Vancouver BC bus connection to Coast Starlight

[BCL]

At the border, about 90 minutes away, we all disembarked the bus, picked up our luggage and presented ourselves to border patrol personnel in Blaine, Washington.

Well as an aside - not really Border Patrol. Border Patrol are generally far more serious and their primary mission is interdicting illegal crossers.

It's CPB, which used to be the US Customs Service under the Dept of Treasury. Their main concern was collecting duties until the Dept of Homeland Security (which is kind of an ominous sounding name) took over the function and made entry issues the primary concern.

 

[tp49]

What made finding the bus departure point difficult...I've never been to the Vancouver station....do buses depart from other locations at the station, besides where you boarded in front?

I'd guess because the bus station portion is in the back of PCS on the south side of the station. I took Bolt between Vancouver and Seattle a couple years back and the bus arrived and departed from there and a number of other buses were there as well. I don't know if any other bus boards from the front of PCS. Would be interested to know.

 

[Yumacool]

The Vancouver station is a shared facility by several organizations -- Via (which operates only the tri or bi-weekly Canadian), Amtrak, Greyhound, and Bolt Bus. There could be others I am not aware of. The Greyhound and Bolt buses depart from behind the station, from what I could see. On first arriving at the station, we asked a taxi driver where to board the Amtrak bus for Seattle and he directed us to the Greyhound area, which was incorrect. As one faces the station, the bus was against the curb to the left. It was not painted as an Amtrak bus -- a sign would have been nice. There are Amtrak personnel on duty within the station and they know where to direct people. For anyone planning to take this bus to connect with the Coast Starlight, plan to arrive at the station at 5 a.m. and you will be in good shape. I never asked anyone, but I have a feeling Amtrak would hold the departure of the Starlight in Seattle if this connecting bus was ever reasonably late.

 

[ehbowen]

I never asked anyone, but I have a feeling Amtrak would hold the departure of the Starlight in Seattle if this connecting bus was ever reasonably late.

That's general policy because this is sold as a guaranteed connection; if you miss it then it's Amtrak's responsibility to catch you up with your train or else take care of you until you can be reaccommodated on a later one. Easiest all around to hold the train for what is really a fairly short bus trip.