Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station now hosts North America’s first rail preclearance service, allowing cross-border travellers to clear United States customs inspections before their trips begin. The new facility opens just ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026, which boasts tournament venues in both Vancouver and Seattle, and joins nine Canadian airports where U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducts border clearance services.

“The launch of U.S. preclearance at Vancouver Pacific Central Rail Station will help streamline cross-border rail travel, strengthen tourism and trade connections between Canada and the U.S., and create new opportunities for travellers and businesses on both sides of the border,” maintains Steven MacKinnon, Canada’s Minister of Transport.

This is the first such service established in a rail station since Canada and U.S. expanded their decades-old agreement enabling preclearance of airline passengers to cover all modes of cross-border transport and include cargo shipments. Presence in a key Canadian travel hub gives U.S. customs officials ability to detect potential threats at an early juncture and creates physical space for shared risk management and cross-border security collaboration.

“Launching U.S. preclearance at the Vancouver Pacific Central Rail Station makes us all more secure and supports safer, faster and dependable cross border travel and trade,” says Gary Anandasangaree, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety.

In addition to expediting the flow of cross-border soccer fans in the near term, preclearance at the Vancouver rail station is expected to make Amtrak’s service between the city and U.S. destinations more attractive to travellers in general. Southbound trains will no longer stop in Blaine, Washington, where, until now, U.S. customs officials have boarded to review passengers’ documentation and luggage. The travelling time between Vancouver and Seattle is projected at about four hours.

“Launching the continent’s first rail preclearance facility reflects what’s possible when strong partners come together with a shared focus on the customer experience,” says Roger Harris, president of Amtrak. “This improvement makes cross-border travel faster, easier and more seamless from the moment passengers arrive at the station.”