AMTRAK RESUMES SERVICE TO VANCOUVER; CANADA WAIVES COVID-19 BORDER REQUIREMENTS

Beautiful views of British Columbia aboard Amtrak Cascades from Everett, WA to Vancouver, BC. 

The last time I visited Canada was in the summer of 2018. Which means it has been four years since I've visited our neighbor to the north. Oh, Canada, how I've missed you! 

But with Amtrak Cascades service resuming daily service September 26, it's full speed ahead for me to take the train from Everett to Vancouver, BC (I've already booked my ticket for a couple nights in November). Here's updated information about the resumption of train service between the two countries

Fun letters in Robson Square during my last visit to Vancouver BC.

In other upbeat news, Canada has removed all COVID-19 border requirements beginning October 1, 2022. That means you no longer need to show proof of vaccination or don a mask when boarding a train or plane.

View from the Wedgewood Hotel of the Vancouver Art Galley at the corner of Hornby and Robson. 

Planning Your Trip

Amtrak Cascades

Wedgewood Hotel & Spa 

Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

Vancouver Art Gallery

Destination Vancouver 

©SueFrausePhotos

Amtrak Cascades resumes service between Seattle and Vancouver BC

It's what many Vancouver BC bound travelers have been waiting for! With Amtrak Cascades service between Seattle and Vancouver suspended since 2020 due to the pandemic, I heaved a huge sigh of relief and gave a virtual fist pump when I discovered the trains will roll again between the two cities on September 26, 2022. 

The reason for the delay in resumption of service is that Amtrak was working in conjunction with WSDOT, ODOT, VIA Rail Canada and other federal agencies. Lots of chefs in the kitchen!

The first Amtrak Cascades train north to Vancouver will depart Seattle at 745AM on Monday, September 26 -- stopping at its usual five cities along the way (Edmonds-Everett-Stanwood-Mount Vernon-Bellingham) and arriving in Vancouver at 11:45AM. The southbound train will depart Vancouver at 5:45PM and arrive in Seattle at 10:10 PM. 

A single roundtrip is offered daily, with a second daily trip added in the future as Amtrak staffing and equipment allow. The popular Amtrak Cascades route also offers three daily round trips between Portland and Seattle, two daily round trips between Eugene and Portland, along with two daily buses between Seattle and Bellingham and four daily buses between Seattle and Vancouver BC. 

In addition to the standard entry documentation requirements, the Canadian and US Governments have several additional requirements for travel into Canada and the United States. Those not meeting the criteria will not be allowed to cross the border. 

TRAVEL INTO CANADA

All passengers must use the ArriveCAN app before travel and wear a mask in Canadian stations and on board trains while traveling through Canada. Non-Canadian citizens must be fully vaccinated and carry the vaccination record that was uploaded into ArriveCAN. See details on the Government of Canada and Via Rail websites.

TRAVEL INTO UNITED STATES

Non-US citizen passengers must be fully vaccinated with a U.S.FDA or WHO approved COVID-19 vaccine. Details on the US Department of Homeland Security website. 

TICKETS

Travelers may purchase tickets online at Amtrak.com and AmtrakCascades.com or by calling 800.USA.RAIL.

AMTRAK CASCADES: NO TRAIN SERVICE TO VANCOUVER BC UNTIL LATE 2022

Amtrak Cascades arrives in Bellingham en route to Vancouver BC. ©SueFrausePhoto

 

Like many fans of the city of Vancouver, BC I've been anxiously awaiting the resumption of Amtrak Cascades service to Vancouver. Sad to report that Amtrak has announced there will be no train service to Canada until late 2022. Boo hoo!

Amtrak informed the states of Washington and Oregon that their popular Amtrak Cascades service north of Seattle will not resume until late 2022 due to Amtrak staffing shortages. 

WSDOT and ODOT express extreme dissatisfaction with the plan and urged Amtrak to at least begin offering service a few days a week on an interim basis until full service can resume in December 2022. Amtrak responded it is committed to an earlier started day if employee resources allow.

Several staff positions need to be filled; They include conductors, on-board service staff and mechanics. Progress is being made in recruiting new staff; but once hired, they must undergo extensive training programs prior to starting their positions.

The route serves Seattle, Edmonds, Everett, Stanwood, Mount Vernon, Bellingham and Vancouver BC. It has been suspended since May 2020 when the Canadian border closed  to non-essential travel. Daily bus service between Seattle and Vancouver BC and Seattle and Bellingham will continue to be offered through the Amtrak ticketing system.

