Did you know that TransLink is one of the most accessible transit systems in Canada? Whether you’re taking the bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, or West Coast Express, our system is designed to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, can travel with ease.

From accessible bus features such as ramps, low-level boarding, priority seating, and modifiable seats for the accessibility and safety of customers with mobility aids. To elevators and escalators available at every SkyTrain station, along with tactile wayfinding tiles on the platform to assist customers with vision impairments. Plus, step-free boarding ensures a seamless transition between the platform and train. SkyTrain cars are equipped with dedicated spaces for people with mobility aids, including a flip-up seat near the wheelchair space on some cars. Exterior doors marked with a wheelchair symbol indicate the best entry points for customers using mobility aids, ensuring easy access to dedicated seating areas inside the train. And our SeaBus terminals have graduated ramps for ease of entering and exiting the SeaBus.

HandyDART, our paratransit service, provides door-to-door, shared-ride transportation for people who need more travel assistance than our conventional transit offers. Customers with disabilities may also qualify for a HandyCard, which offers concession fare pricing on transit, free travel for an attendant, and access to purchase TaxiSavers.

Here are five accessible transit features you might not know about, that make a big difference for many of our customers:

Universal Fare Gate Access Program

This program enables customers who are unable to tap a Compass Card to access the gated system you’ll find at SeaBus terminals and SkyTrain stations.

Customers who are eligible for the Universal Fare Gate Access Program are given a radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled card, which automatically opens the fare gates when they move within close range.

To speak with TransLink’s Access Transit Planning group to discuss eligibility and schedule an assessment, call 604.953.3698.

Braille and tactile signs at bus stops

TransLink is the first transit system in Canada to install braille signage across the entire bus system. These signs contain:

• Information written in both Unified English Braille and raised tactile letters
• Bus stop ID numbers
• Bus routes serving that bus stop
• Bay or bus stop indicators
• Customer Information phone number
• Braille signage with raised tactile letters
• Tactile walking surface indicators

Station assistance

Customers who need extra assistance at SkyTrain or Canada Line stations can call on the day of their trip, at least 10 minutes before arriving at a station, to request help from a SkyTrain or Canada Line Attendant at the fare gates or inside the station.

For help on Expo and Millennium lines, please call 604-520-5518, and for help on Canada Line, please call 604.247.5703.

Travel training

TransLink works together with community groups across the region to offer informative workshops for seniors and people with disabilities. These workshops help them learn how to travel independently.

Train-the-trainer workshops are offered for staff and volunteers who support seniors and people with disabilities. For more information, to request a workshop or find a workshop closest to you, please call 604.953.3636.

Additional training and resources

Still feeling a little unsure about using our accessible transit services? There are many resources available on our website to familiarize yourself with our programs.

• Watch our Mobility Guide Training Videos
• Explore our vehicles with a 3D Virtual Bus tour
• Register for mobility aid training at Vancouver Transit Centre to learn how to use the bus with a mobility device. Call 604.264.5420 to book an appointment with an instructor

For more information on how we’re making transit more accessible to all, read our Accessible Transit in Metro Vancouver guide.