Canada Place to YVR

We will arrive at Canada Place on May 11th, Friday. We will be the only disembarking ship, the Eurodam is there for a port visit only.

We plan to take a taxi to YVR for a 12:18 flight. Although we have done this before, it has always been on a weekend day. Is Friday morning going to present a problem because of traffic issues? How much should we budget (CAD) for the taxi?

Thanks for any information.

We will arrive at Canada Place on May 11th, Friday. We will be the only disembarking ship, the Eurodam is there for a port visit only.

We plan to take a taxi to YVR for a 12:18 flight. Although we have done this before, it has always been on a weekend day. Is Friday morning going to present a problem because of traffic issues? How much should we budget (CAD) for the taxi?

Thanks for any information.

Most of the traffic is coming to the city in the morning. You'll be alright with a taxi.

Typical cab fare will be around $35.00 from downtown to the Airport. It will be busy downtown, but once you are over the bridge it is a quick drive to Richmond and the Airport.

Typical cab fare will be around $35.00 from downtown to the Airport. It will be busy downtown, but once you are over the bridge it is a quick drive to Richmond and the Airport.

The last we had a cab to the airport it was about $60 CDN.

The last we had a cab to the airport it was about $60 CDN.

How much co you tip the taxi?

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How much co you tip the taxi?

 

 

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We tip $5 to $10 depending on the number of bags and where we think the fare is proper. We’ve drivers who didn’t know where to go and took longer.

How much co you tip the taxi?

10%+ is enough for just a basic ride, 15% if the cabbie helps with bags, maybe more if you get good chat. While it's not unheard of for metered fares to be well over $35 if there's a major traffic issue (there are some bottlenecks involving bridges so route choices to the airport can be very limited) it's very unusual in my experience.

As someone who does not sound Canadian, I always make a point of specifying which major route (I prefer Cambie to Oak whether driving myself or in a cab) and to chat with my wife about something from the local news so the cabbie is aware I am familiar with the city - the same trick works well for tourists, any little tidbit that indicates you have visited before and know the city at all (even if it's your first time) makes sure they won't take any blatant 'scenic route' and your fare should be as expected. I've been doing that for almost 30 years and never had a 'long ride' even in places notorious for ripoff cabbies - these days it's really easy to use Google Maps for routing, memorize two major roads they suggest, instead of having to hit the library!

And for OP, I agree that a post-noon flight on a one ship day you'll have no problems barring some huge disaster that would hose you for a flight even later than this too. I wouldn't dilly-dally getting off, but being in a cab by 9am should be enough padding for even a very nervous traveler.

The last we had a cab to the airport it was about $60 CDN.

Wow, that is a lot, While I have not been in Vancouver for a couple of years, I don’t think i have ever paid that much for a taxi to YVR, unless I took a Limo. I used to work there 2-3 times a month for many years, and it was always in the $35 range.

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Wow, that is a lot, While I have not been in Vancouver for a couple of years, I don’t think i have ever paid that much for a taxi to YVR, unless I took a Limo. I used to work there 2-3 times a month for many years, and it was always in the $35 range.

 

 

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We paid $55 plus tip about 18months ago.

The fixed rate from the airport to Canada Place s $40 plus tip.

That is expensive

It's Canadian dollars, so cheaper than US by ~25% these days. And while I know k50 has visited Vancouver often enough to be reasonably familiar with us, so the $55 fare probably wasn't a scam, it is unusual - even with roadworks we've never had to pay more than $40.

Plus the inbound fixed rate cab fare is $35; $40 would include a decent tip. Zone fares were set at the levels they are because they equate to the average metered rates to most addresses within those zones - back in the day we'd usually pay $32 airport to door, and we're in the $31 zone now. Every friend who lives locally reports similar accuracy unless they are right near a zone boundary (while mostly these only jump by a couple of bucks, there are some jumps of e.g. $31 straight to $37 so if you're in the few streets either side of that arbitrary line you could win or lose by 4 or 5 bucks compared to the metered fares).

The taxi calculator shows a low of $35 to a high of $65 . I can't see $35 on cruise day or $65. This doesn't include the tip.

Not sure which calculator you're using, but I see an even wider range on the independent site taxifarefinder, from <$32 to over $70. Door to door our home is exactly 500 metres shorter distance (well under a dollar on the meter) than Canada Place from YVR - and almost all of the cab rides we've taken were between $31 and $33 on the meter (in either direction when inbound was still metered). Once we got under $30, once we almost broke $40, but other than those outliers it was very consistent.

Put it this way - if your last fare was actually normal, everyone local would be recommending Aerocar for every ride since that's a guaranteed price and a much comfier vehicle than a cab, well worth a <$10 upgrade per car... Go digging around for some of the info from the negotiation stage of setting up the first Zone fares, and again when they were revised after it had been operating for over a year - there are a ton of stats all confirming that the midpoint of each zone fits bang on, when rounded up to nearest dollar, of the actual average metered prices charged (after the revision Zone prices dropped almost everywhere, especially in East Van - Downtown/Kits dropped $1 and Canada Place remained exactly the same price). When the cabbies are willing to have the zone fare at $35, even after renegotiations, there's simply no way that metered rates average higher - they'd lose money!

