Vancouver Amtrak to Canada Place

[jmorgania]

We will be arriving in Vancouver via Amtrak and sailing out same day from Canada Place. What is the best and most economical way to get to Canada Place once we get there? There will only be 2 of us and we will probably travel with only one "checked" size bag and a couple smaller carry on size bags. If time of day or day of week matter we will be there around noon on a Tuesday.

 

I see the sky train is close by and has easy set fairs. We are young and the short walk wouldn't bother us. Wondering if the train would be too crowded for us with the bags.

 

Taxi's are obviously faster, however what is the cost, how easy are they to find at the Amtrak station? Would I be better to pre book? Are there specific taxi providers who are better or worse?

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[trophy_23]

The skytrain is right across the street from the train station. It is only a 5min ride down to the station for Canada Place which is a 5min walk after getting off the skytrain. It would be very easy if you don't have too many bags.

[scottbee]

We will be arriving in Vancouver via Amtrak and sailing out same day from Canada Place. What is the best and most economical way to get to Canada Place once we get there? There will only be 2 of us and we will probably travel with only one "checked" size bag and a couple smaller carry on size bags. If time of day or day of week matter we will be there around noon on a Tuesday.

 

I see the sky train is close by and has easy set fairs. We are young and the short walk wouldn't bother us. Wondering if the train would be too crowded for us with the bags.

 

Taxi's are obviously faster, however what is the cost, how easy are they to find at the Amtrak station? Would I be better to pre book? Are there specific taxi providers who are better or worse?

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

It's across the street slightly to your left as you exit Pacific (Amtrak) Station, the Skytrain stop is called "Main St/Scienceworld". $2.50, buy ticket on platform (you might want to get some Cdn$ for that, there's a bank/ATM right below Skytrain. To get to Waterfront Station, exit following the signs to "Canada Place", and you end up 1/2 block from Canada Place.

Outside of rush hour, it's just fine

 

map:http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=100934763039761071004.000467645fcda21dd87b2&ll=49.278893,-123.092022&spn=0.022202,0.066047&z=15

 

I'll be riding that very Skytrain line to work in about 30 mins..

[LeftcoastBC]

Mid 60's and mobile (mostly :) ) with a pull bag for a week on a cruise (& a spouse) I would never do this. Sometimes the escalators/elevators do not work and that is at both ends of the short trip. I would do it for sure if I did not have bags. (spouse not counted :) )

We went to Cruise Park lot (which would be a little cheaper cause it's not as far) in a cab for $13.00 tip in.

 

No traffic at noon except for weekends of course.

 

Most cabs are fine in Vancouver. There are always some there for the train but of course first off and through customs gets one for sure.

 

Go business class on the train it's the best (for a few more bucks) and you do get off first.

[scottbee]

 

I'll be riding that very Skytrain line to work in about 30 mins..

 

So I took a picture of the VIA/Amtrak station from Skytrain this morning. This was taken just as the Skytrain was pulling into Main St/Scienceworld station. Sorry about the quality, I snapped it with a blackberry, not the best camera.

 

At noon, the Skytrain is pretty empty. If you are comfortable dragging your suitcase on a escalator it's pretty straightforward.

[jmorgania]

Thank you for the information and the picture was great. I was originally planning on using the sky train but began having second thoughts due to some comments on accessibility from the Amtrak station and crowding with bags. The picture allowed me a more accurate representation of the distance. We are both young and able bodied. We will only have one larger bag and a couple shoulder bags. I am thinking the sky train will work perfectly for our needs. Thanks again.

[BCHappyGal]

The ticket machines in the Skytrain Stations take credit cards - I never use cash to ride the Skytrain always buy my ticket using my credit card...doing this you iwll not have to worry about having any Can$$$

 

Enjoy

[jmorgania]

The ticket machines in the Skytrain Stations take credit cards - I never use cash to ride the Skytrain always buy my ticket using my credit card...doing this you iwll not have to worry about having any Can$$$

 

Enjoy

 

 

My fiance works at a bank and regularly has people try to cash canadian coins. Usually the coins just get tossed so she has been collecting them all. I think we have just under $10 in canadian quarters already. Our plan was to bring $5 to cover the cost of the train, so it will be like riding it for free. :D

[scottbee]

Thank you for the information and the picture was great. I was originally planning on using the sky train but began having second thoughts due to some comments on accessibility from the Amtrak station and crowding with bags. The picture allowed me a more accurate representation of the distance. We are both young and able bodied. We will only have one larger bag and a couple shoulder bags. I am thinking the sky train will work perfectly for our needs. Thanks again.

 

Skytrain is easy. At the Waterfront side, exit the train to your LEFT, and you'll see a set of stairs and up escalator, when you're up the escalator, turn right and there's another set of escalators. When you get to the top... well I don't need to tell you anymore, you'll be less than a boat length from your ship, it'll be pretty obvious.

[olwagner]

My fiance works at a bank and regularly has people try to cash canadian coins. Usually the coins just get tossed so she has been collecting them all. I think we have just under $10 in canadian quarters already. Our plan was to bring $5 to cover the cost of the train, so it will be like riding it for free. :D

 

Canadian Pepsi machines accept US currency. If you don't want to buy a Pepsi, you can hit the "return change" button and you get, no not the coin you just put in, but instead you get Canadian coins with the same face value (not that I would ever do anything like that).

 

Going back on topic, the train station would technically be a Via Rail train station since Amtrak doesn't operate in Canada but rather sells tickets on behalf of Via Rail. And yes, Skytrain is the best option to get from the Via Rail station to Canada Place. Skytrain's official website is Skytrain (Expo line links Via Rail to Waterfront)

 

http://www.walktomycruiseship.com/vancouver.htm#Vancouver-Via-Rail

http://www.walktomycruiseship.com/

[Putterdude]

Going back on topic, the train station would technically be a Via Rail train station since Amtrak doesn't operate in Canada but rather sells tickets on behalf of Via Rail.

 

Actually it is the old Canadian National Railway station....I got my first real job there in 1963 working for Canadian National Steamships....man that makes me old.:eek: