Sea Tac terminal transfers?

[southwardbound]

We are flying into Seattle and connecting with another airline for our final destination,Vancouver. The airlines that takes us to Seattle will not forward our luggage to the carrier that we are using to go to Vancouver. Therefore we have to pick up our luggage in Terminal A baggage claim 2 or 3 and take it to Terminal N. When looking at the airport map I don't see how the two terminals connect. Can anyone tell me how they connect and how much time I will need to get my baggage and get to the other terminal? Thanks.

[SeattleCruiselover]

We are flying into Seattle and connecting with another airline for our final destination,Vancouver. The airlines that takes us to Seattle will not forward our luggage to the carrier that we are using to go to Vancouver. Therefore we have to pick up our luggage in Terminal A baggage claim 2 or 3 and take it to Terminal N. When looking at the airport map I don't see how the two terminals connect. Can anyone tell me how they connect and how much time I will need to get my baggage and get to the other terminal? Thanks.

 

There is a "subway" system linking the concourses, but I'll be darned if I can find a map of it anywhere. There are information phones and kiosks who should be able to direct you. To be a legal connection, you need one hour to get from Plane A to Plane B.

[southwardbound]

Thanks for the quick response!:) Right now there is 2hours between our flights IF our first flight is on time. I guess its just one of those things that I just need to take it as it comes.

 

From what I hear you are saying....There is a subway from the baggage claim of one concourse to the ticket counter of another concourse, correct?

 

Our cruise doesn't leave till the next day so if worse case scenario comes we could always rent a car from Seattle to Vancouver....:cool:

[wrp96]

 

If you look at this map, the baggage claim area is below the ticketing area.

 

So after you've claimed your bags, you'll go directly upstairs and find your airline (guessing Air Canada) and check in there. Then you will go through security and then take the tram out to the North Satellite.

 

Honestly, with reclaiming your bags, then rechecking in, then going back through security, you may need every second and then some of that 2 hours.

 

Here's a map of the train system

 

[wrp96]

Instead of taking a flight from Seattle to Vancouver, have you considered spending the night in Seattle and taking the Amtrak train early the next morning?

[southwardbound]

I am sure that this is posted somewhere, but what is the station called at the Seattle Airport and Canada Place in Vancouver for Amtrak? I think that would be my needed departure and arrival destinations.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thanks for the quick response!:) Right now there is 2hours between our flights IF our first flight is on time. I guess its just one of those things that I just need to take it as it comes.

 

From what I hear you are saying....There is a subway from the baggage claim of one concourse to the ticket counter of another concourse, correct?

 

Our cruise doesn't leave till the next day so if worse case scenario comes we could always rent a car from Seattle to Vancouver....:cool:

 

Thanks to Ms Wrona, the map of the train loops is below. It is from concourse to concourse, not from baggage claim (downstairs) to the ticket counters (upstairs).

[SeattleCruiselover]

I am sure that this is posted somewhere, but what is the station called at the Seattle Airport and Canada Place in Vancouver for Amtrak? I think that would be my needed departure and arrival destinations.

 

 

King Street Station is the Amtrak station for Seattle (it is downtown, about 15 miles north of the airport). In Vancouver it is the VIA rail station near the Science Center.

[southwardbound]

If I would cancel my flight with Air Canada on 5/25 and take amtrak the next morning( as suggested above), here are some questions:

1. Is there a Hilton brand hotel near the train station? (ie Double tree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn)

2. What kind of transportation from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the train station would we need (Kind and cost) I am assuming a cab.

3. Where would we go throught customs?

 

Still investigating....thanks for your imput and thoughts.:)

[c-cruise]

I would consider staying overnight at an airport hotel in Seattle and then taking a cab to King Street Station the next morning to catch the train. This would be significantly cheaper than staying in a downtown hotel. Once in Vancouver you can take the Sky Train (Expo Line) to the cruise ship terminal. There is a Sky Train station right by the Amtrak station in Vancouver and another station on the waterfront next to Canada Place. Search for Vancouver Sky Train and they have a nice website that shows the stations and routes etc.

