BoltBus to offer up $1 trips between Vancouver and Seattle
Posted May 18, 2012 1:07 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It could revolutionize travel between Seattle and Vancouver.
It’s called the BoltBus and it offers some one-way bus trips for as low as a dollar.
The new competition for Greyhound and Amtrak comes two years after the federal government came under enormous pressure to come up with funds to keep a second daily Amtrak trip running between the two cities. The money was needed to pay for the extra border guards needed to check passengers as they cross the border.
While Amtrak service is plagued with frequent cancellations, thanks to track conditions, Walt Judas with Tourism Vancouver doesn’t expect the budget bus will replace the Amtrak service between the two cities.
“The Amtrak service is unique. It’s a nice trip. It’s convenient. There are so many things that are appealing about a train versus other modes of transportation,” he says.
“Any time we can bring visitors from out of town from into the city, no matter how they get here, that’s good for tourism.”
While fares for BoltBus are as low as a dollar, the average cost of a one way trip between Seattle and Vancouver is about $8.
Meanwhile, tourism numbers so far this year are better than last year’s. BC received about 11 per cent more international overnight visitors in March 2012 than March 2011.
Judas points out visitors from emerging economies are increasingly important.
“India, China, Brazil, Mexico, we are seeing pick up in some of the international markets.
Visits by Mexicans trailed after visitor visas were imposed in 2009, but Judas says the situation has been helped by an expedited visa process.
And the Japanese are beginning to travel again, as they slowly get over the trauma from last year’s earthquake and tsunami.
