R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus
Bus1 h 8 min
The R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus runs along the waterfront of Vancouver's North Shore from Park Royal in West Vancouver through Lonsdale Quay to Phibbs Exchange, then over the Second Narrows to Metrotown in Burnaby, and it suits anyone crossing North Vancouver east to west without a car. Buses come every 6 to 12 minutes for most of the day, and like every TransLink bus the R2 costs a 1-zone fare at all hours. The whole run from Park Royal to Metrotown takes 68 minutes at midday on the fall 2026 timetable.
Services
| Service | Time | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2 from Park Royal to MetrotownTransLink | 68 min | Weekdays about every 6 minutes in the morning peak, every 10 minutes through the late morning and every 7 to 9 minutes in the afternoon. Saturdays about every 12 minutes through the day. Sundays and holidays every 15 minutes early, then about every 12 minutes.Weekdays the first full trip leaves Park Royal Bay 5 at 5:39 am; earlier trips start at Phibbs Exchange from 5:05 am. Service runs past midnight every day. | On the fall 2026 timetable a 10:00 am weekday bus from Park Royal reaches Lonsdale Quay at 10:20, Phibbs Exchange at 10:34 and Metrotown at 11:08. Trips into the afternoon peak take longer, with a 3:00 pm departure reaching Metrotown at 4:18. |
| R2 from Metrotown to Park RoyalTransLink | – | Weekdays about every 6 minutes at peak, every 10 minutes through the middle of the day and every 12 to 15 minutes late in the evening. Saturdays and Sundays about every 12 minutes through the day.The first weekday buses start at Phibbs Exchange from 5:08 am. Service runs past midnight every day. | The R2 picks up and drops off only at RapidBus stops. On the North Vancouver side those are Phibbs Exchange, Cotton Road at Brooksbank Avenue, 3rd Street at Ridgeway, Lonsdale Avenue at 3rd Street, Lonsdale Quay, and Marine Drive at Bewicke, Hamilton, Pemberton and Capilano Road, with Park Royal at the West Vancouver end. |
The R2 is the spine of transit along the North Vancouver waterfront. It leaves Park Royal on Marine Drive, swings down to the bus bays at Lonsdale Quay beside the SeaBus, climbs back to 3rd Street through Lower Lonsdale and reaches Phibbs Exchange, where the buses for Lynn Valley and Deep Cove start. A 10:00 am weekday bus from Park Royal reaches Lonsdale Quay at 10:20 and Phibbs at 10:34.
Phibbs stopped being the end of the line on 7 September 2026. TransLink pushed the route over the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing and along Hastings Street and Willingdon Avenue to Metrotown Station, with stops at Brentwood Town Centre for the Millennium Line and at Metrotown for the Expo Line. The 222 express that used to cover Phibbs to Metrotown in weekday rush hours has gone. The R2 now runs that stretch all day, seven days a week, on 60-foot buses.
Every bus trip in Metro Vancouver is a 1-zone fare, so on a weekday afternoon the R2 is the cheaper way from North Vancouver to Burnaby, where the SeaBus and SkyTrain route would cost two zones. You pay for the saving in minutes. The midday run from Lonsdale Quay to Metrotown is 48 minutes on the fall 2026 timetable, and the 3:00 pm bus from Park Royal needs 78 minutes to reach Metrotown.
Worth knowing
- At Lonsdale Quay the R2 leaves from Bay 7 in the bus loop beside the SeaBus terminal.
- For Brentwood or Metrotown on a weekday afternoon, ride the R2 over the bridge at the 1-zone bus fare instead of paying two zones on the SeaBus and SkyTrain.
- Change at Phibbs Exchange for the 227 to Lynn Canyon or the 212 to Deep Cove, and at Lonsdale Quay for the 236 to Capilano and Grouse Mountain.
Quick answers about R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus
Where does the R2 RapidBus go?
The R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus runs from Park Royal in West Vancouver along Marine Drive to Lonsdale Quay and Phibbs Exchange in North Vancouver, then over the Second Narrows to Brentwood and Metrotown in Burnaby. TransLink extended it to Metrotown on 7 September 2026.
How often does the R2 run?
The R2 runs about every 6 minutes in weekday rush hours and about every 12 minutes through the day at weekends, on TransLink's fall 2026 timetable.
How much is the R2 bus?
The R2 costs a 1-zone fare at all times, because every TransLink bus trip is one zone, including the stretch over the Second Narrows into Burnaby.
How long does the R2 take from Park Royal to Lonsdale Quay?
The R2 takes about 20 minutes from Park Royal to Lonsdale Quay on a weekday, and as little as 12 minutes early in the morning, on TransLink's fall 2026 timetable.
Do you need to book R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus ahead?
R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus: Nothing to reserve. Turn up at a RapidBus stop.
Can you take a bike on R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus?
Yes. TransLink buses carry two bikes on the front rack. E-bikes ride the rack with the battery removed, and folding bikes ride inside, folded.
In the journal
Read more about R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus
Feature · 8 min read
How does Vancouver's North Shore fit together between the mountains and the inlet?
Every neighbourhood on Vancouver's North Shore sits on the same narrow shelf between Burrard Inlet and the mountains, and the rivers coming down off the slopes divide it into valleys. You cross it along the water and climb it up each valley.
Feature · 7 min read
Where do you eat and drink in Deep Cove and on the Seymour side of North Vancouver?
Deep Cove's kitchens line one short street above the water, and most of them close by late afternoon. Plan the day around a doughnut at 6 am and the last through bus at 5:45 pm.