Amtrak Cascades With Kids: A Trip Plan for Every Stop
Kids under 19 ride the Amtrak Cascades free inside Washington. I want to say that first, because it changes everything: a family of four can ride from Seattle to a beach in Edmonds, a rooftop children's museum in Everett, or a free streetcar in Tacoma for the price of the adults. The line runs from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon, with new Airo trains arriving this fall, and the stretch along Puget Sound north of Seattle is as pretty as any track in the country. My mom and I rode a piece of it once, years ago. Below is every stop and what to do when you get off.
By Kelsey Lizee Cecil. Checked against the Cascades timetable, WSDOT's youth fare rules and each attraction in October 2026. Hours change; read the "know before you go" notes.If you only have one day
- With a toddler: Seattle to Edmonds.Twenty-five minutes along the water, free for the kids, then a rocky beach, a fishing pier with ferries pulling in, and a sweet shop up the hill. Sounder runs the same way on weekdays. Jump to Edmonds.
- Ages 4 to 8: Seattle to Tacoma.Six trains a day, kids free, a car museum with slot cars two blocks from the platform, a free streetcar downtown, and a children's museum that costs whatever you choose. Jump to Tacoma.
- The big one: Seattle to Vancouver, BC.Four and a half hours along Puget Sound and the Chuckanut cliffs, a border crossing, and a city with a science dome, tiny ferries and an aquarium in a park. Passports for everyone. Jump to Vancouver.
Read this before you go
Three things to know. First, the Washington youth fare: riders under 19 ride free on trips that start and end in Washington, and under-16s need an adult. Book the kids as passengers and the fare comes up as zero. Second, the Vancouver trains need passports for everyone and, since June 2026, US preclearance inside Pacific Central Station, so arrive early southbound. Third, the new Airo trainsets started running this fall and the old Talgos are gone; the cars are different but the schedule is the same. Service alerts are on the Amtrak Cascades site (opens in a new tab), and this corridor gets occasional bus bridges for track work.
Tickets, seats, the bistro car, strollers and what to pack are all in our Amtrak Cascades parent guide. This page is the fun part: where to get off and what to do when you do.
Only two trains a day serve the stops between Seattle and Vancouver, BC, and the stops between Portland and Eugene. Those are all-day stops with a defined return time. The six-a-day stretch is Seattle to Portland.
Stop 1 of 18VAC2 trains a day to Seattle (7:25am and 4:55pm)
Vancouver, British Columbia Pacific Central Station
The northern end of the line, in another country. Pacific Central is a grand 1919 station with a park out front and a glass science dome a 10-minute walk away along the water. Since June 2026 the US border check happens inside the station before you board, so the train rolls straight through without the old stop at the border.
Science World's geodesic dome on False Creek, a 10-minute walk from the station, with a kids' gallery for under-sixes and a huge outdoor water play area in summer.
Right off the platform
- at stopPacific Central Station: a big waiting hall, restrooms, a cafe and the new US preclearance hall for southbound passengers.
- 1 minThornton Park out front, with lawns and a fountain.
- 10 minScience World at TELUS World of Science on False Creek: open daily 10 to 5, about $25 CAD for kids and more for adults; Wonder Gallery for ages 0 to 5.
- 10 minThe False Creek seawall, with the Aquabus mini ferries to Granville Island (kids love the tiny boats).
- 2 minSkyTrain's Main Street-Science World station, one block away, for downtown and the waterfront in 10 minutes.
Half a day between trains
- Walk 10 minutes to Science World (2 hours).
- Aquabus to Granville Island for the kids' market and the water park in summer (90 minutes).
- Walk back along the seawall for the train.
Make it a full day
Two nights in Vancouver: Stanley Park's aquarium and seawall, Granville Island, Science World, and the Capilano suspension bridge by bus. Then the 7:25am train south, which is the one that goes all the way to Portland.
Snack stop: Granville Island Public Market is the best snack stop in the city; the station has a cafe.
Out the window: Leaving Vancouver southbound the train runs along the Fraser River and crosses it on a big swing bridge, then along the water of Boundary Bay and Chuckanut Drive's cliffs south of Bellingham, which is the best stretch on the whole route. Right side southbound.
Passports for everyone, including babies. Southbound, arrive 90 minutes early for US preclearance in the station. Northbound, Canadian customs is at Pacific Central on arrival.
