How long from downtown to Tsawwassen ferry

[aspen151]

How long will it take to drive from Sutton Place hotel downtown to the Tsawwassen ferry, park and get to the ticket window? One week from today we leave - yeah! Thanks for your help!

[cruiseryyc]

If I'm understanding correctly, you're driving out to the ferry terminal and then going on as "walk on" passenger. The drive from downtown to the terminial is about 45 minutes, but it's a long walk from where you will park your car to getting onboard the ferry. I would allow myself about 1.5 hours to do this (45 minute drive and then time to park, etc.)

[LeftcoastBC]

Time to drive is pretty good estimate. If you are walking on and parking the vehicle as your post would indicate... enter into the medium parking area aand drive to the front near the terminal. Drop off stuff and persons and then drive back to the term parking you wish. it's a choice of 10 & 12 bucks aday. MAchines take credit cards or Canadian Cash. Park... get number of your stall as you must enter it in the machine.

 

You pay for 24 hours at a time with a choice of adding 6 hours only to the 24 or taking another 24...... so try to figure out when you will be back before you face the ticket machine. If you are like me you won't work well under pressure in a parking lot in the middle of no where :) Take ticket with you do not leave on the dash.

 

Unless the lot is full which does happen on weekends and holidaya (YOu can use a native parking lot off site then, with shuttle) it will not be a long distance to walk.

[Putterdude]

If you have made a reservation please remember that you must be there a minimum of 30 mins and a maximum of 60 mins before you sailing time. I agree with the 45 mins but if going out early in the morning you will will run into 1 lane traffic going thru the George Massey tunnel so allow an extra 5 or 10 mins for that.

[aspen151]

Is it necessary to make a reservation? We are thinking of taking the 10am ferry. Thanks!

[cruiseryyc]

If you are going on as walk on passengers, you do not need to make a reservation. If you are driving on, a 10:00 a.m. ferry probably does not need a reservation unless it's on a weekend.

[BCHappyGal]

For walk ons no reservation needed.

 

However what are you going to do on Vancouver Island without a car??? Is someone meeting you? The ferry does not dock in Victoria but rather about 45 mins SE of the city.

[Urban trekker]

"SE of the city"

 

Shouldn't that be NE of the city?

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[scottbee]

Is it necessary to make a reservation? We are thinking of taking the 10am ferry. Thanks!

 

If you're walking on, no, you don't need a reservation.

[Putterdude]

Missed the "park" part...no reservation needed.:o

[aspen151]

Help - please clarify. On a previous thread, it was recommended that I take the Tsawwassen Ferry in order to get to Victoria and visit Buchart Gardens. Once in Victoria we plan to take #81 bus to Butchart. Is this correct info?

[c-to-sea]

Yes, the #81 bus is the correct one from Swartz Bay to Butchart Gardens. However, a

couple of things to think seriously about:-

The bus only runs every 2 hours, with some exceptions on school days.

It takes almost an hour each way to and from the Gardens.

The departure times from Swartz Bay are on the odd hour. The 10:00am ferry arrives

just before 12:00. Next bus is 1:00pm.

 

See http://bctransit.com/regions/vic/schedules/schedule.cfm?p=day.text&route=81%3A1&day=1&

 

The charge for the car return would be $90.00, Factor in parking at Tsawwassen at

$12.00 and the net is $78.00 to give you more time all around and a chance to see

more of Victoria.

 

Alternatively,Pacific Coach Lines offers inclusive tours from Vancouver to Victoria,

including Butchart Gardens admission and ferry fares.

 

See http://www.pacificcoach.com/Tours for a list of these.

 

Just some things to consider.

[scottbee]

Yes, the #81 bus is the correct one from Swartz Bay to Butchart Gardens. However, a

couple of things to think seriously about:-

The bus only runs every 2 hours, with some exceptions on school days.

It takes almost an hour each way to and from the Gardens.

The departure times from Swartz Bay are on the odd hour. The 10:00am ferry arrives

just before 12:00. Next bus is 1:00pm.

 

See http://bctransit.com/regions/vic/schedules/schedule.cfm?p=day.text&route=81%3A1&day=1&

 

 

What he's saying is you really want to be on the 9 or 11 ferry , which meets up with the #81. Also the odd hour ferries are the biggest and nicest in the fleet...

[aspen151]

Well - this brings me back to the original question. What is the best way to get from downtown Vancouver to Victoria and Buchart Gardens? I may consider the bus tour, but since we have a rental car it seems like we are spending more money than we need to. I want to thank all of you for your help figuring this out.

[LeftcoastBC]

Well - this brings me back to the original question. What is the best way to get from downtown Vancouver to Victoria and Buchart Gardens? I may consider the bus tour, but since we have a rental car it seems like we are spending more money than we need to. I want to thank all of you for your help figuring this out.

 

The best way to See the Gardens and Victoria is in your rental car. If you are traveling in the summer and especially on a weekend in the summer. Get a ferry reservation.

[sooper]

Will be going from the YVR airport to the ferry terminal to Victoria with a car on a weekday at noon - is 1 hour sufficient? Is reservation always required for bringing a car? What happens if one missed the reserved time?

[c-to-sea]

One hour from the time you get in the car should be OK. Reservations are not always

required and your target times should be OK. Ferries to and from Victoria (Swartz Bay)

are every hour, starting June 30. (With a few exceptions - see the schedule here

- http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/tssw-current.html

 

However, if you do book a reservation, it must be claimed

at least 30 minutes prior to sailing or it is forfeit and you have to get in line for the next

sailing. Ticket sales are cut off 5 minutes before sailing time.

[sooper]

One hour from the time you get in the car should be OK. Reservations are not always

required and your target times should be OK. Ferries to and from Victoria (Swartz Bay)

are every hour, starting June 30. (With a few exceptions - see the schedule here

- http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/tssw-current.html

 

However, if you do book a reservation, it must be claimed

at least 30 minutes prior to sailing or it is forfeit and you have to get in line for the next

sailing. Ticket sales are cut off 5 minutes before sailing time.

 

Thanks for the info! So, if I don't book a reservation, can we get on the ferry with the car if we're there 10-20 minutes prior to sailing?

[c-to-sea]

Generally speaking, yes. There are times when the ferries are very busy and there can

be 1-2-3-sailing waits. These usually occur on weekends - Fri., Sat., Sun. and near

Holidays. If you are travelling to Victoria before your cruise, you should be OK midweek.

If it is after, it might be busier. As you say you are picking up the car at YVR, I am assuming

you are doing this before your cruise. Check the schedule as there are some gaps in the

hourly schedule prior to June 30.