What is "CBN" ?
Jun 5, 2007, 9:30 pm
#2
In Memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: New York, NY, USA
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At the moment I can't for the life of me think of what CBN actually means, but it's got something to do with the Canadian Border. When that train crosses the border into Canada it stops running with Amtrak crews and starts running with a crew from VIA Rail, Canada's version of Amtrak. The train even gets a new train number when it crosses the border.
You however don't even have to move out of your seat. They do customs right on board the train, the new crew boards the train, and off you go in the very same car.
You will also get two tickets, one to hand to the Amtrak crew, one to hand to the VIA Rail crew.
You however don't even have to move out of your seat. They do customs right on board the train, the new crew boards the train, and off you go in the very same car.
You will also get two tickets, one to hand to the Amtrak crew, one to hand to the VIA Rail crew.
Apr 26, 2014, 11:38 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2002
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Wow, this is an old thread that got bumped...
I took the Leaf recently from Toronto to NYC and at Niagara Falls, NY, we deboarded into a special room for passport checks and declaration forms (not the regular station). We were allowed to leave hand luggage on the train, but it was to have had a special transborder tag given out in Toronto. This was a different process from both the Cascades (border control in the Vancouver station) and, if I recall correctly, the Adirondack (done onboard with border agents who got on from a wayside hut).
Worth noting, in case it applies to anyone, is that Nexus cards are accepted when crossing at CBN, though you get no special priority handling. This is what you would expect since it's a WHTI-compliant land crossing document, but the Nexus paperwork doesn't say so explicitly.
Wow, this is an old thread that got bumped...
I took the Leaf recently from Toronto to NYC and at Niagara Falls, NY, we deboarded into a special room for passport checks and declaration forms (not the regular station). We were allowed to leave hand luggage on the train, but it was to have had a special transborder tag given out in Toronto. This was a different process from both the Cascades (border control in the Vancouver station) and, if I recall correctly, the Adirondack (done onboard with border agents who got on from a wayside hut).
Worth noting, in case it applies to anyone, is that Nexus cards are accepted when crossing at CBN, though you get no special priority handling. This is what you would expect since it's a WHTI-compliant land crossing document, but the Nexus paperwork doesn't say so explicitly.
Apr 29, 2014, 11:18 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: AA Plat,AS MVP Gold, Hilton Gold, Accor Plat, Amtrak(all routes, VIA same, AUS 90%)
Posts: 382
Slightly off-topic but
At the moment I can't for the life of me think of what CBN actually means, but it's got something to do with the Canadian Border. When that train crosses the border into Canada it stops running with Amtrak crews and starts running with a crew from VIA Rail, Canada's version of Amtrak. The train even gets a new train number when it crosses the border.
You however don't even have to move out of your seat. They do customs right on board the train, the new crew boards the train, and off you go in the very same car.
You will also get two tickets, one to hand to the Amtrak crew, one to hand to the VIA Rail crew.
You however don't even have to move out of your seat. They do customs right on board the train, the new crew boards the train, and off you go in the very same car.
You will also get two tickets, one to hand to the Amtrak crew, one to hand to the VIA Rail crew.
That train had the most amazing club car: an upright piano to accommodate musicians with gigs NYC, etc. Alas, all gone now.
Apr 29, 2014, 11:45 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DTW/FNT
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Posts: 4,823
Couldn't resist- when taking the old Montrealer and living in NYC I would go to DC for the beginning of the trip. The border crossing at Rouse's Point, C&I would knock at bedroom door, me:"Entree SVP." Very European, always full of intrigue to see the pax taken off, refused entry into Canada.
That train had the most amazing club car: an upright piano to accommodate musicians with gigs NYC, etc. Alas, all gone now.
That train had the most amazing club car: an upright piano to accommodate musicians with gigs NYC, etc. Alas, all gone now.
More recently, they made everyone coming into the US get off at Port Huron and stand outside the train w/ all their luggage and wait to be cleared.
Not a fun experience when the weather was good and even worse in the winter.
Bob H
Last edited by BobH; May 1, 2014 at 6:12 am
Apr 30, 2014, 7:30 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 236
yup, it stands for Canadian Border.
Don't make the mistake I did back in October. Amtrak printed (and I believe still does) two tickets on ticket stock for the NYP to Toronto trip (NYP to CBN and CBN to Toronto). I mistook the CBN to Toronto ticket for my receipt and left it at home. The VIA crew which reboarded the train after clearing customs was not amused or sympathetic -- it cost me an additional $55 bucks on board to get to Toronto.
Other than that it was a great trip.
Don't make the mistake I did back in October. Amtrak printed (and I believe still does) two tickets on ticket stock for the NYP to Toronto trip (NYP to CBN and CBN to Toronto). I mistook the CBN to Toronto ticket for my receipt and left it at home. The VIA crew which reboarded the train after clearing customs was not amused or sympathetic -- it cost me an additional $55 bucks on board to get to Toronto.
Other than that it was a great trip.