Question about Boarding Amtrak trains

[tjemartin]

Hello,

I'm still a noobie when it comes to booking/riding Amtrak trains, so please forgive me. I want to book an Amtrak ticket in the near future from Niagara Falls, ON(NFS station) to Wilmington, DE(WIL station). My question is, are you able to board an Amtrak train from the NFS station even knowing that is a VIA rail station?

I realize that I will have to go thru US customs/immigration and will have to have my ticket in advance because the NFS station does not have QuikTrak ticket printing capabilities.

Thank you in advance to anyone that can help with my noob question

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

There are only a couple of cross border US/Canada train routes.. Toronto to New York, and Vancouver to Seattle.

Boarding in Canada is quite normal, You just join the train as usual, having purchased your ticket in advance. Don't forget your passport!

Ed

 

[rrdude]

Hello,

I'm still a noobie when it comes to booking/riding Amtrak trains, so please forgive me. I want to book an Amtrak ticket in the near future from Niagara Falls, ON(NFS station) to Wilmington, DE(WIL station). My question is, are you able to board an Amtrak train from the NFS station even knowing that is a VIA rail station?

I realize that I will have to go thru US customs/immigration and will have to have my ticket in advance because the NFS station does not have QuikTrak ticket printing capabilities.

Thank you in advance to anyone that can help with my noob question

Short answer is "YES", you can board there. But don't think there is a QT machine, so have Amtrak send your tix..............

The Maple Leaf train is jointly operated by Via - Amtrak. Same consist, just a change of crews, (and policies) at border.

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, you just board the train as normal! The Maple Leaf is jointly operated by VIA Rail and Amtrak. VIA operates in Canada and Amtrak operates it in the US.

 

[tjemartin]

Thank you all for your quick responses. I never leave home without my passport, but thank you for the reminder . My first Amtrak train ride was back in 2/10 and (I know this is gonna sound crazy) I was travelling from WIL to NFS, so I know you can "get dropped off" (so to speak) at the NFS station, but don't remember anyone boarding the train from there. I was just wondering cause while I was on route to the NFS back in February, I overheard a conversation that a passenger had with an Amtrak employee saying that Amtrak is only allowed to operate into Canada only so far, so I guess I was confused about if I could board from a Canadian station or not

Sorry about my confusing posts. Just wanna have all my T's crossed and I's dotted so I have no surprises on my trip

 

[jimhudson]

Hi,

There are only a couple of cross border US/Canada train routes.. Toronto to New York, and Vancouver to Seattle.

Boarding in Canada is quite normal, You just join the train as usual, having purchased your ticket in advance. Don't forget your passport!

Ed

Forgot one Ed, The Adorondack (daily) from NYP-MTL-NYP, it's Amtrak all the way with Immigration/Customs in the middle of nowhere @ the border!

 

[rrdude]

As long as you have your passport, cash, ticket, and you don't smoke on board, I think you will be OK.

Have you traveled on VIA much? (Other than the "long trip" from the NFS station to the bridge?)

 

[tjemartin]

As long as you have your passport, cash, ticket, and you don't smoke on board, I think you will be OK.

Have you traveled on VIA much? (Other than the "long trip" from the NFS station to the bridge?)

I can honestly say I've never been on a VIA rail train

My first train trip was back in February and that was on Amtrak

 

[raqib]

Hi,

I am willing to go to Niagrafalls, ON, Canada from NY,US. My question is , does the AMTRAK train enter the border and will drop me off at Canadian side or it will stop at US side and I have to be on my own to reach Niagra Falls, ON, Canada? Please, help me if any one has any recent experience.

 

[J-1 3235]

Hi,

I am willing to go to Niagrafalls, ON, Canada from NY,US. My question is , does the AMTRAK train enter the border and will drop me off at Canadian side or it will stop at US side and I have to be on my own to reach Niagra Falls, ON, Canada? Please, help me if any one has any recent experience.

Welcome to the Forum. Only train 63, The Maple Leaf, crosses into Canada at Niagara Falls. So, you can reserve a seat to Niagara Falls, Ontario (NFS). Otherwise the Empire Service trains #281 and 283,from New York City, travel only as far as Niagara Falls, NY (NFL). From there you would have to take a taxi across the border. Or taxi to the bridge, and walk over.

Mike

 

[raqib]

Thanks a lot Mike.... ...Can you suggest any budget hotels near the fall?

