Getting there & around
Vancouver is easily accessible from major international destinations, via air or sea, and is also a short drive from the US border. Cross-Canada train, bus and flight operations also service the city, which is the main gateway for accessing destinations throughout British Columbia. Within the city, the transit system – bus, light rail and commuter vessels – is extensive, although the downtown core and its environs are highly foot-friendly. Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked online at www.lonelyplanet.com/bookings.
Local transport
Taxi
Vancouver taxi meters start at $2.70 and add $1.58 per kilometre. Flagging a downtown cab shouldn’t take too long, but it’s easiest to get your hotel to call you one. If you’re wandering the downtown streets and can’t find a cab to flag down, head to one of the area’s big hotels, where they tend to congregate. A 10% tip is the norm.
Reliable operators around the city include the following:
Black Top & Checker Cabs (604-731-1111)
Vancouver Taxi (604-871-1111) Has a fleet of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
Yellow Cab (604-681-1111, 800-898-8294) Has a large fleet of hybrid vehicles.
Bus & tram
Bus
Most out-of-town buses trundle to a halt at Vancouver’s heritage, neon-signed Pacific Central Station (Map p77; 604-661-0325; 1150 Station St, Chinatown). The station has a ticket office and left-luggage lockers, and is also the area’s main train terminal.
Vancouver-bound bus and coach operators and services include the following:
Greyhound (800-661-8747; www.greyhound.ca) Services arrive from Whistler ($18.80, 2½ hours, eight daily), Kelowna (from $30, six hours, seven daily) and Calgary (from $70, 14 to 17 hours, six daily), among others.
Malaspina Coach Lines (877-227-8287) Serving the Sunshine Coast, twice-daily buses arrive from Gibsons ($24, two hours), Sechelt ($30, three hours) and Powell River ($51, five to six hours).
Pacific Coach Lines (250-385-4411, 800-661-1725; www.pacificcoach.com) Traveling via the BC Ferries Swartz Bay–Tsawwassen route, frequent services arrive from downtown Victoria ($37.50, 3½ hours).
Perimeter Tours (604-266-5386, 877-317-7788; www.perimeterbus.com). Popular year-round bus service to and from Whistler ($67, 2½ hours, seven to 11 daily).
Quick Coach Lines (604-940-4428, 800-665-2122; www.quickcoach.com) Express shuttle between Seattle and Vancouver, departing from downtown Seattle (US$35, four hours, six daily) and the city’s Sea-Tac International Airport (US$47, 4½ hours, seven daily).
Snowbus (604-685-7669, 866-766-9287; www.snowbus.ca) Popular winter-only ski-bus service from Whistler ($21, 2½ hours, two daily).
Bus
The bus network is extensive in central areas – especially along Granville St, Broadway, Hastings St, Main St and Burrard St. Many buses have bike racks and are wheelchair accessible. Exact change (or more) is required since all buses use fare machines and change is not given.
B-Line express buses operate between Richmond and downtown Vancouver (98 B-Line), and between UBC and the Broadway and Commercial Dr SkyTrain stations (99 B-Line). These buses have their own limited arrival and departure points and do not use the regular bus stops.
There is also a 12-route night-bus system that runs every 30 minutes between 1.30am and 4am across the Lower Mainland. The last bus leaves downtown Vancouver at 3.10am. Look for the night-bus signs at designated stops.
Water
Ferries
BC Ferries (250-386-3431, 888-223-3779; www.bcferries.com) services arrive at Tsawwassen, an hour south of Vancouver, and Horseshoe Bay, 30 minutes from downtown in West Vancouver.
Main services to Tsawwassen arrive from Vancouver Island’s Swartz Bay, near Victoria (adult/child/vehicle $10.30/5.15/34.20, 90 minutes), and Duke Point, near Nanaimo (adult/child/vehicle $10.30/5.15/34.20, two hours). Some services also arrive here from the Southern Gulf Islands.
Services to Horseshoe Bay arrive from Nanaimo’s Departure Bay (adult/child/vehicle $10.30/5.15/34.20, 90 minutes). Services also arrive here from Bowen Island (adult/child/vehicle $6.80/3.40/21.45, 20 minutes) and from Langdale (adult/child/vehicle $9.15/4.60/32.65, 40 minutes), the only ferry route to and from the Sunshine Coast.
