Amtrak Restarts Cascades Service Between Portland, Vancouver
Amtrak restarted its Cascades service between Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 6.
The states of Washington and Oregon—which jointly sponsor and fund the Amtrak Cascades service—partnered with Amtrak on the route relaunch, the first time direct service will operate between Portland and stations north of Seattle since 2020.
Serving 12 stations along the I-5 corridor in western Washington, customers traveling north on the Cascades service can depart Portland at 3:05 p.m. local time before stopping in Seattle at 7 p.m. and arriving in Vancouver at 11 p.m.
The southbound train leaves Vancouver at 6:35 a.m. for an 11 a.m. stop in Seattle and a 2:55 p.m. Portland arrival.
“With more people now traveling, we are thrilled to double the daily roundtrips between Seattle and Vancouver,” Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said. “By adding staffing and equipment to the region, we can once again offer customers a direct connection between Portland and Canada.”
The Cascades restarted daily journeys to Canada—between Seattle and Vancouver—in September 2022. Now fully restored on the Pacific Northwest route, the service offers a cafe car, which features products grown and made in the region on its Bistro Menu.
The Amtrak route runs through river and mountain vistas in Washington and Oregon, offering travelers views of some of the country’s most distinctive cities and natural attractions.
“We’re aware of just how ready everyone is for this direct service from Portland to Vancouver to come back,” Oregon Department of Transportation administrator Karyn Criswell said. “With our new reduced rates for travel within Oregon on the Cascades, we’re excited to see ridership grow throughout the corridor, giving people in the Pacific Northwest an affordable, comfortable and safe option for travel.”
The United States and Canadian governments have specific requirements for travel between the two countries and those who fail to meet the criteria will not be permitted to cross the border.