SkyTrain

To get around during our short stay in Vancouver after we disembarked from our cruise ship, we chose to get day passes for the Skytrain. We had taken a city tour from the cruise line that took us to the main attractions and then delivered us to the airport where we caught the courtesy shuttle to our hotel. Our plans for the next day included going to some places in downtown Vancouver and then meeting up for lunch with some friends who live there.
The Skytrain day pass fit our needs perfectly as we only had one full day to explore and find places to eat. The cost was very reasonable if you are planning to get on multiple times and includes access to some bus lines as well as the Seabus. We took the hotel shuttle back to the airport and found the counter where we could buy our day passes, then we began using them.
We took the Skytrain to an area in downtown that had several things we wanted to see, had a look at a couple of interesting places including a Chinese garden at Dr. Sun Yat-​Sen Park and the Chinese Cultural Centre. We then went over to the rendezvous point for lunch with our friends. After that we took the Seabus across the harbor to Lonsdale Quay Market and spent a little time there. Then we Seabused back and caught the Skytrain back to a stop close to our hotel and walked the rest of the way.
I certainly felt we got our money’s worth. And the trains were quite clean and easy to navigate around Vancouver. We would definitely use this system again when we are in Vancouver.

The urge to kill entire families hasn’t surfaced in me, so I don’t drive even though I have a license. I love to take mass transit for the convenience and when I travel, so I can see the sights and how the masses live. Skytrain is one of the best systems out there.
Now everything’s on Compass Card, which you can register and reload via credit card or just tap in and add money at a kiosk. I thought it was relatively simple, though my friend had a problem figuring out how to get her card loaded and I noticed another tourist did. Just reread the instructions if you run into difficulty or ask any friendly Vancoverite. I would get the stored value if you plan to take mass transit for a few days. The rides are cheaper and you don’t have to calculate zones anymore; the computer does it for you. Tap in when you enter, tap out at the station where you exit so the gate will open to let you leave. A ride is cheaper on the compass, though there is a deposit fee for the card. You get a ride and a transfer, as long as it’s in 90 minutes, in any direction, any bus or train, even the same line you were on. It’s cool if you want to zip to another part of town, eat, and zip back.
I deducted one star because unlike the NYC money added metrocard, you can’t pay for more than one person to ride. Meaning, everyone over 12(?) has to have his/​her own card. Note there is a $ 6 deposit for your initial card. Also, there is a refund for your deposit, but only if you get it at the Chinatown station and the Waterfront (where most people leave from, I guess)! What’s that all about? Every kiosk should refund, or how about more importantly, the airport one?
Still, it’s a cheap, fast and safe way to get around and never seems jammed with people who seem to stick to you like flypaper, the way it is in NYC, not even during rush hours. Even with the airport surcharge (hey, someone has to pay for maintaining that great airport), the cost is substantially cheaper than shuttle or cab to downtown. The Canada Line from YVR brings you to downtown pronto (about 25 minutes) and to the Chinese food paradise, Richmond (Aberdeen, Lonsdale and Richmond stations). Much to my regret, I didn’t get a chance to take the other lines.
Skytrain (and the bus) is a fun, easy way to get around.

When I am in Vancouver. I take the sky train. It is easy to use, quit, speedy and faster then taking the bus. the train is crowned in going to downtown Vancouver from 6−8am from the city of Vancouver 3−6pm

How come every time i go on the skytrain someone is either puking on the floor, yelling at other passengers or passed out asleep across the seats. It’s bad enough that the skytrain doesn’t get you most places in the city of Vancouver. It’s overpriced and needs better security. Booooo-​Urrrrrrnnnss

Sky Train was the mode of transportation during my Weekend in Vancouver.
Getting a day pass might be the easiest option for tourists as you don’t need to figure out how many zones you are travelling or what time it is for the 1 price for all zone. If not the light would go red when you try to exit the gate. But since it is running on honour system, I got a little more confused.
$ 5 surcharge for YVR line. But it is reasonable priced for travelling to/​from airport.

Insane in the membrane re: Vancouver Skytrain. I would call myself an enthusiast!
Part of the reason: the connecting Bus service where I live is so dismal that when I can switch over to the efficient skytrain instead, the quality of my day improves remarkably.
I love the different vibes of each station: the soaring grace of Waterfront, the subterranean «coming back to the surface of the earth» feel of Granville, the bustle of Burrard and so forth.
True confession: I lived in another country this year and I became homesick — for the SKYTRAIN! I took a leisure ride with no intended destination when I came back. Joyfully breathing in the familiar mingling of languages, people in close contact pretending each other don’t exist, and ‘scents of crowd’.
Having lived in other Canadian cities with no train, I am sincerely grateful for this option! I can stand the occasional harassment from drunks or the maintenance breakdowns (download the translink app to deal with both).
If the crowds at peak times seem unmanageable, simply wait for the next train and you will be first to board. It’s sure to arrive shortly…
Sidenote: The one time I felt truly unsafe due to hassling/​propositioning from an inebriated male, two teenage guys called security (unbeknownst to me) and the troublemaker was escorted off at the next stop. Yay Vancouver strangers!

