Passenger Trains > Vancouver BC Seattle Cascade service

I'm looking at an Amtrak trip from Vancouver to Seattle later this summer. The published timetables (dated 1/2/18) show this as a Cascade service with business class. However when making a reservation, one can only purchase a reserved coach seat.

I've found several posts on TO from earlier in the year trip that mention substitute consists account of the Dec derailment on the new Point Defiance bypass route.

Can someone in the know confirm what type of consist is used on both Vancouver departures.

And can I ask why are the published Amtrak timetables not updated to reflect this?

Thanks
WP17

VAN-SEA trips are currently Superliners due to the continued shortage of Talgos. Amtrak derailed 2/7 so there aren't enough to even cover today's service w/o considering the extra round trips waiting on the Point Defiance bypass

Vancouver-Seattle trips are both covered by Talgo equipment since late May. You should be able to book business class on these trains. Sunday June 17 train 519 (Vancouver departure at 17:35) had the Mt Batchelor train set and a California Surfliner F59PHI.

cp1400



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/18 01:53 by cp1400.

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So I checked again this morning and wow, and business class fares are now displayed.

After a bit of exploring and troubleshooting, I discovered why I did not see business class fares yesterday. Yesterday I had selected a senior discount. When I select the default adult, business class fares are displayed.

I'm guessing senior discounts don't apply to premium class travel. I can accept that but the system makes it look like a senior can't even buy a biz class ticket at the full price. That does not seem right to me????

WP17


cp1400 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Vancouver-Seattle trips are both covered by Talgo
> equipment since late May. You should be able to
> book business class on these trains. Sunday June
> 17 train 519 (Vancouver departure at 17:35) had
> the Mt Batchelor train set and a California
> Surfliner F59PHI.
>
> cp1400

WP17 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So I checked again this morning and wow, and
> business class fares are now displayed.
>
> After a bit of exploring and troubleshooting, I
> discovered why I did not see business class fares
> yesterday. Yesterday I had selected a senior
> discount. When I select the default adult,
> business class fares are displayed.
>
> I'm guessing senior discounts don't apply to
> premium class travel. I can accept that but the
> system makes it look like a senior can't even buy
> a biz class ticket at the full price. That does
> not seem right to me????
>
> WP17
>

Lets hope Amtrak gets that glitch fixed. If that ends up in the wrong hands - won't be good for Amtrak.

WP17 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm guessing senior discounts don't apply to
> premium class travel. I can accept that but the
> system makes it look like a senior can't even buy
> a biz class ticket at the full price. That does
> not seem right to me????

If there is not a seperate ticketing for a senior discount, why would there be a seperate choice for a senior?

In other words, if there is nothing different about the ticket, the price, the amenities, so forth and so on, why would a choice of senior be needed?