Get ready, Metro Vancouver! It’s officially Reindeer Bus season, where our fleet of seven magical reindeer hit the streets of Metro Vancouver to delight passengers and onlookers alike.

Keep your eyes peeled for those familiar, red-nosed reindeer! Our dedicated team of transit elves at Coast Mountain Bus Company worked hard to deck out this festive fleet for another season.

The Toys for Tots tradition

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Toys for Tots, the long-standing tradition started in 1985 by a group of bus operators. Since then, it has grown and donations from employees at Coast Mountain, BC Rapid Transit Company (SkyTrain), HandyDART, West Vancouver Transit, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, and TransLink offices have helped deliver more than 103,300 presents and over $59,000 to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.

We are so proud of this tradition, which last year surpassed the incredible milestone of 100,000 toys donated to families across Metro Vancouver. This generosity ensures thousands of local children wake up to a brighter Christmas morning.

Customers who would like to take part can drop off new, unwrapped toys at several convenient locations until Thursday, Dec. 16:

• 📍 TransLink Customer Service Centre at Waterfront Station
• 📍 SkyTrain Customer Assistance Counter at Commercial–Broadway Station
• 📍 Lonsdale Quay SeaBus Terminal

Every single donation matters, and we thank you for helping us support this wonderful cause!

Find a Reindeer Bus near you!

Want to know if a red-nosed ride is heading your way? We know how much you love to track them down, and our popular Reindeer Bus tracker is back for 2025!

You can track your favourite festive vehicle in real-time online at translink.ca/reindeerbus when they are in service. The routes for our holiday herd change daily, as our elves schedule them across different bus depots. Spotting one is always a fun holiday surprise!

For the more advanced bus spotters, the fleet numbers are 909, 9683, 9540, 9543, 9798, 18330 and 21504.

More festive fun

The Reindeer Bus is just one part of our festive lineup!

West Coast Express Santa Train returns on Saturday, Dec. 6 and 13, offering families a free ride in exchange for a toy or cash donation. For the train schedule, visit translink.ca/wce.

Deck your halls with TransLink’s festive holiday merch. Need a perfect stocking stuffer? The TransLink Store has launched a new line of cozy holiday merchandise, including our new Reindeer Bus sweater, scarf, and toque. Shop the collection at translinkstore.ca.

Don’t forget to visit our Events page to find a transit-friendly event near you.

If you spot one of our Reindeer Buses, make sure to snap a photo and share it with us on social media using the hashtag #ReindeerBus — we love seeing your holiday cheer!