Vancouver transit gets simpler after 6:30 and on weekends.
Buses are always one zone. After 6:30 p.m. on weekdays—and all day on weekends and holidays—SkyTrain and SeaBus are one-zone fare too.
✓ Checked: Aug 5, 2026
A little timing knowledge makes Metro Vancouver fares much easier to understand. Here are the useful rules that still apply after the July 2026 fare change.
Four rules worth remembering
Bus trips cost a one-zone fare regardless of distance. SkyTrain and SeaBus vary by zone only during weekday daytime hours.
- Trips starting after 6:30 p.m. on weekdays are one-zone fare across the system
- Weekends and provincial statutory holidays are one-zone fare all day
- Transfer between bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus within 90 minutes
- Fares increased by an average of 5% on July 1, 2026
One airport exception
Trips starting at YVR–Airport, Sea Island Centre or Templeton stations include a $6.50 YVR Airport AddFare. The add-on does not apply when travelling toward the airport.
A practical way to compare passes
Weekend SeaBus outings and cross-zone trips after work can benefit from the one-zone rule. Before buying a monthly pass, note your travel times and frequency for one week and compare the total.
Track one ordinary week before buying a pass
If your routine is still changing, write down seven days of trips before committing to a Monthly Pass. Record the time you started, the mode you used and whether you crossed zones during weekday daytime hours. That small log shows more than the number of rides alone.
Someone who mainly takes buses may spend very differently from someone crossing zones on SkyTrain before 6:30 p.m. Multiply a typical weekly Stored Value total by roughly four, then compare it with the current pass price. It is a useful estimate while work and school schedules are still settling.
- Start time
- Bus, SkyTrain or SeaBus
- Weekday daytime zone crossings
- Transfers completed within 90 minutes
A quick check before tapping in
On a day with several stops, remember when the first paid trip began. A new fare is charged after the 90-minute transfer window, so leave room for errands. On SkyTrain and SeaBus, tap both in and out.
Treat an airport arrival as a separate travel day because the YVR AddFare may apply. When a fare rule feels unclear, use TransLink’s current page rather than an older fare table saved elsewhere online.
