Overview
Metro Vancouver's public transport network is run by the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, known almost universally as TransLink. TransLink is responsible for all aspects of municipal transport in the region, and in addition to public transit it also maintains some roads and provides ferry service within the Lower Mainland. The network covers buses, the SkyTrain rapid metro, the SeaBus passenger ferry, the West Coast Express commuter rail, and HandyDART.
For a visitor, the system is straightforward once you understand the tap-in, tap-out model. You pay with a reloadable Compass Card, a single-use Compass Ticket, or a contactless credit card, debit card, or mobile wallet tapped directly at the fare gates and readers. Fares are calculated by zones and by the time of day, with buses always charging a single-zone fare. A single fare is valid for 90 minutes on bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and HandyDART, and 120 minutes on the West Coast Express, so you can transfer between modes within the zones you paid for during that window.
Vancouver is unusual among large North American cities in having no freeways into or through the downtown area; a proposed downtown freeway was rejected in the 1960s, and that decision has shaped city planning ever since. The city is surrounded by water on three sides and connected by bridges to the north and south, which makes the rapid transit and ferry links especially useful for getting around.
The network
TransLink's regional rapid mass transit network is made up of several distinct systems, each with its own character and coverage.
SkyTrain (rapid metro)
The SkyTrain is an advanced rapid metro system operating fully automated trains on three lines. Built for the Expo 86 World's Fair, it is the longest fully automated light metro system in the world and uses the world's longest transit-only bridge, the SkyBridge. The three lines are:
- Expo Line — links downtown to the suburbs of Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, and Coquitlam.
- Millennium Line — also links downtown to Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, and Coquitlam.
- Canada Line — connects downtown Vancouver to central Richmond and the Vancouver International Airport; it began operation on August 17, 2009, and uses Hyundai Rotem trains rather than the linear induction Bombardier technology of the first two lines.
Construction is underway on a C$2-billion extension of the Millennium Line west toward Kitsilano and Point Grey. Phase 1 runs from the current VCC–Clark terminus under the Broadway corridor to a station at Arbutus Street, expected to be completed in 2025, with a future phase 2 extension planned to the University of British Columbia. A 16-kilometre extension of the Expo Line southeast through Surrey into Langley was formally approved in 2022, with major construction expected from 2024 until the line opens in 2028.
West Coast Express (commuter rail)
The West Coast Express is a heavy commuter rail train serving Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and Mission. It has an integrated ticketing system with the rest of the TransLink network, though it uses separate fare pricing and zones rather than the standard three-zone structure.
SeaBus (ferry)
The SeaBus is a passenger-only ferry connecting downtown Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver across Burrard Inlet. The fleet has three ferries, owned and operated by the Coast Mountain Bus Company, with the newest vessel put into service in 2014.
Buses
Bus service operates throughout most of the region under a TransLink subsidiary, the Coast Mountain Bus Company. Service in West Vancouver and Lions Bay is contracted through West Vancouver Blue Bus. All buses are wheelchair-accessible and carry cycle racks, and they can carry two wheelchairs and bicycles. Vancouver maintains and upgrades a trolleybus fleet that serves the downtown core and much of the city of Vancouver proper with fully wheelchair-accessible, bicycle-friendly, zero-emission buses. Certain diesel commuter buses travelling to the suburbs as RapidBus have bicycle racks, wheelchair lifts, reading lights, and high-back reclining seats. Frequency ranges from every couple of minutes within downtown Vancouver to two to three trips a day in far-flung suburbs such as Maple Ridge, Langley, and Aldergrove.
Streetcar
Vancouver has no current streetcar network. A downtown streetcar was once planned from Granville Island around False Creek to Waterfront Station and on to Stanley Park, and the Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway ran a phase-zero route between Granville Island and Main Street SkyTrain station in summer months as a demonstration. A free demonstration service called the Olympic Line ran from January 21 to March 21, 2010, along 1.8 km of the Downtown Historic Railway from Granville Island to Olympic Village Station, using two Bombardier Flexity Outlook streetcars borrowed from the Brussels tramway. That demonstration line has since been decommissioned, and there are no current plans for a streetcar network.
