Vancouver Airport to Ferry

What is a reasonable time to allow from aircraft arrival time, to get
through immigration (UK citizen) and customs, pick up a pre-booked
hire car and get to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay? Is 2.75 hours
enough or would it be wiser to allow another 2 hours for a later
ferry? It would be late afternoon on a Friday in July.

Please reply to the newsgroup - the e-mail is a spam trap only and is
not monitored.

TIA dtren

On 6 Apr 2004 12:36:55 -0700, (dtren) wrote:

What is a reasonable time to allow from aircraft arrival time, to get
through immigration (UK citizen) and customs, pick up a pre-booked
hire car and get to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay? Is 2.75 hours
enough or would it be wiser to allow another 2 hours for a later
ferry? It would be late afternoon on a Friday in July.

Close, but I would allow a little more time.... you can count on a
minimum of 1 hour through customs, at least an hour-and-a-half through
town to Horseshoe Bay... I would give it 3 to 3-1/2 just to be safe.

Are you taking the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo? If so, there
is an alternative that is much closer to the airport by going from
Tsawassen to Duke Point.

Bruce

dtren wrote:

What is a reasonable time to allow from aircraft arrival time, to get
through immigration (UK citizen) and customs, pick up a pre-booked
hire car and get to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay? Is 2.75 hours
enough or would it be wiser to allow another 2 hours for a later
ferry? It would be late afternoon on a Friday in July.

Please reply to the newsgroup - the e-mail is a spam trap only and is
not monitored.

Why Horseshoe Bay? The Tsawassen Ferry terminal is much closer to the
airport. Both are south of Vancouver, so it would save you having to drive
all the way through the city, which is likely to be quite busy in the late
afternoon.

"Iron Pirate" wrote in message
...
On 6 Apr 2004 12:36:55 -0700, (dtren) wrote:

What is a reasonable time to allow from aircraft arrival time, to get
through immigration (UK citizen) and customs, pick up a pre-booked
hire car and get to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay? Is 2.75 hours
enough or would it be wiser to allow another 2 hours for a later
ferry? It would be late afternoon on a Friday in July.

Close, but I would allow a little more time.... you can count on a
minimum of 1 hour through customs, at least an hour-and-a-half through
town to Horseshoe Bay... I would give it 3 to 3-1/2 just to be safe.

Are you taking the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo? If so, there
is an alternative that is much closer to the airport by going from
Tsawassen to Duke Point.

Bruce

"Dave Smith" wrote in message
...
dtren wrote:

What is a reasonable time to allow from aircraft arrival time, to get
through immigration (UK citizen) and customs, pick up a pre-booked
hire car and get to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay? Is 2.75 hours
enough or would it be wiser to allow another 2 hours for a later
ferry? It would be late afternoon on a Friday in July.

Please reply to the newsgroup - the e-mail is a spam trap only and is
not monitored.

Why Horseshoe Bay? The Tsawassen Ferry terminal is much closer to the
airport. Both are south of Vancouver, so it would save you having to drive
all the way through the city, which is likely to be quite busy in the late
afternoon.
_______

The Duke Point (a few miles south of Nanaimo) Service out of Tsawassen is
about every 3 hours and is a 2 hour voyage. This is infinitely better than
driving to Horseshoe Bay through downtown Vancouver during a Friday rush
hour.

Another option is to take a Victoria Ferry from Tsawassen - Service is
every hour and a 1 1/2 hour voyage. Then drive the scenic 1 1/2 hours up the
Island to Nanaimo.

Avoid Horseshoe Bay like the plague!

The ferries get very crowded in July, especially on Friday afternoons. A
delay of one, two or three hours is normal. You can, however, for $15 get
a reserved car space on the ferry of your choice. There is a limited number
of reservations per ferry so reserve as soon as you can. All you have to
do is arrive at the Terminal 30 minutes before your scheduled sailing time.

