Subway Station Below Fairmont Waterfront?

Hi Everyone,

Long time lurker, first time poster. On a previous visit to Vancouver, I remember walking from the Pan Pacific Hotel, through an underground tunnel to a food court below the Fairmont Waterfront. I turned left through the food court and saw an entrance to a subway station. If you enter that subway station, can you board the Canada Line to YVR?

Thanks in advance

Yes and no....

• yes there is a train station.
  
• the immedidate train station there takes you to the East suburbs, not the airport
  
• you need to walk through the platform (with fare paid) then go UP the escalator/elevator to the top, turn right to find the Canada Line elevators/escalators
  
• to avoid the fare paid zone it's best to enter via the Cordova street entrance. Also getting down to the food court area with luggage is a challenge without an elevator from the cruise terminal.
  

Thanks for the info. I was looking for a plan B. Last visit, we left YVR in the sun but when we got off Canada Line at Waterfront Station is was pouring.

We made the Cordova/Howe/Canada Place walk to the Pan Pacific and were soaked by the time we got there. No free hand to hold our umbrella's. Needless to say, my inexpensive way to get downtown wasn't very popular with DW!

Vancouver weather can be as unpredictable as Alaska. Especially May, June and September. I know some locals who will look at the weather forecasts by the hour instead of the day. The wonders of the internet.

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/hourly-weather-forecast/canada/british-columbia/vancouver

Your weather story is another reason I like using the cab to and from the YVR with luggage. Cabbing is even better when you have a family and the $35 is based on the carload. You do know there is a $5 surcharge per person when using the Canada Line to leave the airport. When there is more than 2 people, I prefer the cab convenience.

Leaving YVR.... I would have gotten off the Canada Line, heading towards the Expo line station to pop out the food court you describe. Some will try to get into Canada Place with the up escalators into the convention centre (there is NO down).

Instead of the long walk from the cruise terminal to the Waterfront station entrance, some may choose to use the Fairmont Waterfront elevators so you are soaked only crossing the street. However sometimes those Fairmont doors are locked when there is no conference and the food court is closed.

Vancouver weather. If you don't like it, just wait a minute?

Another question please. We have an 11:30 am flight from YVR to YYZ. Celebrity Solstice docks at 7 am on Tuesday Sept 22. Do you think if we self disembark and get in line for a taxi, we should make it to YVR in time?

It's going to be tight, but doable. Which date are you arriving in Vancouver on the boat?

On Tues Sept 22/15. Alaska cruise but we stop in Victoria and Nanaimo before Vancouver. I assume we would be clearing Customs in Victoria. We are Canadian so a domestic flight from YVR to YYZ.

Hi Everyone,

 

Long time lurker, first time poster. On a previous visit to Vancouver, I remember walking from the Pan Pacific Hotel, through an underground tunnel to a food court below the Fairmont Waterfront. I turned left through the food court and saw an entrance to a subway station. If you enter that subway station, can you board the Canada Line to YVR?

 

Thanks in advance

Yes it's a subway station, and yes it's waterfront station, but it's the entrance to the Expo/Millennium lines; not the Canada Line that heads to YVR, also involves a short set of stairs. There's also an entrance from street level where all of the taxis line up outside of Canada Place.

However, it is doable via this entrance if it's pouring w/ rain; just a little bit of a hike. Buy your ticket there, go down to the Expo/Millennium line walk the full length of the platform and back up into the main station itself on the far end, from there you can get to the Canada Line.

On Tues Sept 22/15. Alaska cruise but we stop in Victoria and Nanaimo before Vancouver. I assume we would be clearing Customs in Victoria. We are Canadian so a domestic flight from YVR to YYZ.

Nope - you'll clear customs and immigration in Vancouver (what if you bought more stuff onboard between Victoria and Vancouver? Customs anywhere before the last stop makes no sense...)

A domestic flight at 11:30am is fine unless real disaster strikes. You will be fighting for space in the general security queue with all your fellow cruisers heading straight to YVR, but you won't have the US immigration/customs to worry about. I would not dawdle, but you don't need to worry about being the absolute first folks off the ship.

Another question please. We have an 11:30 am flight from YVR to YYZ. Celebrity Solstice docks at 7 am on Tuesday Sept 22. Do you think if we self disembark and get in line for a taxi, we should make it to YVR in time?

Here's a possible time line:

• 7am dock
  
• 7:30am first walk off
  
• 8:00 clear customs and get cab (30 to 35 minute drive to airport, September traffic an be heavy in Vancouver)
  
• 8:30 enter YVR for check-in, customs and security searches (they do recommend 3 hours pre-departure, especially when it's busy in the morning.) You can have breakfast AFTER check-in.
  
• 11:30am wheels up
  

You are cutting very close, hopefully your ship is not delayed.

Vancouver weather. If you don't like it, just wait a minute?

 

Another question please. We have an 11:30 am flight from YVR to YYZ. Celebrity Solstice docks at 7 am on Tuesday Sept 22. Do you think if we self disembark and get in line for a taxi, we should make it to YVR in time?

Here is some more info to help answer your flight question.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1872310&highlight=vancouver+early+flight

Thanks for all the good advice!