First Timer on Cruise Leaving from Vancouver

What is the best way to get from Vancouver airport to hotel in downtown Vancouver? Thank you!

Depends on the hotel in question. Cabs in Vancouver are cheap, safe and plentiful and the airport is close to downtown. There is no UberX or Lyft in Vancouver, so that's off the table. Fares are metered and depending on traffic should be around CAD30. Visa and mastercard are usually accepted.

If you have a manageable amount of luggage and don't mind a bit of a walk, the Canada Line train whisks you from the airport to downtown in around 20 minutes for CAD9. City blocks are short in Vancouver (16 or 20 to the mile) so even a ten-block walk from the station isn't awful.

Thank you for your response. Is the Canada Line train the mass means of transportation? I heard there may be a shuttle of some sort, but a cab was cheaper.

VG's info is, unusually for him, out of date. Fixed rates fares apply inbound from the airport now - in fact cabbies aren't even allowed to use the meter (as the fare zones close to YVR have been racked up enormously so a metered fare would be much less). All of downtown - at least the bits with hotels - costs CAD$31+tip, except for two very small zones relevant to tourists. if you're staying right by the pier itself - Pan Pacific, Fairmonts Waterfront or Pacific Rim - the fare is $35, and very close to Stanley Park you hit a $37 zone that includes the Sylvia and Westin Bayshore hotels.

SkyTrain info is correct for basic pricing, but is also discounted evenings and weekends (whole system is one zone, so $2.75pp/$1.75 Seniors + Airport Addfare of $5). Edit - yes, this is mass transit, but by typical US standards it's exceptionally clean, safe, and reliable. Plus the line from the airport has tons of legroom and underseat storage, so even big suitcases fit just fine.

The shuttle seems to have died over the winter - website is up, but with no bookable calendar dates, and phone number no longer in service. It was only actually useful from airport hotels inbound anyway - just 2 trips per day on cruise mornings only, and only one drop point at the pier, so no use for 'day before' arrivers heading to a downtown hotel. At $15pp, the fixed rates cabs were a much better deal for the flexibility even if there were only two of you (and if you're a foursome, they're even a better deal than SkyTrain).

Thoughts...

• In general... I like the train with no luggage. With luggage... I like the door to door convenience of the taxi. As mentioned.... knowing your hotel will give us a better idea of the luggage drag factor.
  
• knowing your flight arrival date and time will give us additional awareness of potential congestion issues.
  
• If it's $9 per adult at peak periods.... after 2 or 3 people..... it's very close to what the cab wants without the luggage drag.
  
• the taxi offers great views.... the Canada Line Skytrain 2/3rds underground.
  

I have an interesting little story about the Sky Train. We did the Sky Train from Bridgeport to Water Station (Pier) a year ago. When we boarded the train I was standing and wasn't ready for the train movement and went over backward hanging onto my luggage handles in front of me. Being kind of embarrased, I stuggled to get to my feet. I couldn't believe the accomodating passensengers wanting to give up their seats for me to sit down. Being the macho man that I think I am I declined. I'll never forget the concern from the young people wanting to give up their seats. For those wondering I might be a Senior Citizen. ;)

The autonomous trains moves very gradually for a comfortable ride.

Be glad you not involved with an emergency stop. If something falls into the tracks, the sensors will trigger a very violent stop that WILL send you flying into other passengers. It's happened to me a few times.

Like being on public bus, always hold onto one of the train grab bars for your safety.

The autonomous trains moves very gradually for a comfortable ride.

I have to take issue with the "moves very gradually" comment. In my experience It goes from zero to cruise speed in nothing flat. The optimum word is, "hang on." :)

will taxis from Vancouver airport to Pan Pacific Hotel take U.S. dollars?

Will taxis from Vancouver Airport to Pan Pacific Hotel accept U.S. dollars or require Canadian dollars or credit cards. Thanks for the info.

While there's no 100% guarantee - we are a sovereign nation after all with our own currency - taxis have always been happy to gouge US tourists a little by taking US cash at a less-than-official exchange rate in my experience, even posting a little handmade sign at times with 1USD=XCAD.

They are all supposed to take Credit Cards - but there's a very slim chance of the machine not working, so ask as you're entering the cab to ensure you can pay with Credit (even if you have a card with a typical ~2.5% FTF, the unofficial cash rate will be worse).

To the PP is a fixed rate of CAD$35 - and tipping is expected at the same level of US taxis, 10-15% for a regular ride and extra if the cabbie helps you more than expected/has to handle oversized bags etc.