Vancouver airport to train station - hostel in between?
 

Hi all, my son will flying into Vancouver and then is hoping to depart the following day on The Canadian to take up a job in Jasper for the summer. Does anyone have any recommendations re hostel accommodation not too far from the train station and what is the best method of travel to get from the airport to that hostel? Also, has anyone travelled (non sleeper)on the Canadian and can comment on comfort etc.
Thanks.

Hi Ozgirl,

Not recommendation exactly, but a thought. There's the YWCA hotel www.ywcahotel.com, which appears to have pretty reasonable rates, from which he could catch the SkyTrain monorail one stop to get to Pacific Central Station for the Canadian train. That site has some suggestions on cheaper bus services to its location.

Since the train leaves Van at 5pm, there's no reason, especially if your son is late teens/early twenties, that he wouldn't want to stay closer to the fun of Central Van./West End. Unfortunately, accommodation in Central Van. is not cheap; I stayed at the Burrard Motor Inn when I went, which was functional (and just under 100$CAN) and about 10 minutes from Burrard SkyTrain station. The Sylvia Hotel is also recommended by some and not as expensive as a lot in the downtown peninsula.

I've only travelled on the Canadian sleeper class in a berth which was terrific for me; not everyone does, but I personally sleep quite well in a birth. I find Comfort (economy) Class is fine for any distance that doesn't involve sleeping; for some reason, I can't really seem to sleep in an upright/ slightly reclined position.

Good luck! DAN

To answer your question about getting from the airport to downtown Vancouver .......

An option is a taxi. If two people are sharing, a taxi is not more expensive than a shuttle bus.

Since your son will be travelling alone and since it sounds as if he's watching his pennies, the best option for him may be the YVR Airporter shuttle bus:

http://www.yvrairporter.com/

He also might consider using public transportation. Here is the trip planning page of TransLink's website. You can use it to find out the combination of buses you need to catch to get from the airport to where you're going:

http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/

I expect your son's plane will get in around mid morning, so it would be okay to use public transportation (since it will be during off peak hours). If it's rush hour, your son should not use public transportation. Unlike the YVR Airporter, which has space for luggage, normal buses do not have storage space for suitcases, and it would be inconsiderate to commuters to clog up the aisle of a fully packed bus with a suitcase.

Also, if he was to catch a public bus, he would need exact change, as bus drivers do not give change. I don't know if he would have the right money immediately after stepping off the plane. (In fact it would be a good idea if he withdrew some Canadian cash from an ATM at the airport.)

My son and his girlfriend stayed at the Buchan Hotel. It is close to Stanley Park. They said the staff were very friendly to them, and gave them directions to Vancouver's attractions. The Buchan Hotel is a basic hotel. Middle aged people might not like staying there, but it's a good place for starving students. If you stay at the Buchan, you have the option of having a private bathroom or a shared bathroom. If you are willing to used shared bathroom facilities you obviously can save money. There are lots of restaurants in the vicinity of the Buchan, and its proximity to Stanley Park is an excellent feature in its favour.

Hope that helps.

There is a hostel called the C&N Hostel which is located right across the street from the train station, however, I would not recommend it. The train station is not located in a great area, and the hostel is known to be dirty, run down and... well... not where you'd want your son to stay. There are a few other hostels located in the same area, like the Grand Trunk hostel and the American Backpackers, but I've only heard horrible things about those hostels (ie: they're run down, dirty, house drug addicts, etc). The Cambie Hostels are also known to be on the run down, poorly-kept, dirty variety. So basically, if you can, avoid staying in a hostel next to the train station.

I would simply recommend that he stays in a hostel in downtown Vancouver. Downtown Vancouver is located a short distance away from the train station and your son can easily hop on the skytrain and be there in 10 minutes from downtown.

The Hostelling International Vancouver Downtown location is arguably the best in terms of cleanliness, safety, quiet nights, and neighbourhood.

The Hostelling International Vancouver Central would be choice #2 - located on Granville Street - a 10 minute walk away from the other location, but surrounded by nightclubs, pubs, and cafes.

The third choice would be the SameSun Backpackers hostel - more famous for its social party scene. Lots of Aussies and Brits coming to Vancouver on working holidays tend to stay there. It's also located on Granville Street amidst the clubs and pubs.

I just want to throw my $0.02 in and REALLY recommend staying away from any of the hotels/etc around the train station...that's not a fun area, even in the daytime, and get really gnarly in the evenings...

Thanks everyone, great comments and very helpful. I have been away for a few days on business and my son rang me to tell me that "Judy from Calgary" and "some others" have "sorted him out" and they are much better than "thorn tree!!" Thanks again, will look into these options. I am just jealous that he is going soon and I have to wait until July for three weeks holiday to visit him!