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Starting next year, all US immigration and customs inspections for AmtrakCascades passengers will be consolidated at Pacific Central station in Vancouver BC, eliminating the current customs stop at Blaine. This new procedure is part of a recently announced trade agreement between Canada and the United States called "Beyond the Border". The agreement will make it easier for goods and people to cross the border and it specifically includes a provision that will speed up border crossing for rail passengers using Amtrak. I don't know how much time this will save passengers on the Maple Leaf or the Adirondack, but Cascades riders will save at least 15 minutes on the trip back to the USA.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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That's good news although the stop last time we did the Southbound trip wasn't bad with a view of the town of White Rock on one-side and the water on the other. Inevitably, there was one passenger who decided that the request to remain seated applied to everyone except him. He was escorted back to his seat by a CBP officer.
On our last cruise we were cleared by U.S. Customs as we boarded in Vancouver. It made it much easier when we reached our first port (Kailua-Kona, HI). On a previous cruise that originated in Ensenada we had to go through customs/immigration on board in Lahaina before being allowed to disembark.
Frank in dark and cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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This is good news...... but of course of the three Amtrak routes which cross the Canadian border, the Cascades have had the least difficulty with customs delays all along.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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