Hop on hop off in Vancouver

Anyone have an idea of how long the full (city + Park) tour takes in Vancouver? We’ll have one full afternoon to spend, but I’ll only book one segment, if there isn’t enough time for both...

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Anyone have an idea of how long the full (city + Park) tour takes in Vancouver? We’ll have one full afternoon to spend, but I’ll only book one segment, if there isn’t enough time for both...

You can't book in segments. Either company charges the same (~$45) whether you take the 'one big loop' WestCoast version or the '2 separate loops in Summer' Trolley version. The latter splits their route to allow for more efficiency - if someone is going back for a second time around and only wants to hit one or two specific stops, it saves doing the entire loop! If you're just looking at one day and one total loop there's no time saving, but the trolley does have the benefit of some extra stops.

Perhaps you're thinking of the completely different Park Shuttle, which is also run by the Trolley folks but as a completely different operation? That's only $10pp and a ridiculous bargain at that price compared to the carriage rides which see less, have no stops, and cost 4x as much, but it still only runs around inside Stanley Park and only in peak season.

To simply ride around one big loop (or the two loops) once is approx 2-2.5 hours, so there's ample time even in one afternoon. The issue becomes which stops to you get off at - because even a 2 minute photostop means you have to wait 20+ minutes for the next vehicle! If your time is limited, you need to become very strategic - e.g. if you want to get off at both the Totem Poles and Rose Garden in Stanley Park it's best to just walk between them unless you have a keen rose-gardener or native arts fan that would spend a long time reading labels, taking many pics etc. Taking the included ferry to Granville Island is also a big time saver - it cuts out a long loop over a bridge and up into the 'museum campus' - but if you wanted to actually get off and go inside any of the museums you shouldn't do take the ferry option as that means missing them entirely and having to redo the whole loop to see them!

I was wondering the same thing. Thank you for the great information!

You can't book in segments. Either company charges the same (~$45) whether you take the 'one big loop' WestCoast version or the '2 separate loops in Summer' Trolley version. The latter splits their route to allow for more efficiency - if someone is going back for a second time around and only wants to hit one or two specific stops, it saves doing the entire loop! If you're just looking at one day and one total loop there's no time saving, but the trolley does have the benefit of some extra stops.

 

 

 

Perhaps you're thinking of the completely different Park Shuttle, which is also run by the Trolley folks but as a completely different operation? That's only $10pp and a ridiculous bargain at that price compared to the carriage rides which see less, have no stops, and cost 4x as much, but it still only runs around inside Stanley Park and only in peak season.

 

 

 

To simply ride around one big loop (or the two loops) once is approx 2-2.5 hours, so there's ample time even in one afternoon. The issue becomes which stops to you get off at - because even a 2 minute photostop means you have to wait 20+ minutes for the next vehicle! If your time is limited, you need to become very strategic - e.g. if you want to get off at both the Totem Poles and Rose Garden in Stanley Park it's best to just walk between them unless you have a keen rose-gardener or native arts fan that would spend a long time reading labels, taking many pics etc. Taking the included ferry to Granville Island is also a big time saver - it cuts out a long loop over a bridge and up into the 'museum campus' - but if you wanted to actually get off and go inside any of the museums you shouldn't do take the ferry option as that means missing them entirely and having to redo the whole loop to see them!

They recently changed the routes and combined operations according to their website. They now offer a combination of the two routes or you can purchase one route or another.

Anyone have an idea of how long the full (city + Park) tour takes in Vancouver? We’ll have one full afternoon to spend, but I’ll only book one segment, if there isn’t enough time for both...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I believe the estimate is 3.5 hours for both according to the website. The routes have multiple stops that are the same, so you can switch routes, skipping areas you choose.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

They recently changed the routes and combined operations according to their website. They now offer a combination of the two routes or you can purchase one route or another.

Well that's news to me - I knew they were doing a combo Winter setup this year, with both companies alternating vehicles and effectively doubling the frequency of the slow off-season, but had no idea it would lead to a continued relationship since in the past there have been up to 4 HOHO companies all operating in the summers. I'm surprised they've continued with combo oeprations given their very different Summer routings and operational methodologies (Trolley = driver gives live spiel, WestCoast = pre-recorded tape).

OP - apologies for my error in posting above, this is the proverbial whole new ball game. From what I've gleaned from the website this seems like both a modest Pro and a notable Con - any bus passing is now available to you, but on the down side the price has gone up significantly from $45 to $54 for the 'dual loop' and on top of that WestCoast still have not bothered to train their drivers to give live commentary. You'll thus get canned pre-recorded info that may or may not link directy to what you're seeing (in theory with accurate modern GPS tech it should match what you see but given the possibility of re-routing due to traffic, marathons, parades and various other reasons for not sticking strictly to the exact planned route may not always on the 'clear top' vehicles).

Given the minimal saving, I'd be strongly inclined to do the Park Tour if you do have to choose just one (but total time issues remain as above, so no real strong drive to take just one of the loops from a time perspective). The City Loop frankly looks like utter crap in comparison, with virtually all the unique stops either just hotels in-between the 'arms' of the Park Loop or else very easily added on by boat using False Creek Ferries or Aquabus routes or simply walking from a Park Loop stop. Virtually worthless - to the extent I'd seriously consider booking just the Park Loop instead of the combo from a cost/value perspective! I'm very, very surprised that they did not just adopt the WestCoast 'one big loop' model, adding on the extra Trolley stops, especially given the significant cost bump of ~20% from last year.

This was the most wasted $$ of our entire trip. If you want to visit someplace like Granville Island or Stanley Park or any destination, take public transportation or cab to where you want to go. If you don't plan to go anywhere in Vancouver then take this bus.

Looks like a great way to spend an afternoon