Moving to a new country can be complex and hectic, especially for international students who commute daily to the university, schools, and colleges. Here is the complete guide that will help you plan your next trip without any hassle
Understanding the different lines
Expo line – This is one of the most frequently used lines that connect the city of Surrey to Vancouver. If you are a student staying in Surrey (most Indians do) the task is cut out as there are three Skytrain stations with plenty of bus service: Scott road station, Surrey Central, and King George that connects you with neighboring cities of New Westminster, Burnaby, and Vancouver. To travel towards Vancouver downtown take the train to the waterfront with mesmerizing views on both sides. To Travel back from Vancouver to Surrey just hop on to the king george train
Canada Line – Those planning to live in Richmond can hop on to the Canada Line which provides connectivity to Vancouver downtown, Vancouver airport, and south Vancouver. Students studying in Langara can take the train from Richmond Brighouse station and leave at 49 Langara Avenue to reach their school.
Millennium Line – Millennium Line connects you to the city of Coquitlam and nearby areas. Students traveling from Vancouver or taking the expo line need to get off at the commercial Broadway station and take the Millennium line and reach Coquitlam. Students traveling from Surrey can take the train to the waterfront and change station at Columbia and then take the production way university train to Lougheed town city center and then the millennium line to Coquitlam.
Rapid Buses – Metro Vancouver also has a huge network of Rapid Buses (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5). Rapid buses are designed to offer faster and more efficient transportation than regular bus services. There are currently five Rapid buses typically operate on major corridors and use a variety of features to improve travel times and reliability. Rapid buses also have fewer stops than regular bus services, which helps to reduce travel times. RapidBus routes in Metro Vancouver: the R1 King George Boulevard/152 Street, the R2 Marine Drive, and the R3 Lougheed Highway, R4 41st Avenue from Joyce Collingwood station, R5 Burrad to SFU exchange. These routes connect major destinations such as SkyTrain stations, shopping centers, and business districts.
Fares, monthly passes, and different ways of payment
A Compass Card is a reloadable smart card used to pay for public transportation services in Metro Vancouver, including the SkyTrain, buses, and ferries. The Compass Card allows users to preload funds onto the card and then use it to pay for transit fares by tapping it on the card reader located at the entrance of the transit vehicle or station. The card reader deducts the appropriate fare for the distance traveled, based on the zones crossed, and updates the balance on the card. The card can be reloaded at various locations, including online, over the phone, and at designated Compass Vending Machines.
Anyone looking to travel through Skytrain or Translink ( bus ) needs to have a Compass card or credit card to pay for the fare. One can easily purchase the Compass card for 6$ from nearby retail stores like London Drugs, save on food, seven eleven, shoppers drug mart, or vending machines at sky train stations. Monthly passes, day passes or balances can be added by visiting
https://www.compasscard.ca/LoadCard. Students in different universities and colleges can check the respective websites for monthly passes.
Apps Needed for Travel in Metro Vancouver
New Students can download apps like Transit and Radar to know the exact timing, routes, and location of the bus. This will make the life of students a lot easier and make commuting a breeze.
Click here for more information about transit in Metro Vancouver.
Source: Compass Card | TransLink, SkyTrain Schedules | TransLink
