World City Guide

Getting There By Road

A system of provincial highways links Vancouver with cities in the Lower Mainland and the Sunshine Coast, as well as the US border. Traffic drives on the right. Road signs are international. Maximum speed limits are 100kph (62mph) on motorways, 80kph (50mph) on rural highways and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas. It is legal to turn right at a red light. An International Driving Permit is recommended, although it is not legally required. Visitors to British Columbia may drive on their national driving licences for up to six months, and third-party legal liability insurance is required. The minimum driving age is 16 years.

There are often random road checks to catch intoxicated drivers; the maximum legal alcohol-to-blood ratio for driving is 0.08%, although drivers may be charged with driving under the influence at any blood-alcohol level. Seatbelts are compulsory for all passengers. Radar detection devices are strictly prohibited and may not be carried in automobiles. Although there is very little snowfall in Vancouver, it can be heavy throughout the rest of the province in the winter: snow tyres (and chains in mountainous regions) are a necessity.

Information on road conditions is available from the Ministry of Transportation (tel: (604) 299 9000, ext 7623 or (900) 565 4997, C$0.75 per minute; website: www.gov.bc.ca/tran). The British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) offers travel planning, insurance and other services to motorists (tel: (604) 268 5000; website: www.bcaa.com).

Emergency breakdown services:
BCAA (604) 293 2222 (Lower Mainland only)
CAA/AAA (800) 222 4357

Routes to the city: The Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) passes through the Rockies on its way from Calgary and the rest of Canada. From Seattle, Interstate 5 becomes Highway 99 at the border; north of Vancouver, Highway 99 is known as the Sea to Sky Highway and follows the coast from Whistler to the city. Ferries from Vancouver Island arrive at Tsawassen or Horseshoe Bay ferry terminals, which are linked to Vancouver via Highway 99, to the south and north of the city respectively. Victoria is reachable via the Swartz Bay-Tsawassen ferry.

Approximate driving times to Vancouver: From Whistler – 2 hours; Victoria – 2 hours 30 minutes (including ferry crossing); Seattle – 3 hours; Calgary – 11 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services: Pacific Central Station is the main coach station and is directly adjacent to the main rail station at 1150 Station Street (see Getting There By Rail). A number of carriers operate from the station, each covering different routes.

Greyhound Canada (tel: (604) 482 8747 or (800) 661 8747; website: www.greyhound.ca) runs frequent services from destinations within the province (including Nanaimo and Whistler) and further afield. Pacific Coach Lines (tel: (604) 662 7575 or (800) 661 1725; website: www.pacificcoach.com) operates a daily service from Victoria at least every two hours (journey time – 3 hours 30 minutes). Western Trailways (tel: (604) 940 5561 or (877) 940 5561; website: www.cantrail.com), Quick Shuttle (tel: (604) 940 4428 or (800) 665 2122; website: www.quickcoach.com) and US-based Greyhound (tel: (800) 229 9424; website: www.greyhound.com) offer services from Seattle (journey time – about 4 hours).