.gif)
Waterfront Station (Vancouver)
Encyclopedia
Waterfront Station is a major intermodal
public transportation facility and the main transit terminus in Downtown Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
.
, just east of the north foot of Granville Street
at 601 West Cordova Street. The station is within walking distance of Vancouver's historical Gastown
district, the Canada Place
cruise ship terminal, the Helijet International
helipad, and Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome
, the downtown float plane terminals for Harbour Air
, West Coast Air
, Salt Spring Air
, and other airlines.
Other nearby facilities include the downtown campuses for Simon Fraser University
and the British Columbia Institute of Technology
, federal government services in the Sinclair Centre
, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre
, and the Harbour Centre
office tower, revolving restaurant and observation deck. Underground passages connect passengers directly to the Fairmont
Waterfront Hotel and Canada Place. There are also two other street-level entrances to the station, one on Howe Street to the west for direct access to the Expo and Millennium Lines (Labelled as Platforms 1 & 2 on the station map) and another on Granville Street to the south for direct access to the Canada Line. (Platforms 3 & 4)
The Waterfront Station was one of the first to receive Translink's New "T" Signage denoting a transit station. This signage was installed in the downtown core of Vancouver to help visitors during the 2010 Olympics to identify a Transit hub.
Waterfront Station is the intermodal terminus in downtown Vancouver for the following TransLink services:
(CPR) in 1914, and was the Pacific
terminus for the CPR's transcontinental passenger trains to Montreal
and Toronto
. The current station is the third CPR station. The previous CPR station was located one block west, at the foot of Granville, and unlike the current classical-styled Waterfront Station was built in "railway gothic" like the CPR's many railway hotels. In 1978, when Via Rail
took over the passenger operations of the CPR and the Canadian National Railway
, it continued using both railways' Vancouver stations, but a year later, Via consolidated its Vancouver operations at the CN station near False Creek
(now called Pacific Central Station
), and ceased using the CPR station. The last scheduled Via passenger train to use Waterfront station departed on 27 Oct 1979.
Waterfront Station's transformation into a public intermodal
transit facility began in 1977. That year, SeaBus began operating out of a purpose-built floating pier that was connected to the main terminal building via an overhead walkway above the CPR tracks. The CPR's passenger platform and some of its tracks were torn up in the early 1980s to make way for the guideway of the original SkyTrain line (Expo Line), which opened on December 11, 1985. During Expo 86
, SkyTrain operated special shuttle trains between Waterfront Station and Stadium–Chinatown Station (then named Stadium Station), connecting the Canadian Pavilion at Canada Place to the main Expo site along False Creek.
In 1995, platforms were built adjacent to the SkyTrain station for the new West Coast Express, which uses the existing CPR tracks. (The West Coast Express platforms are in the same location as the old CPR platforms.) In 2002, Millennium Line trains began sharing the SkyTrain tracks with the Expo Line. In 2009, the Canada Line opened with a separate platform and entrance/exit point within the grand CPR station. Waterfront Station serves as the common terminus point for all three SkyTrain metro lines.
A private ferry company, Royal SeaLink Express, ran passenger ferries from a new dock on the west side of the SeaBus terminal to Victoria
and Nanaimo in the early 1990s, but ultimately folded. In 2003, HarbourLynx
began operating out of Royal Sealink's old facility at the SeaBus terminal. In 2006, following major engine problems with their only vessel, they folded as well.
columns. The ionic columns are repeated in the grand interior hall, flanking the perimeter of the space. The main hall features two large clocks facing each other high on the east and west walls. Paintings depicting various scenic Canadian landscapes line the walls above the columns.
Howe Street Entrance serves Canada Place
, with underground connection to Sinclair Centre
and Waterfront Centre at concourse level. No elevator is available at this entrance.
Granville Street Entrance is a new entrance opened 2009 in conjunction to the opening of Canada Line. Located at the south end of platform 3 and 4 (Canada Line).
Intermodal passenger transport
Intermodal passenger transport involves more than one mode of transport of passengers. Some modes of transportation have always been intermodal; for example, most major airports have extensive facilities for automobile parking and have good rail or bus connections to the cities nearby. Urban bus...
public transportation facility and the main transit terminus in Downtown Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Location
Waterfront Station is located on the south shore of Burrard InletBurrard Inlet
Burrard Inlet is a relatively shallow-sided coastal fjord in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Formed during the last Ice Age, it separates the City of Vancouver and the rest of the low-lying Burrard Peninsula from the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, home to the communities of West...
