Amtrak extends Seattle-Vancouver train service

Amtrak extends

Vancouver service

Twice-daily Amtrak Cascades train service between Vancouver and Seattle will be extended at least through the end of September.

"By extending the second daily Amtrak train service, visitors will not only have another travel option during the upcoming summer tourist season, but it is also an essential first step in developing and advancing a shared, long-term vision of high-speed rail connecting Vancouver and Seattle. This will provide more information when considering the viability of making the second train permanent," said Shirley Bond, British Columbia's minister of transportation.

The second daily train began service on Aug. 19, 2009, as a pilot project, running through the end of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Trains depart Seattle at 7:40 a.m. and 6:50 p.m. They leave Vancouver at 6:40 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.

The other Vancouver

Vancouver, Washington, tourism promoters hope they've found the cure for the city's case of mistaken identity.

A new logo, Visit Vancouver USA, and tag line, Discover the Original, have been adopted by the convention bureau, which will shed its former label, the Southwest Washington Convention and Visitors Bureau. It will now be called the Vancouver USA Tourism Office.

The former name was too confusing to draw prospective touring groups, because most plan their trips on the Internet these days, said Kim Bennett, president and chief executive officer.

The changes follow the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. The shared name caused confusion for tourists.

Horizon Air

adjusts flights

Horizon Air will add service from Seattle to Montana and Reno, and reduce daily flights to Yakima from four to three, as it adjusts its flight schedule to meet shifting summer demand.

Starting June 6, Billings will receive a third daily flight. Bozeman will get two nonstop flights for a total of three. Starting June 13, Kalispell will get a third flight and Missoula will receive a fourth flight.

Horizon is adding two new daily flights between Seattle and Reno, increasing its daily flights to five. Nonstops will be discontinued between Billings and Helena, Montana.

Chile update

Chile wants travelers to know that they need not stay away due to last month's massive earthquake.

Although cities near the epicenter of the quake — Concepción, Talcahuano and Temuco — suffered severe damage, many tourists areas are intact. They include Patagonia and Torres del Paine in the southernmost part of Chile, the southern part of the lakes and volcanoes region, the Atacama Desert region in the north and Easter Island, 2,300 miles from the Pacific Coast.

After suffering some structural damage to its terminal, the Santiago airport is operating again as are communications, electricity, transportation, government services and hotels around the capital city. Some damage, however, has been reported in Chile's wine country.

Compiled by Times staff and news services

Information in this article, originally published March 28, 2010, was corrected April 1, 2010. A previous version of this story incorrectly reversed the departure times of the Seattle train. Trains depart Seattle for Vancouver at 7:40 a.m. and 6:50 p.m. daily. Trains depart Vancouver for Seattle at 6:40 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.