Stop 2 of 18BEL2 trains a day each way
Bellingham Fairhaven Station
The station is in Fairhaven, a Victorian brick village on the water with a bookstore the size of a block, a village green, a beach park a five-minute walk away and the Alaska ferry dock next door. It is one of the best small stops in the country for kids.
Marine Park, five minutes from the platform, where the beach is all smooth rocks and the kids can throw them into Bellingham Bay for an hour while the ferries come and go.
Right off the platform
- at stopA modern station shared with the Alaska Marine Highway ferry terminal; restrooms and a waiting room.
- 5 minMarine Park: a rocky beach, picnic lawns and a view of the bay and islands.
- 5 minFairhaven Village Green and the historic district: brick buildings, a bakery, a candy store and outdoor movies in summer.
- 5 minVillage Books, three floors with a children's room and a cafe.
- 10 minBoulevard Park along the water on the Taylor Dock boardwalk toward downtown, with a playground.
Half a day between trains
- Marine Park beach (1 hour).
- Village Green and the candy store (45 minutes).
- Village Books and a cafe lunch before the train.
Make it a full day
Beach in the morning, the Taylor Dock boardwalk to Boulevard Park, lunch in Fairhaven, and a bus up to Whatcom Falls Park where the creek has a swimming hole. Sleep in Fairhaven; the morning train to Seattle is 9:14.
Snack stop: Fairhaven's bakery and the candy store on the Green; Mallard Ice Cream downtown is the Bellingham thing.
Out the window: South of Bellingham the tracks hug the cliffs along Chuckanut Drive with the water right below. Right side southbound, left side northbound.
Only two trains a day serve Bellingham; check times. The second southbound comes through at 4:55pm from Vancouver.
Stop 3 of 18MVW2 trains a day each way
Mount Vernon Skagit Station
A transit center a 5-minute walk from a small riverfront downtown on the Skagit River, with a riverwalk, a playground and a toy store. In April, the tulip fields around town are the reason to come.
The Skagit Riverwalk, where the river is wide and fast and there is a plaza to sit on. In April, a bus or cab to the tulip fields.
Right off the platform
- at stopA transit center with a waiting room and restrooms.
- 5 minDowntown Mount Vernon's First Street: a toy store, a bakery and the Lincoln Theatre.
- 5 minSkagit Riverwalk Park, with a plaza, a path and a playground.
- at stopTulip fields in April, 5 to 10 minutes by cab; the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival runs all month.
- at stopChildren's Museum of Skagit County in Burlington, by cab, for ages 0 to 10.
Half a day between trains
- Riverwalk and playground (1 hour).
- Toy store and bakery on First Street (45 minutes).
Make it a full day
April: tulips in the morning, riverwalk and lunch, then the train. Otherwise, the Children's Museum in Burlington by cab and the riverwalk.
Snack stop: First Street bakery and a Mexican bakery a few blocks over.
Out the window: Farm fields, and in April rows of tulips in red and yellow on both sides.
Stop 4 of 18STW2 trains a day each wayour honest take: ride on
Stanwood
A small platform near Stanwood's old town, a few blocks from a Scandinavian-flavored main street. Camano Island's beaches are a drive away. Not a kids' stop.
If you are getting off, the pastries at the old-town bakery on 271st Street.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform with a shelter and parking.
- 8 minOld Town Stanwood: a bakery and a few shops.
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard.
Make it a full day
Skip, unless Camano Island is the destination and someone is picking you up.
Snack stop: The old-town bakery.
Out the window: The Stillaguamish River flats and farms.
Stop 5 of 18EVR2 trains a day each way, plus Sounder
Everett
A modern station with a children's museum a 10-minute walk away that is one of the best in the Northwest: three floors plus a rooftop playground, a tugboat and an airplane to climb into. Everett also has the Funko headquarters with a store full of giant figures, and the Boeing factory tour by cab for bigger kids.
The rooftop at Imagine Children's Museum, with its slides, climbing structures and a view of the water and the mountains.
Right off the platform
- at stopEverett Station: a big transit center with restrooms, a waiting room and bus bays.
- 12 minImagine Children's Museum at 1502 Wall St: Tuesday to Sunday 9 to 4, $22 per person, under 2 free; free the third Friday evening of the month.