I took the Skytrain from Vancouver Airport to Surrey last weekend — loved the convenience, efficiency and cost! (Note: there is a $ 5 fee when leaving the airport) Even with the extra fee the Skytrain blows any other transportation option out of the water. Why bother renting a car when you can sit back and relax?
I love the fact that the line is connected to the airport — just go upstairs and tada — the station is right there, buy your ticket and hop on!
I went from the airport to Waterfront station in about 20 minutes. From there you can get off and turn left out of the station to explore Gastown. After hanging out for a bit, I hopped back on the train going to Surrey where I was staying for a conference. (Your ticket is only good for a set amount of time, so watch this, or plan to buy another ticket).
At the end of the weekend, I took the train back to the airport (connecting at Waterfront). Note: Keep your ticket handy as you need it to scan through the turnstile.
My whole Skytrain experience was positive and somewhat exciting! I would definitely recommend using this public transportation system… interesting fact: apparently the skytrains are driverless…

This is the main transportation you need to know come to Vancouver. It’s pretty easy to figure out how to use it. It uses the zone system and there’s three zones. This is how we went from the YVR airport straight to downtown which took about 45 minutes. It costed us $ 9 CAD each way which came out to about $ 6 US dollars.
It doesn’t go underground but travels above ground and it’s a nice scenic ride. It’s also pretty clean and seemed pretty safe. The stations seemed pretty clean as well but we only went to the YVR and Downtown stations. It can get get pretty crowded with tourists and local traffic but it’s bearable.
An interesting thing is that the Skytrain goes by the honor system. This means that you don’t have to insert your ticket into the gate like most places. I don’t know how well that would work here in the US.
It’s very convenient and easy to use.

After traveling for years in different countries and cities it’s hard for me to make a legitimate complaint about skytrain beyond their operational hours that makes getting home from the bar and or shows complicated. Do they need to do track maintenance as often as they do at night? The regular line seems to break down lately more frequently than it has any business doing. Canada line seems to be more reliable.

This a clean, efficient subway system is relatively straightforward to use. (Especially after you use it once.) It runs you from YVR to downtown in around 30mins for C$ 2.75.

Today September 5^th, 2015 writing this review from skytrain where I am stuck for the last 15 mins. Heading downtown art gallery from 29^th avenue station. Usually it takes about ¹⁵⁄₂₀ mins but it is stuck on a Saturday stopping frequently and there’s no apology announcement from translink. Wondering since all zone fare going to be same, are they compensating with the service?

It was a pleasure to experience Vancouver’s Sky Train with my host family. Trains were clean and the ride was fairly smooth. It wasn’t as quiet a ride as I had envisioned, with squeaking and squealing. The $ 9.75 day pass was a good value as it could be used for both the train and buses. Ample number of trains meant short wait times. Los Angeles could learn from Vancouver about that.

Coming from San Diego, CA it reminds me of our trolleys, but better! It’s kinda like a subway too because when it gets closer to downtown waterfront, it goes underground. Ticket fares are $ 2.75 if you get the fare pack from Richmond centre’s drug store right by the station if you’re coming from there. Fast and easy! Not too many stops and lines in San Diego’s trolleys.

In comparison to Toronto, whose population is 3Xs more than Vancouver, the SkyTrain was a pleasant surprise!
(I live in a ‘burb outside of Toronto and have a car, so it was definitely eye opening experience to say the least!)
Good:
— somewhat easy to figure out how to get from one place to another. The only thing I had problems with was figuring out the fare, especially if I was transferring from bus-​SkyTrain
— even though it runs on the Zone system, for the most part, it’s cheaper than the TTC!
— came quite frequently
— never stalled for no reason… which seems to happen ALL. THE. TIME. on the TTC
— runs on the Honour System, so no one actually collects fares/​checks tickets unless you’re getting on the bus
— since the SkyTrain travels slightly above the city, on a track, it’s a nice way to see the city as a tourist!
— you can use your phone to call/​go on the internet
— they’ve hired Customer Service Reps who wear neon vests who always seemed to be around when I got lost/​had a question
— train actually goes to #YVR, imagine that Toronto!!! (Wasn’t sure of the price, but it was as expensive as $ 9 or as cheap as $ 2.75 from the ‘burbs)
N/​I:
— train itself is small. If you’re travelling with a bike/​luggage, you may get dirty looks
— since it’s Zoned, it can get pricy depending on where you’re going
— at a couple of stations, I found it confusing as to what direction the train was travelling to, no signage
Toronto *just* introduced UP (Union Pearson Express) train, but from Union Station, without a Presto card, it’s $ 27.50! True, it does take only 30mins, but it doesn’t address the ‘burbs, only people who live downtown and can get to either Union/​Bloor GO/​Weston GO, so it’s only 3 stops in total!!!

