Getting Around Vancouver
Transportation
TransLink (Public Transit)
TransLink is one of the world's leading providers of a broad range of accessible travel options for its passengers. Buses, community minibuses, SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express are all fully accessible. For passengers with special needs who have challenges using regular transit, the HandyDART service provides door-to-door travel. Note that HandyDART services must be booked in advance.
Timetables for the regular transit system are available online and the TransLink Lost Property Office at Stadium - Chinatown Station. Route maps are also online and are displayed at transit exchanges and stations. The Translink.ca website also includes an accessibility section with more information about boarding buses, trains, and the SeaBus; station elevators and assistance; and entrance options for those unable to tap a payment card at a station fare gate.
Customers are welcome to contact TransLink's Customer Information Centre for up-to-date schedule information by calling 604.953.3333. An automated voice recognition system operates 24 hours per day, and information specialists are on duty between 5:30 am and 12:30 am Monday through Friday, and 6:30 am to 11:30 pm on weekends. Real-time transit information is also available on TransLink's website.
Taxis
Vancouver's major taxi companies offer vehicles that can accommodate passengers with disabilities, including wheel-chair-accessible vans. Advance booking is preferred. For accessible taxi services, call Vancouver Taxi at 604.871.1111, Black Top & Checker Cabs at 604.731.1111 or MacLures Cabs at 604.831.1111.
Car Rentals
Most car rental companies in the Greater Vancouver area offer accessible vehicles for drivers with mobility challenges. These might include vehicles with hand controls, steering wheel spinner knobs, swivel seats, panoramic mirrors, and boards for transferring wheelchairs in and out of the van. It is advisable to make enquiries and book well in advance of your trip. Check out what Avis has to offer, or check with your rental car company for further information.
Limousines
KJ Limousine provides transportation services to travellers with mobility challenges in their luxurious MV-1 vehicle. Along with YVR airport transfers, they also offer private tours, and Whistler and cruise ship transfers. The wheelchair-accessible vehicle is designed specifically to accommodate wheelchairs and scooters, with passengers entering the MV-1 from the side via a motorized ramp. The vehicle can seat one wheelchair or scooter comfortably, plus three additional passengers. To book, call 604.377.1618 or email info@kjlimousine.com.
Mini Buses
Vanwest Charters have fully-equipped, certified wheelchair-accessible minibuses available for hire. Each vehicle can hold between 2 and 4 wheelchairs, and 10 to 16 additional passengers.
Mobility Aids
If you’re not bringing your own mobility aid with you, wheelchairs, scooters and walkers can be rented through locally through businesses such as Wellwise by Shoppers Drug Mart, Scooter City, Motion, Self-Care Home Health Products, HME Mobility & Accessibility and LifeCare Medical.
Parking for People with Disabilities
Designated parking spaces for people with disabilities are clearly indicated, either with a sign that displays the universal symbol of accessibility, or a painted symbol on the parking lot space. Click here for a map of accessible parking spaces in the Vancouver area.
If you have a legally-issued handicapped parking permit at home, you can use it while you’re travelling in B.C. There is a reciprocal program between B.C. and issuing authorities in other provinces of Canada, the U.S., and E.U. countries. If your pass is from another area, you can still use it here, but you need to make sure that you carry a copy of your official documentation to verify ownership of a parking permit, especially if your permit looks different to the B.C. parking permit. Learn more on the SPARC website.
An alternative is applying for a temporary parking permit. A registered charity and community accessibility advocate, SPARC BC issues temporary parking permits for visitors with disabilities. You’ll need to fill out a form and submit copies of your official documentation from home. More information and the application form are available on the organization’s website.
Getting Around Vancouver's Streets
Making Vancouver’s streets accessible for all residents and visitors is a priority for the City of Vancouver. More than 95% of downtown sidewalk curbs have ramps, and outside of the downtown core, you’ll find that the vast majority of major streets and high foot-traffic areas (such as around schools, shopping precincts, entertainment districts, community centres and by bus stops) will also have curb ramps.
The City of Vancouver has also implemented Accessible Street Design standards, aimed at making our streets accessible to all. These cover everything from making sure that sidewalks are wide enough for a person in a wheelchair, to the duration of traffic crossing signals, to making sure that street furniture is provided along pedestrian routes to allow those with less mobility a place to rest.
