Business Class..Coast Starlight vs Cascades..

[Ronbo]

Hey there, trying to plan a short day trip between Seattle Wa and Portland Oregon, down and back the same day. Any difference between business class on the Starlight or the Cascades? Have never booked either, have only traveled Coach and Roomette on the Starlight...thanks for any feedback!

 

[jiml]

BC on the Cascades can be really nice if you like the Euro-style interiors and single seating (if travelling alone). There was also a food and beverage coupon included - good for a snack and non-alcoholic drink - the last time I travelled. I've only done sleeper on the CS, but walking through the BC coach it looked like standard Superliner coach (2x2 seating). No idea if anything extra is included.

 

[Maglev]

If you've already experienced a room on Amtrak, I would base your choice on schedule (with the understanding that the northbound Starlight is subject to substantial delay). Business Class on the Starlight is almost identical to coach, except that it is perhaps a bit less noisy and crowded--perhaps a more important consideration on an overnight trip than one of a few hours. On the Cacacdes, Business Class is a significant upgrade from coach.

 

[Seaboard92]

The Cascades hands down have the better business class. 2-1 seating, and the food service is better on the cascades for cafe car stuff. Now for a diner the starlight.

 

[JP1822]

The Coast Starlight business class does have 2x2 seating, but it is a leather coach seating that has all been re-done. I still prefer the Cascades’ business class, but Coast Starlight business class not bad.

 

[Willbridge]

I've used both. For schedule reliability I'd stay off of Train 14 north from Portland. I've had multiple experiences with it running on-time or close to on-time till the siding just south of Oregon City. It's a beautiful place to sit and enjoy the Willamette River scenery and U.P. dispatchers seem to want you to have that opportunity.

Three out of four times on Trains 11/14 I've had the renovated Business Class Superliners. Once they substituted a tired conventional Superliner. I've only had one trip where I shared a 2x2 seat in Starlight Business Class and that was with a Dunsmuir to K. Falls passenger.

 

[seat38a]

The doors on the Cascades sound like something out of Star Trek but drawn out. With such short cars, its hard to escape the long drawn out swooshing noise wherever you sit. They are also automatic and can be easily triggered. From SEA to PDX, it started to really get annoying.