I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

Nairavoice | Aug 27, 2026 2h ago 288 0 2 min read

I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

682cdcb5c6ad288d1481751c?format=jpeg I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

I wouldn’t even consider flying from Vancouver to Seattle now that I’ve taken the train.
I’d rather spend four hours in a coach seat on Amtrak than one on a basic economy flight.
Taking the train was also less than half the price, and I checked my bag for free.

My ticket to ride the Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle was less than half the price of flying.

682b8f493fe8d392836642e2?format=jpeg I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

I arrived at Pacific Central Station at 5:45 a.m. for my 7 a.m. train to Seattle.

682b8f7c3fe8d392836642ea?format=jpeg I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

Seating in the coach cars was first-come, first-served, and there were no middle seats.

682b908b3fe8d39283664326?format=jpeg I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

Once I fueled up, I stared out the window at the passing views through British Columbia.

682b96dac6ad288d14815a4e?format=jpeg I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

That’s not the case on a train. Instead, passengers can see every inch of the route as the train passes through rural towns, cities, and natural environments.

I love getting a glimpse of these in-between places. Seeing farms, shorelines, and clusters of houses in British Columbia made me ponder what it would be like to live there.

Once we hit the border, the train stopped for about 30 minutes.

682cd5b968a292900801d585?format=jpeg I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

During the half-hour the train was stopped at the US border, passengers weren’t allowed to use the café car or bathrooms as patrol agents boarded to check passports and take a declaration form filled out at Pacific Central Station in Vancouver. They also asked international passengers about where they were going, why they were going there, and how long they planned to stay.

I spent the rest of the journey working on my laptop, thanks to free WiFi.

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682b96753fe8d39283664484?format=jpeg I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

I had access to complimentary WiFi throughout the journey. And since my trip was three hours longer than a flight would have been, I appreciated being able to use the time productively.

The train arrived on time at 11:40 a.m.

682cd98bac40ae2b0c9e9413?format=jpeg I traveled in coach on an Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle for $50. It was cheaper and less stressful than flying.

When we arrived at Seattle’s King Street Station, I headed to the baggage claim belt and waited about 10 minutes for my suitcase to arrive.

Even though the train trip was longer than a flight, it was much less stressful than air travel. The ease of navigating a train station compared to an airport, a more comfortable seat, and a lower price point made it worth the long-haul ride.

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