Question regarding Vancouver BC

When your cruise ends in Vancouver BC, do you think you can catch a 1:00PM flight, the

next one is 4:00PM and really don't want to wait around the airport that long. However if

you think 1:00PM is a maybe we'll wait. Thanks, Rick

We live about 50 miles from Vancouver and have taken a few cruises to and from there. Unlike Miami, there should be no problem with a 1:00 p.m. flight. Although the airport is only 10 miles from the port, traffic can be heavy, if you get off the ship between 9 and 10:00 am., you'll be fine. Are you doing your own transportation or is Regent providing it?

The attached link has alot of info about Vancouver

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2203845

We departed Vancouver 10 days ago on an 11:00 flight with Regent transportation. We were the first group off at 8:15 and arrived the airport in more than enough time.

We departed Vancouver 10 days ago on an 11:00 flight with Regent transportation. We were the first group off at 8:15 and arrived the airport in more than enough time.

They have changed the security procedure in Canadian airports for US bound flights. Takes longer to do security checks. They now are advising to allow three hours .

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Thanks, Also TC2--we'll be using a car service---know of a good one or would taxi be better? Rick

Thanks, Also TC2--we'll be using a car service---know of a good one or would taxi be better? Rick

Unfortunately we do not know of a car service since we drive to Vancouver and park there. We looked at car services for our Alaska cruise next month and decided to take a taxi (we're parking at the airport because we fly back from San Francisco to Vancouver).

When your cruise ends in Vancouver BC, do you think you can catch a 1:00PM flight, the

next one is 4:00PM and really don't want to wait around the airport that long. However if

you think 1:00PM is a maybe we'll wait. Thanks, Rick

You won't have a problem with a 1.00 PM flight, get home early and get the washing on :D

Thanks for the information, I'm guessing a taxi may be better and faster. Rick

The train to the airport is a nice alternative if you don't have much luggage.

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Thanks for the information, I'm guessing a taxi may be better and faster. Rick

Rick,

The taxi line in Canada Place can be very long. What we do is skip the taxi line, walk out to the street, turn right and walk a short distance to the front of the Pan Pacific Hotel. The Pan Pacific Doorman will get you a cab immediately.

Even with the new enhanced security, a 1pm flight should be safe. If you're mobile enough to handle all your own bags, SkyTrain is the most consistent way to get to the airport - no traffic issues, approx 26 minutes platform to platform plus maybe 10 mins extra walking total compared to cabs. If you're among the first folks off and the can queue is short, a cab will be faster end to end - but if you have to wait more than 10mins SkyTrain will definitely get you there faster (and always cheaper at barely US$3pp even for peak travel weekdays).

Rick,

 

The taxi line in Canada Place can be very long. What we do is skip the taxi line, walk out to the street, turn right and walk a short distance to the front of the Pan Pacific Hotel. The Pan Pacific Doorman will get you a cab immediately.

Thanks for the hint. We plan on being amongst the first off of the ship - even if it means dealing with our own luggage so we may get a taxi easily. If not, we'll go to the Pan Pacific.

martincath: We haven't taken the SkyTrain in years. Do you know where specifically in the airport you can board? It may be a alternative for us as well as others. Thanks much!

martincath: We haven't taken the SkyTrain in years. Do you know where specifically in the airport you can board? It may be a alternative for us as well as others. Thanks much!

At the airport end the SkyTrain is above the parking structure for short term/valet - across the road from the passenger terminal. Signage is very obvious - you basically walk the same way as you would for cabs & limos then go up an escalator or elevator, cross a pedestrian bridge and arrive on the platform where you'll find ticket machines. They look a little different now than they used to (now they vend Compass Cards, the reloadable 'tap & go' system, as well as Compass Tickets if you just need one trip).

Coming from the ship to the airport is cheaper - no surcharge on the tickets. Inbound through there's a $5 extra fee per ticket which applies to everyone regardless of time of day, concession fare, day pass etc. and will be automatically charged at YVR when buying a ticket or tapping a Compass card.

We disembarked in Vancouver last year. No problem with catching a 1 pm flight. We just took a taxi from the port to the airport.

martincath: Thanks so much for answering my questions. One more if you don't mind. If we take the the SkyTrain to the airport, where does it drop us off? I looked it up and it appears to be a few blocks away which would not work for us. I may have made an error when I looked it up as I asked for the station near the Pan Pacific Hotel and there is more than one.

You need to look at the Canada Line not Sky Train. Sky Train was built in 1986 and goes to the eastern burbs of Vancouver.The Canada Line drops you off right beside the terminal .You have to make sure that you take the train to YVR and not Richmond .Its a couple of blocks from the terminal to board the Canada Line. Martincath probably has more info.

You need to look at the Canada Line not Sky Train. Sky Train was built in 1986 and goes to the eastern burbs of Vancouver.The Canada Line drops you off right beside the terminal .You have to make sure that you take the train to YVR and not Richmond .Its a couple of blocks from the terminal to board the Canada Line. Martincath probably has more info.

