Sorry for my absence for the last few days. I spent last Thursday and Friday in Seattle for a super short vacation. I took the train down to Seattle for the first time. It was also my first time using Amtrak via their Amtrak Cascades service.
Using the train is about an hour slower than driving or taking the bus but in terms of comfort, there’s really no beating the train. The seats are more spacious. You can actually get up and walk around during the train ride. The bistro car provides you with food and drink. You can even hang out in the dining car that has tables. The railroad tracks are also next to water about 80% of the time, which makes it a particularly scenic route.
If you’re tech-focused, all the trains have wi-fi and every seat has a power outlet. Amtrak says they don’t support video streaming services but I found that YouTube was available to me. I also saw lots of people doing work on their computers.
As for the border crossing and associated logistics, I found it to be a lot less stressful than the airport. There’s still passport checks and customs but you don’t have to get herded into a security line and get subjected to body scanners. Don’t get me wrong, I love flying but the train is just overall a less stressful experience.
If I had to go to Seattle again, I’d definitely consider the train again.