A fine first trip from south to north

Unfortunately, trying to schedule my first-ever Amtrak train trip was a bit of a logistical nightmare. But in the end, train travel turned out to be just as pleasant and entertaining as train riders have described it to me over the years.

My goal was to travel by train from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., and to Portland in relatively leisurely fashion in three days. Most importantly, as a novice I wanted to get in touch with the basics of train travel, especially with the busy holiday travel season here.

First I booked a reservation online to Vancouver on the 7:45 a.m. Amtrak Cascades, the designation for one of those European-style, futuristic-looking Talgo trains. The multimillion dollar trains are owned by Washington state but operated by Amtrak.

I planned to overnight in Vancouver, then head back to Seattle by bus the next morning to catch a train to Portland. After an overnight in Portland, I planned to catch the leisurely afternoon Amtrak Cascades back to Seattle.

Admittedly, the schedule I cooked up was aggressive, but a good plan nevertheless, I thought. The price was definitely right ($140 for the whole trip, including two upgrades) and the online booking procedure was very efficient.

Then bad weather intervened.

The evening before my departure, Amtrak phoned my home to tell me I would have to take a bus instead of a train to Vancouver because mudslides had closed the tracks near Everett. The tracks wouldn't be cleared until the following day.

Later during my trip, another Amtrak traveler who had been scheduled for the same train told me she wasn't alerted about the train/bus switch in advance. But she said the bus trip, which loaded at King Street Station, was very pleasant anyway.

If I was forced to take the bus instead of the train to Vancouver that morning, I wouldn't be able to return to Seattle by train until 6 p.m. the following day. That would ruin my timetable and the reason for the trip in the first place.

Also, I already knew as much about bus travel as I ever wanted to learn.

So I decided to try to flip-flop all my reservations -- travel to Portland first, then back to Seattle and from there travel to Vancouver when the tracks were cleared. There isn't an afternoon train to Vancouver, so I would have to take the bus on the way up anyway.

I called the Amtrak 800 number and a gracious young man waded in and changed all four reservations for me, leaving the original reservation numbers intact, making it easier for me to keep track of them.

During all the reservation gyrations, I learned it's not possible to travel by train from Portland to Vancouver or vice versa in the same day. Travelers have to overnight in Seattle from either direction, then catch the Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver or the Amtrak Coast Starlight or Amtrak Cascades to Portland the next morning. To make the trip in one day, the second leg has to be by bus.

An Amtrak representative told me the idea of a direct train connection has been discussed.

Seattle to Portland

With new itinerary in hand, I drove to the King Street Station in downtown Seattle, paid $55 in advance to park for three days at the King Street Center parking garage, and caught the 10 a.m. Coast Starlight to Portland. It's the bigger, slower and more traditional of the two trains that Amtrak operates between Seattle and Portland. The Coast Starlight's final destination is Los Angeles and includes sleeping cars. The smaller, faster, Amtrak Cascades (a Talgo train) departs Seattle daily for Portland at 7:30 a.m.

King Street Station is undergoing a major renovation and smelled terrible while I was there. My recommendation would be to spend as little time in the terminal as possible, at least until the renovation is further along. The project is expected to take about three years.

It also might be smart to hop a Metro or Sound Transit bus to the station to avoid the costly parking downtown. Don't forget to coordinate the return bus schedule with your arrival back in Seattle. Depending on the distance, a taxi also may be cheaper than trying to park downtown for three days.

Jeff Larsen / P-I

A steady stream of busses move up 5th Avenue during rush hour in downtown Portland.

Tickets ordered by phone or online can be picked at the station when you arrive (your reservation receipt is not a ticket), and you must have a boarding pass.

Coach seating on the Coast Starlight was a little crowded but the seats were comfortable and the ride, although bumpy in spots, was pleasant. I spent a lot of time during the trip bouncing (literally) from car to car exploring the train. I spent a couple of hours in the domed observation car, where I could just sit mesmerized as I watched the world speed by.

Amtrak advises passengers not to walk between train cars without their shoes on. Also it's a smart idea to tie up any wayward shoelaces so they don't become snagged on the herky-jerking metal walkway between cars.

The food onboard was OK and priced fairly, but I noticed that a number of passengers packed their own food and water for the four-hour journey (obviously more in touch with train travel than I).

Portland's gorgeous, renovated Union Station near downtown has been turned into a landmark of sorts. Free public transportation is available just outside the station's main entrance to just about anywhere downtown.

I took a 10-minute bus ride to the 5th Avenue Suites Hotel and was treated to a mini-travelogue by the bus driver. He also recommended which downtown restaurant he thought served the best dessert.

