Chicago to Vancouver BC. Train goes to Seattle, then we catch the bus to Vancouver. There doesn't seem to be a lot of time from when the train arrives and bus leaves. (made reservations through Amtrak) So.. wondering if its safe to check my bags or put them on the lower level (have a roomette). Don't want to wait too long for bags and miss the bus. Or, maybe that's not a problem?
Baggage Car or not?
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rickycourtney
Conductor
You won't need to worry about it. If your bags are checked, Amtrak will transfer them from the train to the bus for you,
ehbowen
Engineer
Just make sure that they're checked all the way through to your final destination--Vancouver, BC.
the_traveler
Engineer
And the bus will not depart until all passengers and bags get on. If the train is 20 minutes late, the bus departs 20 minutes late. If the train is 5 hours late, the bus departs 5 hours late! the bus is only for Amtrak passengers, so if it were to leave the bus would be empty!
Acela150
Super Buff
Bear in mind folks that this bus isn't run by Amtrak.. And the bags if checked would not be transferred to the bus, they would be picked up by the rider at baggage claim and put under the bus by the OP. I'm sure non Amtrak passengers ride this bus.
I believe that Amtrak station personnel will take bags to the bus, but passengers must claim them in Seattle. Remember that passengers must be together with their bags for customs inspection at the border. I don't know exactly how that is done, since I've never taken the cross-border bus, but I believe that the bags are taken out of the compartment and everyone has to take them into the customs facility for inspection. If there are any bags that are not claimed, the whole bus has to wait until the owner is determined.
On northbound SEA-VAC trains, from my observation, it's done somewhat differently. All customs inspections are done at Vancouver's Pacific Central station. Any checked luggage will be offloaded from the baggage car and placed on the platform. Passengers claim their luggage there (carts are available), and proceed into the station for processing.
Southbound is similar, with passengers processed in Vancouver station (there is an x-ray machine that I've only seen used southbound, not northbound). Once passengers are through customs, they can take their luggage to the baggage car if they wish to check it; train personnel will stow it.
On northbound SEA-VAC trains, from my observation, it's done somewhat differently. All customs inspections are done at Vancouver's Pacific Central station. Any checked luggage will be offloaded from the baggage car and placed on the platform. Passengers claim their luggage there (carts are available), and proceed into the station for processing.
Southbound is similar, with passengers processed in Vancouver station (there is an x-ray machine that I've only seen used southbound, not northbound). Once passengers are through customs, they can take their luggage to the baggage car if they wish to check it; train personnel will stow it.
rickycourtney
Conductor
I recently made the trip over the border by bus and that's exactly what they do. They pull up to a building, all the passengers on the bus go inside the building for customs inspections, meanwhile another customs agent inspects the bus, after all the passengers and the bus are inspected everyone reboards and the trip continues north. The whole process was very efficient on the Canadian side and took about 30 minutes, the US side was typically 'murican (understaffed with slow and surly agents) and took about 50 minutes.
The X-Ray is a US Customs & Border Patrol thing. They inspected everyone's bags at the bus border control facility for prohibited items.
The Canadians seem to have more intimidating agents, but they also trust that you're not lying to them.
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