With a fantastic exchange rate, many people are jumping in their cars and heading to Seattle. You see rows of B.C. licence plates when you hit the border, and on weekends it can take hours to cross.

There is a better way. Not only is taking the train a lot more fun than sitting in a vehicle, it’s kinder to the environment.

For years, Amtrak has been running the daily Cascades train service to Seattle. But the timing of the trains is inconvenient for weekend trips and makes day trips impossible. (The train departs Vancouver at 5:45 p.m. and returns from Seattle at 7:40 a.m.)

Since August, however, Amtrak has been running a second daily Cascades train with a much better schedule. It’s the same train that runs roundtrip between Portland, Oregon, and Bellingham, Washington; the route was extended to Vancouver as a pilot project for the Olympics.

According to an Amtrak news release, this second Vancouver run has proven so popular that the pilot project is being extended to September 30. The service could become permanent, but that depends on ridership and a go-ahead from the Canadian Border Services Agency. The CBSA wants a longer trial period to assess the costs of the additional customs services and whether they are viable.

So what’s it like to ride the rails across the border? I did the trip and found it fun, easy, and economical.

The worst part may be getting up early to catch the train, which departs from Pacific Central Station near Main and Terminal Streets at the ungodly hour of 6:40 a.m. That said, it’s worth arriving at the station just after it opens at 6 a.m. because seats are assigned on check-in. Requests are granted at Amtrak’s discretion; ask for seats on the right-hand side of the train, which is by far the most scenic, as the train hugs the coastline going south.

Everyone clears customs in Vancouver before they board the train. At the border, you can see the Peace Arch through the window, but the train speeds right past without stopping. Sweet!

The trip to Seattle takes almost four-and-a-half hours, so there’s plenty of time to make up for an early alarm with a snooze. The leather seats are comfortable, and there’s a counter-service bistro car with reasonably priced food, including organic granola, burgers, salads, and Washington state microbrews.

I found that the journey went by quickly and was very relaxing. Instead of fighting traffic, I read, napped, and gazed out the window. At times, the train ran right next to the ocean and offered tremendous panoramas. The pastoral Skagit Valley also offered pleasing views on both sides of the train.

You arrive in Seattle at 11:05 a.m. From King Street Station, it’s a block to Seattle’s Ride Free bus area, where you can catch a bus anywhere downtown for free between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily.

The train returns to Vancouver at 6:50 p.m. Northbound, U.S. customs officers board the train at Blaine, while passengers clear Canadian customs upon disembarkation in Vancouver at 10:50 p.m.

Like airfares, train fares fluctuate. A one-way ticket to Seattle runs US$35 to US$57. Factoring in gas, it may compete costwise with driving—especially if you stay a couple of nights in a downtown hotel that charges $35 per night just for parking. You can bring a bike on the train for a nominal fee.

For information and reservations, see www.amtrakcascades.com/.