Thank you all for your input, I didn't stop to think that traffic would be coming in not out of town on a weekday.

We have been in Vancouver many times for cruises, we love the city and the people. The last time we took a cab to YVR after a cruise the fare, including tip, was $45 CAD, the $60 fare quoted surprised me too.

Martincath...I had to laugh when I read your "dilly- dally" remark. My DH and I are hurry up and wait people to the max. We do not know what it will be like at YVR on a Friday morning (5-11). We are going to try for the first walk off. We will hopefully be at YVR with plenty of time to spare and we know right where the Starbucks is located on the long walk to the AS gates.

Thank you all for your input, I didn't stop to think that traffic would be coming in not out of town on a weekday.

We have been in Vancouver many times for cruises, we love the city and the people. The last time we took a cab to YVR after a cruise the fare, including tip, was $45 CAD, the $60 fare quoted surprised me too.

Martincath...I had to laugh when I read your "dilly- dally" remark. My DH and I are hurry up and wait people to the max. We do not know what it will be like at YVR on a Friday morning (5-11). We are going to try for the first walk off. We will hopefully be at YVR with plenty of time to spare and we know right where the Starbucks is located on the long walk to the AS gates.

Victoria Day isn't until May 21st, school is in session as usual, so your Friday is not one that should see any bump in local tourist flights - aside from your fellow cruisers it should be a pretty normal Friday for YVR - business travelers likely on flights earlier or later than yours depending on destination, so if you beat all those dang Other Cruisers to the airport by being among the first off you'll have plenty of time to wander around our art installations and pad the pockets of YVR with overpriced food and drink.

But tsk-tsk: Starbucks, when there's a Tim Hortons available!? Keep that sort of behaviour up and taxi prices will be the least of your worries - you'll end up banned from Canada!!! ;-)

Martincath....we have never heard of Tim Hortons but I have just finished the research. There are two TH's post security in the US departure wing, gates 75 & 84. If we don't spend all of our money on cab fare :D we will definitely stop in and have coffee and a doughnut.

Thank you for your reassurance that we will have an easy day making our flight, I always appreciate your advice.

I always go Honey Cruller, but the maple dip is probably the most Canadian option and Timbits (like Dunkin's Donut Holes) are probably the signature category of treat that is most Timmielicious.

You can also go 'off menu' by tearing a filled donut in half, and stuffing a timbit into the middle to make a 'Jason Priestly' (yes, he of 90210 fame).

I would go honey crueler too. We don't want to over-indulge as we hope to have a mid day meal during our two hour layover at PDX. Then....just one more one hour flight and we are home!

I would go honey crueler too. We don't want to over-indulge as we hope to have a mid day meal during our two hour layover at PDX. Then....just one more one hour flight and we are home!

Ah yes, America's finest airport - and the best donut & beer airport anywhere! If you only have the caloric budget for one donut meal, I'd skip Timmies for Blue Star in a heartbeat... those are the only donuts I'd ever voluntarily leave the secure area of an airport to eat!!! We're also looking forward to a Country Cat meal post-security on a flight out of PDX next month.

We are planning on having a donut & coffee at YVR in the morning after clearing security and a mid afternoon meal at PDX around 2 PM.

Yes, PDX is regarded as one of the best airports in the US and we are glad that AS has added a few new flights from YVR to PDX, what a benefit for us! It makes for a much shorter travel day than going thru SEA.

Thank you all for your input, I didn't stop to think that traffic would be coming in not out of town on a weekday.

 

We have been in Vancouver many times for cruises, we love the city and the people. The last time we took a cab to YVR after a cruise the fare, including tip, was $45 CAD, the $60 fare quoted surprised me too.

 

Martincath...I had to laugh when I read your "dilly- dally" remark. My DH and I are hurry up and wait people to the max. We do not know what it will be like at YVR on a Friday morning (5-11). We are going to try for the first walk off. We will hopefully be at YVR with plenty of time to spare and we know right where the Starbucks is located on the long walk to the AS gates.

Out of curiosity what time us your flight out of YVR?

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The flight leaves at 12:18 PM.

The flight leaves at 12:18 PM.

Good. I keep reading flights after noon are best.

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Coming in on the 12th of May, 3 ships in port.

We have a flight out at noon, and are not worried at all. I suspect we will be off the Ship by 9am, and at the Airport before 10 (taking the Skytrain), with loads of time to clear security, we should be having a Timmies/Starbucks in Departures by 10:30.

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Coming in on the 12th of May, 3 ships in port.

 

We have a flight out at noon, and are not worried at all. I suspect we will be off the Ship by 9am, and at the Airport before 10 (taking the Skytrain), with loads of time to clear security, we should be having a Timmies/Starbucks in Departures by 10:30.

 

 

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I have travelled to the airport via sky train, however, if your flight is before noon you are taking a chance. Today there was an incident which closed several boarding stations

I really hope that your timing allows you to make your flight.

I am local and i always advise staying the night to make sure everything goes as planned

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