**** Vancouver FAQ Thread **** A few updates in main post!

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

I'm sorry if this has been asked somewhere on this thread but I can't find the answer here or a clear answer on the http://www.translink.ca/ site for my question.

We are arriving at the Vancouver airport on Friday, May 23 @ app. 6:30 PM. We are staying at the Pan Pacific at Canada Place. We plan to take the Skytrain. There are 5 of us. What is the best way to buy the ticket for the direct ride to Canada Place? We won't be going anywhere else on that day. We are getting on the cruise the next morning. We will plan to take the Skytrain directly back to the airport from Canada Place after disembarking from the cruise on June 2.

Suggestions on best ticket to purchase and where to purchase it?

 

[Freesia123]

There are machines right when you enter. It's very easy!

 

[ILovePixieDust]

I'm sorry if this has been asked somewhere on this thread but I can't find the answer here or a clear answer on the http://www.translink.ca/ site for my question.

We are arriving at the Vancouver airport on Friday, May 23 @ app. 6:30 PM. We are staying at the Pan Pacific at Canada Place. We plan to take the Skytrain. There are 5 of us. What is the best way to buy the ticket for the direct ride to Canada Place? We won't be going anywhere else on that day. We are getting on the cruise the next morning. We will plan to take the Skytrain directly back to the airport from Canada Place after disembarking from the cruise on June 2.

Suggestions on best ticket to purchase and where to purchase it?

The sky train station is attached to the airport. THere should be signs or you can ask someone to point you in the right direction. You can walk there and buy your tickets directly from the kiosks. You can use a credit card, debit, or canadian cash to buy tickets. It is pretty self-explanatory once you reach the kiosk. There will be instructions there. (It's a touch screen, simple.) You will be getting off at Waterfront Station and then its a few minutes walk to Pan Pacific.

here is a link to the translink site:
http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Paying-Your-Fare.aspx

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

There are machines right when you enter. It's very easy!

From reading the translink website it sounded like if I buy at the machines right there at the airport I would get hit with the $5 surcharge per ticket? That'll end up costing an extra $25 for the 5 of us. Is there a way I can pre-purchase the ticket from home? I just did this with my Metro Card for a trip to DC and have done it for the L in Chicago.

 

[Jasrhon]

From reading the translink website it sounded like if I buy at the machines right there at the airport I would get hit with the $5 surcharge per ticket? That'll end up costing an extra $25 for the 5 of us. Is there a way I can pre-purchase the ticket from home? I just did this with my Metro Card for a trip to DC and have done it for the L in Chicago.

That is right there is an additional surcharge to Skytrain tickets purchased from the airport machines.


The prepaid tickets are sold in books of 10 called FareSaver tickets. They are sold at 7 - eleven. There is a 7 - eleven on the bottom floor of the domestic terminal at YVR. The YVR website says that they carry the FareSaver passes. If you want them for a round trip to the port and back to the airport this is your best deal. It is 2 zones from YVR to downtown but that only applies during peak hours on week days. If both your trips are on weekends or later in the evening you only have to pay for one zone.

When you arrive you can go downstairs and buy a FareSaver book. There are machines to validate them right beside the ticket purchase machines at the Skytrain station. Translink is supposed to be switching to a new card much like the metro card but I don't think it will be in place for several months.

 

[Freesia123]

Is there a 7-11 in the basement of the international terminal? I only remember seeing one in the domestic.

 

[jtkboston]

If both your trips are on weekends or later in the evening you only have to pay for one zone.

The sailings are Mondays (except first one), so they'll be arriving Sunday evening but departing the cruise terminal to the airport Monday morning during rush-hour.

 

[Ellester]

That is right there is an additional surcharge to Skytrain tickets purchased from the airport machines. The prepaid tickets are sold in books of 10 called FareSaver tickets. They are sold at 7 - eleven. There is a 7 - eleven on the bottom floor of the domestic terminal at YVR. The YVR website says that they carry the FareSaver passes. If you want them for a round trip to the port and back to the airport this is your best deal. It is 2 zones from YVR to downtown but that only applies during peak hours on week days. If both your trips are on weekends or later in the evening you only have to pay for one zone. When you arrive you can go downstairs and buy a FareSaver book. There are machines to validate them right beside the ticket purchase machines at the Skytrain station. Translink is supposed to be switching to a new card much like the metro card but I don't think it will be in place for several months.

We bought two books of train tickets from the 7-11 at the suggestion of the woman who pushed my mom's wheelchair from the plane to baggage claim. We had 7 people, two adults, four kids, and one senior. It was much cheaper to buy the books and I had tickets leftover!

 

[GrtWtNorth]

A quick note about buying tickets at 7-Eleven and travel zones required to go between the airport and the port. 1-zone is required on weekends or weekdays after 6:30 pm. 2-zone tickets are required on weekdays before 6:30 pm. If your round trip requires a 1-zone and 2-zone fare, just buy a book of 1-zone tickets. You can add purchase zone upgrades at the train platform without incurring the $5 surcharge.

