Last Train to North America (2026) s01e09 Episode Script

[Martin] Chelsea, we're back on the train.
-Where are we heading?
-[Chelsea] We're going to Seattle.
We're going to go from the West Coast.
We're going up North.
-Towards Canada?
-Towards Canada.
-Okay.
-So, you hit Seattle and then Vancouver.
-How is Seattle?
-It's colder.
They're known for their jazz clubs,
their fish.
A vibrant city.
Very different from San Francisco.
But it's a great time.
-I can't wait to see it.
-I can't wait to show you.
Look at this car. Isn't it amazing?
It's called the Sightseer Lounge.
And you can see why.
Windows all over the place
to look at the sightseeing,
the trees,
the landscape, but also
you can connect with the sky as well.
And what I love about this place
is how the chairs are placed.
They connect you with nature.
The West Coast is diverse.
And right here in this car,
you can have a lifetime experience.
[Martin] The Coast Starlight route
along the West Coast
has daily departures
to our next destination.
It doesn't get any better.
You have all the luxuries here.
A sofa that turns into a double bed,
another bed up here,
and then a bathroom with a shower.
[Martin]
A trip from San Francisco to Seattle,
approximately 23 hours long,
connecting two World Cup host cities.
Before we leave the United States,
we have one final local stop,
probably the most soccer-loving city
in the entire country.
This is the main Seattle station,
and it's preparing for the World Cup.
It's so ready that it's right next
to the World Cup Stadium.
We're gonna experience a city
that is different, unique,
and we're gonna do it starting now.
[theme music playing]
[Martin]
Welcome. This is Last Train to Russia.
And from here,
we continue with Last Train to Qatar.
This is the stadium
that will host the next World Cup final.
[theme music concludes]
[Martin]
This is Last Train to North America.
-[boat horn honks]
-[seagulls squawking]
[Jason]
There's a couple of 30-pound halibut
going out that we're waiting on.
Just picking those up from Flying Fish.
Did you see the 300 pounds
on the ten twenty?
-So, the ten cases of trolls we got.
-Yeah.
[Jason]
That's the previous owner, John Yokoyama.
He bought it in 1965
when he was 23 years old.
And that young punk kid,
that's me when I was
eight or nine years old maybe.
Learned a lot from that guy.
This is my mother working here
in the early '70s with Johnny.
Actually, when I was born,
I was in a banana box
at the produce stand.
His mom used to babysit me in a baby--
in a banana box.
Crazy.
[indistinct chanting]
[Jason] A lot of love around here.
A lot of love and support, which is cool.
This is my family, my fish family.
[Martin] A local portrait
of a Seattle worker, a fishmonger.
And so we step
into one of the most authentic
and traditional markets
in all of the United States.
[Jason] We are in Seattle, Washington,
and this is Pike Place Market,
world-famous Pike Place fish.
We have a handful of distributors
that bring fish to us every day.
So, every day we're getting
all kinds of fish delivered here,
hundreds of pounds of fish.
It takes a lot of hard work and dedication
and honor, you know,
to be a good fishmonger.
And we've got a great crew
that comes every day, you know,
to be the best fishmonger
that they can be.
[indistinct chatter]
[Jason] People love it.
I don't know, they think it's hilarious.
And if you sit there and watch
all of us do it, it's pretty powerful.
It represents team, honestly.
It really does.
I love it when Yori yells,
because I just make fun of it.
-[babbles]
-[laughter]
All right, you ready?
[indistinct shouting]
-[man 1] Damn.
-[man 2] Wow!
[Martin]
Morning breaks at Pike Place Market,
the soul of the city.
[Hoa] Hey, Jason. How's it going?
Can we take a photo with the fish?
Yeah, totally, man.
Yeah, yeah. Come on over.
What is it that you're trying to catch
with your pictures?
[Hoa]
Just the culture around here.
Everybody thinks Seattle
is like a tech city.
I live here,
so I kind of want to draw more attention
to people to come and visit
and support the small business.
-[indistinct shouting]
-[whooping]
Want to catch one? Here, come here.
[men] DT for Chelsea!
[indistinct shouting]
-[cheering]
-[whooping]
Throwing, how did it start?
It's easier than walking
-all the way around. You know what I mean?
-[Martin laughs]
But there was a point where…
it was a conscious effort,
like, "Hey,
when that guy yells out an order,
we'll all respond as a team."
Having fun and being creative.
[Martin] A place steeped in tradition.
Founded in 1907,
it offers an enormous variety of goods.
[Martin] Why this place become an icon?
