Traffic at Canada Place

[Ineke]

We are boarding the Nieuw Amsterdam on Sunday, May 7, returning Sunday May 21, and our daughter will be dropping us off. We live in the Fraser Valley just outside of Vancouver, but certainly don’t usually drive downtown. On the 7th is the Marathon, and I belueve 2 other cruise ships in town; on the 21st is the long weekend and again, 2 other cruise ships at Canada Place. Does anyone have any helpful hints about getting to where we need to be? 

[cruiseryyc]

I would get your daughter to drop you at a Skytrain station and take the train to the port, much easier than her trying to navigate the traffic that is going to be around Canada Place.

[Heidi13]

On 4/27/2023 at 10:23 PM, Ineke said:

We are boarding the Nieuw Amsterdam on Sunday, May 7, returning Sunday May 21, and our daughter will be dropping us off. We live in the Fraser Valley just outside of Vancouver, but certainly don’t usually drive downtown. On the 7th is the Marathon, and I belueve 2 other cruise ships in town; on the 21st is the long weekend and again, 2 other cruise ships at Canada Place. Does anyone have any helpful hints about getting to where we need to be? 

 

The previous suggestion is a good one, especially if you don't have much luggage. Parking at Surrey park & ride provides a trip to waterfront without changing trains.

 

I am heading down to pick up friends from the Fairmont Waterfront on Saturday (6th) morning, who are also boarding a HAL ship on Sunday for a R/T cruise.

 

Checking the marathon road closures, you can come down Main Street towards Canada Place. However, I will probably use my preferred route, taking the McGill exit from the motorway, just before 2nd Narrows. I then take Powell Street, through gastown into downtown. Should be a fun trip, as I only have my F-450 available, which is never easy downtown, even without marathon road closures.😁

[Milhouse]

My route to Canada Place to drop people off for their cruise on a weekend morning is similar to @Heidi13, down Powell (watch out for jaywalkers), through Gastown on Water, and a right on Howe so I can drive into the Canada Place dropoff area within the parkade.  On the way out, a traffic cop should be there allowing traffic out of the parkage back onto Howe and can reserve it down Cordova instead of Water/Powell.  

Looking at the road closures, this should be ok.  I've also seen traffic patrol sometimes close the west side of Canada Place road but allow traffic in and out of Canada Place's parkade via Howe Street.  

 

For pick up, I usually meet people in front of the Convention Centre West area just before Jack Poole Plaza.  It's only a flat/slight downhill block and a half from Canada Place but generally pretty quiet.  There's a parallel road/driveway off of the main Canada Place road beside the Convention Centre.  It's not official parking but it should be fine for pickup.  (I've done it with no hassles but YMMV tho!)  There's legit meter parking on the south side of Canada Place road beside the Fairmont Pacific Rim all the way back towards Canada Place though.  

[Urban trekker]

Marathon volunteer here - as long as you stay east of Burrard you shouldn't have any road closures but traffic will be chaotic - so give yourself some extra time - as other have stated Sky train would be the best option available - it is what I will be using to get to my volunteer position on Sunday.

Just a note to those who are also cruising on Friday May 5 and Saturday May 6 - while the roads may not be closed the process of getting upwards of 20,000 runners there race packages takes place at the east Convention Center which is the one located inside Canada Place.

Hope this helps

Dennis

[Ineke]

This is all very helpful! Thank you.,