Victoria bus routes

[usermom]

We had thought about taking a rental car on the ferry but decided against it, as well as renting a car in Victoria. We are probably going to do a 3 hr whale watch and walk but we haven't ruled out the gardens yet. So I am asking for help in planning:

Can anyone tell me what stop we would get off if we took the bus from the Swartz Bay Ferry to the Inner Harbor? I read that it would be bus # 70, is this correct?

Also what bus would we take from the Inner Harbor to Buchart Gardens? And then from Buchart Gardens to Swartz Bay? About how long does each route take. We will be there on Friday, August 24th.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Anne Marie

[Putterdude]

From Swartz Bay to Inner Harbour you would be better to take the #70 Express. From Inner Harbour to Butchart Gardens take a #30 or 31 bus to Royal Oak exchange and transfer to #75 bus. From Gardens to Swartz Bay you can take a #75 bus to Saanicton Exchange and transfer to #72 to the ferry.

[Putterdude]

I had intended to add this link for you but decided a nap was very important after slugging (slogging) it out on the links today.:)

 

http://www.transitbc.com/regions/vic/

[scottbee]

We had thought about taking a rental car on the ferry but decided against it, as well as renting a car in Victoria. We are probably going to do a 3 hr whale watch and walk but we haven't ruled out the gardens yet. So I am asking for help in planning:

Can anyone tell me what stop we would get off if we took the bus from the Swartz Bay Ferry to the Inner Harbor? I read that it would be bus # 70, is this correct?

Also what bus would we take from the Inner Harbor to Buchart Gardens? And then from Buchart Gardens to Swartz Bay? About how long does each route take. We will be there on Friday, August 24th.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Anne Marie

 

 

• From the ferry to the Inner Harbour (downtown) is a straight shot on the #70. Sometimes it will be very full, don't fear they'll send for a 2nd bus. Tip, don't fret if you need to wait 20 minutes for the 2nd bus, because as it runs a straight shot to downtown, it can actually be faster than the 1st! Also generally BC Transit run a Trident double-decker on this route; be sure to grab a seat up top for the best views.
  
• From downtown to Butchart Gardens take a #30 or #31 to Royal Oak, and change to a #75. (some #75s do run from downtown too during rushhour). Ask the driver for when you should get off, and make sure you keep your receipt from the fare box, as that will cover the 2nd bus ride.
  
• Butchart Gardens to Swartz Bay you want the #81, but it only runs every other hour
  

check http://bctransit.com/ for more details.

[Putterdude]

Be careful with the advice of the previous poster, the #81 bus only runs only every 2 hrs at best so watch your time if that is your choice.

[usermom]

Thanks so much for your wealth of knowledge and the link. We're thinking it may be too much to do the Gardens too, so we'll leave that for another visit when our children are not with us since they prefer the whale watching.

When taking the #70 express from Swartz Bay to the Inner Harbor, do we get off at the last stop? And is it the #70 express in reverse too? Can we just buy a ticket on the bus? Can we buy a 10 ticket book there too?

Really appreciate all your help.

Anne Marie

[Putterdude]

There are 2 or 3 stops downtown that will work for you depending upon which whale excursion you are going on....just tell the bus driver where you are going and they will tell you where to get off. Books of 10 tickets would make no sense for you as the adult fare is $2.50 and the youth fare is only $1.65, so a family with up to 3 youth the cash fares return would only be $19.90 vs a 10 ticket book for $22.50. However, if your children are under age 12, they can ride for free if you purchase two all day passes for $7.75 each and they can be purchased in the ferry's gift shop. Ticket books are not available on the ferry or on the bus.

[scottbee]

Thanks so much for your wealth of knowledge and the link. We're thinking it may be too much to do the Gardens too, so we'll leave that for another visit when our children are not with us since they prefer the whale watching.

When taking the #70 express from Swartz Bay to the Inner Harbor, do we get off at the last stop? And is it the #70 express in reverse too? Can we just buy a ticket on the bus? Can we buy a 10 ticket book there too?

Really appreciate all your help.

Anne Marie

 

Yes, you can just buy tickets on the bus. While multi-packs of tickets might save you money, there's not going to be a convenient place to buy them, between getting off the ferry and getting on the bus (although the BC Ferry gift shops on board do sell some bus tickets, but not 10 packs). Also, the children will likely be riding at a reduced rate, again which reduces the usefulness of 10 fixed price rides. make sure you have a pocketful of C$ money, as the bus will want Loonies,Toonies and quarters ($1, $2 and 0.25 coins). Ride the #70 to just about the end (the loop) and get off at the Parliament Buildings/BC Museum (corner of Government & Belleville), which is the heart of the inner harbour.

 

If you'd like any more advice on the Victoria transit system and/or how to get to the ferry on the Vancouver end, let me know. I lived in Victoria for 25+ years, and was a frequent rider of the bus system over there. I'm now in Metro Vancouver, and still ride the transit system daily.

