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Butchart Gardens from cruise terminal


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Are you talking about the Victoria cruise ship terminal or Vancouver?? There are all sorts

of tours/cars/drivers at Victoria that can be booked right on the pier. Vancouver involves

either ferries, float planes or helicopters to do the trip in one day.

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Is there an easy and reasonable way to get to Butchart without having to do the Cruise shore excursion? Any help would be appreciated.

 

There are a number of companies that operate bus trips from downtown Victoria. Google "Butchart tour bus" and you're bound to find a couple. It is possible to take the city bus straight from the ferry terminal, change at "Royal Oak" and get on a bus to Butchart. It's not difficult, but Butchart is a 15 mile trip from downtown.

 

This map might help you out.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=100934763039761071004.0004665d7f3e28f06866d&ll=48.493857,-123.397751&spn=0.263923,0.727158&z=11

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  • 2 weeks later...
Is there an easy and reasonable way to get to Butchart without having to do the Cruise shore excursion? Any help would be appreciated.

 

When are you going to be in Victoria? Try CVS Cruise Victoria. They operate the shuttle from Ogden Point where the Cruise Ships dock in Victoria to the Downtown area, then you can transfer to their bus to the gardens. $47 dollars US (i think) and includes admissions.

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Last spring, I did what ScottBee described. I took the local bus downtown and asked the driver to let me off where I could transfer to the bus to Butchart Gardens. He was very friendly; gave me the transfer I needed and even pointed out the bus to take.

 

It was over a 30 min. ride to the gardens, but there weren't many stops. Before leaving the bus, I asked about the last bus timetable going back to town.

 

Bought a ticket at the BG main gate and after walking through all the various sections, exited at the same gate and caught a bus back to town. (There's a shaded bus stop with benches just outside the gardens.)

 

Again, asked for a transfer and caught a bus in town, back to the ship.

 

Very easy, and very economical. Plus I could see the gardens at my leisure and not have to meet up with a group or wait for latecomers.

 

Jan

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Last spring, I did what ScottBee described. I took the local bus downtown and asked the driver to let me off where I could transfer to the bus to Butchart Gardens. He was very friendly; gave me the transfer I needed and even pointed out the bus to take.

 

It was over a 30 min. ride to the gardens, but there weren't many stops. Before leaving the bus, I asked about the last bus timetable going back to town.

 

Bought a ticket at the BG main gate and after walking through all the various sections, exited at the same gate and caught a bus back to town. (There's a shaded bus stop with benches just outside the gardens.)

 

Again, asked for a transfer and caught a bus in town, back to the ship.

 

Very easy, and very economical. Plus I could see the gardens at my leisure and not have to meet up with a group or wait for latecomers.

 

Jan

 

Hi Jan,

So, the ride from the ship to the gardens were only 30 minutes +. Were the connections frequent? You mentioned that it was economical, does that mean under a few dollars each way or what? Do you remember what the entry to the gardens cost? This is my first trip to Victoria. We would like to see the gardens, and are trying to decide between a tour and the local bus.

 

Thank you,

Ellen

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Hi Jan,

So, the ride from the ship to the gardens were only 30 minutes +. Were the connections frequent? You mentioned that it was economical, does that mean under a few dollars each way or what? Do you remember what the entry to the gardens cost? This is my first trip to Victoria. We would like to see the gardens, and are trying to decide between a tour and the local bus.

 

Thank you,

Ellen

 

Hi Ellen, it depends on the time of year you go; admission rates are at http://www.butchartgardens.com/planning-your-visit/admission-hours-and-rates/admission-rates.html

 

For the bus, you want Route 75 from downtown; schedules are at: http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/schedules/map.cfm?p=side.txt&line=75&

There's a M-F schedule and a weekend schedule. It was only $2.25 each way, but be sure to ask the first bus driver (from the pier to downtown) for a transfer slip.

 

The first bus driver was SO friendly and very helpful with info; the driver coming back, not at all. So it's good to do a little research online first, especially about the schedules. Not all Route 75 buses seem to swing by the Gardens; the site will explain that, and I also asked the bus driver about the return schedule. I think it was every half hour, not sure though. It will also be posted at the bus stop at the Gardens.

 

Oh, and also, I think you had to have exact change. You can get Canadian currency at the little gift shop right at the pier. From there, it's less than a 5 minute walk to the first bus stop.

 

When you return from BG on Bus 75, you'll be downtown; be sure to allow enough time to wait for one of the buses going back to the ship. (Although you can take a taxi or the ship's shuttle for additional $.) If you use your transfer slip, of course, it's free to take the bus back, if you're willing to wait at the bus stop a while.

 

We have also walked from downtown back to the ship; it's not that far, maybe half an hour. And if you have time, explore downtown Victoria; it's a lovely city, very walkable, with great little shops and cafes.

 

Taking the bus out there was VERY easy, once I'd done a little online research, and saved quite a bit of $. I highly recommend it over a tour bus.

 

Have a great time at the Gardens! They are really fantastic. I must have taken several hundred photos!