, just east of the north foot of Granville Street
Granville Street
Granville Street is a major street in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and part of Highway 99.-Location:Granville Street runs generally north-south through the centre of Vancouver, passing through several neighbourhoods and commercial areas, differing appreciably in their land value and the...
at 601 West Cordova Street. The station is within walking distance of Vancouver's historical Gastown
Gastown
Gastown is a national historic site in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the northeast end of Downtown adjacent to the Downtown Eastside. Its historical boundaries were the waterfront , Columbia Street, Hastings Street, and Cambie Street, which were the borders of the 1870 townsite survey, the proper...
district, the Canada Place
Canada Place
Canada Place is a building situated on the Burrard Inlet waterfront of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the home of the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver's World Trade Centre, and the world's first permanent IMAX 3D theatre . The building's exterior is covered by...
cruise ship terminal, the Helijet International
HeliJet
Helijet International is a helicopter airline and charter service based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It operates scheduled services and has a charter division servicing the film, television, aerial tour and general charter markets, as well as air ambulance services...
helipad, and Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome
Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome
Vancouver Harbour Water Airport or Vancouver Coal Harbour Seaplane Base, , is located at Coal Harbour in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
, the downtown float plane terminals for Harbour Air
Harbour Air
Harbour Air is a scheduled service, tour and charter airline based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. The airline specializes in routes between Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria, Sechelt, Comox and the Gulf Islands, primarily with de Havilland Canada floatplanes...
, West Coast Air
West Coast Air
West Coast Air is a scheduled airline operating de Havilland Canada float planes, with scheduled flights from downtown Vancouver and the Richmond Floatplane base at Vancouver International Airport to Victoria, Nanaimo, Comox, the Sunshine Coast, and Whistler. The company also flies tours and...
, Salt Spring Air
Salt Spring Air
Salt Spring Air is the only floatplane company based on Saltspring Island, British Columbia, Canada. It operates scheduled flights, charter air service and tours based in Ganges and specializes in routes between the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island...
, and other airlines.
Other nearby facilities include the downtown campuses for Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
and the British Columbia Institute of Technology
British Columbia Institute of Technology
The British Columbia Institute of Technology , is a public, coeducational, academic institution of higher education in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. The polytechnic has five campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region, with the main campus in Burnaby...
, federal government services in the Sinclair Centre
Sinclair Centre
Sinclair Centre is an upscale shopping mall in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. It is located at 757 West Hastings Street between Granville and Howe streets. The centre comprises four buildings that were restored by Henriquez Partners Architects in 1986 at a cost of $38 million. The main post...
, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre
Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre
The Vancouver Convention Centre , is a convention centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; it is one of Canada's largest convention centres. With the opening of the new West Building in 2009, it now has 466,500 ft² of meeting space...
, and the Harbour Centre
Harbour Centre
Harbour Centre is a notable skyscraper in the central business district of Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The "Lookout" tower atop the office building makes it one of the tallest structures in Vancouver and a prominent landmark on the city's skyline...
office tower, revolving restaurant and observation deck. Underground passages connect passengers directly to the Fairmont
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a Canadian-based operator of luxury hotels and resorts. Currently, Fairmont operates properties in 18 countries including Canada, the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, Barbados, United Kingdom, Monaco, Germany, Switzerland, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, the...
Waterfront Hotel and Canada Place. There are also two other street-level entrances to the station, one on Howe Street to the west for direct access to the Expo and Millennium Lines (Labelled as Platforms 1 & 2 on the station map) and another on Granville Street to the south for direct access to the Canada Line. (Platforms 3 & 4)
The Waterfront Station was one of the first to receive Translink's New "T" Signage denoting a transit station. This signage was installed in the downtown core of Vancouver to help visitors during the 2010 Olympics to identify a Transit hub.
Services
- SkyTrainSkyTrain (Vancouver)SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability...
Expo Line through Vancouver to South Burnaby, New Westminster and SurreySurrey, British ColumbiaSurrey is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
; - SkyTrain Millennium LineMillennium LineThe Millennium Line is the second rapid transit line built in the SkyTrain light metro rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The line is owned and operated by TransLink. Millennium Line uses the colour yellow on route maps, wayfinding and station signage.-History:When...
through Vancouver to North Burnaby, Coquitlam and New Westminster (via the Expo line), circulating then terminating in East Vancouver at VCC–Clark Station. - SkyTrain Canada LineCanada LineCanada Line is a rapid transit line in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in August 2009, it is the third line in TransLink's SkyTrain metro network, servicing Vancouver, Richmond, and the Vancouver International Airport...
