Ride for free this New Year’s Eve!
Ride for free this New Year’s Eve!
New Year’s Eve brings about many annual traditions. Whether it be watching the iconic NYE ball drop on TV, clanging pots and pans at the stroke of midnight, or watching one of many firework displays.
Here at TransLink, our New Year’s Eve tradition dates back 42 years! Free transit is provided for all to ensure everyone in the entire region has access to a safe ride home as we ring in the new year.
From 5 p.m. December 31, 2017 until 5 a.m. January 1, 2018 service across the entire system will be free!
All fare gates will all be open during designated free service hours.
If you tap in before 5 p.m., you must tap out on SkyTrain and SeaBus to ensure you’re charged the correct fare.
Remember! Compass tickets expire at the end of the service day on which they are purchased.
To help keep you moving for the holidays, we will be operating the following modified service over the coming days.
New Year’s Eve – Sunday December 31, 2017
- All TransLink transit services are free after 5 p.m. on December 31 until 5 a.m. on January 1, 2018.
- Buses will run on a modified Sunday/holiday schedule; some routes will be adjusted to reflect ridership levels. Use the Trip Planner to check your route and bus times.
- SeaBus will run on a modified Sunday/holiday schedule, with extended evening service. The last sailing from Lonsdale Quay will be at 2:02 a.m.; the last sailing from Waterfront will be at 2:22 a.m.
- SkyTrain (Expo, Millennium and Canada Lines) will run on a modified Sunday/holiday schedule, with more frequent trains throughout the evening. Last trains will be approximately one hour later.
- To ensure passenger comfort and safety, before, during and after events, station access in downtown Vancouver will be modified, so keep your eyes peeled for directional signage.
- West Coast Express will not operate.
New Year’s Day – Monday, January 1, 2018
- Buses will run on a regular Sunday/holiday schedule.
- SeaBus will run on a regular Sunday/holiday schedule.
- SkyTrain (Expo, Millennium and Canada Lines) will run on a regular Sunday/holiday schedule.
- West Coast Express will not operate.
- Lost Property and the Compass Customer Service Centre will be closed.
**Please check the website before travel as times are subject to change.
Map out your NYE route with our Trip Planner and head to translink.ca/holidayservice for more information and last run times for buses and SkyTrain.
Author: Sarah Kertcher
Why can’t New Years Eve be the one night of the year that the Skytrain runs for an entire 24hours. Translink is already keeping the Skytrain opened late on New Years Eve, would letting the trains run all night long on New Years Eve put maintenance crews drastically behind schedule?
I understand that maintenance needs to be done on the trains and that the trains need to be cleaned but maybe Translink could reduce set a few trains aside to run between the hours of 3am & 7am with trains running at a frequency of 20minutes.
Hi Alex,
Thanks for your question. As you’re likely aware, we’re currently undergoing an in-depth review of SkyTrain operating hours to see what may be possible in the future. At this point however, we are unable to provide 24 hour service for New Year’s. We are happy to once again provide extended SkyTrain service in addition to night buses, all for free on New Year’s Eve. Have a safe and happy New Year!