A taxi from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to downtown Vancouver is a zone fare of $46 as of October 2024, and it includes a $4 airport charge. The fare is set by zone, so it does not climb with traffic or the time of day.
How airport taxi fares work at YVR
Since October 11, 2024, taxis leaving YVR charge a fixed fare based on the zone of your destination instead of running the meter. The Canada Place and downtown zone rose from $38 to $46. The new fares drew coverage in the local press because some trips cost up to $9 more than before. You can pay by credit card, debit card or cash, and the price is known before you leave the curb.
Other destinations carry their own zone fare, so the number depends on where you are going. Ask the driver or the dispatcher at the taxi stand to confirm the fare for your address before you get in. Trips toward the North Shore, Burnaby or the suburbs will not match the downtown price.
Taxi, rideshare or train
Uber and Lyft are authorized to pick up at YVR, with pickup areas on Level 2 of the International and Domestic Arrivals and at the South Terminal. Ride app prices depend on demand, so open the app and read the upfront estimate. A taxi zone fare is the same whether it is raining or not.
The Canada Line is cheaper still. A tap with a Compass Card or contactless card gets you to downtown in about 26 minutes. TransLink adds a YVR AddFare of $6.50 from July 1, 2026 on eastbound trips that start at the airport, on top of the regular fare for the zones you cross. There is no AddFare for trips going to the airport.
Planning your budget
- Ask for the zone fare before you start the trip.
- Look up typical fares for your route with the taxi fare estimator.
- Splitting one taxi among three or four travellers with luggage often costs less per person than separate train tickets.
- Late arrivals are easier by taxi, because trains stop running overnight.
- Fares can change when the rules are updated, so check the posted rate at the stand.
Fares in other cities follow local rules and differ a great deal, so a price quoted for London or Los Angeles tells you little about Vancouver. For YVR, the zone fare on the posted sign is the figure to rely on.