, through Vancouver to central RichmondRichmond, British ColumbiaRichmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
and Vancouver International AirportVancouver International AirportVancouver International Airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, about from Downtown Vancouver. In 2010 it was the second busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements and passengers , behind Toronto Pearson International Airport, with non-stop flights daily to... - West Coast ExpressWest Coast ExpressWest Coast Express is the interregional commuter railway in British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it links Mission, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and Port Moody with Waterfront Station in Downtown Vancouver, where it interchanges with SkyTrain rapid transit, SeaBus and...
commuter rail and TrainBus to Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple RidgeMaple Ridge, British ColumbiaMaple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located in the northeastern section of Metro Vancouver. Maple Ridge has a population of approximately 68,949.-History:...
, and MissionMission, British ColumbiaMission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
; - SeaBusSeaBusThe SeaBus is a passenger-only ferry service in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It crosses Burrard Inlet to connect the cities of Vancouver and North Vancouver. The SeaBus is owned and operated by the Coast Mountain Bus Company and is an important part of TransLink's integrated public...
passenger ferry to Lonsdale QuayLonsdale QuayLonsdale Quay is a major transit hub for Vancouver's North Shore municipalities, as well as a public market and tourist destination. Located at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue in the City of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, it is the northern terminal for the SeaBus passenger ferry...
in North VancouverNorth Vancouver, British ColumbiaThere are two municipalities in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada, that use the name North Vancouver. These are:*The City of North Vancouver...
; - Various local, suburban, express, and commuter bus routes;
- HeliJet InternationalHeliJetHelijet International is a helicopter airline and charter service based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It operates scheduled services and has a charter division servicing the film, television, aerial tour and general charter markets, as well as air ambulance services...
helipad is adjacent to the SeaBus concourse, therefore allowing passengers to connect to Waterfront Station's main terminal building. - The Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome float plane terminals are also located nearby, approximately two blocks west of Canada PlaceCanada PlaceCanada Place is a building situated on the Burrard Inlet waterfront of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the home of the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver's World Trade Centre, and the world's first permanent IMAX 3D theatre . The building's exterior is covered by...
.
- HeliJet International
History
Waterfront Station was built by the Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) in 1914, and was the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
terminus for the CPR's transcontinental passenger trains to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The current station is the third CPR station. The previous CPR station was located one block west, at the foot of Granville, and unlike the current classical-styled Waterfront Station was built in "railway gothic" like the CPR's many railway hotels. In 1978, when Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
took over the passenger operations of the CPR and the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
, it continued using both railways' Vancouver stations, but a year later, Via consolidated its Vancouver operations at the CN station near False Creek
False Creek
False Creek is a short inlet in the heart of Vancouver. It separates downtown from the rest of the city. It was named by George Henry Richards during his Hydrographic survey of 1856-63. Science World is located at its eastern end and the Burrard Street Bridge crosses its western end. False Creek is...
(now called Pacific Central Station
Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)
Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is a railway station that acts as the western terminus of Via Rail's cross-country The Canadian to Toronto and the northern terminus of Amtrak’s Cascades to Seattle, Portland, and Eugene, Oregon...
), and ceased using the CPR station. The last scheduled Via passenger train to use Waterfront station departed on 27 Oct 1979.
Waterfront Station's transformation into a public intermodal
Intermodal passenger transport
Intermodal passenger transport involves more than one mode of transport of passengers. Some modes of transportation have always been intermodal; for example, most major airports have extensive facilities for automobile parking and have good rail or bus connections to the cities nearby. Urban bus...
transit facility began in 1977. That year, SeaBus began operating out of a purpose-built floating pier that was connected to the main terminal building via an overhead walkway above the CPR tracks. The CPR's passenger platform and some of its tracks were torn up in the early 1980s to make way for the guideway of the original SkyTrain line (Expo Line), which opened on December 11, 1985. During Expo 86
Expo 86
The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo '86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Friday, May 2 until Monday, October 13, 1986...
, SkyTrain operated special shuttle trains between Waterfront Station and Stadium–Chinatown Station (then named Stadium Station), connecting the Canadian Pavilion at Canada Place to the main Expo site along False Creek.
In 1995, platforms were built adjacent to the SkyTrain station for the new West Coast Express, which uses the existing CPR tracks. (The West Coast Express platforms are in the same location as the old CPR platforms.) In 2002, Millennium Line trains began sharing the SkyTrain tracks with the Expo Line. In 2009, the Canada Line opened with a separate platform and entrance/exit point within the grand CPR station. Waterfront Station serves as the common terminus point for all three SkyTrain metro lines.
A private ferry company, Royal SeaLink Express, ran passenger ferries from a new dock on the west side of the SeaBus terminal to Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
and Nanaimo in the early 1990s, but ultimately folded. In 2003, HarbourLynx
HarbourLynx
HarbourLynx was a private company based in Nanaimo, British Columbia that provided passenger-only high speed ferry service between the city centres of Nanaimo and Vancouver....
began operating out of Royal Sealink's old facility at the SeaBus terminal. In 2006, following major engine problems with their only vessel, they folded as well.
