Passenger train connecting Vancouver to Seattle, Portland returning in September
The Amtrak Cascades passenger train is expected to resume operations between Vancouver and Seattle in September, for the first since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amtrak previously said the trains wouldn't return to Vancouver until the end of the year, citing ongoing staffing shortages.
"Earlier plans called for a December return to Canada, but Amtrak was able to advance the schedule," the company wrote on Twitter.
Cascades connects 18 cities down the west coast of Canada and the U.S., reaching as far south as Portland, but service into British Columbia has been suspended since March 2020, when the border was closed to non-essential travel.
Vancouver passengers were eventually given the option of boarding a bus and connecting onto the Cascades in Seattle. It's unclear whether people who have purchased bus tickets for this fall will be given an opportunity to take the train instead.
The service boasts "spectacular" views of forests and ocean, along with a bar car, hot food and free onboard Wi-Fi.
"Rail travel frees your eyes from the road, providing more opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Pacific Northwest scenery," reads the Washington State Department of Transportation website.
Prior to the pandemic, about 159,000 people rode the Cascades between Vancouver and Seattle annually.
Earlier this year, Washington state officials approved US$150 million in spending to study the possibility of building a high-speed rail service from B.C. to Oregon – a project that could eventually replace the Cascades, but is expected to take decades to build and estimated to cost at least $42 billion.
A previous business case analysis on the possible rail line, released in 2019, estimated it could zip people between Vancouver and Seattle in under 60 minutes.
With files from The Associated Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.