Email updates for Amtrak Cascades service are available by free subscription.

SAIL FROM PORT ANGELES, WA TO VICTORIA, BC WITH OVERNIGHT PACKAGES VIA BLACK BALL FERRY LINE

M/V Coho arrives in Victoria's Inner Habour 
©SueFrausePhoto

With Washington State Ferries canceling its Anacortes to SidneyBC route this spring and summer due to crew shortages, it will be more challenging to get to Vancouver Island from my home state of Washington. Oh sure, you can drive north of the US/Canada border to Tsawwassen and take BC Ferries to Swartz Bay, north of Victoria. The Victoria Clipper V ferry makes the nearly three-hour trip between Seattle and downtown Victoria, and Kenmore Air has daily 45-minute float plane service between Seattle's Lake Union and Victoria. But for folks like me living on Whidbey Island, a better and less expensive option is taking the Black Ball Ferry Line from Port Angeles on Washington's Olympic Peninsula to Victoria, BC.

I've taken the Black Ball's MV Coho several times in the past few years; once with my vehicle and another time as a walk-on. I prefer the latter. The Coho was built in Seattle for $3 million in 1959, and at the time it was the most expensive and largest privately funded passenger and vehicle ferry built in North America. 

The 90-minute sailing across the Strait of Juan de Fuca provides wide-open views of the Olympics, with plenty of wildlife sightings, including eagles and whales. While onboard, enjoy the comfy interior lounges, solarium, pet-friendly zones, cafeteria, gift shop and duty free store. The ship docks in Victoria's Inner Harbour and if you walked on instead of taking your vehicle, many of the hotels, restaurants and attractions are within walking distance. For more information, visit Tourism Victoria's website. 

BC Parliament Buildings in Victoria's Inner Harbour 
©SueFrausePhoto

Black Ball Ferry Line has a variety of hotel partners within walking distance from its Victoria terminal in the Inner Harbour. And when two adults travel with a hotel package, up to two children ages 11 and older may stay and sail for free. In addition to hotel packages, Black ball also offer various attractions such as Butchart Gardens, the Royal BC Museum, IMAX and a traditional afternoon tea. Here are two of the hotels that are offered, both of which I've enjoyed over the years. 

The Oswego Hotel
©SueFrausePhoto

The Oswego Hotel is a boutique hotel located steps away from the Inner Harbour and downtown Victoria. The hotel features a modern design and luxury amenities. All suites have gourmet kitchens, while the elegant bathrooms include soaker tubs and separate showers. The onsite Bar500 serves authentic West Coast Italian cuisine. Room rate per person including ferry: From $126 USD.

Inn at Laurel Point
©SueFrausePhoto

The Inn at Laurel Point is located in downtown Victoria on the edge of the Inner Harbour, within easy walking distance of the Parliament Buildings, Royal BC Museum, Beacon Hill Park and downtown shopping. The inn prides itself in being a haven for travelers wanting an authentic West Coast experience, offering opportunities to reconnect with nature. Their newly landscaped award winning gardens are now open. Room rate per person including ferry: From $142 US. 

The Butchart Gardens 

Black Ball Ferry Line also offers Day Trip Packages, for those not spending the night. One of the more popular ones is The Butchart Gardens, 55 acres of floral displays spanning a century. The package, from $108 USD per person, includes: 

• Black Ball Ferry fare
• Admission to The Butchart Gardens
• Round-trip shuttle from downtown Victoria to The Butchart Gardens 

The MV Coho arrives in Port Angeles, Washington
©SueFrausePhoto

BLACK BALL FERRY LINE

Click on for schedule/reservations/packages

Port Angeles Terminal

101 E. Railroad Avenue

888-99-FERRY

Victoria Terminal 

430 Belleville Street

800-COHO-475

COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS

Effective April 1, 2022, pre-arrival COVID testing is no longer required for fully vaccinated travelers entering Canada. 

Please Note: Filling out information on ArriveCAN is still required, and must be filled out within 72 hours of entering Canada and prior to arriving at the Port Angeles, WA terminal. Visit Black Ball's COVID-19 requirements for more information. 

GOOD NEWS FROM CANADA: PRE-ENTRY COVID TESTS NO LONGER NEEDED (BUT WHEN IS AMTRAK RESUMING SERVICE TO VANCOUVER, BC?)

