Vancouver's
public
transport system is an
efficient, integrated network
of bus, light-rail (SkyTrain),
SeaBus and ferry services
which are operated by
TransLink, formerly - and
occasionally still - known as
BC Transit (daily
6.30am-11.30pm; tel 521-0400,
www.translink.bc.ca
).
Tickets are valid
across the system for bus,
SkyTrain and SeaBus. Generally
they cost $1.75 for journeys
in the large, central Zone 1
and $2.50 or $3.50 for longer
two- and three-zone journeys -
though you're unlikely to go
out of Zone 1. These regular
fares apply Monday to Friday
from start of service until
6.30pm. After 6.30pm and all
day Saturday, Sunday and
public holidays, a flat $1.75
fare applies across all three
zones.
Tickets are valid for
transfers throughout the
system for ninety minutes from
the time of issue; on buses
you should ask for a transfer
ticket if the driver doesn't
automatically give you one.
Otherwise, you can buy tickets
individually (or in books of
ten for $13.75) at station
offices or machines, 7-Eleven,
Safeway and London Drugs
stores, or any other shop or
newsstand displaying a blue
TransLink sticker (so-called
"FareDealer"
outlets). You must carry
tickets with you as proof of
payment. Probably the simplest
and cheapest deal if you're
going to be making three or
more journeys in a day is to
buy a DayPass ($7),
valid all day across all three
zones; Zone 1 monthly passes
are $63. If you buy these over
the counter at stores or
elsewhere (not in machines)
they're "Scratch &
Ride" - you scratch out
the day and month before
travel. If you lose anything
on the transport system go to
the lost property
office at the SkyTrain Stadium
Station (Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm;
tel 682-7887 or 985-7777 for
items left on West Van buses).
If you don't want to use
public transport, car and
bicycle rental and taxis
are easy to come by.
Buses
The useful Transit Route
Map & Guide ($1.50)
is available from the
infocentre and FareDealer
shops, while free bus
timetables can be found at
the infocentre, 7-Eleven
stores and the central
library. The free Discover
Vancouver on the Transit
pamphlet from the infocentre
is also extremely useful,
though there is talk of
discontinuing production of
this guide. You can buy
tickets on the bus, but make
sure you have the right
change (they don't carry
any) to shovel into the box
by the driver; ask specially
if you want a transfer
ticket. If you have a pass
or transfer, simply show the
driver. Normal buses stop
running around midnight,
when a rather patchy
"Night Owl"
service comes into effect on
major routes until about
4am. Note that blue West
Van buses (tel 985-7777)
also operate (usually to
North and West Vancouver
destinations, including the
BC Ferries terminal at
Horseshoe Bay) in the city
and BC Transit tickets are
valid on these buses as
well.
SeaBuses
The SeaBuses ply
between downtown and
Lonsdale Quay in North
Vancouver, and they're a
ride definitely worth taking
for its own sake: the views
of the mountains across
Burrard Inlet, the port and
the downtown skyline are
superb. The downtown
terminal is Waterfront
Station in the old Canadian
Pacific station buildings at
the foot of Granville
Street. There is no ticket
office, only a ticket
machine, but you can get a
ticket from the small
newsagent immediately on
your left as you face the
long gallery that takes you
to the boats. Two 400-seat
catamarans make the
thirteen-minute crossing
every fifteen to thirty
minutes (6.30am-12.30am).
Arrival in North Vancouver
is at Lonsdale Quay, where
immediately to the left is a
bus terminal for connections
to Grouse Mountain and other
North Vancouver
destinations. Bicycles can
be carried onboard.
Ferries
The city also has a variety
of small ferries -
glorified bathtubs - run
over similar routes by two
rival companies: Aquabus (tel
689-5858) and False Creek
Ferries (tel 684-7781, www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca
). These provide a useful,
very frequent and fun
service. Aquabus run boats
in a continuous circular
shuttle from the foot of
Hornby Street to the Fish
Docks on the seawalk to
Vanier Park and the museums,
to Granville Island (both
$2), and to the Yaletown
dock by the road loop at the
east foot of Davie Street
($3). False Creek Ferries
also run to Granville Island
($2), and also to Vanier
Park ($3 from Granville
Island, $2 from the Aquatic
Centre) just below the
Maritime Museum - a good way
of getting to the park and
its museums
. You buy tickets on
board with both companies.
Both companies also offer
what amount to mini-cruises
up False Creek, with
connections from Granville
Island to Science World and
the Plaza of Nations. You
can pick up the Aquabus boat
at the Arts Club Theatre on
Granville Island, the foot
of Hornby Street downtown or
- with False Creek Ferries -
below the Aquatic Centre at
the foot of Thurlow and
northern end of Burrard
Bridge, on Granville Island
or below the spit and small
harbour near the Maritime
Museum in Vanier Park.
SkyTrain
Vancouver's single
light-rail line - SkyTrain
- is a model of its type:
driverless, completely
computerized and
magnetically propelled, half
underground and half on
raised track. It covers 22km
(an extension is under
construction) between the
downtown Waterfront Station
(housed in the CPR building
with the SeaBus terminal)
and the southeastern suburb
of New Westminster. Only the
first three or four stations
- Waterfront, Burrard,
Granville and Stadium - are
of any practical use to the
casual visitor, but the
39-minute trip along the
twenty-station line is worth
taking if only to see how
the Canadians do these
things - spotless interiors
and Teutonic punctuality.