- 12 minFunko headquarters store on Wetmore Ave, with life-size Pop figures everywhere.
- 15 minThe Everett waterfront and Jetty Island's beach by free summer ferry (reserve ahead).
- at stopBoeing Future of Flight tour in Mukilteo, by cab, for ages 6 and up.
Half a day between trains
- Walk 12 minutes to Imagine Children's Museum (3 hours).
- Funko store on the way back (30 minutes).
Make it a full day
Museum in the morning, lunch downtown, Jetty Island's sandbar beach by free ferry in summer (July to Labor Day), or the Boeing tour. Sleep in Everett or Sounder home to Seattle.
Snack stop: Downtown Everett's Colby Avenue cafes; the museum has a food truck inside.
Out the window: South of Everett the tracks run along Puget Sound with the water on the right side southbound for 20 miles to Seattle.
Jetty Island ferries are free but need a reservation in summer; the Boeing tour has a minimum age.
Stop 6 of 18EDM2 trains a day each way, plus Sounder
Edmonds
A platform right on the beach, next to a ferry dock, with a fishing pier, an underwater park and a tidepool beach all within three minutes, and a small downtown with a bakery and a sweet shop up the hill. For a toddler, this is the best stop between Seattle and Canada.
Stand on the Edmonds Fishing Pier and watch the Kingston ferry pull in next to you. Then go look for crabs under the rocks at Marina Beach.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small station with a waiting room and restrooms, across from the ferry terminal.
- 3 minBrackett's Landing beach and the underwater park, with tidepools at low tide and divers surfacing.
- 3 minEdmonds Fishing Pier, with a view of the ferries and Olympics.
- 8 minMarina Beach Park: a sandy beach, a playground and a dog beach.
- 8 minDowntown Edmonds: a bakery, a sweet shop, a bookstore and the Saturday market in summer.
- at stopThe Kingston ferry, 30 minutes across the Sound and back, as a ride.
Half a day between trains
- Beach and the pier (1 hour).
- Walk up to downtown for a pastry and the sweet shop (45 minutes).
- Marina Beach playground before the train.
Make it a full day
Ride the ferry to Kingston and back as the main event, lunch downtown, the beach all afternoon. Sounder trains to Seattle on weekdays make this a cheap short hop too.
Snack stop: Downtown Edmonds bakery and the Edmonds sweet shop; fish and chips by the ferry dock.
Out the window: The tracks run along the water the whole way from Everett to Seattle. Right side southbound.
Stop 7 of 18SEAEvery train; 6 a day to Portland
Seattle King Street Station
King Street Station's clock tower was copied from the one in Venice, and the waiting room has a compass rose set into the marble floor. The station sits at the edge of Pioneer Square, five minutes from a free gold rush museum where kids pan for gold, one block from the light rail, and 15 minutes from the waterfront wheel.
Walk across the compass in the Compass Room and have each kid stand on the direction you are about to travel. Then look up at the clock tower from the street and find all four faces.
Right off the platform
- at stopKing Street Station: the restored waiting room, restrooms, checked baggage and a ticket counter.
- 3 minOccidental Square in Pioneer Square, with giant chess, ping pong and food trucks.
- 5 minKlondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, free, with gold panning and a Junior Ranger badge.
- 1 minInternational District/Chinatown Link station, one block away, for the Space Needle area via Westlake and the monorail.
- 15 minThe waterfront, the Seattle Great Wheel and the aquarium along Alaskan Way.
- 8 minLumen Field and T-Mobile Park.
Half a day between trains
- Klondike Gold Rush museum and gold panning (45 minutes).
- Occidental Square snack (30 minutes).
- Waterfront walk to the Great Wheel and back (90 minutes).
Make it a full day
Seattle is a weekend: the aquarium and the wheel, the Space Needle and MoPOP by monorail, Pike Place's flying fish, and a ferry to Bainbridge as a ride. Stay near Pioneer Square and roll your bags to the station.
Snack stop: Occidental Square carts, International District bakeries, and Pike Place's piroshky.
Out the window: South of Seattle the train tunnels under downtown, passes the stadiums and follows the Duwamish industrial flats to Tukwila. North, it is the water all the way.
