Vancouver

Vancouver is one of the few major cities in North America without a freeway leading directly into the downtown core freeway proposals in the 1960s and 1970s were defeated by community opposition. As a result, development has taken a different course than in most other major North American cities resulting in a relatively high use of transit and cycling, a dense, walkable core and a development model that is studied and emulated elsewhere.

By Ferry Across False Creek

A quick trip across on a cute little-boat-that-could ferry can be the most fun, traffic-free, and convenient way to get between various points on False Creek:

Maritime Museum in Vanier Park on the south shore,

Aquatic Centre at Sunset Beach on the north shore,

Hornby St on the north shore,

Granville Island and its famous Public Market on the south shore,

Yaletown/Davie St. on the north shore,

Stamp's Landing/Monk's and Spyglass Place on the south shore,

Plaza of Nations and Edgewater Casino on the north shore, and

Science World, the geodesic dome at the east end of False Creek.

Service is offered by False Creek Ferries (http://www.granvilleislan...) with little blue boats and by Aquabus (http://www.theaquabus.com/) with little rainbow boats. The two ferries run slightly different routes, and their docks on Granville Island are on either side of the Public Market. Current prices for adults start at $3.25 for short routes to $6.50 for long routes.

By Scooter

Renting a scooter is a good compromise between a bike and a car. Scooters are not allowed on the famous bike path, but it is possible to travel in the inner roads, park and walk at all the attractions. Average cost is ~$80 for 24 hours + gas.

"Cycle BC", Location 1: next to harbour air terminal Location2: 73 East 6th Ave Vancouver, BC V5Y 1A4, Canada 604 709-5663 [www.cyclebc.ca]

"Vancouver Scooter Rental" 501-2050 scotia street Vancouver V5T 4T1 tel: 1-604-787-9177

By bike

The city of Vancouver is a very bicycle-friendly city. In addition to the extremely popular seawall bicycle routes along Stanley Park, False Creek and Kitsilano, there are a whole network of bicycle routes that connect the whole city. The City of Vancouver provides a map of the bicycle routes that is available at most bike shops or online. Also, all buses have bicycle racks on the front to help riders get to less accessible parts. North American visitors will find that drivers in Vancouver are well accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists.

Bicycles are available to rent by the hour, day or week. Many places also rent tandem bikes. Some bicycle rental locations:

Bazooka Bikes

1531 Robson St, (http://www.bazookasports.com)

ezeeRIDERS

1823 Robson St, (http://www.ezeeriders.com)

Stanley Park Cycle

768 Denman St, (http://www.stanleyparkcyc...)

Bayshore Bike Rentals

745 Denman St, (http://www.bayshorebikere...).

Spokes Bicycle Rentals

1789 W Georgia St, (http://www.vancouverbiker...).

Reckless Bike Stores

1810 Fir Street at 2nd Ave & 110 Davie St at Pacific, (http://reckless.ca).

JV Bike

955 Expo Boulevard, (http://www.jvbike.com) also rents electric assist bicycles to make the hills a little easier.

Alternatively, buy a used bicycle and either sell it on or donate it to someone in more need of it at the end of your stay. There are a number of 2nd owner bicycle stores on Dunbar and the surrounding area.

Our Community Bikes

3283 Main St. +1 604-879-2453 email:[email protected], (http://www.pedalpower.org...).

Hosted Bicycle Tours are available from a number of suppliers. These tours are educational and cover many of the interesting areas and attractions of Vancouver.

City by Cycle

101-2539 Laurel St, +1-888-599-6800, (http://www.citybycycle.com/).

By Public Transit

Vancouver's public transit is run by the regional transportation authority, TransLink (http://www.translink.bc.ca) as an integrated system of buses, rapid transit SkyTrain and passenger ferry SeaBus . The transit system connects Vancouver with its neighbouring municipalities, stretching as far north as Lions Bay, south to the U.S. border and east to Langley and Maple Ridge.

Adult fares for travel within the city of Vancouver cost $2.50. Travel from Vancouver to nearby places like North Vancouver, Burnaby, and Richmond costs from $3.75-5.00 depending on the time of day and number of transit zones you cross. Travel on Monday-Friday after 6:30pm and all day on weekends and holidays is always $2.50 regardless of the destination. The ticket you receive is valid for 1.5 hours from the time of purchase and can be used to transfer to any bus, SkyTrain or the SeaBus during that time. TransLink's website and customer information line +1 604-953-3333 both offer complete trip planning. A regional system map is widely available at convenience stores and on TransLink's website.