Architecture
The main station building was designed in a neoclassical style, with a symmetrical red-brick facade dominated by a row of smooth, white ionic orderIonic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
columns. The ionic columns are repeated in the grand interior hall, flanking the perimeter of the space. The main hall features two large clocks facing each other high on the east and west walls. Paintings depicting various scenic Canadian landscapes line the walls above the columns.
Station layout
| S | Street Level | |
|---|---|---|
| C | Concourse Level | Separate concourses for Howe and Granville entrances. No concourse for Cordova Street entrance. |
| T | Train Level |
Platform assignment
| Platform | Direction | Line | Destination | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ■ Expo | Unload only | 1985 | |
| ■ Millennium Millennium Line The Millennium Line is the second rapid transit line built in the SkyTrain light metro rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The line is owned and operated by TransLink. Millennium Line uses the colour yellow on route maps, wayfinding and station signage.-History:When... |
||||
| 2 | Eastbound | ■ Expo | King George King George Station King George Station is located on an elevated portion of the Expo Line, a part of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system. The station itself is in Surrey and is the current eastbound terminus of the Expo Line.-Location:... |
|
| ■ Millennium Millennium Line The Millennium Line is the second rapid transit line built in the SkyTrain light metro rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The line is owned and operated by TransLink. Millennium Line uses the colour yellow on route maps, wayfinding and station signage.-History:When... |
VCC–Clark via Columbia Columbia Station Columbia Station is located in the short underground section of the Expo Line in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. It is a part of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system, and one of two transfer points to the newer Millennium Line.... |
|||
| 3 | ■ Canada Canada Line Canada Line is a rapid transit line in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in August 2009, it is the third line in TransLink's SkyTrain metro network, servicing Vancouver, Richmond, and the Vancouver International Airport... |
Unused | 2009 | |
| 4 | Southbound | ■ Canada Canada Line Canada Line is a rapid transit line in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in August 2009, it is the third line in TransLink's SkyTrain metro network, servicing Vancouver, Richmond, and the Vancouver International Airport... |
Richmond–Brighouse | |
| YVR–Airport |
Station entrances and connections
Cordova Street Entrance (Terminal Building) is a fully accessible entrance connecting all services at Waterfront Station. The entrance is located at the east end of platforms 1 and 2 (Expo Line) and north end of platform 3 and 4 (Canada Line).- Local buses operate on West Cordova Street, in front of the entrance:
-
- 44 UBC
- 50 False Creek South
- Local buses stop at near-by intersection of Cordova Street and Seymour Street across from the entrance:
-
- 3 Main
- 4 Powell
- 6 Davie
- 7 Nanaimo Station
- 8 Fraser
- 17 Oak
- 17 UBC
- 50 Waterfront Station
- N8 Fraser
Howe Street Entrance serves Canada Place
Canada Place
Canada Place is a building situated on the Burrard Inlet waterfront of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the home of the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver's World Trade Centre, and the world's first permanent IMAX 3D theatre . The building's exterior is covered by...
, with underground connection to Sinclair Centre
Sinclair Centre
Sinclair Centre is an upscale shopping mall in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. It is located at 757 West Hastings Street between Granville and Howe streets. The centre comprises four buildings that were restored by Henriquez Partners Architects in 1986 at a cost of $38 million. The main post...
and Waterfront Centre at concourse level. No elevator is available at this entrance.
Granville Street Entrance is a new entrance opened 2009 in conjunction to the opening of Canada Line. Located at the south end of platform 3 and 4 (Canada Line).
- Bus service on Hastings Street, north of the entrance:
-
- 135 Burrard Station
- 135 SFU
- 160 Port Coquitlam Station
- 190 Coquitlam Station (peak only)
- Bus service on Pender Street, south of the entrance:
-
- 4 UBC
- 6 Davie
- 7 Dunbar
- 10 Granville
- 19 Stanley Park
- 19 Metrotown Station
- 22 MacDonald
- 22 Knight
- N6 Downtown Night Bus
- N19 Downtown Night Bus
- N22 Downtown Night Bus
- N24 Downtown Night Bus
- Additional service available on Granville Street:
-
- 4 Powell
- 5 Downtown
- 6 Downtown
- 7 Nanaimo Station
- 10 Downtown
- 14 UBC
- 14 Hastings
- 16 Arbutus
- 16 29th Avenue Station
- 17 Oak
- 20 Victoria
- 44 Downtown
- 50 Waterfront Station
- 50 False Creet South
- 209 Upper Lynn Valley (evening only)
- 210 Upper Lynn Valley
- 211 Seymour
- 214 Blueridge (PM peak only)
- N24 Upper Lonsdale Night Bus