Tickets & fares
Fares depend on when, where, and how you travel. As of July 1, 2026, fares increased by an average of 5%. The prices below are approximate and change, so check TransLink for current rates.
Fare zones
There are three fare zones across Metro Vancouver, and your fare is determined by the number of zone boundaries you cross, plus the time and day of travel.
- Buses and HandyDART: always a 1-Zone fare, all day, every day.
- SkyTrain: 1, 2, or 3-Zone fare depending on time, day, and boundaries crossed.
- SeaBus: 1 or 2-Zone fare depending on time and day.
- West Coast Express: separate fare pricing and zones, not covered by the standard zones.
All trips starting after 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday are charged a 1-Zone fare, as are all weekend trips and all provincial statutory holidays.
Fare validity
A single fare is valid for 90 minutes on bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and HandyDART, and for 120 minutes on the West Coast Express. Transfers between modes are allowed within the zones you purchased for the validity period.
Fare prices (adult)
- Cash / Compass Ticket: 1-Zone $3.50, 2-Zone $5.10, 3-Zone $6.70.
- Compass Card stored value (discounted): 1-Zone $2.85, 2-Zone $4.20, 3-Zone $5.40.
Concession fares
Concession fares apply to HandyCard holders, seniors 65 and over, and youth aged 13 to 18 (photo ID required for age-based concession). Concession fares are $2.30 for 1-Zone, $3.40 for 2-Zone, and $4.60 for 3-Zone, at both the cash rate and the stored-value rate.
Passes
- DayPass: unlimited travel on all buses, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and HandyDART for one full day, from first service until 4 a.m. the next day. It is valid in all zones but is not valid on the West Coast Express.
- Monthly Pass: unlimited SkyTrain and SeaBus travel within the zones purchased, unlimited buses and HandyDART at any time, and all zones on weekends, statutory holidays, and after 6:30 p.m. on weekday evenings. Prices are approximately $117.20 for 1-Zone, $156.70 for 2-Zone, and $211.65 for 3-Zone.
How to pay
- Compass Card: a reloadable smart card with a C$6 refundable deposit. Stored value has a $5 minimum, and you can add value online, by phone, or at vending machines.
- Compass Ticket: a single-use ticket purchased at Compass Vending Machines at the cash rate.
- Contactless payment: tap an Interac Debit card, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, or a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay at fare gates and readers. The single adult cash fare applies; use a Compass Card to get the discounted fare.
- Cash on bus: exact change into the fare box, with no change given. A paper transfer is issued, valid only between buses and not on SkyTrain, SeaBus, or West Coast Express.
Tapping rules
- On bus and HandyDART, tap on boarding only; no tap out is required.
- On SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express, tap in and tap out at fare gates and validators. The system reserves the maximum 3-Zone fare on tap-in and calculates the correct fare on tap-out.
- Remove your card from your wallet to avoid "card clash" and multiple charges, and use the same card or device throughout a journey.
- To reverse an uncompleted trip, ask the bus driver to reverse the tap; on rail, tap out of the same station within 21 minutes on SkyTrain and SeaBus, or 60 minutes on West Coast Express.
Proof of payment and enforcement
Vehicles and fare-gate areas are Fare Paid Zones, and proof of payment is required at all times. Valid proof includes a recently tapped Compass Card or Ticket, a contactless card or mobile wallet, validated FareSavers (no longer sold), or bus transfers (on buses only). Transit Police and Security conduct fare checks, and failure to pay or using an ineligible fare can result in a $173 fine. TransLink does not use QR codes for fare payment, so report any suspicious QR stickers.
Children and groups
Children 12 and under ride free on bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express. For gated system access, seek a SkyTrain attendant or use a Courtesy Phone. Children do not need to be accompanied by a fare-paying customer. Bulk Compass Ticket purchases are available for large groups such as school field trips. Note that there is currently no Compass app.
