Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail vacation

Seattle, Vancouver & Victoria Rail Journey

One-way independent rail journey through Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria

Seattle, Vancouver & Victoria Rail Journey, a rail journey with Amtrak Vacations

Amtrak Vacations runs this 7-day independent rail journey starting and ending in Seattle, with stops in Vancouver and Victoria. The first two days are spent in Seattle, exploring the city's restaurants, arts scene, and shops on your own before a sightseeing tour that takes in the Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit. On day 3, the Amtrak Cascades carries travelers to Vancouver, where a hop-on, hop-off tour and the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park fill the following day. A ferry crossing then reaches Victoria, the self-described 'City of Gardens', for a visit to Butchart Gardens and an evening among the city's Victorian architecture, shops, and restaurants before the return journey to Seattle. Because there is no guide and hotels are chosen from a list of options across tiers and cities, this suits independent travelers who are comfortable planning their own days in each stop.

What to know before you look closer

  • The 16 listed hotels are accommodation options across price tiers and cities, not a fixed run of consecutive stays; the hotel you actually get depends on the tier and city option you choose.
  • Inclusions run on different seasonal calendars: the Seattle hop-on, hop-off tour runs May to September (replaced by a guided Seattle city tour otherwise), while the Victoria hop-on, hop-off tour and Butchart Gardens admission run February to December with no substitutions available outside that window.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Seattle

    Your Journey Begins in Seattle

    Welcome to Seattle! Travel on your own to your centrally located hotel and start your exploration of the city, its restaurants, arts scene and shops.

  2. Day 2overnight: Seattle

    Seattle, WA

    A hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour, a ride to the top of the Space Needle and a visit to the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit, plus a city tour of Pike Place Market, Seattle Center, Seattle's Waterfront, and Pier 66.

  3. Day 3overnight: Vancouver

    Seattle to Vancouver

    Travel to the Amtrak station and journey to Vancouver, British Columbia; check in to your hotel and use your included admission to the Vancouver Lookout.

  4. Day 4overnight: Vancouver

    Vancouver, BC

    A hop-on, hop-off loop sightseeing tour of Vancouver's most popular areas (Downtown, Stanley Park, Chinatown, Gastown, Granville Island) and a visit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.

  5. Day 5overnight: Victoria

    Vancouver to Victoria

    Depart on the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, the "City of Gardens"; check in to your hotel and use your hop-on, hop-off tour pass to explore Victorian architecture.

  6. Day 6overnight: Victoria

    Victoria, BC

    Visit to the famous Butchart Gardens, featuring over 55 acres of manicured grounds, blossoms and fragrances; explore Victoria's shops and restaurants in the evening.

  7. Day 7

    Your Journey Ends in Seattle

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Ride to the top of the Space Needle and visit the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit as part of the Seattle city tour.
  • Day 3Travel to Vancouver on the Amtrak Cascades and use the included admission to the Vancouver Lookout.
  • Day 4Take a hop-on, hop-off loop through Stanley Park, Chinatown, Gastown, and Granville Island, then walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
  • Day 6Visit Butchart Gardens, more than 55 acres of manicured gardens, blossoms, and fragrances outside Victoria.

Included

  • 6 nights' hotel accommodations
  • One-way Amtrak® in Coach accommodations from Seattle to Vancouver on the Cascades®
  • One-way ferry service from Vancouver to Victoria and Victoria to Seattle OR Vancouver

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes. The package includes one-way Amtrak Coach travel on the Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver, plus one-way ferry service from Vancouver to Victoria and from Victoria back to Seattle or Vancouver.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is an independent rail journey. Travelers make their own way to their hotels and explore each city on their own; there is no tour guide with the group.
Which trains are used?
The Amtrak Cascades in Coach accommodations between Seattle and Vancouver.
What hotels are used?
The package offers 16 accommodation options across tiers and cities, including the Hampton Inn & Suites Seattle-Downtown, Hyatt Place Seattle Downtown, Hotel Andra Seattle MGallery, Crowne Plaza Seattle-Downtown, Embassy Suites Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square, Kimpton Hotel Vintage Seattle, Hampton Inn & Suites Vancouver-Downtown, and the Fairmont Pacific Rim.
What is not included?
Upgrading to a sleeping accommodation onboard the train, adding extra nights, picking a different accommodation, and additional sightseeing are listed as optional extras, not included in the base price.

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