Kids under 19 ride free on Cascades trips within Washington (under 16 with an adult). Book it; the fare shows as $0.
Stop 8 of 18TUKMost Seattle to Portland trains, plus Sounderour honest take: ride on
Tukwila
A platform by the Green River with a mall a long walk away and the airport a bus ride away. Useful if you live nearby; not a stop to explore.
The Green River out the window, if you are counting rivers.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform with shelters and parking, shared with Sounder.
- at stopWestfield Southcenter mall, by bus or a 25-minute walk.
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard.
Make it a full day
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Warehouses and the Green River.
Stop 9 of 18TACEvery Seattle to Portland train
Tacoma Tacoma Dome Station
The station sits inside a 1909 freight house, two blocks from a museum of cars with a slot car track, and at the end of a free streetcar that runs downtown to a children's museum that costs whatever you want to pay and a glass museum with a hot shop. With six trains a day each way, this is an easy day from Seattle or Portland.
Ride the T Line streetcar, free, from the station to downtown. Then the slot cars at America's Car Museum on the way back.
Right off the platform
- at stopFreighthouse Square, the shopping arcade the station lives inside, with a food court and restrooms.
- 5 minLeMay America's Car Museum at 2702 E D St: Thursday to Monday 10 to 5; kids 4 and under free, 5 to 17 $16, adults $22; slot cars $5.
- 2 minThe T Line streetcar, free, every 12 to 20 minutes to downtown.
- 12 minChildren's Museum of Tacoma at 1501 Pacific Ave, ages 0 to 12, pay as you will; take the T Line to the Convention Center stop.
- 15 minMuseum of Glass and the Bridge of Glass; the hot shop is the draw.
- 15 minPoint Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, by bus or cab, with walruses and a great aquarium.
Half a day between trains
- America's Car Museum and the slot cars (2 hours).
- Lunch in Freighthouse Square (45 minutes).
- T Line to the Children's Museum or the Bridge of Glass and back (90 minutes).
Make it a full day
Car museum, Children's Museum, the Museum of Glass hot shop, dinner downtown, and a late train home. Or Point Defiance Zoo for the whole day by bus.
Snack stop: Freighthouse Square's food court; Pacific Avenue near the Children's Museum.
Out the window: South of Tacoma the tracks run inland on the Point Defiance Bypass, so the water views end here until Oregon.
The T Line is free. The car museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Stop 10 of 18OLWEvery Seattle to Portland trainour honest take: ride on
Olympia-Lacey
Despite the name, this station is in Lacey, in a field by the interstate, miles from Olympia's Capitol and waterfront. The volunteers are lovely and the depot is pretty, but there is nothing to walk to.
If Olympia is the destination, a 15-minute cab to the Hands On Children's Museum on the waterfront, one of the best in the Northwest.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small, clean volunteer-run depot with restrooms and a lawn.
- at stopHands On Children's Museum in downtown Olympia, by cab, about 15 minutes.
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard unless Olympia is the plan.
Make it a full day
Olympia day: cab to the Hands On Children's Museum, the Capitol's dome tour, lunch at the farmers market, cab back.
Snack stop: Nothing at the station.
Out the window: Farmland and the first real Northwest forest.
Stop 11 of 18CTLEvery Seattle to Portland train
Centralia
A 1912 brick depot right on the edge of a small downtown with antique malls, a candy shop, and a park with a splash pad a few blocks away. The Liberty Bell stopped here on a train in 1915 and three presidents have spoken from the platform. A good halfway stop between Seattle and Portland.
Tell them the Liberty Bell sat right here on a train car in 1915 and people lined up to see it. Then let them ring the bell at the antique mall counter.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe restored depot with a waiting room, restrooms and an elevator.
- 3 minDowntown Centralia's Tower Avenue: antique malls, a candy shop and the old Fox Theatre marquee.
- 8 minGeorge Washington Park, with a playground and a splash pad in summer.
- 5 minCentralia Square Antique Mall, three floors of things to not touch.
Half a day between trains
- Tower Avenue and one antique-mall treasure under five dollars (45 minutes).
- George Washington Park playground (1 hour).
- Lunch and the next train, about every two hours.
Make it a full day
Seattle or Portland families: ride down in the morning, do the park and the antique malls, lunch at Burgerville, and ride home.
