Canadian Border Crossings are Down: New Amtrak Trains will Improve Rail Service

Cross-border personal vehicle traffic between Washington and British Columbia is down significantly since President Donald Trump took office, but train crossings remain steady. Amtrak, which operates its Cascades line between Portland, Oregon. and Vancouver, B.C., is investing in the region but faces a unique set of challenges in its expansion.

Data from the Whatcom Council of Governments shows a 35 percent drop in southbound cross-border traffic among B.C. registered vehicles in 2025 compared to 2024. Whatcom County border towns, which rely heavily on Canadian consumers to stimulate their economy, have said that their businesses and economies are struggling greatly amid increased fear and uncertainty over border crossing practices.

Crossing complexities

Catherine Skrzypinski, a journalism professor at Western Washington University who contributes to Salish Current and other publications, is a frequent rider of the Amtrak Cascades route between Bellingham and Vancouver. She holds a U.S. passport, a Canadian permanent residency card and a Nexus card, which is an easy-access card for frequent crossers of the U.S. Canadian border. Skrzypinski said traveling across the border is still smooth sailing for her.



“There have been instances where I’ve noticed the U.S. border (guards are) more intense with their questions—not toward me, but because you’re in the train you overhear those conversations,” Skrzypinski said.

https://www.postalley.org/2026/06/10/canadian-border-crossings-are-down-new-amtrak-trains-will-improve-rail-service/