West Coast Express

The West Coast Express, or WCE, is a weekday commuter railway serving the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Owned and operated by TransLink, the system opened in 1995 and connects Downtown Vancouver with Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and Mission. It is the only commuter railway in Western Canada, with peak-direction trains toward Vancouver in the morning and back toward Mission in the afternoon and evening.

West Coast Express Map

Map of West Coast Express showing its lines and stations. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Yerevan Metro map in PDF format.

West Coast Express Route and Stations

The West Coast Express route links Metro Vancouver with the Fraser Valley Regional District. It is designed for commuters, so the route timetable is simple: trains run toward Waterfront in the morning and toward Mission City later in the day.

The line serves eight stations. Waterfront is the Downtown Vancouver terminus, and Mission City is the eastern terminus. For trip planning, the stations map also shows key transfers to SkyTrain, SeaBus, and local bus services along the path train riders follow.

Westbound morning trains follow this stations list from Mission City to Waterfront. Eastbound afternoon and evening trains use the same route in reverse, from Waterfront to Mission City.

Fares, Tickets and Pass

West Coast Express fare rules are based on the number of zones travelled. In practical terms, the zone count works like the main fare calculator: it affects the fare, ticket price, and total cost of your trip.

Children aged 12 and under can ride TransLink services free of charge as part of a provincial program. WCE accepts Compass Cards, Compass Tickets, Stored Value on a Compass Card, contactless debit or credit payment, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.

• One-way travel is available with a Compass Ticket, Stored Value on a Compass Card, or Tap to Pay.
• A Return Fare covers same-day round-trip travel with a Compass Ticket or Compass Card.
• A Monthly Pass gives unlimited travel within the calendar month for the zones purchased.

Return Fares include unlimited travel on buses, SkyTrain, and SeaBus on the same day. Monthly Passes are valid only for the calendar month they are purchased for.

Discounted fares or concessions are available for some passengers, including HandyCard holders, BC Bus Pass holders, seniors aged 65 and over, and youth aged 13 to 18. Youth must carry valid photo ID proving age. CNIB pass holders who live in Metro Vancouver ride for free.

A West Coast Express Monthly Pass is loaded onto a Compass Card. The next month’s pass can be pre-purchased from the 20th of the preceding month, and a pass for the current month can be purchased until the 15th.

Return Passes and Return Tickets provide one day of travel from the time you tap in until 4 a.m. the next day. They include a return journey on West Coast Express plus unlimited travel on buses, SkyTrain, and SeaBus that same day. Return Passes are loaded on a Compass Card, while Return Tickets are available at WCE Compass Vending Machines.

Single-ride discounts on WCE services are available for U-Pass BC holders. To receive the discounted WCE fare, U-Pass BC users must first add Stored Value to their cards. U-Pass WCE customers pay the regular adult fare minus 3.35 Canadian dollars, shown as CA$3.35. The U-Pass Monthly WCE Pass is 113.90 Canadian dollars, shown as CA$113.90, for all zones.

West Coast Express passes can be bought online, at a Compass Vending Machine at WCE stations, or in person at the TransLink Customer Service Centre. Tickets can only be bought at select Compass Vending Machines.

Once you tap into WCE, your trip expires after 120 minutes. If you transfer onto WCE from other transit modes, you may need to pay an additional fare. Conventional Monthly Pass, day pass, and Stored Value holders pay the West Coast Express AddFare when transferring onto WCE, so keep enough Stored Value on your card before you travel.

West Coast Express Hours / Timings

West Coast Express operating hours are built around weekday peak travel. The service has no regular weekend trains and no service on statutory holidays unless a modified or reduced schedule is listed.

On regular weekdays, the opening hours, opening times, working hours, schedule today, and timings today follow the same commuter pattern: westbound trains run from Mission City to Downtown Vancouver in the morning, and eastbound trains run from Waterfront to Mission City in the afternoon and evening. The full running time is about 75 minutes.

The morning train schedule from Mission City to Waterfront is listed below.

The afternoon and evening route timetable from Waterfront to Mission City is listed below.

Holiday service can be cancelled, modified, or reduced.

Connections to Other Systems

The West Coast Express is integrated with TransLink public transport across Metro Vancouver. Several stations connect with SkyTrain, local bus routes, and other city transport services, making WCE useful beyond the commuter rail trip itself.

Waterfront is the main multi-modal transfer point. It connects with the Expo Line, Canada Line, SeaBus, and R5 Hastings St. Coquitlam Central connects with the Millennium Line and R3 Lougheed Hwy, while Moody Centre also links to the Millennium Line.

The 701 bus route supports rail service by running between Coquitlam Central station and Mission City station on weekdays. It was introduced after the former TrainBus service was discontinued in 2016, giving passengers another local transport option at the eastern end of the line.

Mission City station connects with BC Transit bus services in Mission. That makes it the transition point between TransLink transportation in Metro Vancouver and local bus service in the Fraser Valley.