Snack stop: Burgerville near the station, and Tower Avenue bakeries.
Out the window: Mount Rainier on the left side southbound north of Centralia on clear days. Wake a napping kid for it.
Stop 12 of 18KELEvery Seattle to Portland trainour honest take: ride on
Kelso-Longview
A friendly rebuilt depot with a 30-foot clock tower, a few blocks from a small downtown and the Cowlitz River. Fine for a stretch; not a destination with kids.
The clock tower outside the station, which gets a lit Christmas tree on top in December.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe depot and its clock tower.
- 6 minDowntown Kelso and the Cowlitz River path.
- 10 minTam O'Shanter Park, with a playground.
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard.
Make it a full day
Skip. Mount St. Helens is 50 miles east and needs a car.
Snack stop: A few diners downtown.
Out the window: The Cowlitz River, then the Columbia, wide and full of ships, on the right side southbound.
Stop 13 of 18VANEvery Seattle to Portland train, plus the Empire Builder
Vancouver, Washington
The last stop before the train crosses the Columbia River, with a 1908 depot in the rail yard beside the bridge. Downtown Vancouver, 15 minutes away, has the best big-city park playground on the route and a fountain that kids run through all summer.
Stay at the window as the train leaves southbound. You cross the Columbia on a long steel bridge, and the river is half a mile wide. Then the Willamette too. Two rivers in ten minutes.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small historic depot with a waiting room and restrooms.
- 15 minEsther Short Park: a huge playground, a splash fountain in summer, a Saturday farmers market and a glockenspiel clock tower that plays on the hour.
- 20 minThe Vancouver Waterfront, with a pier over the Columbia and wide lawns.
- 25 minFort Vancouver National Historic Site, a reconstructed 1840s fur trading fort with blacksmiths and a bake house; kids under 16 free.
Half a day between trains
- Esther Short Park, the clock and the fountain (90 minutes).
- Waterfront pier (45 minutes).
- Back on the train to Portland in under 20 minutes.
Make it a full day
A Portland-based day: Cascades up in the morning, Esther Short Park, lunch on the waterfront, Fort Vancouver's living history, and a Cascades back. Six trains a day each way make it easy.
Snack stop: The waterfront has ice cream; downtown near the park has a bakery and pizza.
Out the window: The Columbia River bridge is the show. Left side southbound for the river and the Portland skyline.
The walk downtown crosses rail yards and busy streets; keep little ones in the stroller until the park.
Stop 14 of 18PDXEvery train; 6 a day to Seattle, 2 to Eugene
Portland Union Station
The neon GO BY TRAIN sign on the clock tower is my favorite thing on this route, and it is right outside the station doors. Union Station sits at the edge of the Pearl District, with a Chinese garden, a bookstore the size of a city block and a fountain playground all within a 12-minute walk.
Walk out the front doors, turn around, and look up at the GO BY TRAIN sign. At night it flashes. The clock is wound by hand every seven days.
Right off the platform
- at stopUnion Station: a long waiting room with wooden benches, restrooms, Wilf's restaurant and a Metropolitan Lounge.
- 8 minLan Su Chinese Garden at 239 NW Everett: koi, bridges, a teahouse. Open daily 10 to 5:30; kids 5 and under free, 6 to 18 $15.
- 10 minJamison Square in the Pearl, a shallow tidal fountain where kids wade all summer, with The Fields Park playground across the street.
- 12 minPowell's City of Books on Burnside, with a children's room.
- 10 minTom McCall Waterfront Park and the Saturday Market under the Burnside Bridge (March to December).
- 3 minMAX light rail outside for the zoo (Washington Park) and OMSI.
Half a day between trains
- Lan Su Chinese Garden and the koi (1 hour).
- Jamison Square and The Fields (1 hour).
- Powell's children's room and a snack (1 hour).
Make it a full day
OMSI in the morning (the submarine for ages 5 and up), food carts for lunch, the Oregon Zoo by MAX, dinner in the Pearl. Sleep near the station and take a morning train either direction.
Snack stop: Wilf's inside the station, the Pearl Bakery on NW 9th, and Voodoo Doughnut in Old Town.
Out the window: South of Portland the train crosses the Willamette and runs through Oregon City with the falls off to the right.
Old Town between the station and Lan Su can feel rough in spots; the daytime walk is fine with a stroller on the main streets.
