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 | |  |  | Cars / Taxis / Motorhomes: Driving to Seattle from Vancouver | Tip Rating:    |  |  | |  |
I normally drive to Seattle from my home city of Vancouver, about a 3 hour drive north, in Canada. Unless you plan to fly, the fastest way into Seattle is by car, however you must take rush hour and border line-ups into consideration.
First, there are no actual freeways running through the city of Vancouver. In order to leave the city limits, you must drive through regular city streets - typical stop and go traffic. Once out of the city limits, you would drive for about 40 minutes along Hwy 99 until you reach the border. During rush hour, Hwy 99 can be backed up, so tack on an extra 20 minutes. In general, I say it takes an hour to drive from Vancouver to the USA-Canada border.
Second, even though Seattle has its freeways running through its core, it doesn't really move traffic any faster. Rush hour is brutal. You can sit in gridlock along I-5, moving one car length a minute, for over an hour. Heading southbound, I've been stuck in rush hour as far away as Everett! It's insane! Generally, I'd say it takes 2 hours to drive from the USA-Canada border to Seattle, but it can take 3 hours during rush hour.
Now, the biggest factor to determine the length of the drive between Vancouver and Seattle is the border crossing time. On long weekends, regular weekends in the summer, and on holidays, expect major delays... up to one hour. Listen to the local radio stations for border reports. Be sure to bring your proof of citizenship. That's a photo ID with your birth certificate, or your passport. If everything is legal and you present the appropriate documentation, than the process of going through the border crossing shouldn't take longer than 2 minutes. Just be wary of the length of the border before you go!
All in all, the drive between Vancouver and Seattle is very simple and easy. While it's not exactly the most scenic stretch of highway,The I-5 and Hwy 99 route between the cities is the most direct way or travelling without taking the farm roads or going out of your way. Leave a Comment Theme: Car/Motor Home
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