A more convenient option for the traveler may be the Daypass, which offers unlimited travel for a single day at the cost of $9.00. It is valid in all zones so that avoids having to worry about that and is available from fare machines at SkyTrain stations.

Books of 10 prepaid tickets FareSaver tickets are available for $17.00 -$42.00 from many convenience stores. Concession fares are available for Vancouver grade-school students and BC seniors and cost between $1.75-$3.50. If you're a student or a senior, you must be carrying a TransLink GoCard or BC Gold CareCard to receive the reduced concession fare. Monthly passes are also available, which can cost $73-136. All these prices depend on how many zones are covered.

The bus service covers the widest area and travels along most major streets in the city. Passengers must either buy a ticket or present their ticket immediately upon entering a TransLink bus. Buses accept coins only and will not give change. Tickets can also be purchased from vending machines in SkyTrain stations that accept coins, bills, debit and credit cards. In addition, several bus rapid transit lines named B Lines crisscross the city.

While at any bus stop in Metro Vancouver you can text the 5-digit bus stop number the yellow number at the top of every bus stop sign to 33333 and you'll get a text it usually only takes a couple seconds that tells you when the next 6 scheduled buses will arrive. Standard text messaging rates apply.

SkyTrain is the mostly elevated rapid transit system that connects Vancouver's downtown with some of its southern and eastern suburbs. The Expo line runs out through Burnaby and New Westminster to King George station in Surrey. The Millennium line follows the Expo line to New Westminster and then loops back through Burnaby and into Vancouver again ending at VCC/Clark. The new 2009 Canada Line connects downtown with Richmond and Vancouver Airport. Notable SkyTrain stations in Vancouver include:

Broadway/Commercial Drive

Accesses the restaurants of Commercial Dr in East Vancouver

Burrard

and Granville - Most convenient for accessing the shopping areas in the central business district

Waterfront Station

Meeting point of the SkyTrain, SeaBus, numerous commuter and rapid bus routes and the commuter rail West Coast Express. It is also at the entrance to Gastown and is right next to the Canada Place Convention Centre/Cruise Ship Terminal facilities.

The SeaBus is a passenger ferry that connects Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver. It generally runs every 15 min except in the evening and on Sundays. The exact schedule is available on TransLink's website.

Purchasing tickets for the SkyTrain and the SeaBus operates on a proof-of-purchase system, with ticket checks occuring not every time but at random. It is possible to ride without paying, especially during rush hour, but those who do so ride at their own risk. If caught, the passenger has to pay a fine of $173. Tickets are easily available through vending machines at SkyTrain stations and either SeaBus terminal.

SkyTrain and SeaBus service ends before last call at night clubs and bars, so if you'll be partying downtown, be sure you figure out a ride home.

By car

Vancouver's road network is generally a grid system with a "Street" running north-south and an "Avenue" running east-west. Arterial roads follow the grid fairly well although not perfectly, but side streets frequently disappear for blocks at a time and then reappear. Most of the "Avenues" are numbered and they always use East or West to designate whether it is on the East side or the West side of Ontario Street. Some of the major avenues use names rather than numbers Broadway would be 9th Ave, King Edward Ave would be 25th Ave.

Downtown Vancouver has its own grid system and doesn't follow the street/avenue format of the rest of the city. It is also surrounded by water on three sides, so most of the ways in and out require you to cross a bridge. This can cause traffic congestion, particularly at peak times morning and evening commutes, sunny weekend afternoons, major sporting events, so factor that into any driving plans, or avoid if possible.

One of the best ways to avoid traffic congestion is to listen to traffic reports on AM730. This station reports only about traffic and can be quick to report any accidents and congestion, as well as B.C. ferry reports, bridge and tunnel updates, border wait times, and other information pertaining to getting around the city and its many suburbs. It also posts frequent weather updates and local news.

A unique feature of Vancouver and the rest of British Columbia is intersections with flashing green traffic signals. These do not indicate an advance left turn as it would in many other parts of North America. Instead, a flashing green light indicates a traffic signal that can be activated only by a pedestrian or a cyclist on the side street, but not by a motor vehicle. When the signal turns red, traffic stops as at any traffic signal. Any side street traffic must obey the stop sign on the side street and must yield to any pedestrians crossing the side street, even if traffic is stopped on the main street.