 

[J-1 3235]

Thanks a lot Mike.... ...Can you suggest any budget hotels near the fall?

I've stayed only at the Crowne (formerly Brock) Plaza, which is not a budget hotel Maybe try hotels.com, or one of the other travel sites....

Mike

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks a lot Mike.... ...Can you suggest any budget hotels near the fall?

Use Kayak.com and you can compare Lots of Hotels/Motels on this sight! There are plenty of Motels/Older Hotels on Both sides of the Border but the Canadian Side is Livelier and has more Choices! If you like to Gamble the Canadian Casinos are Tax Free IF you Win and won't Report to the IRS! :lol: Prices are Lower during the Week,(ie Mon/Tues/Wed) Weekends can be Jammed and Very Pricey with Minimum Nights Stays! Also Consider Buying a Package Deal that Includes the Maid of the Mist Boat, Trip Under the Falls, Transportation on the Shuttle and the Butterfly Conservatory which is Very Nice to Visit!(This is on the Canadian Side)

 

[AlanB]

If you like to Gamble the Canadian Casinos are Tax Free IF you Win and won't Report to the IRS! :lol:

Of course, anything over $10,000 must be reported to US Customs when you cross back over the border. And Customs will send that info along to the IRS who will then be happy to send you a bill for the taxes. Failure to disclose that info can result in huge penalties and even jail time.

So don't win too much money!

 

[had8ley]

If you like to Gamble the Canadian Casinos are Tax Free IF you Win and won't Report to the IRS! :lol:

Of course, anything over $10,000 must be reported to US Customs when you cross back over the border. And Customs will send that info along to the IRS who will then be happy to send you a bill for the taxes. Failure to disclose that info can result in huge penalties and even jail time.

So don't win too much money!

We don't need to lose a poster... and I don't think they're transporting Federal prisioners by rail.....yet. But ya know what; with the new bag dorms coming on you never know !!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[boxcar479]

Thanks a lot Mike.... ...Can you suggest any budget hotels near the fall?

The Rex hotel in Ontario is highly rated, if not #1 on Trip adevisor. I haven't stayed there. But I am going To NF Canada in the next week. With rates for this hotel at around $75. I will definetly check it out. We will be there a couple of days and leave from BUF to CHI on the LSL then continue on to SFC on the CZ. Hoping for a great trip

 

[the_traveler]

Of course, anything over $10,000 must be reported to US Customs when you cross back over the border.

Win over $10,000 in a Casino?

I'm lucky if I win $1!

 

[TransitGeek]

Gambling is a tax on those who do not understand statistics.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Of course, anything over $10,000 must be reported to US Customs when you cross back over the border.

Separately transporting two or more sets of monetary instruments that are each below the declaration limit but exceed $10,000 in combined value can still get you into trouble. Carrying foreign instruments that are below the limit when you start your journey but increase in value prior to your entry due to fluctuations in exchange rates can also get you into trouble. Even carrying a single set of instruments just slightly less than $10,000 can still get you in trouble by giving the appearance of trying to intentionally avoid declaring. The penalty for not declaring perfectly legal transfers can include the loss of all monetary instruments being transferred at that time! Seems a little harsh, don't you think? As if that wasn't bad enough a large percentage of paper currency in actual circulation has trace amounts of residues from various controlled substances and this less than obvious fact can be used to claim the money you're transferring was involved in or intended to be involved in a drug transaction, potentially bringing even more charges and penalties to the bearer. In the past it was not easy for US Customs and Border Protection to detect large amounts of money leaving the US, but now that the TSA has decided they have the right to unreasonable search and seizure of anyone's property you'd better declare everything to everyone or risk losing access to it for years, if you ever see it again at all.

Gambling is a tax on those who do not understand statistics.

In most respects you are absolutely correct. It's also a tax on those who are simply wired to suffer from gambling addiction. However, if you're sitting at a video poker bar and slowly losing somewhere around $50 but easily drinking over $100 worth of comped name brand cocktails I might consider that a positive outcome. ^_^

 

[The Journalist]

However, if you're sitting at a video poker bar and slowly losing somewhere around $50 but easily drinking over $100 worth of comped name brand cocktails I might consider that a positive outcome. ^_^

Heh. I do this ALL THE TIME. My inexplicable good luck on some machines means I'm in the black on gambling even without the booze, but the booze makes it even better!