A 2021 provincial study looked at future regional rail concepts that could connect West Coast Express more directly with existing or planned systems, including SkyTrain and bus services. One concept would extend the line from Mission to Abbotsford, while another would create regional rail links along the Interurban corridor between Langley, Abbotsford, Mission, and Chilliwack.

Airport Connections

The West Coast Express does not serve an airport directly. Its route runs between Waterfront station in Downtown Vancouver and Mission City, with intermediate stops at Moody Centre, Coquitlam Central, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Meadows, and Port Haney.

For Vancouver International Airport, transfer at Waterfront to the Canada Line. The Canada Line serves YVR-Airport and Richmond-Brighouse, so Waterfront is the key airport connection for WCE passengers.

• Waterfront: connection to the Canada Line and SeaBus.
• Coquitlam Central: connection to the Millennium Line and local bus routes.
• Moody Centre: connection to the Millennium Line.

Rules and Tips

A few simple habits make the West Coast Express safer, calmer, and more comfortable for everyone.

• Keep seats for people, not feet, luggage, or bags.
• Remove your backpack during busy times to create more room.
• Keep noise low, including conversations, phone calls, and personal audio.
• Avoid strong scents that may trigger allergies or asthma.
• Do not eat or drink on board.
• Wait for passengers to exit before boarding.
• Respect personal space whenever possible.
• Keep proof of payment with you and be ready to show it to a uniformed employee if asked.

On board the train, use the space carefully.

• Stow carry-on items beneath your seat.
• Move carefully through the train, especially on stairways and between cars.
• Know the exit routes and the location of onboard emergency equipment.
• Follow instructions from conductors and West Coast Express staff.

At stations, a little patience helps avoid delays.

• On escalators, stand on the right so others can pass on the left.
• Use the elevator if you are travelling with a mobility device, stroller, bicycle, luggage, or another large item.
• Tap your card, ticket, or mobile wallet at the validator or card reader when entering and exiting as required.
• Keep doors clear.
• Let other passengers off before boarding.
• Do not hold doors open.

Customers who have difficulty using stairs can board from the mini platform, where a ramp can be deployed. Customers with sight loss or mobility devices should wait on the mini platform for staff assistance. To call ahead for accessibility help, use 604.488.8906.

History

West Coast Express history began on November 1, 1995, when service launched under BC Transit. In 1997, an onboard education program called the Brain Train was introduced. For a fee, passengers in a dedicated car could attend weekly lectures from a Capilano College instructor on topics such as foreign languages and public speaking.

The system transferred to TransLink on April 1, 1999, when TransLink became the successor to BC Transit operations in Greater Vancouver. West Coast Express remains the only commuter railway in Western Canada.

Future Extensions

Several West Coast Express expansion ideas have appeared over the years, but most have stayed at a preliminary or long-term planning stage. TransLink’s 2009 capital plan included upgrades to Waterfront and Mission stations, plus platform extensions that would support longer trains. That planning period also identified passenger drop-off improvements at Port Haney and park-and-ride expansion at Maple Meadows.

Other proposals included a new station in Albion and a station in northern Burnaby to serve Simon Fraser University. Both ideas were later delayed or did not carry forward into later plans. In 2021, governments announced upgrades to six of the seven locomotives used by West Coast Express, with work intended to improve efficiency and support the future operation of longer trains.

Broader regional rail studies have also discussed future extensions. One concept examined a southward extension from Mission City to Abbotsford using the existing rail corridor and the Mission Rail Bridge. Other ideas looked at regional rail in the Fraser Valley, with possible links between Langley City, Mission, Abbotsford, and Chilliwack.

Any major growth would need to account for freight traffic, infrastructure limits, and the cost of adding stations, tracks, and service. The corridor west of Port Moody has little room for new stations or extra tracks, and the line is heavily used by freight trains. That makes all-day service and large-scale expansion difficult.

Future planning also points to better integration with SkyTrain and other transit services. The Evergreen Extension opened in 2016 and changed travel patterns in the northeast sector, so future rail projects are expected to be considered alongside that network. For now, the most realistic near-term improvements remain station and fleet upgrades.

Nearby Attractions

The West Coast Express is mainly a commuter rail service, but it can still work well for weekday trips around downtown Vancouver and communities along the route. Passengers use it to reach places such as Coquitlam Central, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, and Mission.

Near Waterfront, popular Vancouver experiences include Gastown walking food tours, city sightseeing tours with Capilano Suspension Bridge and Vancouver Lookout, Stanley Park bike tours, harbor cruises, whale watching, and seaplane sightseeing. These fit best before or after a weekday WCE trip.

The ride also offers scenic views along the river, including Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains on the way into the city. Passengers often note the clean, punctual double-deck trains, onboard washrooms, and coffee bar.

Good to know: because the train schedule is commuter-focused and weekday-only, nearby attractions are easier to combine with a regular weekday trip than with a weekend outing.