Vancouver SkyTrain — Map, Lines, Route, Hours, Tickets

SkyTrain, Vancouver’s underground rail system, began operating on 11 December 1985. The network includes 53 stations on three lines, with easy connections to buses, ferries and other trains. This comprehensive transportation network extends directly to Vancouver International Airport. SkyTrain services are available from 5:00 a.m. to midnight and tickets start at $2.75. A word of advice for passengers travelling from YVR-Airport Station to any other station – consider purchasing a two-zone ticket. Please avoid blocking the Metro doors to avoid delays. Interestingly, scenes from the film Minority Report were filmed on the Metro system. The forthcoming UBC line will complement the existing lines. SkyTrain also provides direct service to popular attractions such as Grouse Mountain.

The Vancouver Metro, also known as SkyTrain, is a major public transportation system in Vancouver, Canada. The Metro serves approximately 344,800 passengers daily.

The SkyTrain does not operate 24 hours a day. Service hours are 5:00 am to 1:50 am Monday through Friday, 6:00 am to 1:15 am on Saturdays, and 7:00 am to 00:15 am on Sundays. Trains are air-conditioned and passengers can walk between platforms. The Vancouver Metro uses driverless trains, specifically the SkyTrain, which uses Linear Induction Motor (LIM) technology and is currently the world’s longest automated system, having been in operation since 1986. However, there are no screen doors on the platforms.

The SkyTrain is operated by the British Columbia Rapid Transit Company. The fare for a trip on SkyTrain is $2.75. Trains run at an average speed of 45 km/h, with a top speed of 90 km/h.

Vancouver Metro Map

Map of Vancouver Metro showing different lines. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Vancouver Metro map in PDF format.

Vancouver: Canada’s Bustling Hub

Located in the province of British Columbia, Vancouver is home to approximately 600,000 people. This population density makes it the most populous city in British Columbia and the 8th most populous city in Canada. Many people consider Vancouver to be one of the best places to live in the world. Access to Vancouver is facilitated by several airports, including the largest, Vancouver International Airport, as well as Bellingham International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Abbotsford International Airport.

Public transportation in Vancouver is characterised by an extensive system of buses, ferries, trains and the subway. The subway, known as SkyTrain, is an important part of the city’s transportation infrastructure. Most of Vancouver’s transit services are managed by TransLink.

Historical Overview

The SkyTrain service was officially launched on 11 December 1985. Initial plans in the 1950s to build a monorail system were later abandoned. However, the idea was revived after Vancouver was chosen to host Expo 86.

The first line to open was the Expo Line in 1985, followed by the Millennium Line in 2002. The Canada Line was the latest addition to the network, unveiled on 17 August 2009.

Lines and Stations

SkyTrain has 53 stations on three main lines: the Expo Line, Millennium Line and Canada Line.

Expo Line

The Expo Line has 24 stations, including 22nd Street, Braid, 29th Avenue, Columbia, Burrard, Edmonds, Commercial-Broadway, Columbia, Granville, Gateway, King George, Joyce-Collingwood, Main Street-Science World, Lougheed Town Centre, Metrotown, Surrey Central, New Westminster, Nanaimo, Production Way-University, Patterson, Sapperton, Royal Oak, Stadium-Chinatown, Waterfront.

Millennium Line

The Millennium Line houses 17 stations, namely: Brentwood Town Centre, Commercial-Broadway, Burquitlam, Gilmore, Coquitlam Central, Inlet Centre, Holdon, Lake City Way, Lafarge Lake-Douglas, Moody Centre, Lincoln, Lougheed Town Centre, Renfrew, Production Way-University, Sperling-Burnbaby Lake, Rupert, VCC-Clark.

Canada Line

The Canada Line includes the following 16 stations: Aberdeen, Broadway-City Hall, Bridgeport, Langara-49th Avenue, King Edward, Marine Drive, Lansdowne, Olympic Village, Oakridge-41st Avenue, Sea Island Centre, Richmond-Brighouse, Vancouver City Centre, Templeton, Yaletown-Roundhouse, Waterfront, YVR-Airport.

Transit Connections

SkyTrain, the metro system of Vancouver, is well-integrated with other transportation services under TransLink. This means with a single SkyTrain ticket, you can make transfers to SeaBus service ferries and buses. The metro also links to transportation services from other companies, such as B-Line buses (operated by Coast Mountain Bus Company), West Coast Express commuter railway (owned by West Coast Express Ltd.), and Via Rail trains (operated by the Canadian government). Below are some of the connection options available at various stations:

Burrard: Connects to B-Line Bus 95.
Broadway-City Hall: Connects to B-Line Bus 99.
Coquitlam Central: Connects to West Coast Express.
Commercial-Broadway: Connects to B-Line Bus 99.
Main Street-Science World: Connects to Via Rail trains.
King George: Connects to B-Line Bus 96.
Surrey Central: Connects to B-Line Bus 96.
Moody Centre: Connects to West Coast Express trains.
Waterfront: Connects to B-Line Bus 95, SeaBus ferries, and West Coast Express trains.

