So yesterday’s blog article on the Olympics generated quite a bit of private comments to me about the #1 concern which is how to effectively get around the city during the Games.
These are the 8 Tips and Tricks I recommend.
1. Check out the http://travelsmart2010.ca/ website for all the up to date Transit information, maps, trip planners, travel alerts, & business preparedness tips + road closures.
2. Did you know that if you have an Olympic event ticket this is also good as your transit pass for the day! That’s free unlimited transit for the entire day of the event you are going to! Includes everything but the West Coast Express.
3. For non Olympic related activities/errands/work consider travelling into the downtown core before noon. Most Olympic events taking place in Vancouver and Richmond are scheduled to start after 12 noon.
4. Translink is also offering 6 week Limited Edition transit passes. These are available now and are valid from Feb 8, 2010 to March 21, 2010.
5. If you have a smart phone and are on Twitter follow them. Translink will be real time monitoring these sites and information gathered will be fed to the dispatch center. Jhenifer Pabillano, Online Communications Advisor for Translink is also a great resource and is responsible for the http://buzzer.translink.ca/ Blog.
6. If you have an IPHONE download the free Translink APP. It is a bit clumsy but all the schedules are updated and it utilizes the GPS in the phone to help you find stops near you. You can find the APP by entering TRANSLINK in the APP Store search. Best of all it’s FREE!
7. Depending on your departure to final destination points give yourself some extra time. This way you are not adding any additional stress on yourself and it will ensure less “transit” rage.
8. Smile and be helpful to locals and tourists alike. A smile is infectious and will help in lowering transit tension.
What are your thoughts and ideas about getting around Vancouver during the Olympics? Please let me know what you think. Look forward to your comments.
Great points! How much extra time do you think we’ll actually need when getting in and out of the downtown core?
Not 100% sure but depending on time of day and where you are go to or from I would add and extra 30 minutes just to be sure.
Great post Marc! Just one thing — the Olympic tickets do allow you to ride West Coast Express as well. You get unlimited access to all TransLink services with your event ticket — that includes HandyDART and WCE. (The six-week souvenir passes, however, don’t include WCE & HandyDART.)
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