From the airport
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) sits on Sea Island in Richmond, at 3211 Grant McConachie Way. It is the second busiest airport in Canada, with frequent flights from across British Columbia, the rest of Canada, other North American countries, Asia, and Europe, and it is the only Canadian airport with direct flights to Australia and New Zealand. The Domestic and International Terminal is the main terminal most travellers use, while the South Terminal handles prop, small jet, and seaplane service to local communities in British Columbia and Yukon.
The easiest public-transport option into the centre is TransLink's SkyTrain Canada Line, which provides direct service to downtown Vancouver in about 25 minutes. The fare from YVR to Vancouver is $11.60 (July 2026), which includes the two-zone base fare of $5.10 plus a $6.50 surcharge known as the "YVR AddFare," incurred only for departures from the airport. The AddFare applies to journeys starting at YVR–Airport, Sea Island Centre, or Templeton stations at all times, with some exemptions.
When the SkyTrain is closed, bus N10 runs overnight to Vancouver. Route 412 connects the South Terminal with Bridgeport station on the Canada Line during limited daytime hours.
By taxi, the typical travel time from the airport to downtown is 20 to 30 minutes. Fares from the airport to Vancouver or Richmond are fixed and vary by the zone of your destination, with the zone map and fixed rates posted at YVR Taxis. Metered fares apply for all trips going to the airport and for trips from outside the zones, and all taxis serving the airport are required to accept credit cards.
Seaplane facilities sit about 300 metres south of YVR's South Terminal and in downtown Vancouver at the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre (CXH), 1055 Canada Place. Floatplane operators offer frequent flights to downtown Vancouver and YVR, with routes to Comox, Nanaimo harbour, Powell River, Tofino, Victoria's Inner Harbour, Whistler, and the Southern Gulf Islands, plus scenic tours starting at about $80–100 per person. Helicopter service is also available from a downtown heliport next to Waterfront Station, connecting to Victoria and YVR's South Terminal.
Note that Abbotsford International Airport (YXX), about 60 km east of Vancouver, has no public transit link to the city; the best way to reach Vancouver from there is by car, a 45-to-90-minute drive depending on traffic, though two intercity bus operators stop at the airport and at Vancouver's Pacific Central Station.
Etiquette & customs
Vancouver's transit system is busy and generally orderly, and a few local habits will help you fit in.
- Queuing: line up at bus stops and let passengers off before boarding. At SkyTrain and SeaBus stations, wait behind the marked lines until the doors open.
- Escalators: stand on the right and walk on the left, so people in a hurry can pass.
- Priority seating: seats near the doors are reserved for seniors, people with disabilities, and passengers with small children. Offer them up when someone needs one.
- Quiet: keep phone calls and music volumes low, especially during rush hour, and use headphones.
- Eating and drinking: rules vary by system and are generally enforced more strictly on the SkyTrain and SeaBus than on buses; keep food and drink sealed and avoid eating during busy periods.
- Rush hour: weekday mornings and late afternoons are the busiest times. Move into the car, remove your backpack, and avoid blocking doors or aisles.
- Fare checks: Transit Police and Security do conduct fare inspections, so keep your Compass Card, Ticket, or contactless card handy as proof of payment.
Official links
Survival terms
Vancouver is a natively English-speaking city, so transit signage and announcements are in English. A few local terms are worth knowing:
- SkyTrain — the rapid metro system (subway/metro).
- Compass Card / Compass Ticket — the reloadable smart card and the single-use ticket (ticket).
- Expo Line, Millennium Line, Canada Line — the three SkyTrain lines (line).
- Fare gate / validator — where you tap in and tap out (entrance and exit).
- Transfer — a change between modes or vehicles within your fare's validity period (transfer).
- Single fare — a one-way fare valid for 90 minutes, or 120 minutes on the West Coast Express (single fare).
- DayPass — unlimited travel for one full day, valid in all zones but not on the West Coast Express (day pass).
- SeaBus — the passenger ferry across Burrard Inlet (ferry).
If you plan to ride more than a couple of times, buy a Compass Card at a vending machine and keep it loaded, since the stored-value fare is noticeably cheaper than paying cash or tapping a contactless card.