Getting Here

Air Travel. It takes about 5 hours to fly nonstop to Portland from New York, 4 hours from Chicago, and 2½ hours from Los Angeles. Flying from Seattle to Portland takes just under an hour; flying from Portland to Vancouver takes an hour and 15 minutes. Portland International Airport (PDX; 877/739-4636 www.flypdx.com) is a sleek, modern airport with service to many national and international destinations. TriMet's Red Line MAX light rail (503/238-7433 www.trimet.org) leaves the airport for downtown about every 15 minutes. Trains arrive at and depart from just outside the passenger terminal near the south baggage claim. The trip takes about 35 minutes, and the fare is $2.30. By taxi, the trip downtown takes about 30 minutes and costs about $35.

Train Travel. Amtrak (800/872-7245) has daily service to Union Station from the Midwest and California. The Cascades runs between Seattle and Vancouver and between Seattle, Portland, and Eugene. The trip from Seattle to Portland takes 3½ hours and costs $28-$44. The Empire Builder travels between Portland and Spokane (7 hours, $75). From Portland to Eugene it's a 3-hour trip; the cost is $21-$35.

Bus Travel. Portland is the main hub for nearly all routes in Oregon, making it the most practical starting and ending point for most bus excursions. Buses arrive at and depart from the Greyhound terminal next to the Amtrak station in Old Town.