 

Jan

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When are you going to be in Victoria? Try CVS Cruise Victoria. They operate the shuttle from Ogden Point where the Cruise Ships dock in Victoria to the Downtown area, then you can transfer to their bus to the gardens. $47 dollars US (i think) and includes admissions.

 

 

On the return CVS will also take you directly from the Gardens to your ship at Ogden Point...they just can't pick you up at the ship and take you out to the Gardens as this would be competing with the ship's tours.

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We did the tour through HAL and the price was very resonable. We had a great tour through the city on the way. I am not much for figuring the bus system in a stange city. When I figured in the admission price, public transportation it wasn't that much more plus we had a narrated tour there and back.

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To sum it up, looks like there are 5 good options for visiting the Gardens: ship's tour, public transportation, CVS Victoria, rental car, or cab.

 

I think it all depends on (1) how comfortable one is doing things independently & using public transportation, (2) the time you have available in port, and of course (3) your budgeting priorities.

 

We had a long day in Victoria, so no time constraints. With admission at $27.50, bus at $4.50, two people save $94 over the cheapest tour that RCL offered ($79 pp, which included the butterfly gardens that I didn't want to see.) So the public bus worked best for me.

 

(And I like being able to set my own pace, but that's just me.)

 

Putterdude, the CVS Victoria bus sounds like a winner to me! That's less than $20 for transportation out there and back, plus the flexibility to choose your own time frame. And the bus is probably faster getting out there than the public bus is. http://www.cvscruisevictoria.com/sightseeing%20tours.shtml

 

I would definitely consider that option on our next visit.

 

Regards,

Jan

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Hi Ellen, it depends on the time of year you go; admission rates are at http://www.butchartgardens.com/planning-your-visit/admission-hours-and-rates/admission-rates.html

 

For the bus, you want Route 75 from downtown; schedules are at: http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/schedules/map.cfm?p=side.txt&line=75&

There's a M-F schedule and a weekend schedule. It was only $2.25 each way, but be sure to ask the first bus driver (from the pier to downtown) for a transfer slip.

 

The first bus driver was SO friendly and very helpful with info; the driver coming back, not at all. So it's good to do a little research online first, especially about the schedules. Not all Route 75 buses seem to swing by the Gardens; the site will explain that, and I also asked the bus driver about the return schedule. I think it was every half hour, not sure though. It will also be posted at the bus stop at the Gardens.

 

Oh, and also, I think you had to have exact change. You can get Canadian currency at the little gift shop right at the pier. From there, it's less than a 5 minute walk to the first bus stop.

 

When you return from BG on Bus 75, you'll be downtown; be sure to allow enough time to wait for one of the buses going back to the ship. (Although you can take a taxi or the ship's shuttle for additional $.) If you use your transfer slip, of course, it's free to take the bus back, if you're willing to wait at the bus stop a while.

 

We have also walked from downtown back to the ship; it's not that far, maybe half an hour. And if you have time, explore downtown Victoria; it's a lovely city, very walkable, with great little shops and cafes.

 

Taking the bus out there was VERY easy, once I'd done a little online research, and saved quite a bit of $. I highly recommend it over a tour bus.

 

Have a great time at the Gardens! They are really fantastic. I must have taken several hundred photos!

 

Jan

 

 

Jan,

 

Thank you for all the info. I checked all the website you mentioned and it is all clear to me now. I think we will take the bus. We are thinking of using a "Day Pass" and possibly just touring once we leave the gardens.

Do you have to use canadian dollars, or do they accept us.

 

Thanks again,

Ellen

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Jan,

 

Thank you for all the info. I checked all the website you mentioned and it is all clear to me now. I think we will take the bus. We are thinking of using a "Day Pass" and possibly just touring once we leave the gardens.

Do you have to use canadian dollars, or do they accept us.

 

Thanks again,

Ellen

 

Hi Ellen,

 

The bus only takes Canadian dollars, but you can change small bills at the gift shop on the pier. I think Butchart Gardens would take U.S. $; I'm almost certain of it.

 

Have a great trip!

 

Jan

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  • 9 years later...
On 7/30/2009 at 3:02 PM, travelingal53 said:

Is there an easy and reasonable way to get to Butchart without having to do the Cruise shore excursion? Any help would be appreciated.

I have reserved a rental car from Enterprise, which is right at the pier when we get off. It was very reasonable...maybe $40. My husband David is great at driving and we are going to drive to Buchart Gardens. 

Anybody else interested in sharing?

Lesley

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3 hours ago, Cruise crazi said:

I have reserved a rental car from Enterprise, which is right at the pier when we get off. It was very reasonable...maybe $40. My husband David is great at driving and we are going to drive to Buchart Gardens. 

Anybody else interested in sharing?

Lesley

It's an old thread, but on-topic, so I won't give you any hassle for rebooting it rather than starting a new one (others may...)

 

BUT - since we have no idea what date you're going to be in Victoria, you won't get many takers here no matter how good a driver David is!!! IMO, your best bet is to repost this on your Roll Call - since all those folks will obviously be in Victoria at the same time as you 😉

 

If there are other ships in port with you (schedule here), leaving this out 'in the open' might get a nibble from another vessel - but not without info on your date and port times...

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