretty flexible.  

I highly recommend them and get onto the express service that goes directly to Seattle.  The drivers are polite, the buses are clean and comfy and even have a clean restroom ... at least in my experience.  

 

[MJSailors]

I was watching a You Tube video of a Rocky Mountaineer train trip from Seattle to Vancouver.

Apparently it is considered a dinner train as it leaves Seattle late in the afternoon and arrives in Vancouver in the evening,so a dinner meal is served.

I am not certain of the fare,but it looked like a pleasant way to travel between the two cities.

Renting a car also seems to be a good option.

Enjoy the vacation !

[martincath]

18 hours ago, MJSailors said:

I was watching a You Tube video of a Rocky Mountaineer train trip from Seattle to Vancouver....

Unfortunately RM ditched all of their non-overnight travel years ago - they don't make anywhere near as much profit without padding the price of the hotels used. Even back in the day, the only actual day trip rather than a 2+ day package with hotels was Vancouver-Whistler and it lasted a very short time despite Whistler building them a brand-new station! RM is still a curse word to many in Whistler as the promised amount of business never materialized.

 

Spending almost CAD$3000pp for the cheapest Seattle-leaving RM package then just ditching the hotels and other days on train would actually make this the priciest possible method of travel to Vancouver - chartering your own floatplane and getting dropped off right in the harbour costs less 😉