Getting from Vancouver to port Seattle

[Mr and Mrs C]

We are cruising out of Seattle in august and are flying into Vancouver to stay with family for a few days prior to the cruise in Pitt meadows. Our family has said they could drive us to the port but that would be a long day there and back for them. I was looking at quick shuttle and the amtrak. Am I right in my research that these are both buses? It seems like the quick shuttle would take us right to the port but can get delayed, and the amtrak is quicker with less delays but doesn’t get us to the port. Has anyone done this recently? Or have any other insight? I looked at flights and they are extremely expensive. 

[princeton123211]

3 hours ago, Mr and Mrs C said:

I was looking at quick shuttle and the amtrak. Am I right in my research that these are both buses?

You are going to want to give yourself the day before to save on stress-- both options can get hopelessly delayed by border control and there is no way to accurately predict it on a day to day basis. Sometimes it can be a quick process, sometimes they find a person of interest onboard and it takes forever. Craps shoot. 

 

3 hours ago, Mr and Mrs C said:

Am I right in my research that these are both buses?

Currently yes, but Amtrak has already started trial runs to restore the Cascades train service to Vancouver which was suspended during Covid. Depending on when your trip is its possible the train will be back in service. 

 

3 hours ago, Mr and Mrs C said:

It seems like the quick shuttle would take us right to the port but can get delayed, and the amtrak is quicker with less delays but doesn’t get us to the port.

I wouldn't say either of them will be quicker than the other-- they are both currently busses operating on the same highways and subject to the same border crossing protocols. Once the train is restored that would be my preferred method. But even then I would go the day before you board your cruise in case there are any border mishaps or major delays. 

 

3 hours ago, Mr and Mrs C said:

Our family has said they could drive us to the port but that would be a long day there and back for them.

This would be the only viable and safe option if you did not travel the day before and instead headed south the day of your cruise. You could also look into a car service but could be pricey. 

[martincath]

I'd check with the fam - maybe they plan to make a day of it, stock up in Trader Joes, go up the Space Needle, go Twin Peaks or Northern Exposure film location spotting!

 

Train will definitely not be back until next cruise season - official word now is December... maybe!

 

A new bus has started - limited days, but if they work for you it's cheaper than the other options... flixbus. Scuttlebutt is that they've bought the Bolt service lock stock & barrel so will probably have the nicest bus fleet compared to either QS or Amtrak.

 

If your fam are offering because they feel they should, rather than really wanting to head to Seattle, QS would be the least inconvenient option for them as QS have a stop just north of the border in a Surrey Chevron station (pretty much due south of Pitt Meadows so your fam can avoid Vancouver traffic and give you a shorter bus ride).

 

First service of the day is too early for disembarking cruisers to get on, leaving the pier at 6:50am, but by the time it hits that Chevron station it's a far more civilized 8:15am, with a Seattle pier arrival scheduled for 11:40-11:55 which gives a few hours of padding before you have to be onboard.

[YVRteacher]

I would fly.  It’s a one hour flight for $300.

 

[Dan G]

I commuted from Vanc to Seattle for a summer so have tried them all.  Quickshuttle is the most port to port however they are the worst in terms of time on the bus and so many stops.  Best is Amtrak train but it appears it won't restart till fall so they are offering a bus.  Its the fastest and makes virtually no stops.  From the train to the dock would be a pretty inexpensive uber or cab ride and I'd suggest it.  I do see Flixbus.com is operating on this route and it looks like they stop at the 'greyhound' stop which is on the light rail route so also a easy uber to port.  Either one works.  You can find a somewhat better price by going to the Cantrail site who operates the Amtrak bus

cantrail.com

[Sprocket]

We live 10 minutes from the border and I booked August flights from Bellingham to Seatac on Alaska Air.  I booked the first flight of the day arriving about 6 AM.  Ugly but there was another one arriving around 11 ish but hoping to be onboard by then. 

[dides]

Just released if this helps 

 

[nowornever]

Alaska Air currently has 25% off flights to/from Canada but it has to be booked by tonight (Canada Day promotion.)

[volk904]

We took the Quick Shuttle after our cruise in early June from Canada place Port to downtown Seattle. Bus was decent and it took about 3 hour's drive time and 75 minutes to process thru US Customs and the border. I would say that was on the long side because 3 buses arrived together and ours was last.

 

The quick shuttle has 3 stops in Vancouver. Not sure where the first is. Second stop is Canada Place and the 3rd pick up is downtown near some hotels. After that it stops at a small airport just across the border and then on to Seattle.  

 

The Amtrack bus leaves from the Amtrac Station and goes to the Amtrac station in Seattle. for you that might be the better Bus route.

 

 

 

 

 

[Ashland]

3 minutes ago, volk904 said:

We took the Quick Shuttle after our cruise in early June from Canada place Port to downtown Seattle. Bus was decent and it took about 3 hour's drive time and 75 minutes to process thru US Customs and the border. I would say that was on the long side because 3 buses arrived together and ours was last.

 

The quick shuttle has 3 stops in Vancouver. Not sure where the first is. Second stop is Canada Place and the 3rd pick up is downtown near some hotels. After that it stops at a small airport just across the border and then on to Seattle.  

 

The Amtrack bus leaves from the Amtrac Station and goes to the Amtrac station in Seattle. for you that might be the better Bus route.

 

 

 

 

 

What time did you board the bus heading for Seattle at Canada Place and where did you get off in Seattle and what time? Did you fly home that day?