Portland to Seattle

A conductor onboard the sleek Talgo train I rode from Portland to Seattle the next morning called it "the poor man's high-speed train." The return trip to Seattle was 30 minutes faster than the trip down on the bigger train. But because of track restrictions, the train still is considerably slower than high-speed trains in some East Coast or Midwest corridors.

I was able upgrade to business class for $12, which included a few extra amenities, such as a plug-in for my computer and more leg room. The upgrade was worth it, even though the coach seating on the Talgo is less cramped than on the bigger Coast Starlight.

With a sports car kind of appeal, the Talgo ride is more like you would expect a 21st-century train ride to feel. The pendulumlike suspension allows the train to travel noticeably faster around curves than the bigger train. When it was able to get up to speed, it was exhilarating. However, track conditions in places and the terrible weather forced it to travel much slower than it's capable.

Free bus service to Union Station is easily accessible from practically anywhere downtown. Boarding was very efficient and the train left right on time. The ride is dramatically smoother than the larger more conventional train with less roll from side to side and visibility is good from practically every location on the train.

Seattle to Vancouver

The transition from the train to the rock-hard seats of a Trailways bus at King Street Station was pretty seamless. The border crossing at Blaine wasn't. First the bus stops at the duty-free store for about 20 minutes.

Then at the customs checkpoint the bus driver has to unload all the baggage, and the riders have to take all their belongings off the bus and line up in the customs terminal for the inspection.

I was a little confused when I arrived at Pacific Central Station in Vancouver because I originally thought Amtrak trains and buses arrived at the big Canadian Pacific terminal downtown. So I had to figure out the fastest and cheapest way to get from Central Station to Waterfront Centre in downtown Vancouver.

An employee at the station told me to hop on the Sky Train at the station across the street and for $2 (Canadian) it will take me right to the Waterfront Centre. I changed an American $10 bill at the station and bought my ticket from a machine at the outdoor elevated terminal.

But nobody took my $2 ticket when I boarded the high-speed Sky Train. I found out later that payment is based on the "honor" system. If you are less than honorable and get caught you will get an honorable-size citation from the transit authority.

Jeff Larsen / P-I

Portland's gorgeous, renovated Union Station near downtown offers an elegant setting to await Amtrak arrivals and departures.

Vancouver to Seattle

As I boarded the 6 p.m. Amtrak Cascades Talgo to Seattle the next day, it occurred to me how much fun it would be next time to just catch the 7:45 a.m. train from Seattle, spend the afternoon in Vancouver riding the Sky Train around town, then catch the Amtrak train back to Seattle the same evening. No buses, and fewer hassles in general.

(As for heading in the other direction, from Seattle to Vancouver, remember that there's an option to board the train at the Edmonds or Everett stations in the morning rather than fight downtown Seattle traffic.)

The dollar exchange rate in Canada isn't as good as it used to be, but the ride still is a bargain at $46 adult round-trip fare.

The Talgo is equipped with a dining car between Vancouver and Seattle and the service is generally good. Minimum breakfast charge is $8.50, dinner is $14. Amtrak requires the minimum because of the limited seating capacity of the dining car. However, $16.75 for a small, greasy, tough cut of prime rib was a little exorbitant. The Bistro car is the other option with lighter fare, such as sandwiches and salads.

Boarding for the 6 p.m. departure starts at 4:30 and the dining car opens as soon as passengers get on (although alcohol can't be served until the train leaves the station). On my trip, the hostess warned passengers a couple of times to eat early because the number of dinners was limited. Later an Amtrak spokeswoman told me it's difficult to predict how many passengers will eat, so it's hard to gauge if they will run out of entrees.

It's possible that they could run out even before the train leaves, and it's very possible that the best entree choices will be gone by later seatings.

U.S. Customs agents let their security black Labrador loose on the train at the border, so the inspection took a little longer than normal and put the train slightly behind schedule. Still, the inspection was much more efficient than the bus border crossing. Be sure to carry proper identification with you in case you aren't in your assigned seat when the train reaches the border.

Not even the Talgo's sophisticated suspension could iron out the wavy tracks between Vancouver and the border. It was a slow, rocky ride indeed and darkness seemed to amplify the back-and-forth, rolling motion of the train. Still, the trip was relaxing and a nice break from the rigors of automobile travel.

Over the holidays, Amtrak adds trains in both directions so check the schedule and be sure to book your trip well in advance.

If you go

Amtrak -- 800-872-7245 for reservations; www.amtrak.com.

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