Hi everyone - VAC to ORL

[Guest_Malrothien_*]

I've been reading these forums for the past couple of weeks - thank you for all the info! I am moving back home to Orlando from Vancouver, BC, and will be bringing 5 boxes with me.

I just have a question about boarding the Cascades at VAC. The ticketing/checked baggage windows don't open until 6am, with the Cascades leaving at 6:40am. I'm starting to get worried about the short time frame there. I am a US citizen, if that makes any difference as far as pre-clearance through customs. Would it be a better idea for me to go, say, Thursday and get my tickets then, so that all I will have to do is check baggage then go through customs?

Pre-thanks.

 

[TransitRider]

I've been reading these forums for the past couple of weeks - thank you for all the info! I am moving back home to Orlando from Vancouver, BC, and will be bringing 5 boxes with me.
I just have a question about boarding the Cascades at VAC. The ticketing/checked baggage windows don't open until 6am, with the Cascades leaving at 6:40am. I'm starting to get worried about the short time frame there. I am a US citizen, if that makes any difference as far as pre-clearance through customs. Would it be a better idea for me to go, say, Thursday and get my tickets then, so that all I will have to do is check baggage then go through customs?

Pre-thanks.

My suggestion is FedEX or UPS to Orlando location then go on Train to Orlando. Because Amtrak will not be able to carry boxes from your location. Anyone please correct me if I am wrong but they dont have the service for that.

Thanks

 

[Guest_Malrothien_*]

VAC to ORL does have checked baggage service since I am taking the Cascades, not the thruway bus.

 

[Rafi]

Honestly,

I think your best bet is to call the VAC baggage office and ask them for their recommendation.

Rafi

 

[Malrothien]

Hehe, Rafi, we must be on the same brain wave.

I did call Amtrak and I am able to bring in the checked baggage prior to the day of travel, so we will do that on Thursday.

 

[wayman]

My suggestion is FedEX or UPS to Orlando location then go on Train to Orlando. Because Amtrak will not be able to carry boxes from your location. Anyone please correct me if I am wrong but they dont have the service for that.

Not only do they have service for that, but five boxes will cost him a whopping total of $20 if he's traveling alone, or be free if he has a traveling companion without additional boxes to check. Probably saves well over $100 to ship by train!

 

[Malrothien]

Yep, $20. Fedex is $400 shipping via ground.

 

[zephyr17]

Hehe, Rafi, we must be on the same brain wave.
I did call Amtrak and I am able to bring in the checked baggage prior to the day of travel, so we will do that on Thursday.

You cannot do that at VAC on the Amtrak Cascades, regardless of what Amtrak reservations says. It is different than any other Amtrak station, and is not standard. I ride the train frequently and know the drill -- it is different because you go through US Immigration BEFORE boarding the train, and all your luggage must accompany you through US Immigration, and it works the same whether or not you are a US citizen.

How it works at Pacific Central Station (VAC) is you line up and check-in with the conductor for the train with all your luggage, both carry on and checked. Once checked-in, you proceed through US Immigration with all your bags. Once you clear US Immigration you go out onto the "sealed" platform (Vancouver's somewhat famous "train jail" - a platform track surrounded by a 12 foot chain link fence). At the baggage car, trainside, you check your bag with a train crew member, who can tag it for anywhere in the system.

Don't worry about extra time -- as I noted, the baggage check-in at VAC is actually part of the boarding procedure. But do leave yourself a good amount of time. For the afternoon train at least, there is a cutoff, if you are not there at least 15 minutes before departure, you won't be allowed to board.

PS - the station isn't really "open" at 6am. It isn't staffed by Amtrak, and the VIA staff are not there that early. The "open" is really when the Amtrak train crew gets there and opens things up for the procedure described above. Have your tickets in advance, because the ticket counter is manned by VIA, although they can issue Amtrak tickets, it will not be open. Just the Amtrak train crew will be to check you in.

The VIA baggage room does not handle Amtrak bags at all, except to parcel check them if you want them held during the day instead of carrying them around.

 

[varnish]

Hehe, Rafi, we must be on the same brain wave.
I did call Amtrak and I am able to bring in the checked baggage prior to the day of travel, so we will do that on Thursday.

You cannot do that at VAC on the Amtrak Cascades, regardless of what Amtrak reservations says. It is different than any other Amtrak station, and is not standard. I ride the train frequently and know the drill -- it is different because you go through US Immigration BEFORE boarding the train, and all your luggage must accompany you through US Immigration, and it works the same whether or not you are a US citizen.

How it works at Pacific Central Station (VAC) is you line up and check-in with the conductor for the train with all your luggage, both carry on and checked. Once checked-in, you proceed through US Immigration with all your bags. Once you clear US Immigration you go out onto the "sealed" platform (Vancouver's somewhat famous "train jail" - a platform track surrounded by a 12 foot chain link fence). At the baggage car, trainside, you check your bag with a train crew member, who can tag it for anywhere in the system.

Don't worry about extra time -- as I noted, the baggage check-in at VAC is actually part of the boarding procedure. But do leave yourself a good amount of time. For the afternoon train at least, there is a cutoff, if you are not there at least 15 minutes before departure, you won't be allowed to board.