[Hoa] When they watch TV,
sporting event in Seattle,
it's all they show.
It's the market.
Like even movie, they show the market.
[Martin] A living symbol
of community activism,
a market that embodies the philosophy
of knowing your merchants.
It receives an average
of 20 million visitors annually…
[indistinct chatter]
…making it the biggest attraction
in the entire state.
I love the whole experience,
to get to know the local producers,
the interaction with the people,
the scents.
-I mean, it's a whole package.
-It's a whole package.
It's the experience
where you get to experience the people,
the culture, the smells,
and it brings you back
to what Seattle is really about.
[Martin]
Seattle is clearly a city of icons.
Global images that have, in some way,
permeated urban culture.
Today, we visit the city's tower,
the Space Needle,
an architectural marvel
built in 1962
with a distinct futuristic vision.
I'm a little bit dizzy
with the floor moving.
[Martin] Standing at 605 feet tall,
it was once the tallest structure
in the Western United States.
When you think of Seattle,
you think of this icon.
You have the market, you have the stadium,
you have the sea, you have the downtown.
It's very easy to move around.
It's-- Exactly. Exactly, you mentioned it.
And you can see everything from here
and how close it is,
where you don't really need a car.
You can walk around
and get some fitness in.
-Bike.
-Train.
-Yeah.
-A little bit of everything.
[Martin]
Today, Seattle is leading a transition
toward a smart urban model,
one that strikes a balance
between technology and biodiversity.
Built over 60 years ago,
this very structure
already foresaw this potential.
[Martin]
Seattle has one of the best crowds
in the United States for soccer.
They live the sport in an incredible way,
and this is a place where this happens,
the World Cup Stadium of the city.
[Martin] In the 1960s,
waves of engineers and technicians
from countries like Germany and England
introduced soccer culture to the city.
Today, with the Seattle Sounders
leading the way,
they represent the forefront of soccer
in this country.
And from the inside we can see
one of the most special features
that this stadium has.
The roof that covers both stands
which makes
this arena one of the loudest in the U.S.
[Martin]
With a capacity of 72,000 spectators
for special events,
the megaphone effect created by its roof
has broken the Guinness World Record
for the loudest crowd roar
on multiple occasions.
Today, it is dressed to the nines
to host the World Cup
for the very first time in its history.
[Martin] And of course,
a city that is so passionate about soccer
will have six games
during the next World Cup,
hosting the U.S. national team
in this place.
[Martin] To better understand
the soccer culture in the city,
today we're visiting the World Cup Stadium
alongside one of the most renowned
fan bases in the United States.
With a strong reputation
for being progressive and inclusive,
the Seattle Sounders fan base
is one of the pioneers of MLS.
[Martin] What can you tell me, Helen,
about your passion?
Well, my passion is soccer, obviously.
I mean, it's a fun sport
and it's worldwide.
It's a family sport.
So, you can come with your kids…
-Yes. Yes.
-…and feel like they're going to be safe.
They're going to love it.
They're going to learn.
And then they--
You can then go watch them play.
[indistinct chatter]
-[crowd chanting] Sounders! Sounders…
-[drumming]
[Martin] It's all about identity
and a sense of community.
Before getting to the stadium,
they get together here
and they start to march.
-[indistinct chanting]
-[drumming]
-[cheering]
-[whistling]
[crowd chanting]
Sounders! Sounders! Sounders!
[crowd chanting]
We came to sing, ECS from one thirteen!
[Martin] Take me through your philosophy,
the values that are
behind the Seattle Sounders.
Soul, body and mind. We love our team.
We love our city.
We love our fan base. We love each other.
And that's why we want
to just come together as a communion.
[Martin] What it means for Seattle
to host the World Cup?
-Seattle is a very welcoming city.
-Yeah.
And so when you come here,
you're gonna feel like a friend,
part of the family.
You're gonna get invited to dinners.
You're gonna have a great time.
So, when you come,
you come and stay with us.
Seattle gives you guys a big hug.
[Martin] During the early years of MLS,
the city broke
all the league's attendance records,
cracking the top-30 list of clubs
with the highest fan attendance
in the world.
[Martin] Okay, we're here,
amazing day, an incredible crowd.
You know what? Seattle is a football city.
One thing that the Sounders have,
they have passion.
-Yep.
-And you saw it in the tailgate.
It was insane.
You had fire, you had sausages, hot dogs,
everything, kids chanting, you had it all.
Seattle's World Cup Stadium, check.
Check off the list.
[phone camera clicks]
[Martin] All right, which one is mine?
-[Chelsea] The 518 Cascades, Vancouver.
