Vancouver -- Port to Airport

Looking for advice on transportation from the port to the airport in Vancouver. What shuttle service do you like? Are there readily available taxis?

If there is one ship in port taxis are readily available. With more ships it can be more challenging and with three could take a long time.

However if you walk out of the port and walk to the Pan Pacific Hotel (right next to port) or across the street to the Fairmont you can get a taxi there.

Keith

You have zero choice of shuttles; either there will be one company in the upcoming season, or there will be none (prior company folded but was replaced with another last season - prices seemed to only go up a buck or so, hopefully you'll still have the option for 2018 as for solos it was a decent value at <$20pp).

Taxis should run ~$35 per carload (metered, so exact price will be based on traffic), so for 2+ people are the cheapest non-transit option.

Limos of various sizes have fixed costs, which start at roughly double the price of a cab (towncar, max 4) and go up to about double that (stretch for 8+pax) with SUVs in-between. The per person price of these for 3+ people is, believe it or not, still cheaper than cruiseline transfers (US$29, or currently ~CAD$37) which should be your absolute last possible choice.

Public transit is the cheapest - and also the fastest option unless you walk right off the ship and into a cab or limo with no waiting, as drive time is longer than subway ride and nearest station is less than a quarter mile away. $4.10 weekdays, $2.85 weekends, even less for seniors and kids, and the Canada Line trains easily handle lots of luggage for the 26 minute ride to YVR.

Another vote for taxi. If the wait is longer than 15 minutes....

• I would walk up the street level is see if the line is shorter at the Pan Pacific.
  
• if the Pan Pacific is long, then I would look across the street to check out the Fairmont Waterfront
  
• if that's long.... would luggage drag West to the Fairmont Pacific Rim for a shorter cab line
  
• otherwise head East for the subway.
  

I think the easiest way is to take the Skytrain. It's the cheapest and probably the fastest.

Looking for advice on transportation from the port to the airport in Vancouver. What shuttle service do you like? Are there readily available taxis?

Sky Train - 2 or 3 blocks to station - cheap and fast to airport.

Hi folks! This thread came at just the right time for me.

When I disembark in Vancouver there will be 3 ships in port. [emoji51]. My flight back to the states is at 1:15pm, so I have to have a plan in place and not dilly-dally.

Typically I’d take the SkyTrain to the airport, but I fear my luggage will be too much to handle ( probably 1 piece of large luggage plus a carry-on) so I think that’s out. I fear super long taxi lines...so the idea of getting myself to one of the neighboring hotels is interesting. Are the neighboring hotels very far? Truthfully if I can get myself to a neighboring hotel to get a taxi there....is the SkyTrain entrance just as close?

If I wanted to arrange for a car to pick me up at the port, does anyone have a recommendation? Is it crazy chaotic trying to find your car at Canada Place?

Thanks.

Debbie

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Hi folks! This thread came at just the right time for me.

 

When I disembark in Vancouver there will be 3 ships in port. [emoji51]. My flight back to the states is at 1:15pm, so I have to have a plan in place and not dilly-dally.

 

Typically I’d take the SkyTrain to the airport, but I fear my luggage will be too much to handle ( probably 1 piece of large luggage plus a carry-on) so I think that’s out. I fear super long taxi lines...so the idea of getting myself to one of the neighboring hotels is interesting. Are the neighboring hotels very far? Truthfully if I can get myself to a neighboring hotel to get a taxi there....is the SkyTrain entrance just as close?

 

If I wanted to arrange for a car to pick me up at the port, does anyone have a recommendation? Is it crazy chaotic trying to find your car at Canada Place?

 

Thanks.

Debbie

 

 

 

 

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The Canada Place complex consists of the cruise ship terminal, the Pan Pacific Hotel, and convention centre space. So the Pan Pacific Hotel is just upstairs from the cruise terminal. The nearest Fairmont is across the street. So both are quite close.

The Skytrain entrance for the Expo Line is a few meters away from the entrance to the cruise terminal, however you want a Skytrain entrance for the Canada line this i another block or two.

If by carry on you mean "small bag" then most people just put those on top the bag against the extended handle. Many of these have straps that slip in over the handle. If by carry on you mean a small suitcase that is a bit more tricky.

Typically I’d take the SkyTrain to the airport, but I fear my luggage will be too much to handle ( probably 1 piece of large luggage plus a carry-on) so I think that’s out.

if you mean too much to handle - as in YOU cannot handle it, to roll around on sidewalks etc. - then you're correct. If you mean you fear it won't fit on SkyTrain, then you obviously didn't look under the seats last time around as it's quite feasible to slide a suitcase under there! Unless you can roll all your luggage yourself you also will not be allowed to self-disembark, so must wait for the regular 'go collect bags in the terminal' slots which start later. Plus, Canada Place staff do actually enforce their rules about having one hand free to use escalators - they make you take the elevator if your bags are not all stacked onto one another and controllable with one hand (or strapped to your back), and the elevator is a real bottleneck which adds further delays to your getting off the ship.

Assuming you cannot use SkyTrain, there is only one rational car service to use - Aerocar. They're exempt from provincial pricing laws on runs to and from the airport, so they are cheaper than anyone else selling legal rides. If it's just you and one or two others, a regular towncar is plenty big enough and will cost $64 (plus 5% tax and then tips). 4 people will all get seats, but trunk will not fit all the luggage if they travel with the same amount as you - so it would be an uncomfortable ride with bags on laps and 3 in the backseat. 4+ peeps are better upgrading to SUV.

All costs are listed here for diff vehicle sizes, but NB: that if you book them in advance there's also a flat $50 Meet & Greet fee on top (includes 1 hour of wait time). Everyone else has to apply the provincial minimum charge of 1 hour for the halfhour ride, so cost more than Aerocar.

Thank you both for replying. The info was very helpful.

Debbie

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A picture is worth a thousand words....

Looking for advice on transportation from the port to the airport in Vancouver. What shuttle service do you like? Are there readily available taxis?

We experienced the Vancouver port for the first time this past Sunday, Best disembarkation experience we have ever had. We were the second of three ships to dock so we expected a busy time at the taxi stand for our 11:30AM flight home. We did a 7:55AM walkoff, went straight to the taxi line, (no Customs or Immigration) and there were LOTS of taxis available at that point. We were at the airport check-in counter by 8:30AM