TransLink fares (Vancouver)
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TransLink is the transportation authority in the Greater Vancouver Regional District area of British Columbia. It was created in 1998 as a replacement for BC Transit in the city of Vancouver and its neighbouring municipalities. As part of its mandate, TransLink is responsible for setting and administrating fares for regional public transit services.
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[edit] Fare zones
The TransLink fare structure is based on a zone system. Municipalities are located in one of three transit zones, and fares are calculated based on the number of zones travelled.
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| * Zones 2 and 3 overlap on Annacis Island in Delta. |
The zone system applies on weekdays from start of service to 6:30 p.m.. Outside of these times, the entire system is considered to be one zone. This is in effect on weekdays from 6:30 p.m. to the end of the service day, and all day Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.
[edit] Fare classes
There are two classes of fares on TransLink: adult and concession. Concession fares are less expensive than the adult fare. They are available for children (ages 5 to 13), secondary students (ages 14 to 19, with a TransLink GoCard), seniors (ages 65 and up), and disabled patrons (with a valid HandyCard). Children four years old and younger ride free when accompanied by an adult.
- A GoCard is a TransLink ID used by high school students in Greater Vancouver to travel on TransLink at the concession rate. Students must present this card or pay the full adult fare.
- A HandyCard entitles its bearer to pay the concession fare while travelling, as well as allowing an attendant to ride for free. To receive the card, you must have a permanent disability that prevents you from using the public transit system without assistance.
[edit] Cash fares
Below are the fare prices in Canadian dollars:
| Fare type | One zone | Two zones | Three zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $2.25 | $3.25 | $4.50 |
| Concession | $1.50 | $2.00 | $3.00 |
Tickets are valid for a 90-minute period. To purchase on a bus, money is dropped into a farebox. The farebox counts the money and depending on the time and amount of money, the driver will press a button a control panel printing out a transfer for one, two, or three zones. At SkyTrain stations and Seabus terminals, the electronic ticket dispensers in the lobby are used. TransLink buses accept Canadian coins only. Most electronic ticket machines on the SkyTrain and SeaBus systems also accept bills, major credit cards and Interac debit cards. The fareboxes and electronic ticket dispensers for TransLink are manufactured by Cubic Corporation.
[edit] West Coast Express fare
From Waterfront Station:
| Destination | Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam | Pitt Meadows, Maple Meadows, Port Heaney | Mission City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult fare (one way) | $6.00 | $7.50 | $10.25 |
| Adult fare (return) | $11.25 | $14.00 | $19.00 |
| Adult fare (Weekly) | $49.50 | $60.00 | $83.00 |
| Adult fare (Monthly) | $152.50 | $185.00 | $255.00 |
They can also be used as a three-zone fare on other TransLink services. The ticket expires three hours from the time of purchase.
[edit] Pre-paid fares
Prepaid fares include FareSavers, FareCards, and DayPasses, which are available at FareDealers throughout Greater Vancouver, including 7-Eleven, Safeway, London Drugs, and Shoppers Drug Mart. Post-secondary fares are acquired through the university or college. FareCards, U-Passes, West Coast Express 28-day passes, and the Employer Pass Program qualify under federal tax regulations for the Transit Pass Tax Credit.[1]
[edit] FareSavers
FareSavers are sold in books of ten and can be validated at a SkyTrain station by inserting it into the validator or on a bus, by inserting the ticket into the electronic farebox. Like cash fares, tickets last for 90 minutes. Concession tickets come in only one zone and are sold for $15. Below are the adult prices:
| One zone | Two zones | Three zones |
|---|---|---|
| $18 | $27 | $36 |
One zone and two zone FareSaver tickets can be upgraded for additional zones by adding the difference in the cash fare. TransLink calls this an AddFare.
[edit] FareCards
FareCards are monthly passes which allow you to unlimited travel within the month shown. On Sunday and Holidays, two adults and up to four children may ride on one adult FareCard. Concession FareCards are valid for three zones. Below are the prices:
| Fare type | One zone | Two zones | Three zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $69 | $95 | $130 |
| Concession | — | — | $40 |
[edit] DayPasses
DayPasses are three zone passes and are valid for one day all day. The prices are:
| Adult | Concession |
|---|---|
| $8 | $6 |
[edit] Post secondary discounts
There are fare subsidies for many post secondary students, but eligibility for the reduced rates is varied;
[edit] U-Pass
U-Passes are discount passes for post-secondary students, in which all the students, by referendum, pay for and receive a mandatory transit pass. The price is reallocated across all students whether they use transit or not, resulting in the lower pass price. The Vancouver program is sponsored by the Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, and passes are currently only available to students at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University. The fee is currently $22 per month for UBC students and $24.50 per month for SFU students. There are plans to expand the program to other area post-secondary institutions.[1]
[edit] FastTrax stickers
FastTrax stickers are available to students "attending approved, non-private post-secondary institutions".[2] The sticker is applied to the student ID, which must be shown along with a monthly FareCard when boarding the bus. This allows the user to travel anywhere in the three zones on a single zone pass.
[edit] Quirks
The TransLink zone system, when combined with the geography of the Lower Mainland, leads to a number of quirks within the fare structure. The adjacent municipalities of Coquitlam and Surrey are both in Zone 3. However, due to traffic congestion, there is no transit service on the Port Mann Bridge, which links these two communities. Passengers must travel into New Westminster, which is in Zone 2, and then travel back into Zone 3 on the SkyTrain to reach Surrey, thus having to pay for two zones.
A similar situation occurs while travelling from Burnaby (Zone 2) into the District of North Vancouver (also Zone 2). The access route, over the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, is located in Zone 1.
The #430 bus between Metrotown Station and Richmond Centre also requires a 2-zone fare to go from one end to the other. While both Metrotown Station and Richmond Centre are in Zone 2, the route travels through Vancouver. The #100 bus between 22nd Street Station and Airport Station (both in zone 2) has the same oddity, as it travels along Marine Drive in Vancouver (which is zone 1).
SkyTrain crosses into Coquitlam (Zone 3) between Braid and Lougheed Town Centre Stations. As there is no station in Coquitlam, riders are not charged for this crossing. However as Braid Station is Zone 2 and Lougheed Town Centre Station is Zone 2/3, Coquitlam passengers wishing to use the SkyTrain between these two stations as a shortcut are required to pay for two zones.
Until recently, people travelling from Delta to Annacis Island were forced to pay a two zone fare, but now Annacis Island is in both zone 2 and zone 3, and only a single zone fare is needed.[3]
TransLink three-zone monthly passes cost $130 and can only be bought on the final and first 5 days of any given month, however, West Coast Express 28-day passes from Port Moody Station to Port Haney Station are only $115 and can be bought on any day of the month. As all West Coast Express fare is valid for three zones of travel, If one were to purchase 28 day West Coast Express passes as opposed to TransLink monthly passes, one would save about $70 over the course of a year, (not to mention being able to ride the West Coast Express between those two stations.)
Finally, two-zone cash fares purchased in Zone 2 can be used to travel the entire system. However, two-zone monthly passes are zone-specific and as such cannot take advantage of this anomaly.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ O'Connor, Naoibh. "College students question U-PASS price discrepancy", Vancouver Courier, 2006-03-01. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.
- ^ FastTrax. Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.
- ^ Board meeting minutes. Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (2005-07-20). Retrieved on 2006-08-08.
[edit] References
TransLink fares (offical site)