-Okay, Vancouver.
-It's boarding.
-It's boarding. It's almost time.
It's time to get going.
I need to get rid of you.
-This has been too much.
-Very intense.
I've had experiences that I've never lived
in this country of mine.
I didn't know
that you can find a big range of cultures.
[Chelsea] I want to show you that,
that we are a melting pot of people
of different experiences,
and this World Cup
is going to be incredible.
-This is it.
-[signal over PA system]
Thank you.
[Chelsea] Bye.
Tearing.
[Martin]
And so we bid farewell to Seattle,
to the United States,
and to Chelsea, our traveling companion.
It is time to catch the train
to our final World Cup destination.
We are four hours away
from the Canadian border.
Afterwards, we will arrive in Vancouver.
We have visited 15 host cities so far,
and all that remains the northernmost city
of this upcoming World Cup.
-Martin! How are you?
-[Martin] How's it going?
-Nice to see you.
-Good to see you again.
-How was the trip up from Seattle?
-Very nice.
You know what I love about Vancouver?
That you have the mountains,
you have the sea, you have…
-Fishing. Everything.
-Yeah, it's very connected
with nature, right?
People are like,
we go hiking with friends,
-we go hiking with family…
-I love that.
…we take the boats out.
So, this was like one
of my most favorite things
to do when I lived here.
Obviously, I grew up here,
played football just down the road,
BC Place.
That was like my home.
I'm going to send you
out on your way on a boat…
-Okay.
-…to do whale watching
because they scare me a little bit.
-Okay, let's make a deal.
-[Kaylyn] Okay.
-I tell you all about it when I'm back.
-[Kaylyn] Done.
I just need to see pictures and videos,
so I can put it on my Instagram
to make it look like I was there.
-[laughs]
-Deal?
-Deal.
-We have a deal.
[Martin]
Among the nature-based activities
Vancouver has to offer,
whale watching is undoubtedly
one of the most spectacular.
Local ferry companies
boost a whale sightseeing success rate
over 95%.
[Martin] The temperature can go down
up to five degrees.
That's why I put my jacket on
and we're heading
towards the Pacific Ocean
to connect with nature.
Something that is very typical
for Vancouver.
-Yeah. It's at 12:30 there, Captain.
-Perfect, thanks.
[Anthony] This body of water
is called the Salish Sea.
It used to be called
the Strait of Georgia.
So, it's an inland sea
between mainland British Columbia
and Vancouver Islands.
[Martin] This is a great place to start.
-Why is that?
-[Anthony] Definitely, yeah.
We have the Salish Sea,
-we have all the Southern Gulf Islands…
-[Martin] Yep.
[Anthony]
…and there's tons of marine life here.
It's an outdoor lover's paradise.
[indistinct chatter]
I got bit by the bug a few years ago,
whale watching with my girlfriend,
and now it's my job
because I fell in love with it so much.
And when I see whales, it does--
I might react very calmly
in front of everybody else,
but I do vibrate at a different frequency.
And I-- It brings a lot of joy to me
when other people
can also feel that same joy,
just seeing whales,
especially for the first time.
Humpback whales can range
between, like, 14 to 18 meters.
And as they get older,
they tend to get a lot bigger.
So, we're looking for,
like, different-- like,
notches and everything in, like,
the male's dorsal fin particularly.
But keep your head on a swivel
because they are whales.
They tend to swim under the water
and they tend to move around.
And as they move around,
they could pop up anywhere else.
Anticipation, everybody's ready
to try to catch that image
that will remain forever
in their memories.
-[indistinct chatter]
-[laughter]
-[man] That was a tiny one.
-So, beautiful.
First whale that we see, goosebumps.
The fin when it comes out of the water
is so big and beautiful.
[Martin] A truly unique moment.
Between April and October,
the waters of Vancouver
become a refueling station for whales,
which stop to feed
before continuing their journeys
toward Alaska or Mexico.
Protected by Canadian law,
these vessels
are prohibited from approaching
within 330 feet of the whales.
[Martin]
I know we're very lucky today because…
-[Wilma] Yes.
-…you don't usually see…
-Not every day.
-…this type of whale.
-Not every day, for sure not.
-Tell me about that.
So, we have… We go out every day,
we search for humpback whales,
we search for orcas,
our captain does both,
but yesterday we went out,
we searched for an hour and a half
after we found humpback whales
and we could not find orcas.
Today we are lucky.
[Martin] The Salish Sea
is ranked as one of the most complex
and biologically diverse inland seas
on the planet.
An essential experience
for connecting with this land
and its surrounding nature.
