A standard rideshare from Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal to Surrey Central costs about $55 at normal demand, with a likely range of $49 to $64. The trip is 32 km and takes about 40 minutes.
Where the $55 comes from
We worked this out from average rates, so it is an estimate and not an Uber price. Once you enter both addresses, the Uber app shows what the ride will really cost up front.
Here is the rate card we used: a $2.50 base fare, $1.15 per km, $0.35 per minute and a $2 booking fee. The first three parts are multiplied by a demand factor before the booking fee goes on. The regional minimum fare is $4.43, which only matters for very short hops.
Busier periods raise the total. At 1.2 times normal demand the estimate is about $66, at 1.5 times it is about $82, and at double demand it is about $109. The range of $49 to $64 covers the ordinary ups and downs you see at normal demand.
Larger vehicles cost more. Comfort comes to about $69, XL (up to 6 seats) to about $79 and Premier to about $122. XL is the one to look at if your group is large or you are carrying a lot of luggage.
Taxi meter on the 32 km drive
Whalley Taxi and Royal City Taxi work from one shared tariff, with a $3.75 flag fee plus $2.18 per km. For 32 km the meter estimate is about $74 with either one. That figure leaves out waiting time and any extras, so treat it as the floor for a taxi rather than a final bill.
At normal demand the rideshare estimate is about $19 lower. At very busy or peak demand the gap closes, and at peak the taxi estimate is the cheaper of the two.
Tips for the 40 minute ride
Forty minutes is a fair stretch in a car, so a little preparation pays off. A few things are worth doing before you request a ride:
- Look at the pickup pin in the app while you are still inside the terminal, and move it if it is off.
- Type the full Surrey Central address instead of a short name, so the driver sees the right destination.
- Check the price again if the screen shows a surge, since it can ease within minutes.
- Tell the driver about heavy bags, or choose XL, so nobody is surprised at the curb.
Vancouver Taxi (604-871-1111) and Yellow Cab Vancouver (604-681-1111) both list wheelchair accessible cars, so phone one of them if you need that. Cards are accepted by both, and both take bookings through an app.