Customers traveling from Vancouver, B.C., on Amtrak's Cascades service now can complete U.S. customs preclearance before boarding at Pacific Central Station, Amtrak announced Wednesday.
The facility is the first preclearance option for rail passengers in North America, according to Amtrak.
Trains departing Vancouver no longer will stop for a boarder screening, according to Amtrak. The service is available in time to accommodate FIFA World Cup visitors attending matches in Vancouver and Seattle.
"Easing travel and transportation between our two markets will also enhance the benefits of the [United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement] for our cross-border supply chains and businesses," U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said in a statement.
The service has been made available in partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation, VIA Rail, and government agencies in both Canada and the United States, including U.S. Customers and Border Protection, the Canada Border Services Agency, Transport Canada and Public Safety Canada.