Viajando por Vancouver

Seja para passear dentro da cidade ou viajar para as cidades vizinhas, conheca as opcoes de transporte em Vancouver.

 Aeroporto/ VancouverDesde a inauguracao da Canada Line (nova linha de metro) em 2010, o jeito mais barato de fazer o trajeto aeroporto - Vancouver eh pela linha de trem. Outra opcao eh a linha 98 B-line, que para na Burrad Station, em Downtown, e leva aproximadamente 35 minutos. E por ultimo, taxi, que leva cerca de 25 minutos.

Estacao de Trem: Pacific Central Station

Localizada na Main St, no coracao de Vancouver, eh la que se encontra o terminal da Via Rail e Amtrak (que conecta Vancouver a Bellingham e Seattle com um trem diariamente).
A estacao rodoviaria tambem funciona la, com companias que operam em destinos nos EUA e leste canadense.

A Via Rail opera apenas um servico partindo de Vancouver. Eh chamado "Canadian" e conecta com o leste, passando por Kamloops, Jasper, Edmonton e Winnipeg ate Toronto. O cenario eh espetacular e as amenidades sao muitas (o preco tambem eh bem expressivo!).

A Amtrak tm um trem diario partindo de vancouver a Seattle, alem da opcao de 3 onibus por dia para fazer o trajeto, ondeos passageiros podem conectar com um trem para Los Angeles e Chicago. O circuito de trem e onibus eh o mesmo e demora 4 horas. Passageiros internacionais sao responsaveis por estarem munidos de documentacao necessaria para entrar e sair do pais (passaporte, visto, etc). Eh necessario fazer reservas.

Balsa

BC Ferries (tel: 250 386 3431, in British Columbia 888 223 3779; www.bcferries.com)



BCFerries oferece servico para Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast and beyond. Partindo de Vancouver ha duas estacoes: Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay. Voce pode comprar os tickets online ou pode pagar na hora. Se estiver viajando de carro durante o fim de semana durante a primavera/ verao eh recomendavel que voce compre on line para garantir seu lugar.

Para informacoes sobre preco, horarios e localidades, acesse o site: http://www.bcferries.com/

Pacific Coach eh a linha de onibus em BC que faz viagens intermunicipais.
Para ir a estacao Tsawwassen pegue o onibus #601, em direcao sul, na estacao demetro da Burrard (downtown). Depois pegue o onibus #620. Para chegar a Horseshoe Bay, pegue o onibus #257 ou #250 na Georgia com GranvilleSt., tambem em downtown.


ESTRADAS



Greyhound Canada (tel: 604 482 8747, 800 661 8747; www.greyhound.ca)
goes to points east and north in Canada, as well as Seattle.


For further travel throughout the USA, contact
Greyhound Lines (www.greyhound.com).

Note Greyhound does not go to Victoria. Discounts on standard one-way adult fares are given to ISIC cardholders, seniors, children and pairs traveling together. Purchase tickets at least a week in advance for the best prices.


There are a number of other operators running long-distance services, including
Pacific Coach Lines (tel: 604 662 8074, 800 6611725; www.pacificcoach.com)
which does run to Victoria, Perimeter (tel: 604 266 5386, 877 317 7788; www .perimeterbus.com) and
Quick Coach Lines (tel: 604 940 4428, 800 665 2122; www.quickcoach.com).

POR AVIÃO

air


Canada's second-busiest airport :

Vancouver International Airport (YVR; tel: 604 207 7077; www.yvr.ca)

is about 13km (8mi) south of the city on Sea Island in Richmond, and all the major carriers service it.

There are two main terminals - international (including flights to the USA) and domestic - as well as a south terminal for seaplanes and smaller aircraft. Each of the main terminals has all the requisite facilities. The domestic terminal also has a medical clinic, dental clinic and pharmacy, while the international terminal has the goods and services tax (GST) refund office.

A free, twice-hourly shuttle bus links the main terminals to the south terminal (which is too far to walk).

In downtown Vancouver there is a seaplane terminal in Coal Harbour just west of Canada Place and a helicopter terminal near Waterfront Station.

The Vancouver Airporter (tel: 604 946 8866, 800 668 3141; www.yvrairporter.com) plies the route between Vancouver International Airport and the major downtown hotels from approximately 06:30 to 23:00. A one-way trip takes about 35 minutes, depending on traffic. Tickets can be purchased from the Airporter ticket office outside the main terminal and adjacent to the bus departure zone, from the driver or from the hotels.


A cheaper way into the city is via TransLink. From the airport, take bus 424 to Airport Station, then transfer to bus 98-B-Line (Bay No 1) to Burrard SkyTrain station downtown; the service operates from 05:30 to 00:30. A metered taxi to central Vancouver takes about 25 minutes, depending on traffic.

BICICLETAS

riding



Vancouver has 16 cycling routes covering almost 130km (80mi).

Two maps are available at various bicycle shops and bookstores:

a . the Regional Vancouver Cycling Map by TransLink and
b . Cycling in Vancouver (free) by the city transportation department's Bicycle Hotline (tel: 604 871 6070; www.city.vancouver.bc.ca /engsvcs/transport/cycling).


The Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (tel: 604 878 8222; www.vacc .bc.ca) and Cycling BC (tel: 604 737 3034; www .cycling.bc.ca) are also good resources.

Cyclists must wear helmets and stay off sidewalks.

TransLink permits bicycles on most buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus, except during weekday peak hours (06:30 to 09:30 and 15:0018:30). Bicycles are allowed on BC Ferries and Aquabus ferries.

TAXI



It's not easy to hail a taxi on the street, unless you are near a hotel so it's best to phone for one. There are a number of reliable companies in operation;



Vancouver Taxi (tel: 604 871 1111) has a fleet of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

SEABUS E AQUABUS



SeaBus Passenger ferries glide between Waterfront Station downtown and Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver in a mere 12 minutes.


SeaBus operates from around 06:00 to 12:30am, roughly every 15 to 30 minutes.


There are two mini-ferry companies servicing Vancouver :

1 . Aquabus (tel: 604 689 5858; www.aquabus.bc.ca) and
2 . False Creek Ferries (FCF; tel: 604 684 7781; www.granvilleislandferries .bc.ca)

operate nifty mini-ferries that resemble bath-tub boats around False Creek from about 07:00 to 22:00, with a reduced schedule in winter.

Both sail similar routes from Granville Island to Stamp's Landing to Yaletown or to Science World.

Aquabus also runs between Granville Island and the south foot of Hornby St (this is the only route that also allows bicycles, at minimal extra cost). FCF go from Sunset Beach's Aquatic Centre to Vanier Park's museums or Granville Island.

SKYTRAIN


The elevated SkyTrain light-rail system has two lines:

1 . The Expo Line runs from Waterfront Station downtown to King George Station in Surrey.

2 . The Millennium Line parallels it to Columbia Station in New Westminster, then circles back northeast through Burnaby and connects to Expo again at Broadway Station/Commercial Dr.



SkyTrain operates from about 05:30to 01:00, every five to 10 minutes.