A Tip For Taking Public Transit...

[mr.x]

Don't expect that you will be able to get to point A to point B almost immediately. Translink, the regional public transit agency, is warning people there will most likely be waits of between 30 to 60-minutes just to get onto the SkyTrain Canada Line.

[Torchbearer AA]

What's the most easy way going from the airport to downtown Vancouver? Taxi or train?

I know taxi is more expensive, but with luggage it is pobably more easy?

[jawnbc]

if you'r staying within 3 blocks of the Canada Line and your bags have wheels, take the train

What's the most easy way going from the airport to downtown Vancouver? Taxi or train?

I know taxi is more expensive, but with luggage it is pobably more easy?

[memorabilia]

if you'r staying within 3 blocks of the Canada Line and your bags have wheels, take the train

It depends also if you are travelling alone or not.

YVR to downtown is around 35$ Canadian. A Canada Line ticket is now 7.50 $ Canadian.

So if you are not living just at one of the station, if your are not alone (2 or 3), if you have a few heavy bags with you, if there is a queue to get into the trains (are they are not so long or fore sure to buy your tickets as they are so few machine in the stations....), if you are tired after an oversea flight, and if it's late...... i would say take a cab !!!

Personnaly each time I flew from Europe and arrived at YVR, i took a cab... (20 minutes ride relaxing on the back seats of the cab)

But from Vancouver to go to YVR to have my flight back home... i took the Canada Line !!!! (50 minutes, door to door, but carrying some luggages.... but I had less bags each time in this way....)

[jawnbc]

All the stations have elevators; as I said if your hotel is close to a station (not transferring to another bus, clearly), take the Canada Line.

I had a meeting in Ottawa last week. I walked out of the terminal at 745, waiting 8 minutes for a train, was at Yaletown 18 minutes later and at my place near Davie and Denman 10 minutes after that. Except for the 8 minute wait, was faster--and I saved 30$ (because I tip generously).

It depends also if you are travelling alone or not.

YVR to downtown is around 35$ Canadian. A Canada Line ticket is now 7.50 $ Canadian.

So if you are not living just at one of the station, if your are not alone (2 or 3), if you have a few heavy bags with you, if there is a queue to get into the trains (are they are not so long or fore sure to buy your tickets as they are so few machine in the stations....), if you are tired after an oversea flight, and if it's late...... i would say take a cab !!!

Personnaly each time I flew from Europe and arrived at YVR, i took a cab... (20 minutes ride relaxing on the back seats of the cab)

But from Vancouver to go to YVR to have my flight back home... i took the Canada Line !!!! (50 minutes, door to door, but carrying some luggages.... but I had less bags each time in this way....)

[Faster]

Is the train lines included in the free ticket transportation?

[Kenadian]

I'm wondering if it would make sense for me to bike to a few of my events?

[memorabilia]

All the stations have elevators; as I said if your hotel is close to a station (not transferring to another bus, clearly), take the Canada Line.

I had a meeting in Ottawa last week. I walked out of the terminal at 745, waiting 8 minutes for a train, was at Yaletown 18 minutes later and at my place near Davie and Denman 10 minutes after that. Except for the 8 minute wait, was faster--and I saved 30$ (because I tip generously).

Jawnbc, which bus line do you take to go the Yaletown station ? I am on Comox & Denman so close to Davie. To reach Canada Line, I usualy took line #5 to Granville Street.

[memorabilia]

Did Translink really extend the schedule of their lines ???

Not sure...

On Sunday 14th, my event is in Whistler at 10:00am... I booked my OBN ticket for the last one at 7:20am (the first one is living at 6:00am)... but the first seaboat to go at Lonsdale Quay will leave at 6:00 am (don't know how you reach it without seabus....) & regarding my case the first bus from West End is at 6:29am !!!! So no way to arrive 30 minutes before my OBN as requested !!!!

So during the week, time schedules are OK... but no way during the week-end !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As already said... Transportation would probably the nightmare of those games .......

[mr.x]

The Expo and Millennium SkyTrain lines are having their hours extended by 1-hour to 2:15 pm, while the SkyTrain Canada Line will run trains as needed but will close around at that time as well.

[mr.x]

And yes, your event ticket is also your ticket to a day's of public transit around the city.

[memorabilia]

The Expo and Millennium SkyTrain lines are having their hours extended by 1-hour to 2:15 pm, while the SkyTrain Canada Line will run trains as needed but will close around at that time as well.

I suppose you meant 2:15am !

But the problem is not the night buses or trains... but the early morning ones !

How to reach using transit systems, the OBN hubs where your buses are leaving between 6am and 8am ???

And I'm still concerned by the seabus and the Lonsdale Quay hub ! With at maximum 6 seabuses by hour how the thousands of spectators will manage to get their bus on time !

[millertime1851]

Don't expect that you will be able to get to point A to point B almost immediately. Translink, the regional public transit agency, is warning people there will most likely be waits of between 30 to 60-minutes just to get onto the SkyTrain Canada Line.

For those of you much more familiar with the SkyTrain, if you could answer a question for me, that would be great.

A friend and I are thinking of coming up from Seattle for hockey during the second week. The plan is to park at one of the P&R lots in Surrey, probably Scott Road but could be one of the others, then taking the SkyTrain into downtown and back. Does that P&R usually get pretty full just from normal rush hour? And how late will that line be running?

