Amtrak to add second round-trip to Vancouver in March

Starting March 7, Amtrak will provide a second round-trip to Vancouver, B.C. that will restore the train service to pre-pandemic levels. 

Amtrak announced the trip return in a letter to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Oregon Department of Transportation, according to an announcement from U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell’s (D-WA) office. 

Amtrak will also add two daily trips from Seattle to Portland, Oregon, this fall, increasing the total daily trips on that route to six, the announcement said. The company brought back one of the two Seattle to Vancouver routes last September.

WSDOT announced in mid-December 2022 that Amtrak Cascades trains will have a new fleet in 2026. In addition to a new design, the fleet’s eight trainsets and two locomotives will be more fuel efficient, have improved amenities such as individual outlets, touchless restroom controls and onboard WiFi. The trains will also have panoramic views and a redesigned café bar, according to WSDOT.

Over 750,000 people annually rode Amtrak Cascades, which services 18 stops in B.C., Washington and Oregon, before the pandemic.