Heads up, transit riders! A brand-new, more spacious elevator is now open at Stadium–Chinatown Station, completing 6 elevator replacements in total across the Expo Line. 

Why does this matter?

It shows how we’re prioritizing accessibility and efficiency for riders, while modernizing original infrastructure across the Expo Line SkyTrain system.

There are now six new, upgraded elevators in service across four stations at:

• Stadium–Chinatown Station
• Waterfront Station
• 22nd Street Station (two elevators)
• Nanaimo Station (two elevators)

Each new elevator car has 20 per cent more space for mobility devices, bikes, strollers, luggage — and of course, people! These modern elevators are less prone to breakdowns and will be more resilient in warm weather.

They also require less downtime for maintenance, minimizing impacts on our customers and staff.

Replacement work is currently underway at Edmonds and Scott Road stations, and we hope to have those new elevators ready for service by June 2026.

This is all part of our ongoing Expo Line Elevator Replacement Program to replace 21 original elevators across 15 stations. After Edmonds and Scott Road stations are finished, we’re nearly halfway there.

Once complete, all the original Expo Line elevators will have been replaced with more modern and spacious ones designed to make the system easier to navigate for a wide range of our customers.

Why now?

SkyTrain officially welcomed its first customers on January 3, 1986 and was originally built in part as a showcase for Expo 86. The original line only went from Waterfront Station to New Westminster Station.

Since SkyTrain first started running over 40 years ago, Metro Vancouver’s population has more than doubled. Some of the original Expo Line elevators have been moving customers 20 hours a day, 365 days a year for four decades. While retiring at 40 might seem early for some, the average service life of an elevator car is about 30 years.

A big job

Each elevator takes about four months to replace. At stations with two elevators, only one is replaced at a time to keep the station accessible for customers. Replacing an elevator is a difficult process.

The work involves six key steps done by workers in very tight spaces:

1. Disassemble the existing car while still in the elevator shaft.
2. The existing elevator shaft must be hollowed out.
3. New guide rail is installed in the elevator shaft.
4. The new elevator car is assembled piece by piece within the confines of the elevator shaft — an arduous task even for experts.
5. Once built, wiring and safety systems are installed to the shaft and car.
6. Thorough testing needs to be done to confirm safe operation of the new elevator before being opened to the public.

Take a deeper dive here and view pictures of how it’s all done: How elevators are replaced, explained – The Buzzer blog.

After FIFA World Cup 2026 Vancouver wraps up, TransLink will continue with the next phase of elevator replacements at Burrard Station and Royal Oak Station.

We appreciate the patience of our customers throughout these important infrastructure upgrades. Stay tuned for more updates!