[FiveRingFever]

For those of you much more familiar with the SkyTrain, if you could answer a question for me, that would be great.

A friend and I are thinking of coming up from Seattle for hockey during the second week. The plan is to park at one of the P&R lots in Surrey, probably Scott Road but could be one of the others, then taking the SkyTrain into downtown and back. Does that P&R usually get pretty full just from normal rush hour? And how late will that line be running?

I'll probably be using the Scott Road park and ride starting next week a fair amount because I'm staying in Surrey. I'll let you know what I encounter although I'll generally be getting there in the morning. The Expo SkyTrain line runs really late, 2:16 AM from Feb. 12-28 for the last train from downtown:

http://tripplanning.translink.ca/hiwire?.a=iScheduleLookupSearch&LineName=999&LineAbbr=999

[jawnbc]

Walk to the SE cornder of Davie and Bidwell, in front of the TD Canada Trust bank. The C23 will drop you across the street from Yaletown/Roundhouse Canada Line station.

Or a slightly longer, more scenic route: on the opposite side (NW corner a bit West of Bidwell on Davie)--in front of the dry cleaner's--take the C21. It'll go along Beach AVe, then down Pacific.

I live at Pendrell and Bidwell--I'm guessing you're at the Coast Plaza? My hood!

Jawnbc, which bus line do you take to go the Yaletown station ? I am on Comox & Denman so close to Davie. To reach Canada Line, I usualy took line #5 to Granville Street.

[flying.jay]

Anyone taking West Coast Express? We're staying in Chilliwack and are looking at taking the train from Mission. I'm guessing that transport isn't included in our ticket price...but I thought I'd ask. Also, coming home, will it be pretty tough to catch a return train? Also, is it pretty similar to Canada Line in that the stops aren't too long? It says on the website that it should take 72 min or so to get from Mission to Waterfront...will that change during the games?

Thanks for any help you can give us

[memorabilia]

Walk to the SE cornder of Davie and Bidwell, in front of the TD Canada Trust bank. The C23 will drop you across the street from Yaletown/Roundhouse Canada Line station.

Or a slightly longer, more scenic route: on the opposite side (NW corner a bit West of Bidwell on Davie)--in front of the dry cleaner's--take the C21. It'll go along Beach AVe, then down Pacific.

I live at Pendrell and Bidwell--I'm guessing you're at the Coast Plaza? My hood!

Thanks for the tips.

You guessed wrong. In fact I live at Comox & Chilco at the end of the street almost in Stanley Park.

[ScottS]

Anyone taking West Coast Express? We're staying in Chilliwack and are looking at taking the train from Mission. I'm guessing that transport isn't included in our ticket price...but I thought I'd ask. Also, coming home, will it be pretty tough to catch a return train? Also, is it pretty similar to Canada Line in that the stops aren't too long? It says on the website that it should take 72 min or so to get from Mission to Waterfront...will that change during the games?

Thanks for any help you can give us

All Translink services, including the West Coast Express, are free if you have a ticket, which is actually a pretty great deal. I know they're adding extra trains with late night service etc. but at this point I think it's hard to say how busy it will be during the games.

[jawnbc]

Well then you're not "on Comox and Denman" you're "near Comox and Denman"

Thanks for the tips.

You guessed wrong. In fact I live at Comox & Chilco at the end of the street almost in Stanley Park.

[memorabilia]

Well then you're not "on Comox and Denman" you're "near Comox and Denman"

You know i am a European guy, so we are used to walk and not to use our big cars So 2 blocks are nothing...

And as a French guy, i'm even more used to walk and to not use public transportation as they are most of the time on strike

Edited February 5, 2010 by memorabilia

[jawnbc]

Hi hi!

Mais tu habite à Vancouver ou visite seulement pour les jeux?

You know i am a European guy, so we are used to walk and not to use our big cars So 2 blocks are nothing...

And as a French guy, i'm even more used to walk and not used public transportation and they are most of the time on strike

[memorabilia]

Hi hi!

Mais tu habite à Vancouver ou visite seulement pour les jeux?

Un peu des deux !!!!

[IceNarcissus]

As somebody who's lived here for a very long time after moving here, I have a couple more tips for people used to taking transit in other cities when taking transit in Vancouver: Everybody (and I've noticed this to be especially true in most urban areas in Canada, with Calgary perhaps being the worst) LIES TO YOUR FACE about walking distances. You can count on 1 km being more like 2 or 3, and "5 minutes walking time" is more like 10 to 15 unless you're Usain Bolt and plan to jaywalk.

Be very cautious when somebody tells you how far something is and add on a 50% margin of error in ALL cases, even if you're hoofing it an hour (plan for 90 minutes) IN ADDITION to the estimated wait time at stations. Better safe than sorry.

On top of that, even if the person helping you is a well-traveled local and knows exactly how far something is, you never know if that 1 km they so friendly say your destination is away happens to be going directly uphill!

[Faster]

Question, how do you get from the Curling venue to the Oval? Is 4 hours good enough?

[costa79]

Question, how do you get from the Curling venue to the Oval? Is 4 hours good enough?

Take the Canada Line (SkyTrain) from King Edward Station (a 10-15 minute walk from the Curling venue) and travel south to Aberdeen Station, then it's a 25 minute walk along River Road (according to Translink and VANOC) to the Oval. An hour should be enough time to travel between both venues.