On a Friday late afternoon I would allow 40 - 45 minutes driving time from
YVR to Tsawassen to be comfortable.

Complete Ferry info at www.bcferries.bc.ca

In article lGHcc.37112$Pk3.21728@pd7tw1no,
"Don Howe" wrote:

"Dave Smith" wrote in message
...
dtren wrote:

What is a reasonable time to allow from aircraft arrival time, to get
through immigration (UK citizen) and customs, pick up a pre-booked
hire car and get to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay? Is 2.75 hours
enough or would it be wiser to allow another 2 hours for a later
ferry? It would be late afternoon on a Friday in July.

Please reply to the newsgroup - the e-mail is a spam trap only and is
not monitored.

Why Horseshoe Bay? The Tsawassen Ferry terminal is much closer to the
airport. Both are south of Vancouver, so it would save you having to drive
all the way through the city, which is likely to be quite busy in the late
afternoon.
_______

The Duke Point (a few miles south of Nanaimo) Service out of Tsawassen is
about every 3 hours and is a 2 hour voyage. This is infinitely better than
driving to Horseshoe Bay through downtown Vancouver during a Friday rush
hour.

Another option is to take a Victoria Ferry from Tsawassen - Service is
every hour and a 1 1/2 hour voyage. Then drive the scenic 1 1/2 hours up the

except after noon and before 3 where there's a gap of 1 1/2 hrs or more?

Island to Nanaimo.

Longer than that. I'd wager 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

Avoid Horseshoe Bay like the plague!

The ferries get very crowded in July, especially on Friday afternoons. A
delay of one, two or three hours is normal. You can, however, for $15 get

you mean, 1, 2, or 3 *sailings*? maybe even 4 on a long weekend.

"Not the Karl Orff" wrote in message
...
In article lGHcc.37112$Pk3.21728@pd7tw1no,
"Don Howe" wrote:

"Dave Smith" wrote in message
...
dtren wrote:

What is a reasonable time to allow from aircraft arrival time, to
get
through immigration (UK citizen) and customs, pick up a pre-booked
hire car and get to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay? Is 2.75
hours
enough or would it be wiser to allow another 2 hours for a later
ferry? It would be late afternoon on a Friday in July.

Please reply to the newsgroup - the e-mail is a spam trap only and
is
not monitored.

Why Horseshoe Bay? The Tsawassen Ferry terminal is much closer to the
airport. Both are south of Vancouver, so it would save you having to
drive
all the way through the city, which is likely to be quite busy in the
late
afternoon.
_______

The Duke Point (a few miles south of Nanaimo) Service out of Tsawassen
is
about every 3 hours and is a 2 hour voyage. This is infinitely better
than
driving to Horseshoe Bay through downtown Vancouver during a Friday rush
hour.

Another option is to take a Victoria Ferry from Tsawassen - Service is
every hour and a 1 1/2 hour voyage. Then drive the scenic 1 1/2 hours up
the

except after noon and before 3 where there's a gap of 1 1/2 hrs or more?

Island to Nanaimo.

Longer than that. I'd wager 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

Avoid Horseshoe Bay like the plague!

The ferries get very crowded in July, especially on Friday afternoons.
A
delay of one, two or three hours is normal. You can, however, for $15
get

you mean, 1, 2, or 3 *sailings*? maybe even 4 on a long weekend.

"Not the Karl Orff" wrote in message
...
In article lGHcc.37112$Pk3.21728@pd7tw1no,
"Don Howe" wrote:

"Dave Smith" wrote in message
...
dtren wrote:

What is a reasonable time to allow from aircraft arrival time, to
get
through immigration (UK citizen) and customs, pick up a pre-booked
hire car and get to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay? Is 2.75
hours
enough or would it be wiser to allow another 2 hours for a later
ferry? It would be late afternoon on a Friday in July.

Please reply to the newsgroup - the e-mail is a spam trap only and
is
not monitored.

