jcepk1

Can anyone recommend some ways to get a decent deal on a one way car rental from Seattle to Vancouver and vice versa? We are doing a cruise out of Vancouver and looking at renting a car. The cheapest so far that I've found is $150 for a compact and that seems unreasonable to me for one day. We may go back to the Amtrak idea.
Thanks!

DebitNM

Keep in mind the time factor...driving means crossing the border and that will slow you down. On the train, no concern. I guess it depends on how many people are travelling, but I would go on the train. Nice ride, no traffic or gas prices to deal with and you can relax.

Debi

Gardyloo

Don't forget to take into consideration the savings on staying in a hotel outside Seattle compared to one in town, plus the cost of taxi from the airport to the Seattle hotel. My hunch is that all in you'll still save money even with the rental.

Plan to drop the car in downtown Vancouver rather than at the airport. If time permits, see too about collecting the car in downtown Seattle (albeit with resulting taxi cost) since both cities' airports levy extra charges on car rentals.

Lastly, phone the car rental stations rather than relying on internet booking. Often the station managers will have considerable leeway in getting "Vancouver" cars back north (and v.v.) that you won't see on the web.

happytrailstoyou

There is also a service called Quick Coach (www.quickcoach.com). It probably isn't as comfortable as the train, but it had many more departures and will pick you up and discharge you closer to the places you want to be.

corwin

jcepk1 -- this is a situation i could never resolve. we wanted to tour the penninsula en route to vacouver island where, once there we were being retrieved at a ferry and didn't need a car for a week, but needed a car again on the way bac to seattle. gardyloo had lots of good suggestion, as did other on my thread with the queries. i don't think i ever really decided how to do it any less expensively, but check it out. http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1
i'll be interested in what you learn. my trip was postponed, but we'll go sometime in 2006-07 because i want to visit my sister in duncan, b.c.
best of luck. corwin

jcepk1

thanks for the information. One other question if you don't mind. Do you have to purchase the rental agency's insurance since you are crossing borders? We never do in the states, but I want to make sure.
Thanks!!

happytrailstoyou

My auto insurance covers me in Canada, but I don't know if yours does when you are driving a rental car.