For the first time in three years, Amtrak trains are running between Portland and Vancouver, BC. That means you can now visit a foreign country — by train — without making any transfers. Au revoir, pricey European travel plans.

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Amtrak fully restored its Cascades line on Monday, March 6, and the first northbound train rolled out of Portland Union Station at 3:05 p.m. with 67 passengers on board, approx. five of whom were bound for British Columbia. Daily service between Seattle and Vancouver, BC has been running since September.

“Travel by rail is one of the most enjoyable ways to see the country, with the bonus of skipping the all-but-certain traffic delays,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer. | Photo by Cambrie Juarez, PDXtoday

“This comes amid the largest investment the United States has made in rail passenger services since Amtrak was created,” Rep. Earl Blumenauer said Monday at Union Station.

Passengers have access to a cafe car offering PNW-sourced menu items, like vegan tamales, pizzas, sandwiches, snacks, tea, coffee, and alcoholic beverages. The seats are spacious, the baggage policies are generous (four free items and the option to check two additional bags, plus a bike), and you can kick back and relax while drivers fight rush-hour traffic. Not to mention the views out the window as you speed past waterways, forests, and mountain vistas.

Business class and overnight passengers can wait for their train at Union Station's Metropolitan Lounge. | Photo by Cambrie Juarez, PDXtoday

The train leaves Portland every day at 3:05 p.m., reaching Seattle by 7 p.m. and BC by 11 p.m. Southbound trains depart Vancouver, BC daily at 6:35 a.m. with a 2:55 p.m. arrival in Portland. The service, which is funded jointly by the states of Oregon and Washington, serves 12 stations along the I-5 corridor in western Washington. We found roundtrip tickets as low as $110.

Interested in traveling somewhere else? Amtrak offers over 30 routes throughout the US and Canada, with more than 500 destinations in 46 states.