Why Horseshoe Bay? The Tsawassen Ferry terminal is much closer to the
airport. Both are south of Vancouver, so it would save you having to
drive
all the way through the city, which is likely to be quite busy in the
late
afternoon.
_______

The Duke Point (a few miles south of Nanaimo) Service out of Tsawassen
is
about every 3 hours and is a 2 hour voyage. This is infinitely better
than
driving to Horseshoe Bay through downtown Vancouver during a Friday rush
hour.

Another option is to take a Victoria Ferry from Tsawassen - Service is
every hour and a 1 1/2 hour voyage. Then drive the scenic 1 1/2 hours up
the

except after noon and before 3 where there's a gap of 1 1/2 hrs or more?

Island to Nanaimo.

Longer than that. I'd wager 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

Avoid Horseshoe Bay like the plague!

The ferries get very crowded in July, especially on Friday afternoons.
A
delay of one, two or three hours is normal. You can, however, for $15
get

you mean, 1, 2, or 3 *sailings*? maybe even 4 on a long weekend.

_____

Let's straighten this timing out so no one gets confused.

The drive from the Swartz Ferry Terminal to Nanaimo keeping up with the
traffic is 2 hours tops. 3 hours from Swartz with the new hi-way North from
Nanaimo gets you all the way to Courtenay.

There is no 'gap' in the Victoria Ferry Schedule after noon. In July there
is hourly service.

I said 2 or 3 hour waits are normal. A 4 hour wait is abnormal. If there
is a sailing every hour than there is no difference whether you quote times
in 'hours' or 'sailings' is there?

If you would rather 'pick nits' than assist the writer state it at the
beginning of your submission.

In article ydTcc.44434$Ig.26286@pd7tw2no,
"Don Howe" wrote:


Let's straighten this timing out so no one gets confused.

The drive from the Swartz Ferry Terminal to Nanaimo keeping up with the
traffic is 2 hours tops. 3 hours from Swartz with the new hi-way North from
Nanaimo gets you all the way to Courtenay.

Have you tried the highway some days to get down to Victoria to hook up
with the island highway on some days?

There is no 'gap' in the Victoria Ferry Schedule after noon. In July there
is hourly service.

I think there's only one sailing between 1200 and 1500? At least off
season (though I live within 30-45 minutes of either ferry terminal, the
island might as well be on another planet for me )

I said 2 or 3 hour waits are normal. A 4 hour wait is abnormal. If there
is a sailing every hour than there is no difference whether you quote times
in 'hours' or 'sailings' is there?

well, except when the sailings are not hourly

Not the Karl Orff wrote:

In article ydTcc.44434$Ig.26286@pd7tw2no,
"Don Howe" wrote:


Let's straighten this timing out so no one gets confused.

The drive from the Swartz Ferry Terminal to Nanaimo keeping up with the
traffic is 2 hours tops. 3 hours from Swartz with the new hi-way North from
Nanaimo gets you all the way to Courtenay.

Have you tried the highway some days to get down to Victoria to hook up
with the island highway on some days?

You're right on this one - I'd allow at least 2.5 hours from Swartz Bay
to Nanaimo, esp. on a Friday afternoon in July (the Colwood Crawl alone
can add 30-45 minutes...)

There is no 'gap' in the Victoria Ferry Schedule after noon. In July there
is hourly service.

I think there's only one sailing between 1200 and 1500? At least off
season (though I live within 30-45 minutes of either ferry terminal, the
island might as well be on another planet for me )

You're wrong here - in peak season (July, which the OP was asking about)
sailings to Victoria are hourly. In the off-season, there are sailings
every 2 hours, so 1100, 1300, 1500, etc.

I said 2 or 3 hour waits are normal. A 4 hour wait is abnormal. If there
is a sailing every hour than there is no difference whether you quote times
in 'hours' or 'sailings' is there?

well, except when the sailings are not hourly

Which isn't a concern for the OP.