Amtrak Vacations

Portland and Seattle Getaway Roundtrip from Chicago

Chicago to Portland and Seattle rail roundtrip via the Empire Builder

Portland and Seattle Getaway Roundtrip from Chicago, a rail journey with Amtrak Vacations

Amtrak Vacations runs this 9-day, 8-night Portland and Seattle Getaway as a roundtrip package from Chicago, riding the Empire Builder for 2 nights onboard on the way out, with views of the Lewis and Clark trail, the Mississippi, the North Dakota plains, and Glacier National Park in Montana. In Portland, the package includes a multi-day hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour that runs June through October, with a sightseeing cruise substituted the rest of the year. In Seattle, a guided city tour and the Seattle CityPASS bring you to the Space Needle and Seattle Aquarium, plus a choice of three more attractions, with time to shop and dine at Pike Place Market before the return journey to Chicago. In total, 4 of the 8 nights are spent onboard the train, which suits travelers who want the long-distance rail journey to be as much a part of the trip as the two cities.

What to know before you look closer

  • The Portland hop-on, hop-off tour runs June to October; outside that window it is replaced with a sightseeing cruise of Portland.
  • The Seattle CityPASS gives a choice of 3 of 4 extra attractions (Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Museum of Pop Culture, Woodland Park Zoo, Chihuly Garden and Glass), so only your chosen three are included, not all four.
  • Half of the nights on this trip, 4 of 8, are spent onboard the train rather than in a hotel, so time actually spent in Portland and Seattle is more limited than the 9-day length suggests.
  • The operator publishes no day-by-day itinerary for this package; confirm the hotel split between Portland and Seattle with them before booking.

Included

  • Roundtrip Amtrak® in Coach accommodations from Chicago to Portland; Portland to Seattle; Seattle to Chicago onboard Amtrak®
  • 4 nights' hotel accommodations; 4 nights' onboard Amtrak
  • Multi-day hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of Portland (seasonal June-October; sightseeing cruise substituted otherwise)
  • Sightseeing city tour of Seattle
  • Seattle CityPASS® including Space Needle and Seattle Aquarium, plus choice of admission to 3 of: Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Woodland Park Zoo, Chihuly Garden and Glass

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. Roundtrip Amtrak Coach travel is included from Chicago to Portland, Portland to Seattle, and Seattle back to Chicago.
Do I sleep on the train?
Yes, 2 nights aboard the Empire Builder are explicit on the Chicago to Portland leg, and the roundtrip totals 4 nights onboard Amtrak.
What will I see from the train?
The Lewis and Clark trail, the Mississippi, the North Dakota plains, and Glacier National Park in Montana.
What is included besides the train?
4 nights' hotel accommodations, a hop-on, hop-off Portland tour (or cruise substitute), a Seattle city tour, and the Seattle CityPASS.
When does the Portland tour run?
The hop-on, hop-off tour operates June through October; a sightseeing cruise of Portland substitutes for it the rest of the year.
How many nights are spent in each city?
The evidence pack does not specify the split; 4 total hotel nights are included across Portland and Seattle.

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