Vehicles in line at the Peace Arch Crossing into Canada at Blaine, WA

On April 1, 2022, the Government of Canada announced that fully vaccinated travelers will no longer need to provide a pre-entry COVID-19 test result to enter Canada by air, land or water,

But travelers arriving in Canada from any country, who qualify as fully vaccinated, may still need to take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival if selected  for mandatory random testing. The good news is travelers selected are not required to quarantine while awaiting test results.

For partially or unvaccinated travelers who are currently allowed to travel to Canada, pre-entry testing requirements are NOT changing. Details may be found on the Government of Canada website. 

REMINDER: All travelers will continue to be required to submit their mandatory information to ArriveCan (free mobile app or website) before their arrival in Canada. Travelers who do not complete their ArriveCAN submission before arriving in Canada may have to test on arrival and quarantine for 14 days, regardless of their vaccination status. 

THE TRAIN! THE TRAIN!

My preferred way to travel to Vancouver, BC is via Amtrak Cascades. In fact the last time I traveled to Canada (pre-pandemic), I took the train from Everett to Vancouver. But when COVID-19 hit, the border between the US-Canada was closed. Which meant that Amtrak suspended service between the two countries. 

With Canada now opening its border, I'm more than ready to hear the cry, All Aboard! Not so fast, Sue, as the trains are not yet rolling. I contacted Amtrak Media Relations on March 31, 2022 with this email: 

Hello ~ Just checking in regarding the restoration of Amtrak Cascades service to Vancouver BC. If you have a locked-in date, I would like to be aboard the train from Everett, WA to Vancouver, BC. I was on the initial train to Vancouver when service was implemented in 1995, and have been aboard numerous times in the past quarter century -- sharing my journeys through words and photographs. I Look forward to returning to this wonderful train ride soon ~ I have missed my adventures in British Columbia! Thank You, Sue Frause

This was the response I received from the Amtrak PR Manager several days later: "There is not a return date at this time, but I will do my best to keep you updated." 

Until that time, I'll make sure my US passport is up to date (I'm good until 2026) and I'll fill out the mandatory information on the ArriveCAN site (details in the link above). Plus dig out my loonies and toonies from previous Canadian adventures. 

O Canada ~ I've missed you so!

Vancouver's Olympic Cauldron was lit for the 2010 Winter Games. It is now a permanent landmark on Jack Poole Plaza at the Vancouver Convention Centre. 

©SueFrausePhotos

MANDATORY MASKS POLICY RETURNS TO BC FERRIES

©SueFrausePhoto

Beginning August 25, regardless of vaccination status, masks will once again be mandatory aboard all BC Ferries and inside terminals for travelers 12 years of age and older. Exceptions include: 

• Travelers who are inside a vehicle or consuming food/beverages in BC Ferries' designated areas.
• Travelers with an underlying medical condition or disability that disallows the ability to wear a mask.
• Travelers unable to place/remove a face covering without assistance.
• Children under two years of age.

BC Ferries has a zero tolerance policy for abuse toward employees, which includes verbal abuse. Service will be denied to customers who abuse employees. Travel bans may be imposed. 

BC's Response to Covid 19 via the official website of the Government of British Columbia 

BC Ferries Requires Face Coverings (Masks)

©SueFrausePhoto

All passengers traveling with BC Ferries will be required to wear a face covering (mask) that covers their mouth and nose when in a situation where a physical separation of two meters (6.5 feet) can't be maintained. 

BC Ferries implements the requirement in keeping with directives and guidance provided by Transport Canada. It goes into effect on June 15, 2020 for routes longer than 30 minutes. The new requirement applies to all passengers over the age of two, including passengers traveling in a vehicle. 

Passengers will be asked to confirm they have a face covering and are willing to wear it when necessary. If a passenger answers 'no' or fails to answer, they will be unable to travel. Customers must provide their own masks -- BC Ferries will not supply them to travelers. 

BC Ferries will also continue screening all customers for COVID-19 symptoms and restrict travel to any customer who does not meet the screening requirements, as per the federal guidelines. BC Ferries is allowing customers to remain in their vehicles on all decks during the sailing and enhanced cleaning. 

NOTE ~ The U.S. and Canada are restricting all non-essential travel across its borders.  In simpler terms, the border between the U.S. and Canada is closed.