Getting Around Vancouver on Public Transport: A Visitor’s Guide

Vancouver’s natural beauty isn’t the only thing that’s captured travelers’ hearts. Its public transit system is considered one of the best in North America, meaning that you can easily savor the city’s coffee shops and restaurants without having to rent a car. In this guide, you’ll discover all the nitty-gritty details of Vancouver public transport, as well as tips for getting from Vancouver to surrounding regions.

VANCOUVER PUBLIC TRANSPORT GUIDE

Before you arrive: what to prepare

Arriving in Vancouver: get the Compass Card

Getting around Vancouver: the SkyTrain

Getting around Vancouver: taking public buses

Etiquette & safety

Vancouver tourist passes and transit passes: are they worth getting?

Other ways to get around Vancouver

Beyond Vancouver: getting around BC’s Lower Mainland

Before you arrive: what to prepare

To get a handle on Vancouver’s public transportation, you’ll want to have maps, directions, and schedules handy. Google Maps is perfectly reliable transit app in Vancouver for checking live arrival times and routes; I haven’t needed any other apps here. Google Maps will even show if the SkyTrain (metro/subway) and bus services are interrupted or delayed. Of course, Citymapper is still a great option if you want accessible transport routes, or bicycle/weather-friendly walking routes.

What’s more important, though, is getting mobile Internet data for your transport apps. Canada is infamous for having the most expensive telco plans in the world, so be prepared and get the best deal with our guide on prepaid mobile data in Canada for tourists!

Arriving in Vancouver: get the Compass Card

If you’re traveling by plane, you’ll almost definitely land at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). To literally get going, get yourself a Compass Card: the local fare card for public transport in Vancouver.

Where can I buy a Compass Card? At the Vancouver airport, Compass Cards can be purchased from vending machines at the SkyTrain station. Exit the terminal after collecting your luggage and follow the signs to the YVR–Airport SkyTrain station. You’ll need to take the lift/elevator up to the station platform.

Each card requires a $6 refundable deposit, and any excess loaded onto it becomes stored value used to pay your fare.

Can the Compass Card be shared? No. You’ll need to get one card per person, as the system doesn’t allow tapping in more than once with the same card. However, up to four children under 12 can travel with one adult cardholder for free.

Does the Compass Card expire? Nope! However, if you’d like to return your Compass Card and get a refund on your deposit and stored value, you can only do so at the TransLink Customer Service Centre at Waterfront Station (in downtown Vancouver).

Do I have to use a Compass Card? No, you don’t. Vancouver’s public transit system accepts contactless (NFC) tap-to-pay from your credit card or mobile phone. However, you’ll have to pay up to 30% more per ride for this convenience, compared to using a Compass Card. Same goes for using cash. See the fare pricing details here.

Getting from Vancouver airport to downtown Vancouver

Vancouver International Airport is connected to the city by the SkyTrain’s Canada Line, which is a regular commuter line. Since the airport is located so close to the city, there isn’t really any need for an express service – the ride will only take 25 minutes.

An additional $5 is charged for trips from the airport (but not to the airport), so make sure you’ve loaded around $10-20 to your Compass Card on top of the $6 deposit.

Getting around Vancouver: the SkyTrain

The Vancouver SkyTrain actually comprises both above-ground and underground stops, but in the downtown region almost all stations are underground. Each station is small and functional with well-marked entrances and exits, making them more similar to metro systems in Europe than the labyrinthine stations of East Asian cities.

Public transit in Vancouver follows a zone-based pricing system. As a tourist, you’ll likely spend most of your time in Zone 1 and a few instances going into Zone 2 (such as going to/from the airport). You might head into Zone 3 if you plan to go hiking or exploring the outdoors.

Riding the SkyTrain is straightforward: tap your Compass Card at any station gantry to enter, ride, and tap again when leaving any station to exit. Here are a few things to note:

• At some stations, the platforms are on either side of the tracks. Check that you’re heading to the right platform for where you’re going.
• The Canada Line (between downtown Vancouver and the airport) also has another terminus station, Richmond-Brighouse. When traveling back to the airport, make sure the SkyTrain you board is going to YVR-Airport station.

The SeaBus

One unique element of Vancouver’s transit network is the SeaBus, which is a ferry connecting downtown Vancouver to North Vancouver across the Vancouver Harbor. The SeaBus runs every 15 minutes and is a pretty fun experience!

