VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Amtrak's twice-a-day service between Vancouver and Seattle will continue until at least the end of September. The provincial government has just completed talks with Washington State to keep the popular passenger rail link open through the summer tourist season.
But for the arrangement to be permanent, it will need the federal government's cooperation. That's because of the need for Canada Border Services agents to check passengers crossing the border, which requires extra federal money for staffing.
Independent transportation economist Stephen Rees says it's a shame Ottawa doesn't see the value of making long-term funding commitments, since the corridor has been identified by the Obama administration as suitable for future high-speed train service.
The second daily Amtrak Cascades train began service on August 19, 2009 as a pilot project, running through the end of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. During the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Amtrak Cascades train service carried over 11,000 passengers.