[Martin]
We arrive at the Vancouver Metro,
internationally recognized
as the longest automated train network
in the world.
Today, we take the red line,
which leads us
to our final World Cup stadium.
-[Martin] You know what I love?
-[Kaylyn] Mhmm?
[Martin]
When there's trains inside cities,
so you can get
to interact with the people,
go to places.
It's a different sensation.
It's also nice for outsiders
that aren't from Vancouver
because you don't have to rent a car.
You don't have to mess around
with trying to find parking.
And what Vancouver did really well
is for the 2010 Olympics,
they built Sky Trains.
The best part about this train
is it's gonna take us
a four-minute walk from BC Place,
one of the World Cup venues.
-So, are you ready for this experience?
-I love it.
-Let's go.
-Let's do it.
[Chris] This is BC Place.
You can walk here from most of the hotels.
-We've got great public transport.
-Yeah.
Uh… You know, connections.
And we're right downtown,
so people can enjoy time downtown
before coming to a game
or leave the stadium after an event
and get right into bars, restaurants,
shopping,
whatever they want to do.
There's going to be a lot of action
during the World Cup, seven games.
[Martin] What's your take on that?
I mean, not just seven games,
but we are host to the last game
outside of the United States.
The last game of the round of 16
happens here at BC Place.
We work hard at making sure
that the experience for our guests,
for our clients, for our partners
is perfect.
[Martin] A multipurpose stadium,
inaugurated in 1983.
It will host five group stage matches,
one round of 32 match
and one round of 16 match.
With an impressive standout feature,
the largest retractable roof in the world.
[Martin] It's not a common roof.
No. There's only a couple
in North America.
The Mercedes-Benz,
that one's like all electrical,
and it's amazing.
It's gorgeous, state of the art.
-This is like old-school British Columbia…
-[Martin] That's cool.
[Kaylyn]…one of a kind, first of its kind.
-[Martin] But it has its charm, you know?
-Yeah.
What about the atmosphere?
You can see that the stands
-are really close to the field.
-Yes.
I think that's the best part.
Like when you're a footballer,
the worst is
when you have the track around the outside
because it doesn't feel intimate.
It doesn't feel electric.
You can't feel the fans
almost breathing on you.
So, it was something when I played here,
it was the best part
because we'd walk out this tunnel
and they were screaming and shouting.
We had, like,
our own intimate song with them.
BC Place is the heart of Vancouver.
[Martin] Situated in a central location
within the city,
this stadium has a seating capacity
of 54,500 spectators.
[Martin]
This is the moment I was waiting for,
climbing to the roof of the stadium,
and I'm sure the view
is going to be breathtaking.
I love this ramp.
[inaudible dialogue]
[Kaylyn] I think we're 185 feet
in the air right now.
The view from here is incredible.
-It's amazing.
-Come on.
And I think the best part is the roof.
The three pillar in the middle
and this drops down.
The retractable roof goes in,
and it's like a mini storage.
I'm not going to lie to you.
I don't feel very well here.
Vertigo…
is a sensation that is completely normal
in a platform like this.
At the same time,
it's beautiful to get to know a stadium
from a place that not many people
have access to.
Kaylyn, it's not just one more stadium.
Mhmm.
Your history as a football player
has to do a lot with this arena.
[Kaylyn] Mhmm.
[Martin]
What are your memories of this place?
The worst memory was the 2015 World Cup,
getting knocked out of the World Cup
by England on this very pitch.
-I have some pictures I want to show you.
-Oh, God.
[Kaylyn laughs]
I want to say I was in grade ten.
So, how old would you be, grade ten?
Like, 14, 15 years old?
This is in Saskatchewan, actually.
-So, this is where I grew up.
-Your town. Your hometown.
My hometown. Mhmm.
Oh, God, this was here. Yeah.
That was right there.
So, if you can picture that.
This is unfortunate that we were
knocked out of the 2015 World Cup, but…
it brings back so many amazing memories.
This was a way for me to say
thank you very much for everything.
Thank you.
[Martin]
The experiences of a figure and a stadium
that has already witnessed
a Women's World Cup,
one that left a permanent mark
on Vancouver's soccer culture
and which now awaits
a new appointment in 2026.
[Martin] This is the end of our journey.
Three countries together,
organizing a World Cup for the first time.
They all meet in the same place,
with the same plan,
organizing the next World Cup,
united by football.
And we told their stories.
Of course, it was not easy.
We got to learn a lot on the way.
This is the end of our journey,
but a new one starts.
The next World Cup is coming.
This was Last Train to North America.
