How to get from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal and then on to Langdale/the Sunshine Coast. When you land at the airport, you’ll want to follow the signs that read Train to the City and/or Canada Line. The SkyTrain is located across from the airport but can be reached without ever really leaving the airport. Just follow the signs up to the 4th level and then take the pedway over to the train terminal. On the pedway and across from the train entrance, you’ll see pay stations. Click through and select “2 zone” fare for $9. Pay cash, debit or credit card and get your ticket stub. Keep your ticket in your pocket in case you’re asked for proof of payment. The ticket is good for 90 min from time of purchase so it’ll be good for your 20min train ride to City Centre and it’ll also get you on your bus when you transfer at street level once you’re off the train. The train comes every 4-7 minutes and the airport is the end-of-the-line so just get on and head back into the city. Stay on the train until the City Centre station. Once there, get off, walk up the stairs/escalator, down the hall a bit, and then angle to your left to go up the escalator to street level. Once at street level, your 257 Express Bus stop to Horseshoe Bay is kitty-corner to you. Your bus stop is in front of the Hudson’s Bay/across from the Scotia Bank building. To get there, you’ll need to cross Granville Street and then W Georgia Street (whichever order). Walk half the block southeast along W Georgia Street and you’re now at your bus stop between Granville Street and Seymour Street. The bus stop is number 58504 (at the very top of the sign). You want 257 Express and it comes by every 20 to 40 minutes. Have your train ticket ready when you get on the bus. You need to insert it in the bus pay dispenser by the driver (where you’d usually put your coins). Insert and remove your ticket and keep it. Ride the bus for 35 to 40 minutes until it reaches the end-of-the-line at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. As soon as you get out of the bus, the first thing you’ll see is the BC Ferries terminal. There’s self-serve and serviced pay kiosks. Buy your ticket to the Sunshine Coast – Langdale. The fare was $15.85 at the time of writing these instructions. Your ticket will tell you what time your next sailing (AKA – departure) is at. There’s a sailing roughly every two hours and you can buy a ticket up to 10 minute before the ferry departs. Once you’ve got your ticket, walk up the escalator and walk along the long pedway to the Langdale waiting room (waiting room B at the time I wrote this). But if your sailing isn’t for another 45 minutes or so, go walk down the little street along the water and check out a café or restaurant. Troll’s is good. To get off the ferry, find a set of stairs around the middle of the ferry and head down to Car Deck 2. Passengers walk off the car ramp before the vehicles are let off. Follow the crowd and I’ll meet you between the ferry and the parking lot. The trip could be long if you had to do it twice a day, every day but it’s a great trip when you’re on holidays! So if it’s nice out during your ferry ride, go upstairs and check out the sundeck for spectacular views! C’mon, it’ll be fun! Here are some links that may be of interest: SkyTrain wait times: http://tripplanning.translink.ca/hiwire?.a=iScheduleLookupSearch&LineName;=999&LineAbbr;=999 Route map for the 257 Express: http://www.transitdb.ca/route/257/W/257_EXPRESS_-_HORSESHOE_BAY/ Horseshoe Bay to Langdale ferry times: http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/vasc-current.php Troll’s Restaurant: http://www.trollsrestaurant.com/menus Music from YouTube Audio Library: World Map; Jason Farnham Cockpit; Silent Partner Alternate; Vibe Tracks Cologne 1983; Josh Kirsch/Media Rig

• published: 05 Apr 2015
• views: 3578