Amtrak to add 2nd trip between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C.

SEATTLE — Amtrak is adding a second round-trip train to Vancouver, B.C. March 7, restoring full service on the Cascades line to pre-pandemic levels.

The company notified the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Oregon Department of Transportation of the trip this week. Amtrak also told the agencies that it plans to increase the daily number of trips between Seattle and Portland from four to six beginning in fall 2023.

“I’m thankful that Amtrak is finally on the path to fully restore service in the Pacific Northwest. I-5 corridor in the State of Washington is one of the most congested corridors in the nation and the Cascades service provides a convenient alternative to travelers,” said U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), who serves as Chair of the Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation.

Before the pandemic, more than 750,000 riders used the route connecting Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia each year. The route from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. was suspended in May 2020 when the border closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amtrak restored one of the trips between Seattle and Vancouver in September 2022.