Vancouver's new rapid transit line is rumoured to be opening ahead of schedule, possibly by BC Day (1st Monday in August). The trains were running frequently in test mode when I dropped someone off at YVR this morning.
It will certainly make getting from YVR to downtown much easier! Opening ahead of schedule and (I believe) on budget, someone let Hogtown know

For those interested, there's a good blog with lots of photos here:
http://canadalinephotos.blogspot.com/

I wish they had built this a few years ago. Would have been a huge help when I frequently needed to travel from Burnaby and Coquitlam to YVR, which used to take close to 2 hours on public transit, or close to $70 in cab fare.

I look forward to riding the Canada Line the next time I come to YVR.

perfect. I'm going to UBC for the next 2 years This will lower the cost for me maintain my status!

That's great news; I'll be able to take it for my flights in August!

Another Canada Line benefit: the first train arrives at the airport at 5:10am, versus the current first bus at 5:57am (with the last nightbus at 3:39am). Makes it more feasible to take transit to early morning flights (6am flights might be cutting it too tight, though).

FYI - Will be a $2.50 'Add Fare' premium for travel to/from the airport.

Ron.

Dammitsomuch! If they're going to do that, then they should keep the bus service. It's not cool to make the price to/from Vancouver suddenly jump by 66% with no alternative. They should at least make travel between Vancouver and Sea Island a single-zone fare, then, if they're going to tack on $2.50 on top of that.

Not surprised and not sure if I agree that it is a poor move.

The taxi industry better stock up on KD!!!

The stations look good, bright and modern. Most interesting is the Templeton station, located on Sea Island near the airport. It's very large (larger than Sea Island Centre beside the AC Ops building) even though it sits in the middle of an empty field. I wonder what they have planned around it.

$2.50 actually isn't bad for the extra to the airport. Compare to some of the surcharges in the US. BART in SF just approved a raise in the surcharge to SFO that will become $4.50 (I think). That in itself is low compared to transit to EWR and JFK. At JFK, think the charge to ride Airtrain in from Jamaica (LIRR and NYC transit) is $5, might be $5.50. To/from EWR, NJ Transit charges $15 OW to/from Penn Station on the train, including the ride on the EWR Airtrain. Compare that for the cost of a trip NYC to/from Newark Penn Station (downtown) on the same NJ Transit train, just about 4-5 minutes less travel time, and about $4.15 (not sure this is exact, but give or take about $0.25).

I heard that employee parking is moving to the area around Templeton Station. Most of those fields are going to become parking lots. Long Term parking is supposed to expand into the current employee lot. This will reduce the number of buses that work in the YVR area thereby reducing ground pollution.

I agree, Templeton is a great looking station, both inside and out. All the underground stations are going to be really nice when they're done as well.

One might be more inclined to stick with taxi service if the level of driving wasn't consisently so bad. They've done it to themselves if the Skytrain takes away a good chunk of their business. Last time I came in from YVR my driver starting to rather dramatically yell at me when I queried his route. As he had turned right when he should have turned left (so as to take a several block detour to get to the street I needed) I was well within rights to ask what he was doing. I have been staying at the same hotel for 7 years (4-6 times a year) so I have the route down pat! I wasn't impressed. Like most businesses, good service begets custom. I find cab fares rather high in London, for example, but the average black cabbie is ultra professional and the rides are consistently good, which keeps me coming back.

I for sure will be giving the new line a try. Alas, my next trip in is likely to be July 27 so I will be a but early for that.

I was at the airport this afternoon picking up a friend and noticed how much work has been completed on the Canada Line. Trains were running frequently and the whole set up looks good.

I am really looking forward to this as it certainly makes it MUCH easier to get to the airport by transit from the North Shore.

Perhaps someone should tell the fools at YVR airport about it. [ get the Canada line people to run the airport] Also I assume the yvr train will work with some sort of efficiency unlike the airport

PS YYZ train at the airport is less than 1km long and is "out of service" for 3 months.

I am really looking forward to this new service. A great addition to Vancouver as a city.