take the train from Seattle to Vancouver

Planned for June 2010

It was a great reminder of how much I love trains! There’s such romance about trains, don’t you think?

I used to do this every few months when I worked for a travel company that booked trips to Vancouver and Victoria.

A wonderfully beautiful trip. As is the trip from Seattle to Portland, OR.

Gah, I miss train rides. Note to self to take a train trip this summer. Even better would be to find a female worth taking a train trip with. Anybody know any hottt vixens out there that would like to apply to be my train trip companion? Its a non paying gig, but the bonuses are huge!

I’m moving to Seattle in a few months for school and I’ve never been to Canada. (Weird, I know. I live in MN. aha.)

How much does this cost?
What is there to do in Vancouver?
Should I bring somebody with me?
what’s the best place to stay?

I got some tickets for a fancy hotel in Vancouver, and I’m taking my partner up there from Seattle next week. So excited! Does anyone know about how much it will cost?

It’s worth it alone to see Vancouver approaching in the distance, I haven’t had a sense of good anticipation about a city that way thanks to its setting in a long, long time. And on a sunny day, should you be fortunate enough to have one on your trip, it’s all the better.

It’s worth it just once, but only once. But I’m still feeling the anxiety from having to wait inside a still train for 60 minutes behind someone’s backyard in New Westminster earlier this afternoon because our train was dictated by dispatchers to follow a freight train that ended up breaking down. It was a 6.5 hour train ride that was supposed to be 4 hours. I’ve taken this exact train on the way back from Vancouver many times, and nothing like this happened.

As long as you don’t plan anything within 3 hours after the arrival time, then I’d do this.. just once.

(EDIT: OK, time has softened me. I’m really happy with the pics I was able to get from this trip alone. “Worth It!”)

1. Take the morning train. It goes along the water for most of the ride, and everything is quite beautiful.
2. Try to secure a seat with a table. Play cards.
3. Buy the DISH D’LISH before they run out.
4. Don’t let the little kids get you down.
5. Eat your apples before they take them away at customs.
6. Score a bottle of the sweet merlot and drink it back at your seats.