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

[Politzania]

Thanks for posting all this good info! We're planning on flying into Portland OR a few days early to visit friends, then taking Amtrak from Portland to Vancouver the day before our cruise. (Aug 29)

Their schedule has us arriving in Vancouver at 10:50p; but given the statements above - it sounds like we should plan for an even later arrival!

Will it be a problem getting to our hotel? (probably going to stay at the Holiday Inn Express on Hastings) - are there likely to be cabs still at the station or should we get a few cab co phone numbers, just in case?

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Thanks for posting all this good info! We're planning on flying into Portland OR a few days early to visit friends, then taking Amtrak from Portland to Vancouver the day before our cruise. (Aug 29)

Their schedule has us arriving in Vancouver at 10:50p; but given the statements above - it sounds like we should plan for an even later arrival!

Will it be a problem getting to our hotel? (probably going to stay at the Holiday Inn Express on Hastings) - are there likely to be cabs still at the station or should we get a few cab co phone numbers, just in case?

It is a busy train and bus station, there will be tons of cabs out front at all hours!!

 

[EdTreo]

I've an 11 AM flight back to Florida. What is the fastest way to get to the airport?

 

[richmo]

I've an 11 AM flight back to Florida. What is the fastest way to get to the airport?

I'm guessing SkyTrain?

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I've an 11 AM flight back to Florida. What is the fastest way to get to the airport?

I would probably catch a cab rather than walking to the skytrain, etc... It will be much faster if you are getting off the ship at 8am and have to get to the airport right away.

 

[rsjj]

does anyonoe know if there are car rental places from canada place? i'm thinking of renting a car for our days prior to the cruise from the airport, but returning it to canada place? not even sure if that's an option?

 

[jlwhitney]

does anyonoe know if there are car rental places from canada place? i'm thinking of renting a car for our days prior to the cruise from the airport, but returning it to canada place? not even sure if that's an option?

Alamo and National have locations at Canada Place and Pan Pacific Vancouver

 

[rsjj]

Alamo and National have locations at Canada Place and Pan Pacific Vancouver

thank you!! do you know if rental car places allow us to rent from one place, and return at another place?

 

[mmmears]

Does anyone have a good & reliable towncar service to recommend?

I'm thinking it might be easier to have a car "reserved" to take us to and from the airport instead of trying to get a taxi with all the "commotion" when we disembark from the ship.

 

[jlwhitney]

thank you!! do you know if rental car places allow us to rent from one place, and return at another place?

Both National and Alamo you can, I am booked through Alamo going from Airport to Pan Pacific. I got a better rate/discount through Alamo.

Look for discounts through AAA/BJ's/Costco/Entertainment books.

 

[rsjj]

Both National and Alamo you can, I am booked through Alamo going from Airport to Pan Pacific. I got a better rate/discount through Alamo.

Look for discounts through AAA/BJ's/Costco/Entertainment books.

thanx for the info! just looked it up...boy, it's quite pricey!! i don't normally rent cars, so when i priced it out, from airport to canada place, it said it was $600 for 2 nights! that's a lot, no? or is this how much it costs for renting out of states?

 

[littleprince]

keep looking. even check out if they have special weekend deals. my sister got one for $3xx for 4 nights

 

[richmo]

thanx for the info! just looked it up...boy, it's quite pricey!! i don't normally rent cars, so when i priced it out, from airport to canada place, it said it was $600 for 2 nights! that's a lot, no? or is this how much it costs for renting out of states?

Are you renting from SEA or YVR? If either, you could always drop the car at YVR and SkyTrain it to Canada Place.

In my case (flying into and out of SEA), I found it less expensive, by quite a bit, to rent the car roundtrip from/to SEA and park the car during the cruise.

 

[jlwhitney]

thanx for the info! just looked it up...boy, it's quite pricey!! i don't normally rent cars, so when i priced it out, from airport to canada place, it said it was $600 for 2 nights! that's a lot, no? or is this how much it costs for renting out of states?

I am paying 73 dollars for 2 days, night from YVR to Pan Pacific. If you are coming from Seattle that sounds about right since you are crossing the border.

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

Here's a question for the oh-so-helpful Canadians on this thread (and also any Americans who may have experience with this).

I saw on a taxi website that the H.S.T. (tax) is refundable "at the border" for Non-Canadian residents.

Anyone have any info on this? Is it for taxi fares only?

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Here's a question for the oh-so-helpful Canadians on this thread (and also any Americans who may have experience with this).

I saw on a taxi website that the H.S.T. (tax) is refundable "at the border" for Non-Canadian residents.

Anyone have any info on this? Is it for taxi fares only?

Here is the info on that for you:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/gst-tps/rbts/vstrs/fctp-eng.html

 

[mellers]

If you're flyng into Sea-Tac, it might be cheaper to rent a car for the Seattle area, take the QuickShuttle to YVR, and then rent a separate car for the Vancouver area.

 

[M&C]

Wonderful thread! Just subscribing so I can come back and read all the wonderful info!

 

[DenverVal]

I am paying 73 dollars for 2 days, night from YVR to Pan Pacific. If you are coming from Seattle that sounds about right since you are crossing the border.

I thought that the price tag couldn't be right, and tried it out for kicks - Alamo really was asking for $600 for two nights for a compact car to pick up at YVR and drop off at Canada Place. They wanted $200 for two nights if you picked up and dropped off at Canada Place.

 

[Ginamarie]

Does anyone know what the taxi fare would be from the airport to downtown area hotels (we're staying at the Hyatt Regency)?

I see that there's a skytrain, and was considering it, but I'm afraid we'll have too much luggage (and too high a kid to adult ratio) to easily get on and off of the train; not to mention, I'm not sure there would be enough room to store all of our luggage.

I also saw that there's a "shared ride" van that will take us from the airport to the hotel, but it only leaves once an hour and takes 45 minutes to get to our hotel. So I'm wondering if a taxi would be much more expensive (we'd need three taxis with our sized group).

Also, does anyone know how to handle infants in a taxicab? We have young children and will not have a carseat.