The simplest way from Commercial Drive to downtown Vancouver is SkyTrain. Commercial-Broadway Station sits at 2550 Commercial Drive, and the Expo Line takes about 10 minutes from there to Waterfront Station.
From Commercial-Broadway Station to Waterfront
The station used to be two separate stops, Broadway and Commercial Drive, until they were merged. It serves both the Expo Line and the Millennium Line, so look at the sign above the platform and pick the Expo Line toward Waterfront. The Millennium Line goes the other way, out toward Burnaby and the Tri-Cities.
Waterfront is the downtown end of the Expo Line and links with the Canada Line, SeaBus and West Coast Express. That makes it handy if you are heading to Gastown, Canada Place or the North Shore. For Granville Street, Pacific Centre or the Art Gallery, a stop earlier at Granville or Burrard may put you closer.
Fares and transfers
A single TransLink fare is valid for 90 minutes on bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus when you pay with a Compass Card or Compass Ticket. If you take a bus to the station and then the train, you do not pay twice inside that window. Current prices are on the TransLink website.
Tap in at the gate when you enter. Check the TransLink trip planner or app before you leave for service alerts and planned work, especially on weekends and late evenings.
Other ways down from the Drive
Buses run along and around Commercial Drive toward downtown, but the train is faster for most trips. Mobi bike share has stations in East Vancouver, and riding west toward downtown is possible if the weather is good. Use a navigation app set to cycling to see the quieter streets.
If you have bags, are heading out late or want to travel with friends, a cab is a sensible choice. The taxi fare estimator gives a rough cost, and Vancouver taxi covers pickups across the city.
Once you reach downtown, most of the main sights are a walk from the station. Waterfront Station, Gastown and Canada Place are all close together, so you can leave the transit pass in your pocket and explore on foot for a while.