 

I am not positive, but I believe you go through customs at King Street Station prior to boarding the train so that there isn't any delay on the other end. You would have to check with Amtrak on that to be sure.

 

I would agree that getting from concourse A to baggage claim, checking in on another airline, back through security and then out to the North Satellite at SEA would be a big pain.

 

Might also consider just flying directly into YVR if that is an option.

[SeattleCruiselover]

If I would cancel my flight with Air Canada on 5/25 and take amtrak the next morning( as suggested above), here are some questions:

1. Is there a Hilton brand hotel near the train station? (ie Double tree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn)

2. What kind of transportation from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the train station would we need (Kind and cost) I am assuming a cab.

3. Where would we go throught customs?

 

Still investigating....thanks for your imput and thoughts.:)

 

Closest Hilton product to King Street Station is the downtown Hilton, about 1.5 miles away.

Taxi from SEA-Tac to the hotel $28.00 flat rate for two people. From hotel to station $10.00 or less.

In Vancouver at the station when you arrive.

[SeattleCruiselover]

I would consider staying overnight at an airport hotel in Seattle and then taking a cab to King Street Station the next morning to catch the train. This would be significantly cheaper than staying in a downtown hotel. Once in Vancouver you can take the Sky Train (Expo Line) to the cruise ship terminal. There is a Sky Train station right by the Amtrak station in Vancouver and another station on the waterfront next to Canada Place. Search for Vancouver Sky Train and they have a nice website that shows the stations and routes etc.

 

I am not positive, but I believe you go through customs at King Street Station prior to boarding the train so that there isn't any delay on the other end. You would have to check with Amtrak on that to be sure.

 

I would agree that getting from concourse A to baggage claim, checking in on another airline, back through security and then out to the North Satellite at SEA would be a big pain.

 

Might also consider just flying directly into YVR if that is an option.

 

 

See below. Customs is in Vancouver at the VIA Rail station. Only takes a very few minutes to accomplish, compared to the 2 hour wait at the border on a bus.

[southwardbound]

Thanks for all the information thus far. Two more questions:

1. How reliable is the train each day? ie. departing on time (we would need to take the 7:40am train)

2. How long does it take to take the sky train from the train station in YVR to Canada Place?

 

Thanks.:)

[c-cruise]

See below. Customs is in Vancouver at the VIA Rail station. Only takes a very few minutes to accomplish, compared to the 2 hour wait at the border on a bus.

 

Yeah, your right. It was the other direction I was thinking of where they do the border preclearance at the station in Vancouver so you can just walk off the train in Seattle.

 

There is only one train a day currently between Seattle and Vancouver. They are working on adding a second train before the Vancouver Olympics. You will see more than one time listed on the Amtrak website, but all but one are on busses. The train ride is about 4 hours and leaves fairly early in the morning, but gets into Vancouver before noon.

 

From the SkyTrain station at the Vancouver science center (right by the Amtrak station) to the waterfront station by Canda Place is only about a mile. Their website says it is 6 minutes from the Science Center station to the Waterfront Station.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thanks for all the information thus far. Two more questions:

1. How reliable is the train each day? ie. departing on time (we would need to take the 7:40am train)

2. How long does it take to take the sky train from the train station in YVR to Canada Place?

 

Thanks.:)

 

In all of the years I have been using the Cascades, I have had only ONE instance of being more than 10-15 minutes late (of course, had I been going on a cruise on that one I would have missed the ship, but it was because of the rare occasion of total electrical failure in the engine--does not happen often).

 

Ten minutes or less.

[zephyr17]

Train number 510 leaving Seattle at 7:40 is the only train. Everything else are buses. The on-time performance of that train is very good. It originates in Seattle, so there isn't the potential for delay that a train has if is coming traveling cross-country. It is scheduled to arrive at 11:35, and is usually within 10 minutes of that. Only once was I later than that, and even that time we arrived by 12:45.

 

I take it quite a bit, and am out of Customs and on the street in Vancouver by noon. It takes about 5 or 6 minutes to go between the Main Street/Science Center Skytrain station which is right across the street from the VIA rail station, and Waterfront Station.

 

BTW -- I am taking it up to Vancouver this Sunday, as a matter of fact.