The SkyTrain was interesting to say the least. As a visitor, in a short span I could go from New Westminster to Vancouver. The trains run at average span between trains and in a quick way. They use the honor system for paying, but it seemed as if they will drop it when more of the turnstiles are renovated.
Some of the trains were a little bit polluted, but they were mostly comfortable. The windows allowed you a very wide view. I could see such life. I saw Asian malls, high rises, neighborhoods, parks, industrial areas and you name it.
If you want to comprehensively explore the Vancouver area, you can’t go wrong with SkyTrain.

I love the Skytrain.
Compared to the train systems in other cities I’ve been to, the Skytrain:
— comes most frequently
— is quiet (relative to, say, the Chicago CTA, or NY Subway, or London Tube)
— has really nice view when not cloudy
— is generally clean
— stations are generally clean
— can access most major places, now including airport
— has cell phone reception except downtown underground part (e.g. NY Subway doesn’t)
The only drawbacks are:
— not ²⁴⁄₇
— fares are expensive and only gets more expensive every year
— when there is a problem on a track, you get stuck for a long time (no other train alternative; just bus or cab)

As local residents, and a non-​driving senior couple, we depend a great deal on the public transportation that’s available in the Lower Mainland of BC to get around. So for us, SkyTrain is one means we have at our disposal to get from ‘here’ to ‘there’.
At present, from our location in Burnaby, we are able to choose from two SkyTrain lines to go west to other parts of Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, and Vancouver — the Expo Line (which can take us to Vancouver through downtown New Westminster, and downtown Burnaby, with no transferring, and to Surrey, by transferring in New Westminster), and the Millenium Line (which can take us to Vancouver through Burnaby, but it eventually requires a transfer over to the Expo Line to actually get all the way into downtown Vancouver).
If one is lucky and fortunate enough to be able to hop aboard a SkyTrain train that can take them directly to where they want to go, the system is relatively quick & easy to use, with frequent trains, and works well. For many though, it’s just a way to get part-​way, with a connection (transfer) to the bus system still required to get to specific locations. But we sure love those direct, not-​having-​to-​connect-​times, when we take SkyTrain — it makes taking public transportation here a breeze, and most-​enjoyable.
And SkyTrain does ‘look’ cool, eh!
(on a side note: it’s sure rather noisy operating past where you live & sleep though!!)

I like it. I like it a lot.
Of SkyTrain’s system, I’m more familiar with the Expo Line, having used it for lodging at further out suburbs, and board /​disembark at Metrotown or Royal Oak. The train lines go underground when in downtown Vancouver, but are up on trestles elsewhere. And, boy, did this line get put up quickly, all the way to distant Surrey, the butt of a lot of Vancouverites’ jokes. Why can’t other cities mass produce a bunch of trestles and put up a rail system of this magnitude? I already know the answer. Money and politics.
The system map indicates that it now goes a lot of places:
There is a stop at Waterfront to catch the very interesting SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay in North Van. Two lines intersect at Broadway and Commercial Drive, where you can walk to a lot of eateries … if you have an umbrella. There is now service into the YVR airport, and even a spur southward to Richmond, given that Canada 99 is lame, only has 2 lanes in each direction, and ceases to be a freeway upon entering the city of Vancouver — translation: rush hour traffic nightmare.
The only weird thing about it is that the trains are automated. Seriously, you sit at the very front or back of a Canada Expo Line train and see the track … and no driver. Hire somebody. SkyTrain made already «neato» Vancouver even neater.

Skytrain is a great way to explore the Greater Vancouver region for those who don’t want the hassle of driving and find parking. The Skytrain line runs from as far as Surrey and it goes all the way to Waterfront Station in Vancouver and there is even a stop at Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
Most of the trains are fairly new and quiet, but there are some old ones that are still operating from the 1980’s — can be loud and shaky at times. The trains for the Canada Line which runs from Vancouver International Airport to Downtown Vancouver are the best. They’re the newest trains that are smooth, quiet, wide enough for people with luggage to and from the airport.
All of the trains are automated with no drivers and the doors open and close by themselves.

Comparing the three light rail systems in the Pacific Northwest, Vancouver is the best of the three. Though Portland gets points for having a free zone downtown.
The reason Vancouver is the best is because of its heavy frequency of trains. There are some stops on the three system lines in which the wait for the next train is at MOST 3 minutes! Stations are easy to get around and are conveniently located. And unlike Portland which seems to stop every couple blocks in downtown, the stops on the Vancouver lines are better spaced out for increased speed in getting to your destination.
For those on the Canada Line heading for Golden Village and on a train to YVR, make sure to get off at the Bridgeport station. You need to get on a Richmond-​Brighouse train to get to your destination as the YVR train goes straight to the airport and not into the Richmond business district. Though if you forget to, the time lost is not too bad due to train frequency.
SkyTrain fare prices are higher during peak hours if you are travelling multiple zones on weekdays. If you are visiting during the weekdays, the daypass ($ 9) is a good option. After 6:30 on weekdays and all day on the weekends, the regular fare is $ 2.50 for all zones. It might be cheaper to go this route than the day pass so long as you can keep good track of time as tickets are valid for 90 minutes.
SkyTrain gets five stars for offering an effective public transportation system with heavy train frequency. Vancouver has made it easy and faster to take the train around town instead of driving.