Originally Posted by
AlanB
As mentioned in other posts, if you were using AGR points to "pay" for the trip, then you would get business class on the Surfliner and the Cascades train to Vancouver. But since you're paying for the trip, if you want the upgraded BC seats, you need to request and pay extra for them.
That makes sense. That's also in alignment with the way they handle segments and rewards travel. I don't have points to pay for the trip entirely using this method unless I get the credit card and wait until the points post.
On the Surfliner you do get coffee/juice/morning snack, but that's about it. On the Cascades train it can be far more advantageous to get the BC seat. First, the check in line is shorter. Second, second the seating is 2 & 1, meaning bigger seats and bit more leg room too. Third, you get a coupon for $3 towards anything in the cafe car. Finally, and perhaps most important IMHO, the business class cars are the first 2 cars to disembark in Vancouver. That means you get to clear customs before all the coach passengers.
Depending on just how many passengers were on the train that could easily mean 1 hour or more less time spent waiting to clear customs.
Unfortunately the Cascades trip is going to be southbound from Vancouver to Portland. That's still worth the upgrade as it's a significant trip, but there probably isn't much of a difference going southbound in terms of clearing customs.
As of the current schedule the only northbound Cascades train to Vancouver will leave Portland a couple of hours before the Coast Starlight gets there. Thus, the last portion of an estimated 43-hour trip is by bus. I would prefer to go by train, and maybe they fix the schedule to allow for that, but I'm not expecting that to happen.