Having taken the train or driven between Portland and Seattle dozens of times, I can firmly say that the train is more convenient than driving even at its curre

Having taken the train or driven between Portland and Seattle dozens of times, I can firmly say that the train is more convenient than driving even at its current 60-80mph speed. I5 traffic is brutal most hours of the day, so it’s faster on the train if you depart near rush hour. It’s only about 30 minutes slower if there is zero traffic on the highway. Then speed aside, the experience is much much more pleasant. I would much rather read and drink a beer than drive on the highway for three hours. The only downside is Amtrack is so poorly managed that the trains are often late to depart because of rail or mechanical issues. Having high speed rail between the cities would be so awesome.