Airport Connection

Vancouver International Airport, the closest airport to the city of Vancouver, is directly accessible by SkyTrain via the YVR-Airport station. The metro ride from downtown Vancouver to the airport takes approximately 30 minutes.

Schedules and Timetables

Each metro line has its own departure frequencies and station opening and closing times.

– Expo Line: This line has three routes: King George to Waterfront, Production Way-University to Waterfront and Columbia to Waterfront.

Departure Frequencies:

King George to Waterfront: Trains run every four minutes during peak hours, five minutes during the day, seven minutes during the night, nine minutes late at night, nine minutes on weekend mornings and seven minutes on weekends and holidays.
Production Way-University to Waterfront: Trains run every six minutes during peak hours, five minutes during the day, seven minutes at night, nine minutes late at night, nine minutes on weekend mornings and seven minutes on weekends and holidays.
Columbia to Waterfront: Trains run every two minutes during rush hour, three minutes during the day, four minutes at night, four minutes late at night, five minutes on weekend mornings and three minutes on weekends and holidays.

Station opening and closing hours:

King George to Waterfront: On weekdays the stations open at 5:32am and close at 1:16am. On Saturdays they open at 6:48am and close at 1:16am. On Sundays and public holidays they open at 7:48 and close at 12:16.
Production Way-University to Waterfront: From Monday to Thursday, the stations open at 5:10 and close at 12:31. On Fridays they open at 5:10 and close at 12:30. On Saturdays they open at 6.11am and close at 12.30am. On Sundays and public holidays they open at 7:11 and close at 23:31.

– Canada Line: This line consists of four routes: YVR-Airport to Waterfront, Richmond-Brighouse to Waterfront, Bridgeport to Waterfront and Waterfront to YVR-Airport.

Departure Frequencies:

YVR-Airport to Waterfront: Trains depart every eleven minutes in the morning, five minutes during peak periods, seven minutes during the day, eleven minutes at night, nineteen minutes late at night, and thirteen minutes on weekends and holidays.
Richmond-Brighouse to Waterfront: Trains run every eleven minutes in the morning, five minutes at peak times, six minutes during the day, eleven minutes at night, nineteen minutes late at night and thirteen minutes on weekends and holidays.
Bridgeport to Waterfront: Trains run every five minutes in the morning, four minutes during rush hour, three minutes during the day, five minutes at night, nine minutes late at night, and seven minutes on weekends and holidays.

Station opening and closing hours:

YVR Airport to Waterfront: Stations open at 5:07 am and close at 12:56 am.
Richmond-Brighouse to Waterfront: Stations open at 5:02am and close at 12:46am.
Waterfront to YVR Airport: Stations open at 4:48 am and close at 1:05 am.
Waterfront to Richmond-Brighouse: Stations open at 5:30 a.m. and close at 1:15 a.m.

– Millennium Line: This is a single line service.

Frequency of services: Trains run every three minutes at peak times, five minutes during the day, seven minutes at night, nine minutes late at night, seven minutes on weekend mornings and five minutes on weekends and public holidays.
Station opening and closing hours: On weekdays, stations open at 5:30 and close at 1:22. On Saturdays they open at 6.30 and close at 1.22. On Sundays and public holidays they open at 7.30 and close at 12.22.

Fares, Tickets, and Cards

SkyTrain fares can be paid for with Compass Tickets or the Compass Card.

Compass Tickets: These tickets are categorised based on weekdays before 6.30pm, weekdays after 6.30pm and weekends. Prices vary with adults paying $2.75 and concessions paying $1.75. HandyDart tickets are $2.75. For weekdays before 6:30pm, tickets are priced as follows: one zone ($2.75 for adults, $1.75 discounted), two zones ($4 for adults, $2.75 discounted) and three zones ($5.50 for adults, $3.75 discounted).
Compass Cards: The primary card used in the system is the Compass Card. Other cards available include Handy Cards and Concession Cards. A Compass Card costs $6, which is refundable upon return. The Compass Card can be loaded with passes or cash for use.
Passes: A Compass Card is required to use passes, which are divided into Day Passes and Monthly Passes. Day passes are priced at $9.80 for adults and $7.60 for concessions. Monthly passes are $90 for one zone, $125 for two zones, $165 for three zones and $50 for concession.

