Canada Line
49°12′ N 123°11′ WTrain26 min
The Canada Line is the SkyTrain line from Vancouver International Airport to Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver, and it is the car-free start of the trip to North Vancouver, with a change at Waterfront for the SeaBus. The ride takes 27 minutes by TransLink's table. A $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare in 2026 lands on every trip that starts at the airport.
Photo by Tyler Hardie on Unsplash and others, credited in the gallery
Services
| Service | Time | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| YVR–Airport to WaterfrontTransLink | 27 min | Every 10 minutes early in the morning, 6 minutes at peak, 8 minutes midday, 12 minutes in the evening and 15 minutes late at night. Every 8 to 15 minutes at weekends and on holidays.First train 5:09 am, last train 12:54 am. From Waterfront to YVR–Airport the first train leaves at 4:48 am and the last at 1:08 am. | TransLink's station-to-station table gives 27 minutes from YVR–Airport to Waterfront, and YVR says under 30 minutes. Trains from Waterfront alternate at Bridgeport between the airport and Richmond–Brighouse. |
| Richmond–Brighouse to WaterfrontTransLink | 26 min | Same pattern as the airport branch, with trains every 3 minutes at peak on the shared section north of Bridgeport.First train 5:04 am, last train 12:46 am. From Waterfront to Richmond–Brighouse the first train leaves at 5:33 am and the last at 1:15 am. | – |
Fares
- YVR Airport AddFareAdded to trips that start at YVR–Airport, Sea Island Centre or Templeton and end at Bridgeport or beyond, on tap cards, Stored Value and tickets bought on Sea Island, concession fares included. No AddFare on trips to the airport. Monthly Pass holders, DayPasses and Compass Tickets bought off Sea Island, and trips between the three Sea Island stations are exempt.$6.50 (2026)
- YVR–Airport to Waterfront, adult tap, weekdays before 6:30 pmOur sum of the 2-zone adult fare of $5.10 and the $6.50 AddFare. Richmond is zone 2 and Vancouver zone 1. TransLink's fare estimator also treats Richmond to North Vancouver as two zones, so the same total takes you on across the SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay within 90 minutes.$11.60 (2026)
- YVR–Airport to Waterfront, adult tap, weekday evenings, weekends and holidaysOur sum of the 1-zone adult fare of $3.50 and the $6.50 AddFare, for trips starting after 6:30 pm on weekdays or at any time at weekends and on statutory holidays.$10 (2026)
YVR–Airport station sits between the domestic and international terminals, and trains leave it every 6 minutes in rush hour and every 8 minutes through the middle of the day. Evenings drop to every 12 minutes, then 15 late at night. The first train toward the city leaves at 5:09 am and the last at 12:54 am, and the run to Waterfront takes 27 minutes by TransLink's station table.
For North Vancouver, stay on to Waterfront at the end of the line and walk through the station to the SeaBus terminal. The boat to Lonsdale Quay crosses in 12 minutes, and your Canada Line fare covers it if you board within 90 minutes of tapping in at the airport. On a weekday afternoon that whole trip comes to $11.60 by tap in 2026, by our sums, and $10.00 after 6:30 pm or at weekends.
The YVR Airport AddFare of $6.50 goes on automatically when you tap out beyond Bridgeport, on a credit card, a phone or Compass Stored Value alike. It applies only to trips leaving the airport, so the ride out for your flight costs the ordinary zone fare. Rides between the three Sea Island stations are free. YVR's own transit page still quotes a $5 AddFare, so go by TransLink's figure.
Late arrivals need a plan for the last leg. The final SeaBus leaves Waterfront at 1:22 am from Monday to Saturday and at 11:22 pm on Sundays and holidays. A Sunday-night arrival therefore has to reach Waterfront before 11:22 pm, which by our reckoning means a train from YVR–Airport by about 10:50 pm. After the last train, YVR points riders to the N10 NightBus toward downtown and Richmond.
Worth knowing
- Travelling alone as an adult, skip the ticket machine and tap a contactless card or phone at the gate. The AddFare comes off the same tap.
- Concession fares need an orange Concession Compass Card, so a senior or a teenager who taps a credit card pays the adult fare plus the AddFare.
- Monthly Pass holders skip the YVR Airport AddFare entirely, which helps on a stay of a few weeks.
- Before 5:30 am on weekdays the Cordova Street entrance to Waterfront Station is closed, so early riders heading for the airport enter at Granville and Hastings.
Quick answers about Canada Line
How long is the Canada Line from YVR to downtown Vancouver?
The Canada Line takes 27 minutes from YVR–Airport station to Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver, by TransLink's station-to-station table. Trains run every 6 minutes at peak and every 15 minutes late at night.
How much is the Canada Line from the airport?
In 2026 an adult tap from YVR–Airport to Waterfront costs $11.60 on a weekday before 6:30 pm and $10.00 in the evening or at weekends, by our sums. Each total is the zone fare plus TransLink's $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare.
What time is the last Canada Line train from YVR?
The last Canada Line train leaves YVR–Airport for Waterfront at 12:54 am, and the first one leaves at 5:09 am.
Can I take the Canada Line to North Vancouver?
Yes, with one change. Ride the Canada Line to Waterfront Station and take the SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay, which crosses in 12 minutes on the same fare if you transfer within 90 minutes.
Is there an extra fee to take the Canada Line from YVR?
Yes. TransLink adds a $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare in 2026 to trips that start at YVR–Airport, Sea Island Centre or Templeton and run to Bridgeport or beyond. Trips to the airport carry no AddFare.
Do you need to book Canada Line ahead?
Canada Line: Nothing to reserve. Trains run every few minutes from first train to last.
Can you take a bike on Canada Line?
Yes. One bike or e-bike per Canada Line car. Folded bikes ride with no limit, and so do children's bikes with tyres of 14 inches or smaller.
Within 12 km
Places to stay nearby
Within 12 km
Places to eat and drink nearby
In the journal and guides
Read more about Canada Line
Guide · 8 min read
How do you get from YVR to North Vancouver?
Ride the Canada Line to Waterfront and the SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay for $11.60 on a weekday or $10.00 after 6:30 pm and at weekends. Take a taxi after the last Sunday boat or when the skis come too.
Guide · 12 min read
How do you plan the nights before and after a Vancouver cruise?
Sleep within a walk or a SeaBus ride of Canada Place the night before you sail, and come in from YVR on the Canada Line. After you land, the park shuttle to the Capilano Suspension Bridge will hold your bags for the day.
Practical guide · 13 min read
Should you stay in North Vancouver or downtown Vancouver?
Lower Lonsdale wins when your days point north to Grouse and the canyons, and the SeaBus that links it to downtown costs an adult $5.10 at most in 2026.