Vancouver to SEA by car?

[lovecruzin]

I just found out that we can't take our 1 day cruise from Vancouver to Seattle due to the PVSA law. So, we are thinking about renting a car from Vancouver to SEA. I have researched car rental rates for our dates and they are about the same or less as the train or bus. Can anyone with recent experience let me know if you would recommend doing this? I don't know if it is worth the trouble or if we should just fly home from Vancouver, which after car rental and gas may only end up being about $100 more.:confused:

 

I know this information is somewhere on this board but I can't find anything recent....or maybe I am just so frazzled by this change in plans that I am not seeing it! Thanks

[Putterdude]

I just found out that we can't take our 1 day cruise from Vancouver to Seattle due to the PVSA law. So, we are thinking about renting a car from Vancouver to SEA. I have researched car rental rates for our dates and they are about the same or less as the train or bus. Can anyone with recent experience let me know if you would recommend doing this? I don't know if it is worth the trouble or if we should just fly home from Vancouver, which after car rental and gas may only end up being about $100 more.:confused:

 

I know this information is somewhere on this board but I can't find anything recent....or maybe I am just so frazzled by this change in plans that I am not seeing it! Thanks

 

You will likely save money by driving to Seattle, but do your homework on that. Your drive time will be about 3 hours but plan for up to a 2 hour wait at the border to re-enter the US. Other than that is is just a normal freeway drive on I-5.

 

Your first alternative is Amtrak which does operate 1 train each way per day. You can get to the train station from Canada place by walking a 100 paces east to the Sky Train station and taking the Sky Train to the Main St. Station and then just walking across Main St. Sky Train fare $2.50 (CDN) or you can grab a cab which would be about $15.00. Here is the Amtrak link http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/Page/Browse_Routes_Page&c=Page&cid=1081256321414&ssid=135

 

The second alternative is Quick Shuttle from the cruise terminal http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm

[slk230]

Car rental agencies will generally not permit you to drive their car one way across the border.

 

Take Amtrak. It's a nice relaxing ride.

[lovecruzin]

Both Alamo and Budget website will let me reserve a 1 way car!

 

Thanks for the train suggestions but what I am looking for is info on driving as Amtrak is not something I am really considering right now... if we are going to spend the day in Vancouver we will probably spend the extra money and fly home directly from there.

[zephyr17]

As long as you can get a one-way rental (make sure you are reserving a car from Vancouver, BC, not Vancouver, WA), there is nothing wrong with driving. It is a pretty routine drive for a lot of people. As Putterdude pointed out, it is about 3 hours on I-5, but you should allow up to a couple of hours at the border. They are doing construction at the border station at the Peach Arch (I-5) crossing at Blaine.

 

There are some alternative crossings, the Pacific Hwy/Truck crossing, also at Blaine, and a crossing in Abbotsford, which is due north of Bellingham. You can check the wait times at http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/ATIS/index.htm

 

If you have time, once across the border, you might want to consider taking Chuckanut Drive from Bellingham to Mt. Vernon instead of the freeway. It is a lot more scenic, being on cliffs over Puget Sound, somewhat like PCH around Big Sur. It is probably about 30 minutes longer than the freeway.

[lovecruzin]

Thanks for the good information zephyr17.

 

Another question, what if there is a 2 hour delay at the border and you need to use the restroom, do you just have to hold it? :o

[zephyr17]

Thanks for the good information zephyr17.

 

Another question, what if there is a 2 hour delay at the border and you need to use the restroom, do you just have to hold it? :o

Believe it or not, once the traffic creeps up the border itself, you might be able to use the restrooms in Peach Arch Park, which is before you reach the US Customs and Immigration station:

http://www.peacearchpark.org/visitorguide_07.pdf

And a more complete park map showing both Canadian and US restrooms from BC parks:

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/peace/peace_arch_map.pdf

 

I have no idea what the US Border Patrol does when the security cameras catch you popping out of your car and sprinting for the restrooms, though. So maybe use the ones officially on the Canadian side.

[Putterdude]

The 2 hour wait is generally the maximum wait and the earlier in the morning you get there the shorter the line. However if you cross on a holiday weekend ……well all bets are off. You will very likely save the $100+ you will pay for the rental car by driving to Seatac but when you factor in the hassle and fatigue factor of driving you may be better to fly home from YVR. I don’t know how many non-stop flights there are from YVR to CA airport but I am sure that between Alaska, Air Canada, Delta, ……..there are tons. There is another alternative and that is just to drive to the Bellingham airport, 30 min from the border and pick up a commuter flight to Seattle or Portland and then a non-stop from there but that will erode any savings.

[North Vancouver Cruiser]

I live in North Vancouver and I would not hesitate to take the Quick Shuttle again. On way is $49. I took it from Seattle cruise ship terminal to Downtown Vancouver. It can take you to the airport, where ever. It was quick, comfortable, they showed a movie and we didn't have to wait at the border. Buses don't line up in the car line up.

[whimseysgirl]

There was a recent thread on the Ask a Cruise Question forum that covered this in detail, including alternative border crossings and wait times, as well as car rental info. I haven't figured out how to create a link yet :rolleyes: , but if you do a search within that forum for Peace Arch border, you'll get the thread - it's the most recent one (at this point at least!).

[Putterdude]

There was a recent thread on the Ask a Cruise Question forum that covered this in detail, including alternative border crossings and wait times, as well as car rental info. I haven't figured out how to create a link yet :rolleyes: , but if you do a search within that forum for Peace Arch border, you'll get the thread - it's the most recent one (at this point at least!).

 

You are quite right there is such a thread. I just have a bit of a problem directing people in and out of downtown Vancouver and on to the the 401 (although I can do it with my eyes closed) to use the Aldergrove/Lynden crossing plus there is the matter of using the 401 if the Port Mann has an incident on it.

 

However the truck crossing can often save some time and some miles from the border there is a readograph sign on Hwy 99 advising southbound drivers of the wait times at both the truck crossing and the Peach Arch crossing. Later there are directions on how to access the truck crossing if that is the shorter wait. Once across the border it is a straight shot to I-5.

[lovecruzin]

You will very likely save the $100+ you will pay for the rental car by driving to Seatac but when you factor in the hassle and fatigue factor of driving you may be better to fly home from YVR. I don’t know how many non-stop flights there are from YVR to CA airport but I am sure that between Alaska, Air Canada, Delta, ……..there are tons. There is another alternative and that is just to drive to the Bellingham airport, 30 min from the border and pick up a commuter flight to Seattle or Portland and then a non-stop from there but that will erode any savings.

 

I checked out BLI, I think with car rental we would be spending as much as flying out of YVR. You make a good point about the hassle of driving, and that is a big consideration - spending 6-7 hours (drive + fly time) isn't the best way to end our vacation when we can fly from YVR and be home in 3 1/2 hours!

[lovecruzin]

There was a recent thread on the Ask a Cruise Question forum that covered this in detail, including alternative border crossings and wait times, as well as car rental info. I haven't figured out how to create a link yet :rolleyes: , but if you do a search within that forum for Peace Arch border, you'll get the thread - it's the most recent one (at this point at least!).

 

 

Thanks, I was able to find it no problem...just the type of information I was looking for! No one seemed to be pushing the bus or train on that thread ;)