Car service or taxi from YVR to downtown

We will be embarking for Alaska near the end of May, flying into YVR. We haven't booked a hotel yet, but it will only be for one night and will be downtown. Should we pre-book car service or just take a taxi? If car service, which one do you recommend?

We will be embarking for Alaska near the end of May, flying into YVR. We haven't booked a hotel yet, but it will only be for one night and will be downtown. Should we pre-book car service or just take a taxi? If car service, which one do you recommend?

Plenty of taxis, easily available. No need for car service.

Presumably you've already considered and decided against taking Sky Train.

If you do want to splash out on car service, don't prebook - one company (aerocar) has the only contract with YVR and they operate on a 'walk up and get in the next towncar' policy just like cabs. If you have a large party that needs a 5+pax limo, you'll wait a few minutes while they call one - booking in advance costs $50 and offers the benefit of a driver standing with a sign in the arrivals hall so you can feel fancy;-)

Cabs = metered, ballpark $35 downtown; towncar = fixed fee, rates dependent on car size & destination but at least ~$56 to downtown.

I booked Aerocar yesterday for a Canada Place/Pan Pacific Hotel to the airport and they quoted me $67.20, taxes in. What are gratuities like for the driver for that price?

I booked Aerocar yesterday for a Canada Place/Pan Pacific Hotel to the airport and they quoted me $67.20, taxes in. What are gratuities like for the driver for that price?

Personal decision, but I would tip as I tip for a regular taxi, rounding up. I'd give the driver $80.00.

That would be the flat rate, tax included. The base rate for the trip is $64 so a 15% tip would not be out of order....say $10. The same ride in a taxi will run $35 plus tip and if public transit if your thing and you like schlepping your luggage several blocks then you could walk over to the Waterfront Station and take the Canada Line for $4 per person....$2.75 after hours and weekends.

We will be embarking for Alaska near the end of May, flying into YVR. We haven't booked a hotel yet, but it will only be for one night and will be downtown. Should we pre-book car service or just take a taxi? If car service, which one do you recommend?

If your budget can handle it, why not take a car service? Personally I always take a car service over a taxi and I never take shuttles or public transportation. It's my vacation so I enjoy it.:)

If your budget can handle it, why not take a car service? Personally I always take a car service over a taxi and I never take shuttles or public transportation. It's my vacation so I enjoy it.:)

That's fine, but some people like myself might do the exact opposite, always avoid taxis and taking public transport; you pay your money and take your choice.

The fact there is excellent public transit to the cruise terminal from the Vancouver airport is very unusual for North America; and hence offering all the options to a new visitor to this city makes sense.

If you can walk 3 blocks with a suitcase, a $9/ea YVR-Waterfront (or $4 Waterfront-YVR) ticket is a significant savings over a towncar for $75 and might represent drinks on board, a nice dinner out or whatever to another cruiser.

If your budget can handle it, why not take a car service? Personally I always take a car service over a taxi and I never take shuttles or public transportation. It's my vacation so I enjoy it.:)

While from a practical perspective my taste does not extend to a car service, I do avoid public transit as much as possible. Aside from distasteful aspects of being jostled by drunks, the unwashed and rabid travellers with suitcases the Canada Line for 20 minutes of the 24 minute ride is a subway where your view is dark walls of the tube, I mean you could be anywhere. With a car service or a taxi you get to see Vancouver which is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. Now I fully appreciate that some people have budgets that must be adhered to but personally I am of the view that if I can afford the cruise I can certainly afford a $35 taxi fare.

While from a practical perspective my taste does not extend to a car service, but personally I am of the view that if I can afford the cruise I can certainly afford a $35 taxi fare.

Exactly, I can afford town-cars, and we prefer them over taxis.:)

Op - We took a cab from the Vancouver airport to the Pan Pacific Hotel at Canada Place, and then again from the pier to the airport at the end of our cruise. The fare was approx. $34.00 each way. Plus a tip. Most of the cabs we saw were Toyota Prius. Lots of headroom and leg room and lots of room for our luggage. There were lots of cabs at the airport and cruiseport - we didn't have to wait at all.

WE will be 4 adults with luggage. What would the approximate taxi fare be for a suitable sized car/van from downtown hotel to airport and cruise port to downtown hotel? We are not considering sky train at this time. Thanks.

We always take the Skytrain, Canada Line from the airport to downtown.

WE will be 4 adults with luggage. What would the approximate taxi fare be for a suitable sized car/van from downtown hotel to airport and cruise port to downtown hotel? We are not considering sky train at this time. Thanks.

Unless you buy a faresaver, a taxi is the same price. The taxi system just (a couple of weeks back) went to flat rate Airport->downtown, price is $35