[scottbee]

Be careful with the advice of the previous poster, the #81 bus only runs only every 2 hrs at best so watch your time if that is your choice.

 

I'm not sure why you feel so obliged to say things like this, when they're redundant, and only done in a way to try and discredit me. My original words were "this only runs every other hour"; which makes your above comment pretty much redundant.

 

Also, I'm confused why you're so quick to recommend the bus here, when in previous threads you're constantly dissing it. You've recently mentioned how you don't like sitting next to someone who hasn't washed, that how much better taking the Pacific Coach Lines bus is (which also only runs every other hour) vs taking the #70 BC Transit bus; and how you never had trouble driving in Vancouver.

[Putterdude]

Exactly the same words that you used re a couple of posts of mine recently....so that shouldn't be a problem with you.

The difference between waiting 1 and 2 hours is a huge difference and thought it should be brought to the posters attention, you had erred in the information you provided.

I didn't recommend transit to the OP I just answered their questions. They specifically asked for information about transit not about which was the best way to get to Victoria. I don't know what the fuss is about?

[usermom]

You guys are great. Thanks so much for all the great tips, and sorry if I caused an argument:(. I know you both meant well.

Anne Marie:)

[operabob]

We're thinking it may be too much to do the Gardens too,

 

Butchart Gardens are a must!

 

Then again so is downtown Victoria.

 

Toss of a coin but I do some tour guiding on the buses at the Cruise Ship Terminal and I'm always telling the people heading to Butchart it's a mistake. Then again the ships arrive late here and they only get a few hours. There's so much to see here.

 

If you want to speed things up a bit you can get on the ferry and book the PCL bus on board in the passenger lounge. It's more expensive but it'll take you in comfort directly downtown behind the Empress hotel and save a half hour.

 

You can also catch hop on buses going directly to Butchart in front of the Empress. I think they're charging $29 including admission.

 

Another site, off the beaten track is Hatley Castle. If you've got kids it's where they filmed the first 2 X-Men movies.

[scottbee]

If you want to speed things up a bit you can get on the ferry and book the PCL bus on board in the passenger lounge. It's more expensive but it'll take you in comfort directly downtown behind the Empress hotel and save a half hour.

 

You could, but at $17.50, it's nine times the price of taking the 70 bus. They end within a block of each other, and the PCL only runs on every other ferry these days, vs #70 meeting every boat. Not worth paying 9x as much to me

[operabob]

Not worth paying 9x as much to me

 

Nor to me. Just offering an alternative. Depending on when you disembark the city (#70) bus could be quite crowded and standing room only. They are double deckers but if you get sea sick you're better off on the lower level.

 

Added advice:

 

When you disembark just follow all the other foot passengers. You walk a bit of distance through the terminal but the buses are directly in front of the exit when you egress (a word I never thought I'd use). :)

[scottbee]

Not worth 9x as much

Nor to me. Just offering an alternative. Depending on when you disembark the city (#70) bus could be quite crowded and standing room only. They are double deckers but if you get sea sick you're better off on the lower level.

 

Not worth 7x as much either: $17.50/2.50. Apparently I'm math-impaired mid-day

[Putterdude]

If you have a late afternoon or early evening arrival in Victoria and only have 4 or 5 hours the only sensible way of visiting the Gardens is via a ships tour. Transit buses are often an option if you are in the city for a time frame of greater than about 6 hours but be aware that the schedule is somewhat limited in the evening hours. An other option is CVS Cruise Victoria which operate the shuttle from the cruise terminal to in front of the Empress Hotel where you can transfer to an hourly shuttle they operate to the Gardens.

 

Incidentally the #70 bus is an Express bus that goes no where near the Gardens. A #75 bus will take you from the downtown to the Gardens and from the cruise terminal take a #30 or #31 bus and transfer at the Royal Oak exchange to a #75 bus and then repeat the process on the return.

[operabob]

Here are transit directions from Google Maps from "The Empress Hotel" to "Butchart Gardens" via public transit leaving at 10:00 AM. You could run the same for "Swarts Bay" (ferry terminal) to Butchart as well.

 

 

 

Suggested routes

 

 

 

1. 54 mins
   75
    
   10:17am - 11:12am
    
   
2. 54 mins
   75
    
   10:52am - 11:47am
    
   
3. 54 mins
   75
    
   11:23am - 12:18pm
    
   

 

Transit directions to Tatiana Schott, 800 Benvenuto Avenue, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1J8

 

Fairmont Empress Hotel

721 Government Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1W5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walk to northbound Douglas FS Belleville (Stop ID: 100010)

About 5 mins (400 m)

 

 

 

 

 

northbound Douglas FS Belleville (Stop ID: 100010) 75

 

Bus towards Saanichton

10:23am - 11:10am (47 mins, 27 stops)

 

 

 

 

 

Butchart Gardens (Stop ID: 101950)

Walk to Tatiana Schott, 800 Benvenuto Avenue, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1J8

About 2 mins (140 m)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tatiana Schott

800 Benvenuto Avenue, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1J8