Vancouver airport transportation

[jdb35633]

We stayed off Robson back in May. We had a party of 5 and took a taxi. When we walked out the doors at the airport we went to the taxi line and had to wait about 5 minutes for a minivan to take all 5 of us and our luggage. It was super quick and easy and the rate was around $30 American with tip & currency exchange fee on my credit card.

 

[xlxo]

Yeah, if DH thinks it's going to be a $50 cab ride, we will be taking the train, lol. We've done public transit from airport to downtown in Boston and Seattle, so we can probably figure it out, but I agree that a cab would be easier. I really appreciate everyone's input!

It won't be a $50 cab ride. I don't remember the exact amount but it's in the $30 something range (and that's Canadian, so less for USD) which has been confirmed by other posters. There was another company at the airport that you could use (Aerocab??? or something like that). It was off to the side, not the regular cab line and they had these huge, black SUV's - very swanky. Again, I don't remember the exact price (I'm not very good at this, am I?) but I do remember thinking that if we took them they would be close to double the price of a regular cab. Maybe that is what the poster that quoted that price took. The cabs were all either a Toyota Prius or Sienna minivan and either was perfectly fine for us. I'd take a cab again in a heartbeat. Simple, easy and reasonably priced.

Here's the details on the "Aerocar" rates. Being their vehicles are next to the cab line.... I can understand the confusion.
http://aerocar.ca/rates/flat-rates/

 

[kandt]

The Hampton Inn has a shuttle that will take you to the port in the morning. Sign ups for the shuttle start in the morning at 7:00. I suggest you be in line around 6:45. My husband got in line at 6:55 and the time we wanted was full, so he signed us up to leave 30 minutes earlier.

 

[Kesohio63]

Thanks for the tip! I will be sure to sign up early for the shuttle!

 

[keighttf]

We stayed at that Hampton the night before our Alaska cruise which was the first one of this year. We took a taxi from the airport to hotel, same flat rate prices as others have mentioned. We took the shuttle that the Hampton provides for free to the cruise terminal in the morning. We called down at 7 and had no trouble getting the time we wanted. The shuttle was all fellow DCL cruisers. The shuttle drops you off the same place the taxis do at Canada place. We took a taxi from the port to the airport on disembarkment day.

 

[sallinger79]

Just a heads-up for anyone planning to save money by taking the Skytrain, there is actually a $5 surcharge per ticket for trains leaving from the airport - this is on top of the regular fare. So a family with two adults and two kids would pay at least $29.30 (if they buy their ticket on a weekend/holiday or after 6:30pm on a weekday) and up to $33.80 if it's on a weekday before 6:30pm. That may be a bit cheaper than the $31-36 (plus tip) to a hotel downtown, but I'd think it's worth the extra few dollars for the convenience of not having to drag a bunch of luggage on the train.

The extra fee is not charged on trips going to the airport, so taking the train for the return trip might be worth it - it would only cost $9.30-$13.80 for the same hypothetical family of four which is significantly less than the taxi fare, especially since the taxis charge a metered rate instead of a flat rate going to the airport, so it will almost certainly be a more expensive trip!

Finally, if you take the train to the airport from downtown, make sure you get on one that says "YVR-Airport" not one that says "Richmond-Brighouse". Both trains travel the same route for a while, but then the track splits (just after Bridgeport Station) and the Richmond-Brighouse train won't take you anywhere near the airport! Also, make sure you go to a Canada Line station, not the Expo/Millennium Line (which goes east into the suburbs). They're pretty well marked, but if in doubt just ask. We Canadians are pretty friendly and Vancouverites are pretty used to helping lost tourists.

(FYI here's the website for Translink, the public transit company servicing Metro Vancouver.)

 

[Kesohio63]

Just a heads-up for anyone planning to save money by taking the Skytrain, there is actually a $5 surcharge per ticket for trains leaving from the airport - this is on top of the regular fare. So a family with two adults and two kids would pay at least $29.30 (if they buy their ticket on a weekend/holiday or after 6:30pm on a weekday) and up to $33.80 if it's on a weekday before 6:30pm. That may be a bit cheaper than the $31-36 (plus tip) to a hotel downtown, but I'd think it's worth the extra few dollars for the convenience of not having to drag a bunch of luggage on the train.

The extra fee is not charged on trips going to the airport, so taking the train for the return trip might be worth it - it would only cost $9.30-$13.80 for the same hypothetical family of four which is significantly less than the taxi fare, especially since the taxis charge a metered rate instead of a flat rate going to the airport, so it will almost certainly be a more expensive trip!