You can buy passenger-only tickets at the ferry terminals (no reservations required). You can also make vehicle reservations for a $15 fee –definitely recommended if you’re traveling on weekends or anytime in July or August.
To reach Tsawwassen by transit bus (adult/child $5/3.50, 1¼ hours), catch southbound bus 601 (South Delta) to the Ladner Exchange and transfer to bus 620.
To reach Horseshoe Bay (adult/child $3.75/ 2.50, 45 minutes), take bus 257 or 250 from Georgia St near Granville St in downtown Vancouver.
A pricier but more convenient bus option is the Pacific Coach Lines service, which runs between Victoria and Vancouver via the ferry. You can also buy a ticket once you’re on board the ferry for onward bus travel into either city.
Air
Airlines
International and domestic airlines serving Vancouver International Airport include the following:
Air Canada & Air Canada Jazz (code AC; 514-393-3333, 888-247-2262; www.aircanada.ca)
Air New Zealand (code NZ; 800-663-5494; www.airnewzealand.com)
Air North (code 4N; 800-661-0407; www.flyairnorth.com)
Air Transat (code TS; 866-847-1112; www.airtransat.com)
Alaska Airlines (code AS; 800-252-7522; www.alaskaair.com)
American Airlines (code AA; 800-433-7300; www.aa.com)
British Airways (code BA; 800-247-9297; www.britishairways.com)
Cathay Pacific (code CX; 604-606-8888, 888-338-1668; www.cathaypacific.com)
China Airlines (code CI; 604-682-6777; www.china-airlines.com)
Continental Airlines (code CO; 800-523-3273; www.continental.com)
Delta Air Lines (code DL; 800-221-1212; www.delta.com)
Horizon Air (code QX; 800-547-9308; www.horizonair.com)
Japan Airlines (code JL; 800-525-3663; www.jal.co.jp/en)
Lufthansa (code LH; 800-563-5954; www.lufthansa.com)
Northwest Airlines (code NW; 800-225-2525; www.nwa.com)
Pacific Coastal Airlines Ltd (code 8P; 604-273-8666, 800-663-2872; www.pacific-coastal.com)
Qantas Airways (code QF; 800-227-4566; www.qantas.com)
Singapore Airlines (code SQ; 604-689-1223; www.singaporeair.com)
Thai Airways International (code TG; 800-426-5204; www.thaiair.com)
United Airlines (code UA; 800-241-6522; www.united.ca)
WestJet (code WS; 800-538-5696; www.westjet.com)
Zoom Airlines (code Z4;866-359-9666; www.flyzoom.com)
Ticketing websites
In addition to airline companies’ own websites, which often offer internet-only deals, a number of travel agents and third-party online operators are helpful in finding flight discounts. Try the following:
Airports
Canada’s second-busiest airport, Vancouver International Airport (YVR; Map pp44–5; 604-207-7077; www.yvr.ca) is about 13km south of the city on Sea Island in Richmond. There are two main terminals – international (including flights to the US) and domestic. The additional South Terminal is for floatplanes and smaller aircraft, and it’s linked to the main airport via a free shuttle bus.
Each of the main terminals has food courts, convenience shops, a spa, baggage storage facilities, ATMs, currency exchange booths and tourist information desks. The international terminal has a new shopping and dining plaza with its own stream and aquarium. In addition, the domestic terminal has a medical clinic, a dental clinic and a pharmacy. Baggage carts are free (ie no deposit required) throughout the airport.
In downtown Vancouver, there is a floatplane terminal in Coal Harbour just west of Canada Place and a helicopter terminal on the other side of Canada Place near Waterfront Station.
Car & motorcycle
For sightseeing around town, you’ll be fine without a car. However, for visits that incorporate the wider region’s mountains and suburbs, a car makes life much simpler.
