WA: Looking to ride Amtrak from Bellingham? You’ll have to catch a bus instead of the train

Amtrak removed almost all of its passenger train cars in the Northwest from service this week, turning the growing Cascades railroad corridor into a bus route indefinitely.

The national passenger rail carrier cited safety concerns in a statement at its website.

“We discovered corrosion in several Horizon rail cars and, while working with the manufacturer, decided to remove the equipment from service after learning of additional areas of concern from intensive inspections of multiple cars,” Amtrak representatives said. “The removal of this equipment from service will affect services on several routes: Downeaster, Hiawatha, Borealis, and Amtrak Cascades.”

That leaves just one train serving the Northwest, and it runs between Seattle and Eugene, Ore.

All other scheduled runs will be via bus on a service shared with the Washington State Department of Transportation, Amtrak said.

“Until further notice, buses have been chartered as substitute transportation for most scheduled trains. Bicycle reservations will be honored on the buses,” Amtrak said.

In the meantime, Amtrak is moving other passenger carriages from its fleet to places where they are needed.

“Amtrak will notify the states of Washington and Oregon as soon as a plan is in place to move replacement trains to the Pacific Northwest,” Amtrak said.

The Washington State Department of Transportation and Amtrak rolled out its first sustainable electric bus in August 2023. Amtrak/Courtesy to the Bellingham Herald

This week’s service disruption comes as Amtrak is rebuilding its fleet and enjoying a surge in ridership both in the Northwest and across the nation, according to previous Bellingham Herald reporting.

Ridership rose 41% last year on its route between Portland and Vancouver, B.C.

The Amtrak Cascades route carried 941,727 passengers in 2024, Amtrak said in a statement at its website. In its December service update, the Washington State Department of Transportation reported ridership of 739,000 passengers from January through September 2024, a 36% increase over the same period in 2023.

WSDOT said the addition of extra daily trains contributed to the increased ridership.

In addition, Amtrak is working to modernize its fleet, with new cars coming in 2026 with added features such as Wi-Fi, cushioned headrests, electrical plugs, USB ports and improved lighting.

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