Vancouver Uber - 4.45 am to precook to train station?

[Hercules67]

I need to arrive Pacific Central Station from Paradox Hotel (West Georgia St) at 5 am. 
 

I tried to prebook Uber and was quoted about  CA$38 for the 10 min ride.

 

I am not sure whether I should go ahead and prebook or can call for Uber tomorrow at 4.30 am? At such early hour, will there be surcharge that still will hit the CA$38 amount?

 

Appreciate urgent advice.

[familytravellers]

45 minutes ago, Hercules67 said:

I need to arrive Pacific Central Station from Paradox Hotel (West Georgia St) at 5 am. 
 

I tried to prebook Uber and was quoted about  CA$38 for the 10 min ride.

 

I am not sure whether I should go ahead and prebook or can call for Uber tomorrow at 4.30 am? At such early hour, will there be surcharge that still will hit the CA$38 amount?

 

Appreciate urgent advice.

That sounds like a lot of money for a 10 minute ride.  Have you used Lyft? I have both apps on my phone and I have found that Lyft is typically less expensive than Uber. We used Lyft for the first time from the Vancouver airport to a downtown hotel several weeks ago and paid $22 plus GST and tip at 10:45 am. Lyft provided an $8 promo code for our first two rides so that ride would have cost us $30 before the promo. 

[Hercules67]

5 minutes ago, familytravellers said:

That sounds like a lot of money for a 10 minute ride.  Have you used Lyft? I have both apps on my phone and I have found that Lyft is typically less expensive than Uber. We used Lyft for the first time from the Vancouver airport to a downtown hotel several weeks ago and paid $22 plus GST and tip at 10:45 am. Lyft provided an $8 promo code for our first two rides so that ride would have cost us $30 before the promo. 

I did check with Lyft and was quoted similar charge of CAD38 before tip.

 

Then I tried Yellow Cab app that allows prebooking. The app showing my prebooking but there is no confirmation and so I wonder tomorrow morning will there be a no-show that got me anxious.

[familytravellers]

23 minutes ago, Hercules67 said:

I did check with Lyft and was quoted similar charge of CAD38 before tip.

 

Then I tried Yellow Cab app that allows prebooking. The app showing my prebooking but there is no confirmation and so I wonder tomorrow morning will there be a no-show that got me anxious.

There is nothing worse than wondering if your ride is going to show up! I hope whatever mode of transportation you end up choosing shows up on time and doesn't cost you a fortune!

[Meander Ingwa]

I have managed to get Uber and Lyft at 430 am in cities much smaller than Vancouver.  Never considered booking in advance.

[Hercules67]

4 minutes ago, Meander Ingwa said:

I have managed to get Uber and Lyft at 430 am in cities much smaller than Vancouver.  Never considered booking in advance.

So glad to know this! 😇

[Hercules67]

The prebooked Yellow Cab arrived on time at 4.30 am. Was planning if it didnt show up by 4.35 am, I would call an Uber.

 

The cab is metered and cost CAD14 to Pacific Central Station within 10 min.

 

All went smoothly and looking forward to my Alaska cruise!

[GTJ]

A few observations that may be relevant for other travelers in the future.

 

By taxi, it is approximately 10 minutes between the Paradox Hotel on Wet Georgia Street and the Pacific Central station. According to Via Rail Canada, the lessee of the Pacific Central station, the station building opens at 4:30 a.m. According to Amtrak, a sublessee of Via Rail Canada, the Pacific Central station opens at 5:00 a.m. It is not clear which information is correct. But, if one leaves the Paradox Hotel at 4:30 a.m., and arrives at the Pacific Central station at 4:40 a.m., one should be prepared to stand outside the station building until it actually opens for business. One might reconsider whether a 4:30 a.m. departure from the Paradox Hotel is excessively early, especially if it means being at a station (potentially standing outside locked doors for at least some time) for two hours.

 

The earliest departures from the Pacific Central station each day are: (1) 5:30 a.m., Cantrail Coach Lines, to Seattle; (2) 6:30 a.m., Ebus, to Kelowna; and (3) 6:35 a.m., Amtrak, to Portland. Cantrail Coach Lines has no explicit policy relating to passenger arrival times at the station. Ebus recommends that passengers arrive at the station no earlier than 20 minutes prior to departure time. Amtrak has more specific guidance because inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection is completed prior to boarding the train. Accordingly, Amtrak recommends that passengers arrive at the station at least one hour prior to departure time if a United States or Canadian citizen, and earlier than one prior to departure time if not a United States of Canadian citizen. Additionally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection closes its inspection gates 15 minutes prior to departure time, and thus it is effectively required that passengers intending to travel on the 6:35 a.m. departure enter the U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection area no later than 6:20 a.m. See http://www.amtrak.com/crossing-the-us-canadian-border.

 

On weekday, the first SkyTrain departure from Waterfront station is at 5:32 a.m., and from Burrard station at 5:34 a.m. The Burrard station is two blocks from the Paradox Hotel on West Georgia Street. This first train arrives at the Main Street-Science World station, immediately outside the Pacific Central station at 5:39 a.m. Although this arrival time is four minutes later than the recommendation given by Amtrak for arriving at the Pacific Central station, the time difference is largely inconsequential, and there remains plenty of time to arrive at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection area prior to 6:20 a.m. On weekends, however, SkyTrain is not a viable option, as the first train departs Waterfront station at 6:44 a.m. on Saturdays, and 7:44 a.m. on Sundays, both being after the Amtrak train will have departed from the Pacific Central station. SkyTrain fare is CAD 3.15 per person, or CAD 2.10 for seniors 65 and older (and for others entitled to reduced fare).

 

On foot, the distance from the Paradox Hotel to the Pacific Central station is approximately 2.6 km (1.6 miles), and would ordinarily require about 38 minutes.