We followed the signs and the people guides to the train station which is about 2 blocks from Canada Place. Tickets are sold inside the terminal at vending machines and one then walks down to the platform following the signs pointing to the airport. The stop at the airport is very close to the terminal, but if you have lots of luggage that you aren't comfortable dragging, another alternative would be better. We just had a backpack and a rolling small suitcase and that was fine for traveling.

We followed the signs and the people guides to the train station which is about 2 blocks from Canada Place. Tickets are sold inside the terminal at vending machines and one then walks down to the platform following the signs pointing to the airport. The stop at the airport is very close to the terminal, but if you have lots of luggage that you aren't comfortable dragging, another alternative would be better. We just had a backpack and a rolling small suitcase and that was fine for traveling.

Thank you! Unfortunately, we always have 2 large suitcases and 2 carry-ons so this will likely not work. I admire those of you that can pack light. To me, two suitcases weighing under 50 pounds is packing light. :halo:

I second your packing style TC. Which is why we need easy transfers.

martincath: Thanks so much for answering my questions. One more if you don't mind. If we take the the SkyTrain to the airport, where does it drop us off? I looked it up and it appears to be a few blocks away which would not work for us. I may have made an error when I looked it up as I asked for the station near the Pan Pacific Hotel and there is more than one.

No mistake - SkyTrain is the generic term for all light rail transport in the area and has been for 20+ years when the second line was confirmed and the original renamed the Expo Line to go with the newer Millennium Line. SkyTrain then became the name for the entire elevated/tunneled track light rail system, even though now we have at least 3 different types of vehicles running and one of them is incompatible with the others (Canada Line uses totally different vehicles which are designed for luggage - a very sensible change since to and from airport is full of suitcases while all the other 3 lines serve commuters) and a total of 4 lines (most recently the Evergreen Line).

K50's correct that you do want the Canada Line, but that just reflects which platform you get on - tickets are the same for the entire system. Waterfront Station has the terminus for 3 of the lines - a single platform for Canada Line and a shared platform for Expo & Millennium - and they both show up on Google Maps if you zoom in, as well as alternate access points to the same platforms, e.g. Waterfront Station (Canada Line) appears at Granville & Hastings. And yes, every second train goes to YVR - clearly displayed on the front of the train and on the platform screens.

The closest platform to the PP is for the Expo/Millennium lines - so the escalator that sits on Howe St visible from Canada Place entrance is not the one to use. You can get between the platforms inside the station, but it's more hassle than just staying on the streets as you have multiple internal levels to navigate and not a lot of elevators. I always recommend the Cordova Street entrance as it's a) the most obvious, with multiple doors and huge pillars in an obviously-a-railway-station-historic-building, b) has the ticket machines in the lobby as soon as you enter, with c) clear signage about where to go to get to Canada Line from there (straight downstairs, with escalators and elevators clearly visible rather than tucked away somewhere round a corner).

As to the logistics of using it with luggage - there's plenty of room for a large suitcase and a carryon per person in the regular seats on the Canada Line trains. We have never had any trouble with fitting in our bags (28" rolling + 18 or 20" carryon). If you can wheel your bags through the terminal you can wheel them across into the airport from the train station there - cross the bridge then head for the appropriate Departures area. The longest walk is the 3 blocks to the appropriate station entrance on Cordova from Canada Place.

If you cannot walk ~400 yards rolling your luggage on pretty smooth and almost totally flat sidewalks, then SkyTrain is not for you - but if you can there's no logistical reason not to use it. From the pier to the airport there are no fixed-rate cabs, but it should be about $35 on the meter (straight from a cruise you're going against rushhour traffic, so even on weekdays it's unlikely to go over $40 unless there's some unusual issue). Fixed-rate can be had with Aerocar (or any other limo company, but since Aerocar are the only ones allowed to charge less than the legal minimum fare they are always cheapest). That's approx $70 incl. tax & tip for a towncar (max 3 pax with lots of luggage, 4 for lighter travelers) and going up with larger vehicle sizes.

Compared to a cruiseline transfer (~US$25-29pp) a limo is actually cheaper for 3+ and almost a wash for a couple, depending just where the exchange rate is sitting at the time. And especially at disembarkation, faster too - since you don't have to wait for a bus to be filled with fellow pax and their luggage. Cruiseline transfers have absolutely zero relevance in Vancouver - they are without exception overpriced. Even if you pay a porter to schlep bags from pickup to car, a couple will save ~$20+ in a cab and 3+ in a limo potentially even more - even a solo traveler would pay CAD$40/US$30 or likely less for their very own cab...

Thank you so much for taking the time to post the detailed explanation. It is very helpful!:D

Excellent detailed info. As I remember, our cab fare was $35.

The price for a regent airport transfer would be much more than that because regent transfers are very expensive, way more than $25 pp.