 

[Sorcerer Mom]

The sky train station is attached to the airport. THere should be signs or you can ask someone to point you in the right direction. You can walk there and buy your tickets directly from the kiosks. You can use a credit card, debit, or canadian cash to buy tickets. It is pretty self-explanatory once you reach the kiosk. There will be instructions there. (It's a touch screen, simple.) You will be getting off at Waterfront Station and then its a few minutes walk to Pan Pacific.

here is a link to the translink site:
http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Paying-Your-Fare.aspx

Question about the walk to the Pan Pacific...we will have my MIL with us who has knee issues and uses a cane. Is the walk too far for her? Wondering if we should just grab a cab.

 

[pjstevens]

Arriving via Amtrak and staying at the Best Western Downtown Vancouver on Drake Street. Is a taxi the easiest way to get to the hotel? If so, are they easily available?

 

[Tenkawa]

Question about the walk to the Pan Pacific...we will have my MIL with us who has knee issues and uses a cane. Is the walk too far for her? Wondering if we should just grab a cab.

It is about 1 block from Skytrain, and level. So not really an issue unless you have a ton of baggage.

From ship to PP (or vice versa)... you take the elevator and select the cruise ship level.

 

[Tenkawa]

Arriving via Amtrak and staying at the Best Western Downtown Vancouver on Drake Street. Is a taxi the easiest way to get to the hotel? If so, are they easily available?

For the Best Western Plus downtown Vancouver on the corner of Granville and Drake, take a taxi.

Yes, the taxi's know the Amtrak's arrival time and stack up outside waiting for the passengers.

(Transit-wise, you would have to take skytrain downtown, then a bus along granville to the hotel, a bit of a pain. Plus until the end of this year, the skytrain station that services the amtrak is undergoing renos. Still open, but more difficult to get into and out of.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

A quick note about buying tickets at 7-Eleven and travel zones required to go between the airport and the port. 1-zone is required on weekends or weekdays after 6:30 pm. 2-zone tickets are required on weekdays before 6:30 pm. If your round trip requires a 1-zone and 2-zone fare, just buy a book of 1-zone tickets. You can add purchase zone upgrades at the train platform without incurring the $5 surcharge.

Okay so it sounds like flying in at 6:30 PM on a Friday night I would only need the 1 zone to go from airport to Canada Place.

On Monday, 6/2 to return to airport from Canada Place at app. 11 AM I would need 2 zone tickets?

Best deal would be to buy the packet of 10 faresaver tickets at the 7-11 in the airport?

Now I am flying into Vancouver on a flight from Chicago. Will I be able to get to a 7-11 in the airport?

 

[Jasrhon]

Is there a 7-11 in the basement of the international terminal? I only remember seeing one in the domestic.

There is only one on the domestic side.

 

[Jasrhon]

Okay so it sounds like flying in at 6:30 PM on a Friday night I would only need the 1 zone to go from airport to Canada Place. On Monday, 6/2 to return to airport from Canada Place at app. 11 AM I would need 2 zone tickets? Best deal would be to buy the packet of 10 faresaver tickets at the 7-11 in the airport? Now I am flying into Vancouver on a flight from Chicago. Will I be able to get to a 7-11 in the airport?

The 7-eleven is open 24 hours. It is located downstairs in the domestic side of the YVR terminal.

Yes, buy a book of 1 zone FareSaver tickets and use the machine to add fare to upgrade to 2 zones when you return to the airport.

Enjoy your visit to Vancouver.

 

[noahdove]

I am hoping onboard here so that when I have time, I can start my note taking..This will be exciting

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

The 7-eleven is open 24 hours. It is located downstairs in the domestic side of the YVR terminal.

Yes, buy a book of 1 zone FareSaver tickets and use the machine to add fare to upgrade to 2 zones when you return to the airport.

Enjoy your visit to Vancouver.

Will I be able to access that area if I am coming in on a flight from Chicago?

 

[Tenkawa]

Will I be able to access that area if I am coming in on a flight from Chicago?

Yes. You will come out in the bottom floor of the international terminal. Here is how you get there:

Option 1:

Go up the large escalator (to the departures level), continue straight ahead until you are in the domestic terminal (through the connector building).
Go down the escalator in the middle, then down the ramp or escalator in the middle of the domestic baggage area. The 7-11 is right there.

Option 2: (Through the Parkade)
Walk out of the terminal and cross the street into the parkade structure. Keep walking into the middle of it where there is a cross path (wide). Turn right 90 degrees and walk along that path and into the Domestic terminal. The 7-11 is right there.

To get to Skytrain, you go up to the Departures level of the International Terminal then across the street. OR I believe there is an entrance with escalator/elevator from the arrivals level, outside. Just follow the signs, you can't miss them.


- I used to work at the airport a few years back, before the canada line was put in, but the terminals are still the same.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Okay so it sounds like flying in at 6:30 PM on a Friday night I would only need the 1 zone to go from airport to Canada Place.

On Monday, 6/2 to return to airport from Canada Place at app. 11 AM I would need 2 zone tickets?

Best deal would be to buy the packet of 10 faresaver tickets at the 7-11 in the airport?

Now I am flying into Vancouver on a flight from Chicago. Will I be able to get to a 7-11 in the airport?

Just so you know, Translink is in the process of phasing out Faresaver tickets.

http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/FareSaver-Tickets.aspx