EVERETT, Wash. — Anyone who’s thinking of taking the train to Vancouver, B.C., for the 2010 Winter Olympics might want to make a reservation now.

The two Amtrak Cascades trains that make a daily trip into Vancouver are already about 50 percent booked for the Olympics, which begin Feb. 12. Usually, trains don’t start filling up until two weeks in advance, said Vickie Sheehan, a spokeswoman for the state Rail and Marine Office.

The good news for riders is that there are two trains per day to Vancouver when six months ago there was only one. Previously, a morning train went across the border into Vancouver while an evening train went no farther than Bellingham.

This is because Canada would have had to pay an extra $1,500 per day for its customs agents to work in the evening to handle the passengers, and the state would have had to pay Canada in compensation, Sheehan said. This would cost more than $500,000 per year.

Last summer, Canada agreed to accept the night train on a trial basis through the Olympics with no charge to Washington state. If Canada decides enough money-spending tourists are riding the train to make it worth the customs expense, the arrangement could continue beyond the Olympics, Sheehan said.

The decision will be based on the period from mid-August, when the night train began its run to Vancouver, through January, Sheehan said.

By BILL SHEETS, THE DAILY HERALD >>> continue reading

USA West By Train: The Complete Amtrak Travel Guide

…