Finally, if you take the train to the airport from downtown, make sure you get on one that says "YVR-Airport" not one that says "Richmond-Brighouse". Both trains travel the same route for a while, but then the track splits (just after Bridgeport Station) and the Richmond-Brighouse train won't take you anywhere near the airport! Also, make sure you go to a Canada Line station, not the Expo/Millennium Line (which goes east into the suburbs). They're pretty well marked, but if in doubt just ask. We Canadians are pretty friendly and Vancouverites are pretty used to helping lost tourists.

(FYI here's the website for Translink, the public transit company servicing Metro Vancouver.)

Thanks so much!

 

[jrabbit]

looking at the map, your hotel is less than 2 blocks from a metro / SkyTrain stop. We took the skytrain several time into downtown from the airport (our hotel took us to/from YVR). On embarkation day we also used the SkyTrain - was very easy for us. We had 3 roller bags along with 2 backpacks for the two of us. No problems getting the bags to the port. It's a pretty easy 2 block walk from Waterfront Station to Canada Place.

Weekend pricing - only needed a one zone ticket, and we chose to get a day pass for Sat - I think that it was 11.00 CAD per person, we paid cash at the hotel gift store. It's a little more than that when paying at the automated terminal at the airport. But by using your VISA it actually works out better because you will get a better conversion rate between USD and CAD than anywhere else.

Monday morning of the cruise we bought a 2 zone one use ticket from the airport to Waterfront station. There IS a surcharge when buying tickets at YVR (they know a good thing...) so two normal adult tickets cost a total of 14.52 USD (about 9.10 CAD per person if memory serves me correctly). (note: the USD is for 2 tickets and the CAD is per person)

Going back to the airport on Wednesday morning for the two zone ticket for the two adults total cost: 6.59USD or about 4.12 CAD per person (note: the USD is for 2 tickets and the CAD is per person)

for your embarkation day - you are close to a push as to taking the SkyTrain or just walking the few blocks to Canada Place. Taxi would probably be easier if you don't feel like lugging / pushing your luggage. For your return to the airport I don't have a problem taking the SkyTrain (Canada Line) - having done it 3 different times. Just go into Waterfront Station through the front doors and into the building before going down - DO NOT take the first set of escalators you come to "on the streeet" as you are walking up / away from Canada Place.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

We're a party of 5, can the taxis accommodate us + luggage?

 

[xlxo]

With 5...... your options are:

• Two cabs....
• Aerocar limo service that costs about the same as two cabs
• One cab with 4 people with luggage.... extra person can take the subway

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

With 5...... your options are:

• Two cabs....
• Aerocar limo service that costs about the same as two cabs
• One cab with 4 people with luggage.... extra person can take the subway

Crud, I was hoping there were minivan type taxis available. Thanks for answering!

 

[Pens Fan]

Crud, I was hoping there were minivan type taxis available. Thanks for answering!

Most of the regular taxis we saw were either Toyota Prius or Toyota Sienna minivans. As someone who once drove a Toyota minivan I can attest that with 6 people (including the driver) there would be very little room for luggage - especially luggage for 5 people (unless you are really, really light packers ). The Aerocar limo service that @xlxo mentioned was just to the right of the cab stand at the airport - very convenient and while you can reserve them in advance, I don't believe you have to. I'd go that route or just take two cabs.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Yup, we've had two Siennas, love them. I was hoping with our airline restricted luggage we'd be able to pile in to the minivan. Light packers? Have you met my wife? Wait, no...you haven't. Good call on the Aerocar limo service. Thanks for the tip. Here's a virtual cookie

 

[xlxo]

fyi.... here's the Aerocar rates....
http://aerocar.ca/rates/flat-rates/

No I would not book ahead... especially if your arrival times get delayed. If they don't have a vehicle... Walk 20 feet East and get two taxi's.

 

[Kesohio63]

Transportation update: we flew in yesterday (Saturday) afternoon, and maybe because it's a holiday weekend, it seemed very crowded. The customs line was really long but moved pretty well; we haven't been here before, so don't know if that was normal or not. When we got out to the cab line, it looked really long, so we went across the street to the train station. The machine would only let us buy all-day tickets, which meant it cost about the same as the cab would have ($30.00 CAD) for the two of us, but it was worth it not to wait in another long line. The train trip only took about 20 minutes, and that included waiting for the train. We walked from the Yaletown station to our hotel, which wasn't great on a hot day dragging our suitcases, but again, better than standing there in line at the airport waiting for a cab. There was a handy map just outside the station to help us find our way. I highly recommend the train if you don't have a large party or an unmanageable amount of luggage.