SkyTrain Tips

Purchase a two-zone ticket if you are travelling from the YVR Airport train station. This will save you from having to buy an additional ticket for connections.

If you are at Vancouver International Airport and are in International Arrivals, there are two ways to get to YVR Airport Station. First, go to level 3 in the airport, exit and use the walkway to reach the station. Alternatively, you can walk to the Link Building and then continue to the YVR-Airport station. The latter route is slower, but is recommended during rainy weather as it allows you to reach the subway while staying indoors.

Ticket machines accept cash, debit and credit cards. If you are at the YVR-Airport station, you can also purchase tickets at the 7-Eleven store.

Fun Facts

Stations do not have turnstiles.
The trains have air conditioning.
SkyTrain holds the record for the world’s longest automated metro system.
The width of the metro tracks is 1.4 metres.
The metro runs on 600 volts of electricity supplied by a third rail.
Some scenes from the film Minority Report were filmed on the metro.
The metro is driverless thanks to its Linear Induction Motor (LIM) technology, which uses magnets to drive the steel wheels.
The Millennium Line and the Expo Line offer stunning panoramic views.
The trains are US Bombardier ART models, the same model used in Detroit, Beijing, Miami, Kuala Lumpur, Toronto, New York and Yongin.
Some stations have a unique architectural design using a mix of wood, glass and metal.
The metro is known as SkyTrain due to its mostly elevated tracks.

Future Expansions

TransLink plans to expand the Expo Line and introduce a new line known as the UBC Line. The Expo Line will undergo two types of expansion: increased passenger capacity and track lengthening. First, to accommodate more passengers, TransLink will make three major changes:

Trains will run faster during peak periods, increasing the number of trains available to passengers.
Platforms will be lengthened to accommodate longer trains.
Longer trains will be purchased for stations.

Second, the Expo Line track will be extended by approximately 3.6 miles (six kilometres). This new track will facilitate travel from King George Station to 168 Street, 152 Street, Fraser Highway and Guilford.

The UBC Line will be completed by 2020 with a budget of almost $3 billion. The UBC Line will serve the Broadway Corridor. It will connect VCC-Clark station with new stations at the University of British Columbia and Arbus Street. This line will replace the 99 B-Line bus service.

Attractions Nearby

The YVR Airport station will be used as a reference point. To get from this station to the nearest tourist attractions using the Metro, follow these instructions:

Grouse Mountain: The trip takes one hour and 20 minutes and costs $9. From YVR Station, take the Canada Line Metro for 25 minutes towards the Waterfront and get off at Vancouver City Centre. Walk west on Granville Street to West Georgia Street. Take the 246 bus for 20 minutes towards Highland and get off at the Northbound Highland Boulevard stop at Woodbine Drive. Then take the 232 bus for 15 minutes to Grouse Mountain and get off at the Mountain Skyride stop. Finally, walk to 6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver.

Kitsilano Beach: The trip takes 40 minutes and costs $9. From YVR station, take the Canada Line subway for 20 minutes towards the Waterfront and get off at the Olympic Village station. Walk west to West 2 Avenue at Cambie Street. Take the 84 bus for 10 minutes towards UBC and get off at the Westbound West 4 Avenue stop at Vine Street. Walk to 2305 Cornwall Avenue, Vancouver.

Gastown: The trip takes 35 minutes and costs $9. From YVR station, take the Canada Line subway for 25 minutes towards the Waterfront and get off at the Waterfront Canada Line Station. Walk east on Granville Street to West Hastings Street. Take the 95 bus for three minutes towards SFU B-Line and get off at the Eastbound West Hastings Street stop at Cambie Street. Walk towards Gastown.

Stanley Park: The trip takes 45 minutes and costs $9. From YVR Station, take the Canada Line subway for 25 minutes towards the Waterfront and get off at the Waterfront Station Canada Line. Walk west on Granville Street to West Pender Street. Take the 19 bus for 10 minutes towards Stanley Park and get off at Stanley Park Loop Bay 1.

Granville Island: The trip takes 30 minutes and costs $9. From YVR, take the Canada Line subway for 20 minutes towards the Waterfront. Get off at Olympic Village. Walk west to West 2 Avenue at Cambie Street. Transfer to bus 50 and travel for five minutes towards Waterfront Station. Get off at Westbound West 2 Avenue at Anderson Street. Walk to Granville Island, Anderson Street at Johnston Street, Vancouver.