Newcomer guide · Transportation
Metro Vancouver transit fare zones and calculator
TransLink uses three fare zones, but the number on the map is not always the number you pay. Buses are always charged as one zone, and all modes use a one-zone fare after 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and throughout weekends and statutory holidays. During weekday daytime service, SkyTrain and SeaBus fares depend on the zone boundaries crossed. Use the calculator below for a practical estimate, then check TransLink for concession eligibility, airport exemptions and service changes before travelling.
Quick answer
Most off-peak trips cost one zone
Bus trips are one zone at all times. SkyTrain and SeaBus use zone-based pricing before 6:30 p.m. on weekdays; after that time, and all day on weekends and statutory holidays, every trip is charged as one zone. One fare provides a 90-minute transfer window.
- Adult Compass fare
- $2.85–$5.40
- Adult cash/contactless
- $3.50–$6.70
- Adult DayPass
- $12.55
- YVR AddFare
- $6.50
2026 fare planner
Estimate a Metro Vancouver transit fare
Choose how and when you travel. The calculator applies TransLink's evening, weekend, bus, SeaBus, transfer, and airport rules.
Travel mode
When does the trip start?
Zones crossed
How will you pay?
Paid trips in one day
Fare amounts checked October 7, 2026. One fare includes a 90-minute transfer window. Cash paid on a bus does not transfer to SkyTrain or SeaBus. Confirm special concessions and airport exemptions on TransLink before travelling.
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Step by step
The 5 steps, in order
- 01
Start with the mode, not the map
Every bus and HandyDART trip is charged as one zone, even when it crosses a municipal or fare-zone boundary. SkyTrain can use one, two or three zones during weekday daytime service. SeaBus can use one or two. The zone count therefore matters only for rail and SeaBus before 6:30 p.m. on a weekday.
- 02
Apply the evening, weekend and holiday rule
Trips that start at or after 6:30 p.m. on a weekday are charged as one zone. The same one-zone rule applies throughout weekends and statutory holidays. If a weekday rail trip starts before 6:30 p.m., use the normal zone count for that trip.
- 03
Compare payment methods before loading value
Adult Compass stored-value fares are lower than adult cash or contactless fares. Compass also lets you transfer among bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus within the 90-minute transfer window. A cash fare paid on a bus produces a bus-only transfer, so it cannot be used to enter SkyTrain or SeaBus.
- 04
Add the airport fee only when it applies
TransLink charges a $6.50 Canada Line YVR AddFare on fares purchased at Sea Island Centre, Templeton and YVR–Airport stations. Some products and journeys are exempt, including travel wholly within Sea Island and certain prepaid fares. Check the official exemption list if you already have a pass or ticket.
- 05
Use total paid trips to compare daily and monthly products
An adult DayPass costs $12.55 and covers all zones for the service day. Adult monthly passes cost $117.20 for one zone, $156.70 for two zones and $211.65 for three zones. Compare those products with the number of paid trips you will actually take; the calculator offers a simple daily comparison but does not know concession eligibility or employer benefits.
What to watch for
Common mistakes newcomers make
Counting municipalities instead of fare zones
Municipal boundaries and fare-zone boundaries are not the same. Use the station zone map for weekday daytime rail trips.
Buying a higher-zone fare for a bus-only trip
TransLink charges every bus trip as one zone. The number of municipalities crossed does not change that fare.
Expecting a bus cash transfer to open a fare gate
Cash paid on a bus does not transfer to SkyTrain or SeaBus. Use Compass or contactless when the journey combines those modes.
Forgetting the YVR AddFare
A Canada Line trip starting at one of the airport-area stations may add $6.50 unless an exemption applies.
Frequently asked
About this process
Are buses always one zone in Metro Vancouver?
Yes. TransLink charges one zone for bus and HandyDART trips at all times, including trips that cross a fare-zone boundary.
When do all TransLink trips become one zone?
Trips beginning at or after 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, plus all trips on weekends and statutory holidays, are charged as one zone.
How long can I transfer on one fare?
The standard transfer window is 90 minutes from the first tap. Use the same Compass card or contactless card for every tap.
Do children ride free?
Children age 12 and younger can ride TransLink free. Accompaniment rules apply at gated stations, so check the current TransLink guidance before a child travels alone.
Sources
- TransLink — Pricing and Fare Zones (retrieved 2026-10-07)
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