Amtrak Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver - What is the border crossing like northbound?
I'm pondering using the Amtrack Cascades train to get from Seattle up to Vancouver. The ticket price seems pretty good, the views are supposed to be great, and it seems to be fairly quick too!
When travelling southbound (i.e. into the USA), Pacific Central Station has a juxtaposed US border control point. So, you clear US customs and immigration before boarding the train, which departs from a special fenced-off platform. (The first stop after Vancouver is in the USA, so there aren't any issues with having a mixture of domestic and international passengers boarding the train)
What I can't seem to find is any information on what the procedure is going Northbound? Does the train stop at the Canadian border for customs and immigration? And if so, do you have to get off and back on again, or do they just walk through the train?
Also, I'll be travelling to the US under the Visa Waiver Program, arriving in the US from Europe but returning to Europe from Canada. As such, I'll need to let the DHS know that I've left the USA so they don't mistakenly think I've not gone. Is that easy to do when taking the train, or am I going to have a huge faff once in Canada to have my departure registered?
Best Answer
It's usually a lot easier getting into Canada than the U.S. Make sure Customs takes your I-94 form at the border. They let you keep it if they expect you to return to the U.S. soon, to make it easier to enter. Since your going on to Europe, you are supposed to turn it in.
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Is Amtrak crossing the border?
The return of Amtrak's cross-border passenger rail service to Canada has been delayed until early 2022, a spokesperson for the railway told CBC News.Where is the border between Seattle and Vancouver?
Peace Arch Border CrossingLocationI-5 / Hwy 99 at Peace Arch Park US Port: 100 Peace Portal Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 Canadian Port: 220 Highway 99, Surrey, BC V3S 9N7Coordinates49\xb000\u203200.4\u2033N 122\xb045\u203215.8\u2033WDetailsOpened18917 more rowsCan you cross the border from Seattle to Vancouver?
There are four border crossing options when driving between Seattle, WA, to Vancouver, B.C. They are from west to east: Peace Arch; the Pacific Highway, or "Truck Crossing" as it's commonly known; Lynden/Aldergrove and Sumas/Huntingdon.Can trains cross the border?
Cross-border trains must comply with the operating regulations of the country they pass through. For example, a train must be formed in accordance with the country-specific regulations, i.e. the wagon sequence as well as the train length and train weight must meet the respective requirements.Report on-board Amtrak Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver
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Answer 2
Well, I've made the trip from Vancouver to Seattle on the Greyhound bus. The bus stops at the border and we have to get off with baggage et al and put it through a scanner, and there was a proper customs and immigration check.
I've also walked over the Niagara falls bridge (back and forth) and even then went through a proper customs and immigration check BOTH ways!
So, I'd think that it shouldn't be any different by train. Whether you'd have to get off the train at the border, I'm not sure. But I highly doubt that they'd let you cross the US-Canada border without a proper customs and immigration check, especially since you're trying to cross the border legally!
Answer 3
Just one aspect should be clarified in addition to the answers above.
As such, I'll need to let the DHS know that I've left the USA so they don't mistakenly think I've not gone.
Since 2016, you are not required to report anything to DHS as Canada shares entry/exit information with the US:
Currently, Canada and the U.S. exchange biographic entry information on third-country nationals and permanent residents, so that entry into one country serves as an exit record from the other.
A few minutes after going through Canadian immigration in Vancouver you can open the I-94 website and confirm your exit has been correctly recorded. I've done this a couple dozen times and it always works as a charm, no special action required from my side.
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