The easiest way from downtown Vancouver to YVR is the Canada Line. Trains run from Waterfront Station straight to YVR-Airport Station, and the ride takes about 25 minutes.
Riding the Canada Line from Waterfront to YVR-Airport
Waterfront is the downtown end of the line, so you can board there and stay on until the airport. The line also stops at Vancouver City Centre and Yaletown-Roundhouse, which helps if your hotel is closer to one of those. Trains come about every 7 minutes for most of the day and thin out late at night, so a late flight needs a look at the timetable first.
Leaving the airport, TransLink charges a YVR AddFare on top of the normal fare. A day pass or monthly pass covers it. Check the current amounts on the TransLink fares page before you go, since fares change.
Buses near the airport station
Several TransLink buses stop around YVR-Airport Station, including the 100 and the 403, but they are mostly for people already in Richmond. From downtown the train is the simpler choice, so a bus rarely makes sense for this trip.
Taking a car or a cab to the terminal
A taxi or rideshare saves you the walk through the station and carrying bags up and down stairs. Traffic through Richmond and over the bridges decides the time, so leave a buffer in the morning and late afternoon. If you want a rough idea of the cost before you book, the taxi fare estimator gives a ballpark, and Vancouver taxi covers pickups in the city.
Taxis leaving YVR for downtown use a flat-rate zone system, but the fare coming the other way depends on the meter. The airport fee and any night surcharge are set by the regulator and the airport, so confirm them with the driver or company when you book.
Planning for bags and early flights
The Canada Line has room for luggage, though trains can be full around commuting hours. If you are travelling with a lot of bags or a group, a car is usually less stress than a crowded carriage. For a first morning flight, check that the first trains of the day line up with your check-in time, because the earliest departure from Waterfront is shortly before 5 am.
Allow extra time for security and border checks, and plan to be at the airport well before departure. The TransLink trip planner and the YVR website both show current service alerts, so open either one the day you travel.
- Train: Waterfront to YVR-Airport, about 25 minutes
- Frequency: roughly every 7 minutes most of the day
- Fares: check TransLink, including the YVR AddFare