Amtrak Cascades now has firm details on an extra round-trip train route it is adding between Bellingham and Seattle, in an effort to assist travelers affected by the May 23 Interstate 5 bridge collapse in Skagit County.
The new temporary route, which will begin service on Friday, May 31, will depart from Fairhaven Station in Bellingham at 5:15 p.m, according to Amtrak.
On the other end, it will depart from Seattle at 8:15 a.m. Running time for the round-trip will be around two hours and 40 minutes.
If passenger demand persists, the added route could remain in service until the Skagit River Bridge is fully repaired, rail officials said.
Rather than the standard, “European-style” Amtrak trains, the extra route will use Sound Transit’s “Sounder” trains, which do not feature food-service cars like those found on Amtrak’s.
In addition to station stops in Seattle and Bellingham, trains will also stop for passengers in Mount Vernon, Stanwood, Everett and Edmonds. Amtrak Cascades Thruway Buses also offer 10 additional trips through the area daily.
The added service was created through a partnership between Amtrak, BNSF Railway, the Washington State Department of Transportation and Sound Transit.
Ticket information is available online at www.AmtrakCascades.com or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL. The lowest-priced tickets for Seattle-Bellingham will be between $17 and $23 one-way, according to the company.
