HOW TO CROSS THE BORDER BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA BY TRAIN

Are you planning to travel in train from United States to Canada or vice versa? Do you want to know if you need to process the entry visa? Do you need more information on what are the requirements for cross the border between the United States and Canada by train? We did it in both directions and then we explain our experience.

For processing purposes, there are two options:

- PLANE: You will need the corresponding tourist visa in each country. In the case of Spaniards, we need the ESTA if we travel from Canada to the United States, or the eTA if the trip is to enter Canada.

- BOAT, TRAIN AND BUS / CAR: If you make the passage from the United States to Canada, you will only need to show your passport, valid for more than 6 months until its expiration date. If on the contrary you make the passage from Canada to the United States, in addition to the passport you will have to have applied to the ESTA of the United States.

Ferries that circulate between the state of BC in Canada and the state of Washington in the United States are considered as land ports, so the treatment is the same. If you arrive on a cruise from another place, then it is like arriving by plane and you need to apply for the ESTA or eTA.

There are several train connections between the United States and Canada, and it seems to us one of the best ways to travel between these two countries. The trains are comfortable, the staff is super friendly, you have WiFi and a restaurant car and you can get up and take a walk when you feel like it. Eye, on other trips around the United States we have hit bus marathons, but this time we prefer this alternative. These were the trains we took:

♣ From the United States to Canada:

From New York to Niagara Falls (Ontario, Canada). The 63rd train, the so-called Maple Leaf Train. It leaves at 07:15 am from Penn Station and arrives at Niagara Falls (ON) at 16:33. Eye, because there is a part called Niagara Falls but on the United States side, don't get off at that one! We pay 88USD per person.

In New York with arriving 45 minutes before the station is enough. You will have to approach the counter where the train is indicated, show your ticket and passport, and they will seal the ticket to get on the train.

During the journey they distribute an entry form, which you will have to fill out. Upon arrival in Canada you have to go through a border control, where you will deliver this form and the agent checks your passport and asks you the typical questions. In total it took about 20 minutes since we arrived. They are usually majetes.

You do not need the I-94 or the Canadian eTA. More info.

♣ From Canada to the United States

From Vancouver (BC, Canada) to Seattle (WA, United States). We travel on train number 517, known as the Amtrak Cascades. The departure time is at 6:35 am and arrives in Seattle at 11 am. We pay 34USD per person.

In this case it is necessary to arrive at Vancouver station one hour in advance. Unlike the previous one, here border control is done before boarding the train. In the hall of the station you will see a post dedicated to travelers to the United States, there you have to pick up the border declaration form and fill it out. Then you will have to go through the US border agents, who are more fussy. They sent us to a room to do some checks.

During the journey they also do a quick check inside the train and upon arrival in Seattle there is no control.

In this case you will need the passport and have the United States ESTA.

Although in some websites it states that, in addition to the visa, it is necessary to fill in the I-94 form and pay it, it is really only necessary if you do NOT have the US ESTA. If you already have the ESTA it is not necessary to apply by this form.

• Keep in mind that if you travel from one to another and return (we went from the US to Canada through Niagara Falls and then we returned from Canada to the United States through Seattle), the remaining time is the same as the original of your first Entrance to the country. In the case of the United States, the total duration of the stay, including the trip to Canada, will be 90 days. While for Canada it is 6 months.
• These conditions are met for Spaniards and citizens of countries that are within the visa waiver program (VWP). You can view more information here.

The train company in the United States is Amtrak. You can book tickets on your own website or use an online search engine that searches and compares among all options. We used Wanderu and made reservations for both trains there. You can find some very interesting offers.

We hope that with this post we have resolved your doubts about how cross the border between the United States and Canada by train and what kind of documents are necessary.