We are connecting three countries
for the first time,
organizing a World Cup.
Isn't this beautiful?
It's probably the best train station
I've ever been in.
So, it took ten years to build this place.
[man] Just for a train station.
[Martin] In the facade of Grand Central
start our trip now.
-[Chelsea] Martin.
-[Martin] Chelsea.
-Welcome to New York.
-Nice to meet you.
[Chelsea] This right here was Times Square
before all of this.
[Martin]
So, many lights, so many people living.
It's incredible.
[Kaylyn]
Welcome to Canada. How was your trip?
Well, my trip was beautiful.
We've just crossed this bridge
on our train.
We left behind the U.S.
Now we are in Canada, going to Toronto.
We are flying over the Niagara Falls,
in Last Train to North America.
This is Canada, ice hockey,
and this is where
champions are made.
-Get rid of it!
-[Martin] So, this is Canada.
This is Canada. Well, this.
-This is Canada.
-Yeah.
[coach] Not necessarily maybe
what you see out there,
but if you want to describe Canada
to somebody, just show them this.
[man] There's a couple of these
-hidden throughout New York.
-[Martin] I love it.
It's a great idea to try to play soccer,
to build up a new culture.
And it really brings people who
really wouldn't think about true soccer.
The subway system is a reflection
of New York, right?
The entire city's on the subway.
And they're also kind
of mirrors to each other.
-[man 1] This is with tomato sauce, sir.
-[man 2] Yes.
Pancetta, onion, rigatoni.
It holds the sauce a little better.
I hope you guys are hungry.
-Grande.
-We are.
[Martin]
So, tell me, how do you feel standing here
in a stadium that will become legendary
after next World Cup?
This feels electric.
[Martin] What does it mean for you
that Stallone was right here in your gym?
It made the atmosphere of the film.
Fight with your feet, Swaby.
Atlanta will host the FIFA World Cup
for the first time.
[man] We're not just
an American football stadium,
we are both.
It's not just a stadium,
it's the city of Atlanta.
We are built to host big, huge events.
[woman in Spanish]
Welcome to the Mexican universe.
[Martin in Spanish] We're going up.
[in Spanish] It's a unique experience.
[Martin in Spanish] Where are we going?
[woman in Spanish] We are going
to the City of the Gods, Teotihuacán.
[man in Spanish]
This mural is very special.
Because we can see
that people played with a ball.
[Martin in English] After reviewing
the history of the Azteca Stadium,
it's time to go there
and to experience it first-hand.
[man in Spanish] The stadium
did not have a roof when it opened.
It was added after.
The roof makes the place
cozier and louder.
[Martin in English] Being sitting here
at the very top of the stadium
is a unique sensation.
[Martin in Spanish]
It's surprising how important the train is
in a city of this size.
[woman in Spanish] Exactly.
Everyone uses it for work or school.
And they will use it during the World Cup.
[Martin in Spanish] How are you, champion?
[in Spanish]
My brother. How are you doing?
It's a pleasure to see you.
We eat soccer for breakfast,
lunch, and dinner.
[woman in Spanish]
This is the soccer atmosphere in Mexico.
[Martin in English]
It's also a little bit slippery
when there's small rocks,
but we can see the reward right here.
[in Spanish]
How are you feeling? Are you okay?
[in Spanish] Yes.
[woman in Spanish] Be very careful.
It's about one and a half
to two hours to the border.
[Martin] This is incredible.
Best experience ever.
We're here in Texas,
and we're about to experience
something really special.
Aren't you afraid of doing that?
I mean, you're so brave.
I'm not afraid.
-[Martin] Welcome to the rodeo.
-[man] Get out there!
Get out there! Get out there!
[Martin] This is why we came here,
to feel like Texans feel.
[Stewart] Every day is different.
Overcast, bit of thunder.
Our office is never the same.
[Cheyene] The Hualapai people, we've been
charged with by the Creator
to take care of this land.
Remember those days?
That was the first day.
-Say it again, say it again.
-Honestly.
[Martin] I see the emotion in your eyes.
-All right, Colby, man, nice seeing you.
-All right. Pleasure, man.
This train, I had a magic moment.
[David] The concept to connect
cities, cultures, people.
World Cup is coming here.
[chuckles] Amazing, right?
[Martin] Before getting to the stadium,
they get together here
and they start to march.
[cheering]
[Martin] This train adventure
has not been an easy one.
A journey spanning
16 World Cup host cities,
spread across three countries.
Now, a new story awaits.
That of the World Cup itself.
This has been Last Train to North America.
See you at the next stop.