Princess Transfer - Time YVR to Canada Place?

[Hate 2 W8t]

DH and I are actually flying in a day early, but I am wondering how much time to alot to get through customs and to the hotel (near Canada Place). Our flight arrives at 2:20 pm on a Sunday, so traffic should be pretty light.

 

My goal is to see the Storyeum. I think their last group goes at 4:30 or 5 pm. (Why so early, I wonder?) Since we will be spending the morning on a tour or wandering Stanley Park, I want to catch this attraction on Sunday night. Anyone have any thoughts on whether this is reasonable considering our flight times?

[Langdak04]

Being from Vancouver i will give you the best explanation i can.

 

If your flight arrives at 220pm, i would honestly say give yourself at least a half hour to de-plane, go through customs and collect your baggage. But this depends on how many planes are arriving at the same time.

 

I have been through customs in 5 min, and i have also waited in line for an hour too.

 

As for the Princess Transfer, it all depends if they are waiting for people arriving on planes after yours, if they are, then you may be waiting longer.

 

The drive from the airport to Canada Place on Sunday, i would say 30-40 min in moderate traffic. With all the construction in downtown vancouver right now, it may be a tad longer (as there is plenty of construction going on)

 

I would say the 430 or 5pm tour is gonna be cutting it very tight, the walk from canada place to storyeum (which is located in gastown) is approx 10-15 min depending on the pace you walk at.

 

Canada Place/Gastown is a very touristy type area and can become rather congested with pedestrian traffic.

 

You also have to factor in your hotel check-in (which i am assuming you will be doing) which also will add time to the whole scenario.

 

I think it will come down to how quickly you can get through customs and how quickly after the bus will leave after you board it though.

 

Have fun with whatever you choose to do, that part of the city is very very nice as there are plenty of things to see, but i will warn you about one thing, DO NOT wander past the end of gastown (where the cobblestones end), the people beyond there become quite undesireable.

 

If you find that you are wanting to explore more by walking, go down to granville street and walk up to robson. There is plenty of shopping and restaurants to explore in that part of town.

[Budget Queen]

I too agree that the timing is very tight. Do you have to book this in advance?? Princess will not be running transfers unless it's a cruise day, or you booked a cruise hotel (and if you did, price it out separately, usually a huge mark up, in that case book it yourself) A cab is about $30++ca and more direct than waiting for a bus to fill up.

[Langdak04]

I too agree that the timing is very tight. Do you have to book this in advance?? Princess will not be running transfers unless it's a cruise day, or you booked a cruise hotel (and if you did, price it out separately, usually a huge mark up, in that case book it yourself) A cab is about $30++ca and more direct than waiting for a bus to fill up.

 

Very good point about the cab.

 

Another possibility i would look at is doing a limo from the Airport to your Hotel.

 

I am not 100% sure what the going rate is for Airport to Downtown right now, but i know that it is fairly reasonable and will take you directly there and another way to avoid the transfer bus wait time.