SkyTrain Routes in Vancouver: 6 Cities With SkyTrain Stations in Metro Vancouver

Posted by Katrina Amurao on Monday, February 6, 2023 at 8:55:09 AM By Katrina Amurao / February 6, 2023 Comment

Vancouver Area Cities Served by SkyTrain

Transportation is an important metric for a particular city's cost of living and overall livability. Research directly connects solid transportation infrastructure to health and quality of life. Fortunately, Vancouver is home to SkyTrain, one of Canada's best public transit systems. Using the SkyTrain is easy! This automated system can take you from the Vancouver suburbs to the heart of downtown and anywhere in between. Ready to get on board? Here's where you can find SkyTrain Stations around the city of Vancouver.

Cities Served by the Expo Line

SkyTrain's Expo Line runs from the Waterfront Station in the Downtown West neighbourhood to the King George Station in the neighbouring city of Surrey. The Expo Line is SkyTrain's original line, built-in 1985.

It has two primary routes: the one that runs between the Waterfront and King George stations and one that runs east-west between Waterfront Station and Production Way-University Station in Burnaby. During the weekdays, the Expo Line train runs in both directions from 5:00 am to 1:30 am. On Saturdays, the train runs from 6:00 am to 12:30 am, and on Sundays, it runs from 7:00 am to 11:30 pm. The Expo Line is essential to Surrey's public transit system.

Burnaby

The town of Burnaby is approximately 13 kilometres east of Downtown Vancouver and is served by both the SkyTrain Expo and Millennium lines. Between the two, there are 11 stations within Burnaby's city limits.

The Metrotown neighbourhood along the Expo Line is the busiest station in terms of the number of boardings. Riders can transfer between the Expo and Millennium lines at the Production Way-University and Lougheed Town Centre stations in the eastern part of the city. Both stations have accessible entrances from the street, providing quick access to buses and nearby condominiums and houses.

New Westminster

New Westminster, which has five SkyTrain stations all on the Expo line, is around 21 kilometres southeast of Downtown Vancouver. The New Westminster station is an elevated station with an average of over 5 million weekly boardings. It was the original eastern terminus of the Expo Line from 1985 until the completion of the Columbia Station.

When going from west to east, the Columbia Station, which is underground, is the last one before the Expo Line branches into two routes, one ending in Burnaby (Production Way-University) and the other in Surrey (King George).

Surrey

Surrey is about 34 kilometres southeast of downtown Vancouver, across the Fraser River, and the city is served by four Expo Line stations. The King George Corridor neighbourhood is the eastern terminus of the Expo Line, and it sees around 4.7 million boardings each week. This elevated station has accessible entrances and connects riders to a few bus routes in the area.

The Surrey Central Station, another elevated station, is the next stop. This station has accessible entrances and more bus connections than King George. Many of Surrey's essential destinations, such as the Surrey campus of Simon Fraser University, are within walking distance of Surrey Central.

Cities Served by the Millennium Line

The SkyTrain Millennium Line runs from west to east, starting at the VCC-Clark Station near Vancouver's Mt. Pleasant neighbourhood and ending at the Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station in Coquitlam. There are 17 stations total, with three as transfer points to the Expo Line (Commercial-Broadway in Vancouver; Production Way-University and Lougheed Town Centre in Burnaby).

During the week, the train runs from 5-5:30 am until 1:00-1:30 am. On Saturdays, run times start one hour later and end one hour sooner. On Sundays, run times start two hours later and end two hours sooner.

Port Moody

The city of Port Moody is approximately 24 kilometres directly east of Downtown Vancouver. Surrounding the east end of the Burrard Inlet, the city of Port Moody has two Millennium Line stations, Inlet Centre and Port Moody Centre.

Inlet Centre Station is a below-grade (underground) station with elevators, bike storage, and vending machines. Moody Centre Station is a street-level, intermodal station serving the Millennium Line of SkyTrain and the West Coast Express. This commuter rail line serves the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. Both stations provide easy access to nearby residences, including numerous condos and waterfront homes.

Coquitlam

The largely suburban town of Coquitlam, 28 kilometres east of Downtown Vancouver, has four Millennium Line Stations, including the line's eastern terminus, Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station.

The Coquitlam Central Station is an elevated intermodal station with over 1.5 million weekly boardings. This station also stops on the West Coast Express commuter rail line. Coquitlam Central has over 600 parking spaces and connections to several bus routes, including the R3 Lougheed Highway Express Bus Service. All Coquitlam stations have accessible entrances.

Cities Served by the Canada Line

SkyTrain's Canada Line has a total of 15 stations. It starts at the Waterfront Station in Downtown Vancouver and continues south, branching into two routes. One route terminates at the Richmond-Brighouse Station in Richmond, and the other at the Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

Although the Waterfront Station is the Canada Line's only official transfer station with service to the Expo Line, a short walk between the Vancouver City Centre Station and the Granville Station provides passengers with another transfer point between the two lines. Trains run daily, starting as early as 4:48 am and operating until shortly after 1:00 am, depending on the terminus.

Richmond

Richmond, a city approximately 15 kilometres south of downtown Vancouver, has seven stations along the Canada Line. There are many neighbourhoods with SkyTrain stations in Richmond, including:

Bridgeport: Located in the Bridgeport neighbourhood, this elevated, accessible station is the last point before the Canada Line branches into two different routes. It averages almost 4 million weekly boardings and is close to the River Rock Casino.
Richmond-Brighouse: Another elevated, accessible station, this is the easternmost terminus of the Canada Line. Located in the Brighouse neighbourhood, it averages over 4 million weekly boardings but does not offer onsite parking.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

The Vancouver International Airport is located approximately 15 kilometres south-southeast of downtown Vancouver in Richmond. It's the second-busiest Canadian airport and is served by three stations along the Canada Line (also included in the seven considered to be within Richmond). By providing easy access to the airport, SkyTrain solidifies its claim as one of the best transit systems in Canada.

While the Sea Island Centre and Templeton stations are near the airport, the YVR-Airport Station is located at the airport's main terminal. It is the westernmost terminus of the Canada Line. It is an elevated station providing convenient access for domestic and international travellers.

All Aboard the SkyTrain

Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region have much to offer would-be residents regarding work, places to live, and things to do. Besides private personal vehicles, people living in Vancouver have an abundance of transit options, thanks to the SkyTrain system that provides convenient travel between downtown Vancouver, the airport, and several residential and business hubs to both the east and southeast.

SkyTrain operates three lines: Expo, Millennium, and Canada. Each of these runs daily from the early morning until late at night, with more routes during peak hours on weekdays. Having multiple transportation options contributes to a higher quality of living. As a local, you can take advantage of the SkyTrain system and its connections to bus and commuter rail transit options.