Between Portland & Vancouver BC-More Amtrak

[shootingstar]

Starting mid next week, Amtrak will be adding an additional train to enable a person to ride between Portland & Vancouver BC in half a day. Until after Feb. 2010.

This also means a choice of 2 daily train departures between Seattle and Vancouver.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/second-train-to-run-along-portland-vancouver-route/article1250171/

http://www.discovery.org/a/12021

Of course, those who want to drive will do so anyway. Flying is fine if you want to pay alot more cost to ship your bike also.

'Course there's cycling between 2 cities..in good weather and more time to do it.

[teigyr]

I'd say Amtrak is trying to get into some of the '10 winter Olympics action.

For the transport companies, it is in the back of their minds.

[shootingstar]

2010 organizers and border authorities in Canada and U.S. are also predicting some longer border wait lineups for cars/trucks. So trains most likely will be used and will be very convenient. Vancouver's train station is downtown, across the street from local rapid transit train station..or just walk 20 min. to where the opening & closing ceremonies will be held. It's that close.

Even if less spectators come from the U.S., there will be the international media nearby who want to report a bit of the action either at venues or public celebration points. Gotta find a story in the middle of winter. :p What else happens besides Valentine's Day?

I heard 3 wks. ago, that all the major local hotels are completely booked up right now for the 2010 Olympic period and this is JUST for the media, infrastructure people, dignataries.

[shootingstar]

As noted in article: just the press alone will be 10,000 people downtown during the Olympics.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Record+breaking+audience+tune+Vancouver+2010+Olympic+Games/1899772/story.html

Vancouverites will have to plot their weekly shopping trips for wierd hrs. during Feb. 2010. I can't quite even imagine cycling through this even though we know there will be some non-car routes temporarily created downtown.
Just to give an idea of spectator capacity of 1 of the Olympic venues (ie. opening and closing ceremonies). Maximum seating capacity for 1 of our stadiums for 1 downtown event is: 50,000 people.

They are promoting heavily non-car alternatives for local travel.