There are plenty of ways to get around. But with more options for active transportation than ever, there’s no better time to bike, walk, ride, and roll.

There’s new bike paths, bike parking, sidewalks, and so much more!

The City of Langley’s new connected bikeway network, Surrey’s 132 St, City Parkway and 100 Ave bikeways, and Port Coquitlam’s Prairie Avenue bikeway are among the recently completed projects.

Through our Local Government Funding Programs, we’ve been working with local governments to improve accessibility, comfort, and safety for active travel. Funding for this program is secured for one more year and may come to an end in 2025 with TransLink facing an impending funding gap.

Active transportation can be one of the fastest ways to travel around the city, especially in more urban areas.

Intrigued? Here’s six tips on how you can start to bike, walk ride and roll more when exploring the very best Metro Vancouver has to offer:

1. Ride your own, or use a bike or scooter share

You don’t need your own bike or scooter to bike, walk, ride and roll! There are bike and scooter shares operating in cities across Metro Vancouver. Here’s a list:

• Coquitlam: Lime and Neuron e-bikes and e-scooters
• North Vancouver (city): Lime e-bikes
• Richmond: Lime e-scooters and e-bikes
• Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby campus: Evolve e-bikes
• Surrey: Bird e-bikes
• University of British Columbia’s Point Grey campus: Mobi and HOPR bikes and e-bikes
• Vancouver: Mobi bikes and e-bikes

2. Plan your route with these tools

There are many fantastic beaches, parks and fun spaces in Metro Vancouver, but what are the options for biking, walking, riding and rolling there? There are tools for that!

• Metro Vancouver Cycling Maps: These cycling maps include key connections to transit hubs, locations of bike lockers and parkades, and indicate areas with steeper hills. They also show the comfort levels of each route based on how separated it is from traffic.
• Vancouver Bike Route Planner: a dedicated trip planner for cycling in Metro Vancouver with the ability find routes that are “safer,” have the least hills, and more.
• Trip Planner: tell us where you’re starting from and where you want to go and we’ll find the best route to get you there by transit.

Extra trip: preview your planned route using Street View in Google Maps.

3. Pack your bag with your essentials

The following list covers some common, helpful things to have handy while you’re on the road. Feel free to add more to your day bag, leave what you won’t need, and let us know in the comments if we missed anything important.

• Bring a bag: It’s ideal to have a bag that keeps your hands free. A crossbody or tote works great in this instance, or a backpack or pannier if you’re biking.
• Pack extra socks: This is recommended for a few reasons. If your feet get wet or sweaty, you’re covered. Nothing reinvigorates an adventure like fresh socks!
• Wear sunscreen: Sun care is essential when travelling even short distances. A 15-minute walk can begin to burn your skin if unprotected, so it’s better to be proactive! Wear a hat, sunglasses, and cover your skin when you can.
• Wear layers: When you head out for the day, you can adjust your outfit as you travel to beat the heat. A light hoodie or long sleeve athletic shirt is a great topper to a t-shirt, you can take it off as you warm up, and put it back on when you reach your destination or feel cooler outside.
• Pack snacks and water: You might find yourself hungry while exploring, so be sure to keep something on you.
• Pick comfortable shoes: They don’t need to be specialty, but make sure they are comfortable, the right size, and suitable for the weather that day.

4. Combine with transit to travel further

When you combine active transportation with transit, you can travel further.

Our transit service area spans more than 1,800 square kilometres, making it Canada’s largest urban transit service area. It reaches 90 per cent of the places where people live and work in Metro Vancouver.

Bike to a station, lock it up at a Bike Parkade, and hop on transit. These parkades allow you to “Bike and Ride” for only $1/day up to $8/month to park your bike. Register your Compass Card for access to the Bike Parkades. You can also rent a Bike Locker monthly for only $10 a month.

You can also take your bike or scooter with you on the SkyTrain or the bus. Visit translink.ca/biketotransit for details and restrictions. You can walk to the bus stop, ride the bus, and transfer at a SkyTrain station. The possibilities are endless, but there are some important things to note below when using our transit system.

• Bikes and scooters are not allowed on escalators at stations, please use the elevators.
• Planning to use the bike racks on buses? Review our guidelines and watch our instructional video.
• Brush up on your transit rider etiquette. A few to keep in mind include:
  • Take off your backpack or large bags and place them at your feet to make room for others
  • Use headphones when listening to music or talking on the phone
  • If seated in a priority seat, stay alert for other riders who may need it, and as some disabilities are invisible, trust someone if they ask you for your seat.
  • Finish any food or drink you may have brought with you before boarding trains and buses.
  • Let others exit the bus or train before getting on.
• Make sure you’ve loaded your Compass Card for your journey, if needed. It can take up to 2 hours for your Compass Card with added Stored Value or Passes.

5. Tap into exclusive offers with your Compass Card

If you’re a Compass Card holder, you’ve got access to more than just transit! We’ve teamed up with an incredible line-up of local businesses who are offering exclusive discounts for transit riders.

Check out the offers with participating businesses at translink.ca/offers.

From hidden gems to family favourites, there’s something for everyone. Simply show your Compass Card or proof of same-day fare such as a Compass Ticket or bus transfer to redeem the offer.

Bonus for Mobi customers! Mobi has partnered with more than 20 businesses along Broadway in Vancouver to offer discounts to their customers until Aug. 31.

6. Safety first!

No matter what method of transportation you choose, between biking, riding, rolling or walking, safety comes first.

• Wear a helmet: Helmets are required by law in British Columbia.
• Use your hand signals: Review the hand signals so you know how to correctly let others know where you’re headed on the road.
• Lock your bike: Most people recommend a “U” lock for the best protection, combined with a bike chain.