Vancouver Rail Passengers Can Now Clear US Customs in Canada

The first rail preclearance site for U.S. customs has opened in Vancouver’s Pacific Central station, allowing passengers travelling on the Amtrak Cascades train to have their bags and person vetted before leaving Canada. The preclearance site, similar to the U.S. customs sites at major Canadian airports, has been years in the making. 

Up until now, the train would stop at the border in Blaine, Washington for a customs check, adding extra time to the schedule while passengers were cleared by customs during the check. 

Other cross-border trains operate between Montreal and New York City (the Amtrak Adirondack) and between Toronto and New York City (VIA/Amtrak Maple Leaf). According to Transport Action Canada, currently the schedules build in up to two extra hours to account for the time it takes for customs at border crossings. Transport advocacy groups hope that preclearance sites will eventually open at other Canadian rail stations too.

Related: US Preclearance at Canadian Airports Under Fire

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