Getting around Vancouver: taking public buses

Public buses in Vancouver are very easy to navigate, thanks to the city’s grid layout. Most buses travel in east-west or north-south routes, with minimal turns. Vancouver’s accessible public transit also extends to public buses: each bus’s front door is equipped with an automated ramp to allow those on wheelchairs to get on and off.

To take the bus:

• Wait at any bus stop with the service you want. Google Maps will show you the estimated arrival time of the next bus – this has always been highly accurate for me.
• Stand near the bus stop sign when the bus is arriving. There’s no need to flag the bus in Vancouver, but I still do a little wave out of habit if the bus stop is served by several lines or if it’s dark.
• Board through the front door, tap in with your Compass Card, and find yourself a seat. There are automated announcements for each stop. Press or pull the bell when your stop is coming up to let the driver know you want to get off.
• Lightly touch the rear bus doors to open them. If that doesn’t work, just yell “back door!” to the bus driver.
• There is no need to tap off when alighting as all bus rides cost a 1-zone fare. Each fare lasts 90 minutes, so you can make multiple transfers on your journey without worrying about additional charges.

Etiquette & safety

When getting around Vancouver by public transport, take note of the following:

• On escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left.
• Vancouverites are extremely polite in general. Even if there’s no visible queue for the SkyTrain or bus, make sure to allow passengers to alight before boarding and do not cut ahead of people who were waiting before you.
• Fold-down seats at the front of some buses are meant for seniors, pregnant people, parents with strollers, and the disabled. Give up your seat or make room if needed.
• Shout “thank you!” to bus drivers as they alight. You’ll probably notice this yourself – as far as I know, this is a uniquely local custom that you won’t find elsewhere in Canada!

Vancouver tourist passes and transit passes: are they worth getting?

There are currently no tourist passes in Vancouver that include transit. However, you can opt to buy a DayPass ($11.25 for adults) if you plan to be out and about all day. This will give you all-day unlimited rides on the SkyTrain, SeaBus, and public buses in Vancouver, and will be worth the cost with just 3-4 rides.

The DayPass is available at all Compass Card vending machines.

Other ways to get around Vancouver

Mobi bike share

If you’re familiar with city cycling and want to explore Vancouver in a greener, more flexible way, check out Vancouver’s bike share system Mobi. It has great distribution throughout the city, and is easy to use – I even used to it to cycle around Stanley Park!

The Aquabus and False Creek Ferry

Vancouver’s odd shape, with its bays and rivers, means traveling by water is especially efficient – and scenic. For instance, you can take a shortcut across False Creek from Yaletown to Granville Island on the privately-run Aquabus and False Creek Ferries. These ferries cost slightly more, ranging around $3.75-$11 per trip, but stop at several docks around the creek.

Both ferry services accept credit, debit, and cash when paying on board.

Beyond Vancouver: getting around BC’s Lower Mainland

Thinking of venturing beyond Vancouver to discover British Columbia’s breathtaking landscapes? Here’s where it gets a little tricky. Outside of Metro Vancouver, public transport in the rest of the province is run by BC Transit.

Instead of the Compass Card, you’ll need the Umo app or card to ride on public buses. (That there are no light rail or metro systems in the rest of the province – it’s all buses.)

Getting from Vancouver to Squamish and Whistler

The mountains and ski resorts of Squamish and Whistler are popular winter destinations, but even in the off seasons you’ll find incredible beauty and magic in the outdoors. The best way to get to Squamish and Whistler from Vancouver is to book a shuttle bus. Here’s a quick comparison of the two most popular shuttle bus services, YVR Skylynx and Epic Rides:

Getting from Vancouver to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands

Vancouver Island is home to the provincial capital Victoria and devastatingly beautiful regions like Tofino, Ucluelet, and more. Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands (Gabriola Island, Salt Spring Island, Pender Island etc.) are served by BC Ferries, with ferries departing from Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal and Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal. Both terminals are located a distance from downtown Vancouver and private shuttle buses are available to take you to either terminal.

Alternatively, you can also travel from downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo on the new (private) Hullo ferry, which departs straight from the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre. This ferry is faster, cheaper, and more convenient, but you must be traveling light: only carry-on luggage is allowed on board.

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