Passenger Trains > Spokane Layover

I've been there before, but can't really remember the neighborhood around the Amtrak station. If a guy arrived at around 10 p.m. and wasn't leaving until 4 a.m., would there be ANY coffee shop, hotel lobby, anyplace at all to pass the time? I'm taking #8 over and #7 back. Of course, westbound could be really late, we'll see. $90.00 round trip. Heck, I can remember when it was less than $30.00.

Ed

there is a hotel not faraway that has good views of the track, take a quick shower watch trains even if you don't sleep



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/14 16:21 by dan.

When I did a similar trip in late May, I went to Ephrata. That gave me a good night's sleep. It was a 1.5 mile walk to the Best Western but there was plenty of time (even for an on-time #7). There's even a Subway along the way.

There is a Travelodge within a couple of blocks of the station but I tried to call them to be assured of getting a room and the call went to voice mail which was full. The station in Ephrata is basically a couple of benches out in the open so I wasn't going to take a chance on not having a room thus the Best Western.

Looking at Google Maps, there doesn't seem to be much near the station in Spokane so I thought that Ephrata was a much better bet. YMMV.

About 3 blocks west of the Amtrak station is the Wave Island Sports and Sushi Bar (525 W 1st Ave); it is open until midnight on M, T, and Th, and until 2 am on W, F, Sat, and Sun. Formerly known as "RAW." New owner recently. https://plus.google.com/113352759189858065850/about?hl=en&gl=us
I've eaten there and enjoyed the California rolls; has plenty of TVs to watch sports.

Across the street from the east driveway to the Amtrak station is nYne Bar & Bistro. It's open Tues thru Sat until 2:00 am. Owners are same sex couple, so Spokane's LGBT community likes the place; gets good reviews from non-LGBT patrons. https://plus.google.com/108130572336218572856/about?hl=en&gl=us
I haven't been to nYne yet.

Get off in Essex, spend a comfortable night at the Essex Inn, get on the next night and go on to Seattle or Portland.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/14 18:43 by a737flyer.

Or Sandpoint. Nice hotel on the lakefront, quick walk from the station.

I've done what you are doing several times except it was with #28 and #27. And, it was before they messed with the schedules so at that time there was only a couple hour layover.

There is a snack bar (restaurant?) upstairs but it always closed before #27 left. It seems to stay open until a Greyhound arrives sometime after midnight.

Those benches in Spokane rank near the top as the most uncomfortable I've ever seen for waiting a couple of hours.

Last month I did #8 to Spokane and spent a couple nights in a hotel. Then #27 back to PDX. Got to see the country on both lines west from Spokane which I've never been able to do. The second night I watched the AMTRAK train tracker and saw I was going to have a five hour late #27 so got most of a nights sleep before going to the station.

jb

It'll be interesting to see how late #7 is that day. If really late, then I would find a hotel. I also would have liked to come back via PDX but the arrival in PDX and connecting time to a Cascade Talgo make it too 'iffy'. (Plus $30.00 more). Thanks for the tips. Yeah, next time maybe Whitefish and back. I did turn at Essex some years ago, but frankly, the Izaak Walton is too expensive. Did it once, that's enough.

Ed

I once did a turn-back at Libby, MT. It's a safe place.

I took a taxi to the Northern Quest casino to kill time during my last trip to Spokane (behind 4449 going...Builder back to Vancouver, WA). Even made a few bucks...

I've just done 28 and 27 through Spokane. During the long station stops there was a BNSF freight train about every 15 minutes. They ran on the tracks south on the platforms. If you are in the mood, I wasn't, the platform lights are quite bright and photography seems quite possible since the trains run pretty slow.


Marty Bernard