Stop 15 of 18ORC2 trains a day each way (the Eugene trains)
Oregon City
The end of the Oregon Trail, literally: an interpretive center where kids pack a covered wagon and dip candles, a free outdoor elevator up a cliff, and Willamette Falls, the second biggest waterfall by volume in the country, right beside the tracks. Two trains a day stop here, so plan it.
Ride the Oregon City Municipal Elevator, free, up the cliff from downtown to the neighborhood on top, and look down at the falls. Then the covered wagon at the interpretive center.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small platform with a shelter, near downtown.
- 10 minThe Oregon City Municipal Elevator, free, with an observation deck on top.
- 10 minWillamette Falls viewpoints along the river and from the elevator deck.
- 15 minEnd of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center: covered wagons, dress-up, butter churning and candle dipping (admission; check hours).
- 10 minDowntown Oregon City's Main Street cafes and a toy store.
Half a day between trains
- The elevator and the falls (45 minutes).
- End of the Oregon Trail center (90 minutes).
- Lunch on Main Street before the train.
Make it a full day
Add the Museum of the Oregon Territory on the bluff and the Clackamette Park playground at the river junction. Trains are sparse, so this is a day with a defined start and end.
Snack stop: Main Street has a bakery and a creamery.
Out the window: Willamette Falls on the right side southbound, right after the station.
Only the two Eugene trains stop here; the Seattle-Portland trains do not.
Stop 16 of 18SLM2 trains a day each way
Salem
A handsome 1918 depot a short walk from Willamette University and the state capitol, which has a gold pioneer on top you can climb up to see. Riverfront Park, with a carousel and a children's museum, is a 20-minute walk or a quick bus.
Climb the 121 steps to the top of the Capitol dome when the tower is open and stand next to the golden pioneer's feet.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe depot's waiting room and restrooms.
- 8 minWillamette University's campus and Mill Creek, with ducks.
- 12 minThe Oregon State Capitol: free, with a kids' tour and the dome climb in summer.
- 20 minRiverfront Park and Salem's Riverfront Carousel, hand-carved horses, around $2 a ride.
- 20 minGilbert House Children's Museum at the north end of Riverfront Park: daily 10 to 5, $14, under 1 free, Tuesday afternoons $7.
Half a day between trains
- The Capitol and the dome climb (1 hour).
- Riverfront Park carousel (1 hour).
- Gilbert House if there is time (90 minutes).
Make it a full day
Capitol in the morning, lunch downtown, Gilbert House and the carousel in the afternoon. With two trains a day, make it a full day either way.
Snack stop: Downtown Salem's State Street cafes, and the carousel snack stand.
Out the window: Hop farms and filbert orchards.
Stop 17 of 18ALY2 trains a day each way
Albany
Albany has a hand-carved carousel downtown built by volunteers over 15 years, a riverside park with a playground, and more historic houses than any town its size in Oregon. The 1909 station is a 10-minute walk from all of it.
The carousel at 503 W 1st Ave was carved by townspeople, one animal at a time, and the workshop is open to watch. Let your kid pick their animal, then go see how one gets carved.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe restored depot and restrooms.
- 10 minAlbany Historic Carousel and Museum, with rides for a few dollars and the carving studio.
- 10 minMonteith Riverpark on the Willamette, with a playground and summer concerts.
- 8 minThe historic downtown: Victorian storefronts and an old-fashioned candy store.
Half a day between trains
- The carousel and the carvers (1 hour).
- Monteith Riverpark playground (1 hour).
- Candy store on the walk back.
Make it a full day
Carousel, park, lunch, then a bus to Corvallis for Oregon State's campus and the Corvallis riverfront. Two trains a day, so plan the return.
Snack stop: The downtown candy store and a bakery on 1st Avenue.
Out the window: South of Albany the train crosses the Willamette and follows the valley past grass seed farms and sheep.
Stop 18 of 18EUG2 trains a day each way; the southern end of the Cascades
Eugene Eugene-Springfield
The southern end of the line, with a 1908 depot on the edge of downtown, a public market full of food five minutes away, and a riverside park with a playground built like a river ten minutes away. The Coast Starlight continues south from here once a day.
