Getting Around Vancouver
Vancouver Airport Information
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is the main airport for the city, and it’s very easy to reach downtown or major hotels, which is why event planners like using it for conferences and business meets. The airport sits in Richmond, just south of Vancouver, and is directly connected to the city by the Canada Line SkyTrain, so most visitors can be in the downtown core in under 30 minutes without needing a car. For groups, this makes arrival plans simple: you can mix fast public transit for most attendees with pre-booked taxis or private vans for VIPs or people carrying a lot of luggage.
Official name: Vancouver International Airport (airport code: YVR), located about 12 km from downtown Vancouver in Richmond, BC.
Fastest public option: Canada Line SkyTrain from “YVR–Airport” station to “Vancouver City Centre” or “Waterfront” downtown in about 25–30 minutes, with trains running roughly every 6–10 minutes during the day.
Fare system: all transit from the airport uses TransLink’s Compass system; visitors can buy single-use Compass Tickets or a DayPass at machines in the station, which is handy for event guests staying the whole day.
Taxi and rides: airport taxis are available 24/7 outside the terminal, usually taking around 20–30 minutes to reach downtown depending on traffic; this can work well for late-night arrivals or small VIP groups.
Group planning tip: share clear instructions in event emails on how to follow signs to the “Canada Line – YVR Airport” station inside the terminal, and suggest using DayPasses for guests who will be moving between airport, hotel, and venues in one day.
Extra tip for travelers: check if your hotel offers a shuttle or can pre-book a car service, especially if you’re arriving very late or with exhibition materials.
Official name: Vancouver International Airport (airport code: YVR), located about 12 km from downtown Vancouver in Richmond, BC.
Fastest public option: Canada Line SkyTrain from “YVR–Airport” station to “Vancouver City Centre” or “Waterfront” downtown in about 25–30 minutes, with trains running roughly every 6–10 minutes during the day.
Fare system: all transit from the airport uses TransLink’s Compass system; visitors can buy single-use Compass Tickets or a DayPass at machines in the station, which is handy for event guests staying the whole day.
Taxi and rides: airport taxis are available 24/7 outside the terminal, usually taking around 20–30 minutes to reach downtown depending on traffic; this can work well for late-night arrivals or small VIP groups.
Group planning tip: share clear instructions in event emails on how to follow signs to the “Canada Line – YVR Airport” station inside the terminal, and suggest using DayPasses for guests who will be moving between airport, hotel, and venues in one day.
Extra tip for travelers: check if your hotel offers a shuttle or can pre-book a car service, especially if you’re arriving very late or with exhibition materials.
Vancouver Train Information
Vancouver doesn’t have cross-country high-speed trains like some countries, but it does have a few key rail options that are useful for travelers and event planners bringing people from nearby cities. The main rail hub is Pacific Central Station, just east of downtown, which connects to regional buses, Amtrak trains from the United States, and the SkyTrain network, making onward travel to hotels or event venues fairly smooth.
Main intercity station: Pacific Central Station, near downtown Vancouver; it serves Amtrak Cascades from Seattle/Portland and VIA Rail’s long-distance services.
Local rapid transit: Vancouver’s SkyTrain has three main lines (Expo, Millennium, and Canada Line), which link downtown to suburbs like Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, Coquitlam, Richmond, and the airport.
Key lines for visitors:
Canada Line: connects YVR Airport and Richmond to downtown (Waterfront, Vancouver City Centre, Yaletown–Roundhouse).
Expo Line: links Waterfront Station to areas like Burnaby and Surrey, useful for venues and hotels outside downtown.
Tickets and passes: use Compass Cards, Compass Tickets, or contactless tap-to-pay across SkyTrain, SeaBus, and most buses; transfers within 90 minutes are included on a single fare for most services.
Event planning tip: if your event is near a SkyTrain station, mention the exact line and stop (for example, “Expo Line – Stadium–Chinatown Station”) in invitations so out-of-town guests can navigate easily.
