The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.
Amtrak’s Cascades rail service linking Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland broke ridership records last year, indicating a renewed interest in intercity rail travel in the Pacific Northwest, reports Kenneth Chan for Daily Hive. “Currently, Amtrak Cascades operates two daily cross-border round-trip trains between Vancouver and Seattle with four trains, six daily roundtrip trains between Seattle and Portland with 12 trains, and two daily roundtrip trains between Portland and Eugene with four trains.”
The service was shut down during the pandemic, then fully revived in March 2023. The line served over 985,000 passengers in 2024, up from 746,000 in 2023. “Furthermore, the Vancouver-Seattle segment saw its own record ridership in 2024, with 205,000 passengers using Amtrak Cascades at Pacific Central Station — up from 161,000 in 2023 and 169,000 in 2019.” The line began offering free fares for youth 18 and under in 2024 for trips within Washington state.
FULL STORY: Record-breaking year for Amtrak Cascades ridership between Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland
B.C. and Washington Seek High Speed Rail to California
Officials in the Pacific Northwest are calling for a high speed rail line that connects British Columbia with California.
What the US Intercity Rail System Could Look Like
An FRA study shows how new Amtrak lines could connect tens of millions more Americans to rail travel.
Opinion: Prioritize Amtrak, but Don’t Demonize Freight
A proposed bill would tighten enforcement of a 1973 law that gives passenger trains priority over freight shipments.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing
The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.
Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks
Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.
Forest Service Rescinds Tree Planting Grants
The $75 million program fell victim to the federal government’s purge of ‘DEI’-related projects.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research