RiverPlay at Skinner Butte Park, a playground shaped like the Willamette with a stone boat, a cave and a water channel. Then look up at the butte and tell them you can climb it tomorrow.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe depot with wooden benches, restrooms and a staffed counter.
- 5 min5th Street Public Market: a food hall, a toy store, ice cream and a courtyard.
- 10 minSkinner Butte Park and the RiverPlay playground on the Willamette.
- 20 minAlton Baker Park across the footbridge, with a duck pond and the Eugene Science Center planetarium.
- 10 minDowntown Eugene's Saturday Market, April to November.
Half a day between trains
- 5th Street Market lunch (1 hour).
- RiverPlay at Skinner Butte Park (1 hour).
- Saturday Market if it is Saturday (1 hour).
Make it a full day
Overnight here. The Science Center and Alton Baker Park, the river path by bike (rentals downtown), a Ducks game in fall, and the morning train north or the afternoon Coast Starlight south.
Snack stop: 5th Street Public Market has everything, and Voodoo Doughnut is downtown.
Out the window: Arriving from the north, the Willamette and the butte on the right.
Ride the water
There is a stretch between Everett and Seattle where the tracks run so close to the Sound that at high tide the water is right under the window, and the ferries cross in front of you, and on a clear day the Olympics stand up across the whole horizon. My mom saw it once from a train, and she talked about it for years. I take my kids on that stretch every time we are in Washington, and it costs nothing for them, and I think about her every time.
Next in this series: the Coast Starlight, which shares these tracks from Seattle to Eugene and keeps going to Los Angeles, and the Empire Builder from Seattle and Portland east. Every route is on the Train Trips With Your Kids page.
Amtrak Cascades trips with kids: questions parents ask
Do kids ride free on the Amtrak Cascades?
Yes, within Washington. Riders under 19 ride free on Cascades trips that begin and end in Washington state, and riders under 16 must travel with an adult. Trips into Oregon or British Columbia use the regular half-price child fare for ages 2 to 12.
What is the best Cascades stop for a toddler?
Edmonds. The platform is across the street from the ferry dock, the beach and tidepools are three minutes away, and downtown with a bakery and a sweet shop is an easy stroller walk. The ride from Seattle is 25 minutes.
Do we need passports to take the train to Vancouver?
Yes, for every passenger including babies. Southbound from Vancouver, US customs preclearance happens inside Pacific Central Station before boarding, so arrive about 90 minutes early. Northbound, Canadian customs is at the station on arrival.
Which side of the Cascades has the water?
Right side southbound (left side northbound) between Vancouver, BC and Seattle, where the tracks run along Boundary Bay, the Chuckanut cliffs and Puget Sound. South of Tacoma the route is inland.
How long is Seattle to Portland on the Cascades?
About 3.5 hours, with six trains a day each way. The earliest Seattle departure is 7:10am and the last is 7:50pm. Tacoma, Centralia and Vancouver, Washington are the stops worth breaking the ride for.
Is there food on the Cascades?
Yes, a bistro car with snacks, hot food, coffee and kids' items, plus tables. On the new Airo trains the cafe is in the middle of the train. You can bring your own food too.
Which Cascades stops should we skip with kids?
Stanwood, Tukwila, Olympia-Lacey and Kelso are platforms with little to walk to. Everything else on the line has a park, a beach or a museum within 15 minutes of the train.
Can we get to Eugene from Seattle in one train?
Yes, two trains a day run Seattle to Eugene (7:10am and 2:20pm), about 6.5 hours, stopping at Oregon City, Salem and Albany. The other four Seattle trains end in Portland.
Sources and how I checked
- Amtrak Cascades timetable, October 2026 (Trains 500 to 519), and Amtrak station pages
- WSDOT and Amtrak Cascades: youth fare rules, Airo trainset introduction (September 2026) and the Vancouver preclearance facility (June 2026)
- Imagine Children's Museum, Children's Museum of Tacoma, America's Car Museum, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Gilbert House, Science World, End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center: hours and admission as posted October 2026
- Great American Stations and Wikipedia station articles for addresses and station history, cross-checked with Amtrak
- City park pages: Marine Park Bellingham, Brackett's Landing, Esther Short Park, Skinner Butte Park, Jetty Island ferry
Hours, prices and bus routes change. I update this page when they do; if you spot something out of date, tell me.