Hop on Hop off Vancouver Trolley

[disnee9]

Have been researching this transportation system and continue to be confused by the difference between this and the Greyline Bus Tour. Are they two completely different modes of transportation ?? Is one a trolley and one an actual bus ?? Do they share bus stops ??

It seems like they both run under the same booking umbrella.

Anyone have personal experience using this service ?

Thanks

 

[Pens Fan]

I'm not sure about the ownership of the two options, but the busses are a combination of regular busses, and hybrid regular bus/open air vehicles. The trolleys are just that - trolleys. It's been a couple of years since we were in Vancouver, but at that time the main difference (other than the vehicles) was that the trolleys operated on two separate loops, while Gray Line ran one route that took in the entire city.

We thought Gray Line would be the better option, as we could see everything without switching, but it was a poor choice. They simply did not have enough busses to handle the number of people trying to get on them. It was extremely frustrating that they had obviously sold more tickets than they had capacity for. If you got off at any stop (which is basically the whole point of the HOHO system) you could easily wait an hour or more for a bus to come by with enough empty seats for your party (we were only a party of three). As the day went on and the waits grew, people just stopped getting off at all and it just compounded the problem. So we were stuck on a looooong ride on a bus with a malfunctioning transmission - not a pleasant experience. At least with the trolleys, if you have a similar experience you aren't stuck riding around the entire city as their routes are shorter. Now, this was a Saturday, and I've read better reviews of the busses during the M-F timeframe. But I still would not get back on one of those busses again.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Public transportation in Vancouver is amazing timely and pervasive. If you're looking to "get to" places, the bus/tram/sky train is more than sufficient. Google Maps an the public transportation icon will get you to the right bus stop at the right time. We went *all over* Vancouver for our pre-cruise stay using only public transportation. The compass card is an absolute must

 

[disnee9]

Thanks for the information. Having never ridden a bus in a city, the whole endeavor sounds daunting. When you purchase the compass card, can you charge the amount or do you have to pay in Canadian money ??

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Thanks for the information. Having never ridden a bus in a city, the whole endeavor sounds daunting. When you purchase the compass card, can you charge the amount or do you have to pay in Canadian money ??

It's a flat fee that allows for as much usage as you want for the day on bus/tram/skytrain/ferry. They're sold at drug stores (check the site for exactly where) so the charge is in CAN dollars

 

[otten]

Where are you hoping to go in Vancouver? I can tell you which buses or sky trains to take to get there.

 

[disnee9]

We will be there for 2 1/2 days and plan to hit all the usual touristy places. Canada Place and the attractions in that area like the Olympic Cauldron and the Pixel Orca, Gastown, Chinatown, Stanley Park, Granville Island. As you can see, it will be a mixed bag of sightseeing and some of the places we plan on walking to if possible.

It sounds like the Compass Pass might be a better option than the trolley.

Can you recommend an affordable place that has good poutine ??

 

[otten]

We will be there for 2 1/2 days and plan to hit all the usual touristy places. Canada Place and the attractions in that area like the Olympic Cauldron and the Pixel Orca, Gastown, Chinatown, Stanley Park, Granville Island. As you can see, it will be a mixed bag of sightseeing and some of the places we plan on walking to if possible.

It sounds like the Compass Pass might be a better option than the trolley.

Can you recommend an affordable place that has good poutine ??

I'd skip the trolley for sure. Just an overpriced tourist trap. You'll get more mileage out of the compass card.

Most of that is within walking distance. Gastown starts just east of waterfront station which is next to Canada Place and then continues down water street.

Chinatown is also walkable from Canada Place. I have never felt unsafe walking there but the walk does take you through an area with a lot of poverty and homelessness and people who don't have a lot of experience with big cities that have large homeless populations may find it uncomfortable or unsafe. If you don't want to walk you can take the skytrain from waterfront (or whichever station you are nearest to) to Stadium-Chinatown.

The best bus to take to get to Granville Island is the 50 which leaves from Waterfront.

To get to Stanley Park you;d take the 19 along Pender Street.

https://www.translink.ca/Schedules-and-Maps.aspx is the website for the transit system which includes schedules and a trip planner. If you are at a bus stop and go to nb.translink.ca and put in the stop number on the sign you can find out when the next bus is coming.

We aren't really known for poutine on the west coast but Fritz' European Fry House and La Belle Patate are both good options.

 

[disnee9]

Thank you so very much. I now have a feel for the system and will check it out. I shall research how the whole thing works. I keep telling my husband that we are both college graduates and surely we can master the challenge. LOL Living in a town of less than 5000 people doesn't give you any big city experiences to draw on. We have never ridden in a taxi either so that will be an adventure !!!

 

[otten]

Thank you so very much. I now have a feel for the system and will check it out. I shall research how the whole thing works. I keep telling my husband that we are both college graduates and surely we can master the challenge. LOL Living in a town of less than 5000 people doesn't give you any big city experiences to draw on. We have never ridden in a taxi either so that will be an adventure !!!

You'll be fine. Bus drivers are also very knowledgeable about the system and if you ask them they will tell you which bus to take from where. If you're ever unsure just ask the driver when you get on if that bus will take you where you need to go.

 

[disnee9]

Never hurts to ask, but you know how men are about asking for directions. Sounds like a comedy routine.

 

[pangyal]

You can even take the train from the airport to very close to your hotel, depending on where you are staying. Their transit system is great!

Poutine is found mostly in Quebec.

 

[otten]

Never hurts to ask, but you know how men are about asking for directions. Sounds like a comedy routine.

You’ll do fine. It’s a pretty easy city to navigate. All you need to know is that the mountains and the harbour are north. So look for the mountains and you’ll know which direction you’re heading.

 

[otten]

It's a flat fee that allows for as much usage as you want for the day on bus/tram/skytrain/ferry. They're sold at drug stores (check the site for exactly where) so the charge is in CAN dollars

This isn't totally accurate. The compass card is how we pay for transit in Vancouver. You can load the card with a few options depending on your needs: a monthly pass for commuters, a specific amount of money or a day pass which is what tourists normally get. You can buy the card at many drugstores like you said and you can also buy them at any skytrain station. Just make sure you ask for or select daypass.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

This isn't totally accurate. The compass card is how we pay for transit in Vancouver. You can load the card with a few options depending on your needs: a monthly pass for commuters, a specific amount of money or a day pass which is what tourists normally get. You can buy the card at many drugstores like you said and you can also buy them at any skytrain station. Just make sure you ask for or select daypass.

Good catch. We purchased the daypass each day instead of the reloadable version - more cost efficient for our short stay.

 

[otten]

Good catch. We purchased the daypass each day instead of the reloadable version - more cost efficient for our short stay.

Day pass is perfect for tourists. No thinking about how much is left on your card for the day.