Rental
Major car-rental agencies that have reservation desks at Vancouver International Airport, as well as multiple offices around the city, include the following:
Alamo (604-684-1401, 800-462-5266; www.alamo.ca)
Budget (604-668-7000, 800-268-8900; www.budgetbc.com)
Discount (604-310-2277, 866-310-2277; www.discountcar.com)
Enterprise (604-688-5500, 800-736-8222; www.enterprise.com)
Hertz (604-606-4711, 800-263-0600; www.hertz.com)
Thrifty (604-681-4869, 800-847-4389; www.thrifty.com)
For a cool, greener alternative, check out Zipcar (866-494-7227; www.zipcar.com), a company that owns a fleet of smaller, often hybrid vehicles, which it leaves at parking spots around town. Members reserve a car online anytime of the day or night, then stroll to where their nearest vehicle is waiting. Generally cheaper than regular car-rental agencies – there are no offices or staff to service – it can be a handy option if you’re staying in town for more than a few days.
Boat
Vessels large and small sail Vancouver’s waterways. Cruise ships are big business from May to September, generating $500 million from 330 sailings annually. Ships dock at Canada Place downtown or Ballantyne Pier to the east. A free shuttle runs between the two terminals.
Miniferries
Running minivessels (some big enough to carry bikes) between the foot of Hornby St and Granville Island, Aquabus Ferries (604-689-5858; www.theaquabus.com; adult/child from $2.50/1.25) services several spots along the False Creek waterfront as far as Science World. Its rival is False Creek Ferries (604-684-7781; www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca; adult/child from $2.50/1.25), which operates a similar Granville Island service from the Vancouver Aquatic Centre at Sunset Beach, plus additional ports of call around False Creek. Both operators offer day passes at the same prices (adult/child $12/8).
Train
Most trains arrive from across Canada and the US at Pacific Central Station (604-661-0325; 1150 Station St, Chinatown). The station has a ticket office and left-luggage lockers and is also the area’s main bus terminal for out-of-town services.
Operators and services here include the following:
Amtrak (800-872-7245; www.amtrak.com) US Cascades services arrives from Eugene (US$56, 13½ hours, two daily), Portland (US$42, eight hours, three daily) and Seattle (from US$28, 3½ hours, five daily).
Via Rail (888-842-7245; www.viarail.com) Trains on the Canadian service arrive from Kamloops North ($115, nine hours, three weekly), Jasper ($240, 17½ hours, three weekly) and Edmonton ($325, 24 hours, three weekly), among others.
Other city train services:
West Coast Express (604-683-7245; www.westcoastexpress.com) Commuter service arriving six times daily Monday to Friday at downtown’s Waterfront Station from Mission City ($10.25, 70 minutes), Pitt Meadows ($7.50, 45 minutes), Port Coquitlam ($6, 35 minutes) and Port Moody ($6, 35 minutes), among others.
Whistler Mountaineer (604-606-8460, 888-687-7245; www.whistlermountaineer.com) Rocky Mountaineer runs this popular Whistler excursion (from $105, three hours, daily May to mid-October), arriving at and departing from a small North Vancouver station. The company also runs additional multiday trundles through the wider BC wilderness from its main Rocky Mountaineer Station. Check www.rockymountaineervacations.com for information on these package tours.
Bicycle
Vancouver is a relatively good cycling city, with almost 240km of designated routes crisscrossing the region. Cyclists can take their bikes for free on SkyTrain and SeaBus services, as well as on the many bike-rack-fitted buses. You can also take your wheels on BC Ferries services and some Aquabus miniferry routes. Although the rule is often flouted, cyclists are required by law to wear helmets here.
Pick up a Greater Vancouver Cycling Map & Guide ($3.95) from a convenience store or bookshop for details on area routes and bike-friendly resources. You can view and download the map for free on the TransLink (www.translink.bc.ca) website.
Touch base with the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (www.vacc.bc.ca) for additional tips and resources. If you’re traveling sans bike, you can rent one from businesses around the city.
Vancouver
- Vancouver Overview
- When to go & weather
-
Getting there & around
- Practical information
- History
- Work & study
- Tips & articles
Things to do
- Entertainment (43)
- Restaurants (86)
- Shopping (77)
- Sights (68)
- Hotels & hostels