PS - the station isn't really "open" at 6am. It isn't staffed by Amtrak people, and the VIA staff are not there that early. The "open" is really when the Amtrak train crew gets there and opens things up for the procedure described above. Have your tickets in advance, because the ticket counter is manned by VIA, although they can issue Amtrak tickets, and it will not be open. Just the Amtrak train crew will be to check you in.

Zephyr17, you're spot on !!

As a local resident and frequent '' observer' , this is exactly how it works.

The station building itself is opened for people to start lining-up , well before06;00hrs. Staffing is extremely limited until 06;00hrs, but if the OP has his tickets already, he does not need staff assistance at all. The only that will matter is the lead AMK person who handles the checkin from about 05;15hrs...and from that point, C&BP folks do their thing, and one moves onwards and ''drops'' his checked luggage with another AMK attendent on the platform.

Acutally works quite smoothly....except for folks having to drag their luggage.....but that does not take that long...

Cheers

 

[Malrothien]

Hmm, okay. I have 5 boxes that average 40-50lbs each. It's not exactly easy to move those along. I can get my tickets before hand, that's not an issue and we will be there prior to 6am ready to line up, I guess.

 

[GAT]

Hmm, okay. I have 5 boxes that average 40-50lbs each. It's not exactly easy to move those along. I can get my tickets before hand, that's not an issue and we will be there prior to 6am ready to line up, I guess.

Another thought....You might want to check with US BPA in Vancouver and ask specifically whether your boxes have to remain unsealed until they can inspect the contents. With that many boxes, they may want to be sure you're not bringing in commercial goods, other dutiable effects, or contraband. I fthey need to remain unsealed, don't forget to bring a roll of packing tape!

 

[Malrothien]

Hmm, okay. I have 5 boxes that average 40-50lbs each. It's not exactly easy to move those along. I can get my tickets before hand, that's not an issue and we will be there prior to 6am ready to line up, I guess.

Another thought....You might want to check with US BPA in Vancouver and ask specifically whether your boxes have to remain unsealed until they can inspect the contents. With that many boxes, they may want to be sure you're not bringing in commercial goods, other dutiable effects, or contraband. I fthey need to remain unsealed, don't forget to bring a roll of packing tape!

Funny you should say that. :lol: I was putting together my 'to do' list and had on there packing tape for that very reason. I'm only going to do a single strip of tape on the boxes (since we have a small car and have to stuff the boxes in there) so they can easily cut it open to inspect. I do have an excel spreadsheet of what is in every box already printed out.

 

[Cascadia]

It's fun to read other people describing the procedure at Pacific Central since I do it so frequently.

My boyfriend took that early train not long ago and he did make a point of going to the station a few days before to pick up his ticket since the VIA counter isn't open as early as the train leaves.

I can see where you couldn't check your luggage in advance for the reasons posted above, but I never would have thought you could go and check your baggage the day before when getting organized for a long trip elsewhere! That sounds like kind of a sensible thing to do when leaving from a place that isn't an international departure.

When you go through customs at VAC, they run your bags through an X-ray machine. If your boxes fit in there that is probably good enough, but you are smart to think you might have to re-tape them closed if they search them manually.

A lot of the staff around the whole boarding procedure is station security staff and VIA staff and they are very helpful so if there is a problem I am sure they can round up some extra tape or whatever is needed.

If you did ship FedEx and pay the 400.00 you quoted, would you still be liable for import duties on top of that? I know when I stayed in Vancouver for a while, I shipped a few boxes UPS and was charged 30 to 35.00 a box for customs fees, I paid the driver on delivery. I think that is because if you ship stuff over the border, someone has to walk your stuff through a customs inspection, and that is what you are paying for? There are whole businesses that provide that service.

Make sure your boxes don't exceed the weight limit, they will make you take stuff out, another reason to have lots of tape with you.

That is a long trip! Sounds like an adventure. Will you be in sleepers? What routes are you taking?

 

[Malrothien]

Hi, Cascadia.

When I looked up the quote on Fedex, it was just a single quote, no mention of import fees. I just hope that I don't have to ship anything.

I've weighed all the boxes twice now and nothing is over 50lbs. I'm bringing along a smaller, empty box just in case to spread things around if anything does end up higher. I am also bringing tape with me.

I'm in sleepers the entire way. My route is AC -> EB -> CL -> SM. I had actually only gotten sleepers until Chicago, but my dad and grandmother bought me the other two because they didn't want me in coach by myself, lol.

 

[AlanB]

In that case, be sure to take advantage of the Metropolitan lounge in Chicago in between the Empire Builder and the Capitol Limited; it's much nicer than the regular waiting room and as a sleeping car passenger you're entitled to use the upgraded facilities in the lounge. You'll also get early boarding for the Capitol too.

 

[Malrothien]

I definitely plan on using the lounges! Will take advantage of the wifi available.

 

[Cascadia]

Are you leaving this weekend then? You sound pretty organized. That will be a nice trip on the Cascades, and then you connect with the EB in Seattle? You will have some time to kill in Seattle between trains?

 

[Malrothien]

I leave today in just over 2 hours, lol. If Cascades is on time, I'll have 5 hrs to kill in Seattle.