Vancouver Transit & Compass Card: Newcomer Guide

Metro Vancouver's transit system is one of the best in North America — SkyTrain, buses, SeaBus, and the West Coast Express all use one card (Compass) and one fare system. Here's everything a newcomer needs to know to get around without a car.

The Compass Card

What Is It?

Compass is a reloadable plastic card you tap when boarding and exiting transit. It works on SkyTrain, buses, SeaBus, and West Coast Express. You can load money (stored value) or buy a monthly pass.

Where to Get One

• Any SkyTrain station — Compass Vending Machines (CVMs) sell cards. $6 refundable deposit.
• London Drugs, 7-Eleven, Shoppers Drug Mart — sell and reload Compass cards
• Compass app — manage your card, check balance, and buy passes from your phone

Types of Fare

• Stored Value: Load money, tap on and off. Charged per trip based on zones. Best if you don't ride every day.
• Monthly Pass: Unlimited rides within your zone(s) for one calendar month. Best if you commute 5+ days/week.
• DayPass: $11.25 for unlimited rides all day across all zones. Good for tourists or busy errand days.

Zone System (2026 Fares)

Metro Vancouver is divided into 3 transit zones:

• Zone 1: Vancouver, UBC
• Zone 2: Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, North Vancouver
• Zone 3: Surrey, Coquitlam, Langley, Maple Ridge

Single Trip (Stored Value)

• 1 zone: $2.50
• 2 zones: $3.65
• 3 zones: $4.60

Monthly Pass

• 1 zone: $104.50
• 2 zones: $141.50
• 3 zones: $189.45

Key money-saving fact: After 6PM on weekdays and all day on weekends/holidays, all trips are charged as 1-zone regardless of distance. This means a stored-value trip from Surrey to Vancouver on a Saturday costs only $2.50.

How to Ride

SkyTrain

Tap your Compass card at the gate when entering and exiting the station. Trains come every 2-6 minutes during peak, 6-10 minutes off-peak. No need to select a destination — the system calculates zones automatically. Three lines: Expo, Millennium, and Canada Line.

Buses

Tap your card when boarding at the front door. Tap again when exiting through the back door. If you forget to tap off on a bus, you'll be charged the maximum zone fare. Most buses come every 10-20 minutes; major routes (like the 99 B-Line) every 3-5 minutes.

SeaBus

Ferry between Waterfront (downtown) and Lonsdale Quay (North Van). Every 15 minutes. 12-minute crossing. Stunning views. Counts as a 2-zone trip.

Useful Transit Apps

• Google Maps — best for route planning, real-time departure predictions
• TransLink app — official app, trip planning + real-time bus locations
• Compass app — manage your card, check balance, buy passes

Factor transit into your budget: rent affordability calculator.

Money-Saving Tips

• If you commute 2 zones daily but only 4 days/week, stored value might be cheaper than a monthly pass. Do the math.
• Transfer within 90 minutes — one tap covers bus-to-SkyTrain-to-bus within 90 minutes of your first tap
• Use the evening/weekend flat fare to explore the whole region for $2.50
• BCIT, SFU, and UBC students get discounted U-Pass ($41/month for unlimited transit)

Getting to the Airport

The Canada Line goes directly to YVR airport from downtown in 25 minutes. There's an additional $5.00 YVR AddFare when departing from the airport (not when arriving). Buy a DayPass to avoid the extra charge if you're making other trips that day.

Do I need a Compass Card or can I use a credit card?

You can tap a contactless credit card or phone (Apple Pay/Google Pay) instead of a Compass Card. But you'll pay the adult stored-value fare — no monthly pass savings. For regular commuting, a Compass Card with a monthly pass is cheaper.

What happens if I don't tap off?

On SkyTrain, you can't exit without tapping (gates won't open). On buses, if you forget to tap off, you're charged the maximum zone fare for that trip. Always tap off the bus.

Is transit safe at night?

Generally yes. SkyTrain stations have security cameras and transit police. Buses are safe. Late-night service (after 1AM) is limited to NightBus routes. The #N19, #N9, and #N10 NightBus routes cover the main corridors. Travel in groups late at night if possible.

Can kids ride free?

Children under 5 ride free. Ages 5-13 get a reduced fare (about half price). Ages 14-18 pay adult fare unless they have a Concession Compass Card ($2.00/trip).

Just arrived? Check our bank account guide — you'll want to set up banking before buying a monthly pass with auto-reload.