Traveler tip: when coming into Pacific Central Station, you can walk or take local transit to downtown hotels; nearby SkyTrain stations like Main Street–Science World connect you quickly to the main business areas.
Main intercity station: Pacific Central Station, near downtown Vancouver; it serves Amtrak Cascades from Seattle/Portland and VIA Rail’s long-distance services.
Local rapid transit: Vancouver’s SkyTrain has three main lines (Expo, Millennium, and Canada Line), which link downtown to suburbs like Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, Coquitlam, Richmond, and the airport.
Key lines for visitors:
Canada Line: connects YVR Airport and Richmond to downtown (Waterfront, Vancouver City Centre, Yaletown–Roundhouse).
Expo Line: links Waterfront Station to areas like Burnaby and Surrey, useful for venues and hotels outside downtown.
Tickets and passes: use Compass Cards, Compass Tickets, or contactless tap-to-pay across SkyTrain, SeaBus, and most buses; transfers within 90 minutes are included on a single fare for most services.
Event planning tip: if your event is near a SkyTrain station, mention the exact line and stop (for example, “Expo Line – Stadium–Chinatown Station”) in invitations so out-of-town guests can navigate easily.
Traveler tip: when coming into Pacific Central Station, you can walk or take local transit to downtown hotels; nearby SkyTrain stations like Main Street–Science World connect you quickly to the main business areas.
Vancouver Public Information
Vancouver is known for its clean, efficient public transit system, which is great for both everyday commuters and visitors coming for meetings, conferences, or events. The network, run by TransLink, combines SkyTrain (metro), buses, and the SeaBus (a passenger ferry) so that most key business districts, hotels, and popular event venues are easy to reach without a car. For planners, this means you can confidently choose venues across the metro area and still give guests simple, step-by-step transit directions.
Transit operator: TransLink runs buses, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express in Metro Vancouver.
Main city pass: Compass Card or Compass Tickets are used on almost all public transport; visitors can also buy DayPasses for unlimited travel in the zones covered that day, which is ideal for conference or exhibition days.
Transfer rules: when you tap in with a valid Compass product or contactless card, you usually get up to 90 minutes to transfer across bus, SkyTrain, and SeaBus on one fare (120 minutes if using West Coast Express).
Helpful for events: choosing hotels and venues near SkyTrain stations (for example, Waterfront, Vancouver City Centre, or Broadway–City Hall) makes it much easier to give guests one simple route from the airport and between sessions.
Traveler tips:
Always tap in and out on SkyTrain gates so you’re charged correctly.
On buses, tap when you board and just keep the transfer; no need to tap out.
Remove your card from your wallet before tapping to avoid charging the wrong card.
Evening safety tip: transit security and Transit Police do fare checks and patrol the system, but for late-night returns after events, you may want to suggest taxis or rideshares for small groups who prefer door-to-door travel.
Transit operator: TransLink runs buses, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express in Metro Vancouver.
Main city pass: Compass Card or Compass Tickets are used on almost all public transport; visitors can also buy DayPasses for unlimited travel in the zones covered that day, which is ideal for conference or exhibition days.
Transfer rules: when you tap in with a valid Compass product or contactless card, you usually get up to 90 minutes to transfer across bus, SkyTrain, and SeaBus on one fare (120 minutes if using West Coast Express).
Helpful for events: choosing hotels and venues near SkyTrain stations (for example, Waterfront, Vancouver City Centre, or Broadway–City Hall) makes it much easier to give guests one simple route from the airport and between sessions.
Traveler tips:
Always tap in and out on SkyTrain gates so you’re charged correctly.
On buses, tap when you board and just keep the transfer; no need to tap out.
Remove your card from your wallet before tapping to avoid charging the wrong card.
Evening safety tip: transit security and Transit Police do fare checks and patrol the system, but for late-night returns after events, you may want to suggest taxis or rideshares for small groups who prefer door-to-door travel.
