Need advice - Vancouver to Victoria

[ILikeShips]

Hi: We are thinking of doing a postcruise in Vancouver and was wondering the best way to get to Victoria? This is our first adventure in this part of the country and would appreciate any info, ideas, and suggestions. Thanks in advance!

[chipfromwash]

We've been to Victoria many times. We've always taken a ferry. BC Ferry has many runs a day between Vancouver and Victoria. However, you'll need to have a car for this option as the ferrry leaves from south of Vancouver and docks north of Victoria. To learn more about the BC Ferries go to their web site at http://www.bcferries.bc.ca/.

 

Dale

[Cruzefan]

You can fly to Victoria but the ferry trip is beautiful, sailing between the Gulf Islands and through Active Pass. If you don't have a car, there is a bus service with Pacific Coach Lines, from their downtown Vancouver coach station. Any hotel should be able to direct you. Hope the sun shines on you.

[Sally Forth]

The ferry is fun and its a pretty trip, but you will have to get out to Tsawwassen, where the terminal is and then from the Saanich terminal into Victoria, so will need either a car or to go by bus. You can also go by plane or jet helicopter. Some leave from the river near Vancouver Airport and some go from Coal Harbour (between Stanley Park and downtown) and they all land right in Victoria Harbour.

 

Viv

[ILikeShips]

Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions. We will research these out and find what will work best. These boards are the greatest!

[beautifulbc2]

Here's how to take the local transit bus from downtown Vancouver to Tsawassen terminal where you will board BC Ferries to Swartz Bay (which is 45 minutes to downtown Victoria)

From the Sea Bus station (where Canada Place pier is located , all the cruise ships dock here with the exception of RCCL or sometimes Celebrity) take 98B line southbound to Richmond, transfer at the airport station and take #620 Tsawassen ferry terminal. From downtown Vancouver to the ferry terminal , about 1 1/2 hours or less. Fare is $4.25 per person, $2.25 p.p. on the weekend (sat /sun)

The fare for the ferry is approx $12, once the ferry docks at Swartz Bay terminal, take the #70 bus to downtown Victoria, cost is around $3.25, takes 1 1/4 hours approx.

The Pacific Coach Lines offers service from Vancouver to Victoria but is approx $18 from Vancouver to the Ferry terminal and another $18 to downtown Victoria plus the ferry fare.

I live in Victoria and visit my mom in Vancouver using the local transit, very easy, cheap and the bus drivers are great, you can always ask them for info. Hope this helps. Plan to spend overnight in Victoria, very pretty city and hope for sunshine.

[lh9789]

Thank you Beautifulbc. That was very thorough. I had wondered how long it takes by bus and you answered my question perfectly!

[banchote]

don't know if your'e still looking for info but from van harbor you can catch a float plane jobby. it's a 1hr ride i think into victoria harbor. you then take the coach ferry combo for your return and get the best of all worlds. when we did it was like 250 i think so it was worth it to save the time (3 hour trip other wise). the float plan terminal reminded me of the tvshow wings...

[Cruisin Oma]

My husband and I did this exact same thing our first Alaskan Cruise. we returned on the Sat of Labor Day weekend, and rented a car and took the ferry to Victoria.

 

We took a taxi from the cruise ship terminal to the rental car facility (Hertz) near the pier - very inexpensive, and then rented a car and drove to the Ferry Terminal. A car proved to be a must in Victoria. We stayed in the end near the Empress Hotal (we stayed at a lovely B&B that was so romantic), but no trip to Victoris would be complete without a trip to Buschart Gardens (sp???) And that was quite a ways from the end where the hotels and restaurants were.

 

Coming home on Monday, we were able to drive ourselves back to the Vancouver airport and return the car there. It was truly a highlight to a wonderful Alaskan Cruise Vacation.