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Imagine traveling internationally without middle seats, popping ears, or TSA checkpoints. Dream of bringing four suitcases for free, and picture ever-changing views out the window throughout the journey.
That was my reality on the Amtrak Cascades train, which runs through the Pacific Northwest and has coach and business-class seating.
I took it from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle in May 2025. My $50 train ride in coach was less than half the price of airfare and way more comfortable and enjoyable than any basic economy flight I've booked.
My ticket to ride the Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle was less than half the price of flying.
When I planned my trip from Vancouver to Seattle, I looked at train and flight prices. About a month before my trip, basic economy airfare was about $150 on airlines such as Delta and United, among others. So I was shocked when I saw that the Amtrak train cost only $50 in coach.
Sure, it was four hours long, compared to the roughly one-hour flight time, but I love traveling by train. And since sustainability experts say it's more sustainable than flying, especially for short distances, I was confident with my decision to go with Amtrak.
I arrived at Pacific Central Station at 5:45 a.m. for my 7 a.m. train to Seattle.
Before my trip, I received an email from Amtrak suggesting I arrive at least one hour before departure, since we were crossing the US-Canada border during the trip.
I filled out a customs declaration form inside the station and stood in the coach line to board after business-class passengers. Before getting to the platform, there was a brief customs stop, but no security checkpoints as you'd find in an airport.
Before boarding, I dropped off my free checked bag at the back of the train.
While the coach cars were toward the front of the train, a crew member directed me to the back first to drop off my checked bag.
Amtrak passengers can check up to two bags at no charge and two more for $20 each.
Travelers can also bring one personal item and two carry-on bags. There's overhead bin space and a luggage rack inside each train car.
To recap, that's up to four suitcases for free — more than I've ever experienced on a flight.
I had just one suitcase and a backpack, but this could save a lot for a traveling family or a heavy packer.
Seating in the coach cars was first-come, first-served, and there were no middle seats.
Two sets of two seats were on either side of the train, so no one would get stuck in the middle.
I grabbed a seat in an empty row and had the entire ride to myself. But even if the train had been crowded, there were no bad seats. I would have been comfortable by the window or the aisle.
The seats felt larger and more comfortable than those on economy flights.
I settled into my seat at 6:35 a.m., and the train departed right on time. I immediately noticed the seats were bigger and cushier than any basic economy flight seats I've booked. I also had more legroom than I've had on most flights.
The seats reclined and had power outlets, overhead reading lights, and tray tables.
The bathrooms were more than twice the size of any I've seen on a plane.
Each car had two restrooms. Unlike on a plane, where there's only enough floor space for my two feet, these bathrooms were large enough for me to move around in.
There were also two power outlets. I imagined I could comfortably conduct my morning routine in there if needed, from brushing my teeth to doing my hair.
After departure, I headed to the café car.
I'd been awake for nearly three hours by the time we departed, so I was more than ready for breakfast.
No attendants passed by offering snacks and beverages, as I've experienced on flights. Instead, Amtrak trains have a café car that sells various snacks, such as chips, candy, muffins, and cookies. They also had salads and microwaved meals, including breakfast sandwiches and Cup Noodles.
For $8, I got a breakfast sandwich and a bottle of water.
I brought my meal back to my seat and used the tray table in front of me.
I wasn't expecting my microwaved sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich to be very tasty, but it exceeded my expectations for a meal heated up in a sealed plastic bag. While it didn't taste as good as the breakfast sandwiches I've had in Amtrak's dining cars on overnight trains, it filled me up and was more satisfying than any meal I've had in the air.
Once I fueled up, I stared out the window at the passing views through British Columbia.
Even as a frequent flyer, I still find the views from an airplane during takeoff and landing pretty surreal. But the view doesn't change once in the air, save for sunsets, sunrises, and passing clouds.
That's not the case on a train. Instead, passengers can see every inch of the route as the train passes through rural towns, cities, and natural environments.
I love getting a glimpse of these in-between places. Seeing farms, shorelines, and clusters of houses in British Columbia made me ponder what it would be like to live there.
Once we hit the border, the train stopped for about 30 minutes.
During the half-hour the train was stopped at the US border, passengers weren't allowed to use the café car or bathrooms as patrol agents boarded to check passports and take a declaration form filled out at Pacific Central Station in Vancouver. They also asked international passengers about where they were going, why they were going there, and how long they planned to stay.
I spent the rest of the journey working on my laptop, thanks to free WiFi.
I had access to complimentary WiFi throughout the journey. And since my trip was three hours longer than a flight would have been, I appreciated being able to use the time productively.
The train arrived on time at 11:40 a.m.
When we arrived at Seattle's King Street Station, I headed to the baggage claim belt and waited about 10 minutes for my suitcase to arrive.
Even though the train trip was longer than a flight, it was much less stressful than air travel. The ease of navigating a train station compared to an airport, a more comfortable seat, and a lower price point made it worth the long-haul ride.
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Joey Hadden is a travel reporter and photojournalist at Business Insider based in NYC. She covers transportation modes, alternative lifestyles, and luxury travel. Many of Joey's stories are visual features that give readers a front-row seat to her personal experiences at home and around the world.Joey graduated from St. Edward's University in May 2019 with a BA in Photocommunications. Since joining BI in 2019, Joey has traveled by train in seven different countries, from day trips to overnight rides as long as 30 hours. She's ridden on many different train lines, including Amtrak, Via Rail, and the iconic Orient Express of the 21st century, among others. During her travels, she's slept in countless accommodations — five-star hotels, unique tiny homes, and private train cabins, to name a few.When traveling in North America, Joey takes readers inside the continent's wealthiest enclaves where billionaires hide away, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Medina, Washington. She spends her free time singing and playing drums for the indie-rock band Blanket Approval. You can follow Joey on Instagram or send her an email at jhadden@businessinsider.com.Popular ArticlesI spent $1,000 to have a room to myself on a 30-hour Amtrak ride. It was the best experience I've had on an overnight train in the US.I booked basic economy flights with Delta and United. They felt like 2 completely different classes.I went on an adults-only cruise for the first time, and 8 things surprised meI spent 2 nights in a 2-story, 100-square-foot tiny home in Germany that was smaller than any I've seen in the USStep inside the richest city in Arizona, where wealthy Californians are flocking for private mountainside estates
