Originally Posted by
jec6613
This is due to your performing a border crossing and starting in Canada. You cannot E-Ticket the Amtrak Cascades, either, you need to collect in person, unless something's changed. I've never tried it leaving the US going to Canada, but at least leaving Canada heading to the US you must pick up your ticket in person or by mail,
The border crossing has nothing to do with it. The previous posts were correct in that the Thruway segment is what makes this a non e-ticketable itinerary.
As of last summer, the Cascades, like all other trains in the Amtrak system, are e-ticketable regardless of origin or destination. If your Cascades journey includes a connection to/from a Thruway bus, then the entire trip is not eligible for an e-ticket. The only Thruway bus routes that use e-tickets as of now are certain California routes.