Bus
Vancouver's TransLink (www.translink.ca) bus network is extensive. All vehicles are equipped with bike racks and all are wheelchair accessible. Exact change (or more) is required; buses use fare machines and change is not given. Fares cost adult/child $2.75/1.75 and are valid for up to 90 minutes of transfer travel. While Vancouver's transit system covers three geographic fare zones, all bus trips are regarded as one-zone fares.
Bus services operate from early morning to after midnight in central areas. There is also a handy night-bus system that runs every 30 minutes between 1:30am and 4am. The last night-bus leaves downtown Vancouver at 3:09am. Look for night-bus signs at designated stops.
Boat
Waterfront Vancouver makes use of its waterways for local travel, via transit services and private providers.
Miniferries
Operators offer day passes ($10 to $15) as well as discounted books of tickets for those making multiple water hops. Single trips cost from $3.50.
Aquabus Ferries Runs frequent minivessels (some big enough to carry bikes) between the foot of Hornby St and Granville Island. It also services several additional spots along the False Creek waterfront, as far as Science World.
False Creek Ferries Operates a similar Granville Island service from Sunset Beach, and has additional ports of call around False Creek.
Ferry
The iconic SeaBus shuttle is part of the TransLink transit system (regular transit fares apply) and it operates throughout the day, taking 12 minutes to cross Burrard Inlet between Waterfront Station and Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver. At Lonsdale you can then connect to buses servicing North Vancouver and West Vancouver; this is where you pick up bus 236 to both Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain.
SeaBus services leave from Waterfront Station between 6:16am and 1:22am, Monday to Saturday (8:16am to 11:16pm on Sunday). Vessels are wheelchair accessible and bike-friendly.
Tickets must be purchased from vending machines on either side of the route before boarding. The machines take credit and debit cards and also give change up to $20 for cash transactions.
Train
TransLink's SkyTrain rapid-transit network currently consists of three routes and is a great way to move around the region, especially beyond the city center. A fourth route, the Evergreen Line, is scheduled to begin operations in 2017 and will link the suburban communities of Burnaby, Coquitlam and Port Moody.
Compass tickets for SkyTrain trips can be purchased from station vending machines (change is given; machines also accept debit and credit cards) prior to boarding.
SkyTrain journeys cost $2.75 to $5.50 (plus $5 more if you're traveling from the airport), depending on how far you are journeying.
Canada Line
Links the city to the airport and Richmond.
Trains run every six to 20 minutes.
Services run from the airport to downtown between 5:07am and 12:56am and from Waterfront Station to the airport between 4:48am and 1:05am.
If you're heading for the airport from the city, make sure you board a YVR-bound train – some head to Richmond but not to the airport.
Expo Line
The original 35-minute Expo Line takes passengers to and from downtown Vancouver and Surrey, via stops in Burnaby and New Westminster.
Trains run every two to eight minutes, with services departing Waterfront Station between 5:35am and 1:15am Monday to Friday (6:50am to 1:15am Saturday; 7:15am to 12:15am Sunday).
Millennium Line
Stops near shopping malls and suburban districts in Coquitlam and Burnaby.
Trains run every five to eight minutes, with services departing Waterfront Station between 5:54am and 12:31am Monday to Friday (6:54am to 12:31am Saturday; 7:54am to 11:31pm Sunday).
Tickets & Passes
Along with trip-planning resources, the TransLink website (www.translink.bc.ca) has a comprehensive section on fares and passes covering its combined bus, SeaBus and SkyTrain services.
The transit system is divided into three geographic zones. One-zone tickets cost adult/child $2.75/1.75, two-zones $4/2.75 and three-zones $5.505/3.75. All bus trips are one-zone fares.
Metro Vancouver's new ticketing system is called Compass. Buy all-access paper DayPasses ($9.75) and plastic rechargeable Compass Cards ($6 deposit) from vending machines at SeaBus and SkyTrain stations, or from designated Compass retailers around the city, including London Drugs branches. DayPasses and Compass Cards allow you access to all bus, SeaBus and SkyTrain services.
After 6:30pm, and on weekends or holidays, all transit trips are classed as one-zone fares and cost $2.75/1.75. Children under five travel for free on all transit services at all times.
Taxi
Vancouver currently does not allow Uber-type services. Try the following long-established taxi companies:
Black Top & Checker Cabs
Vancouver Taxi
Yellow Cab