christy1

We're coming from Seattle and would like to stop in Richmond or Vancouver for dinner on the way to Whistler. When we've tried this before it took 1.5-2 hours to get from Richmond (where we ate great Chinese), through Vancouver over the Lion's Gate bridge to the TransCanada Hwy. We never go during rush hour. When we don't stop in Richmond/Vancouver, we use the truck crossing, take Hwy 15 north, and connect to the TransCanada east of the city, and this way is very fast.

My question is, have I just been unlucky trying to get through the city of Vancouver? Someone told me that it shouldn't take that long, and online map sites also show this route being much quicker than I've experienced. I'd love to stop in Richmond again on our upcoming trip but not if it's going to take 2 hours of getting stuck at every stoplight in Vancouver trying to get through the city.

Or does anyone have any tips as to how to combine dinner with an efficient way of getting to the TransCanada from the south?

taggie

Welcome to the wonderful world of Vancouver driving. The planners really don't want anyone to drive here, so they've made it as miserable as possible to discourage the practise.

Really, it depends on a lot of factors, time of day for one. Or events like fireworks festival, etc. One stalled car on the route can mean an extra 30 minutes or more travel time. If it's raining, ditto. Even though we live in a rainforest, we seem unable to remember how to drive if there's any precipitation. And then there's the lane reversal through Stanley Park.

I've made it from Richmond to West Van in 30 minutes on several occasions, but that's with minimal traffic and both lanes going my way on the Lion's Gate. Generally I'd leave about 45 minutes to an hour for the trip... but it's taken me longer many times too.

You should be OK with a 45-60 minute estimate in the evening... after about 7:30 pm.

christy1

Thanks, that was helpful. (And as someone that lives in a city with a giant noisy pollution spewing interstate highway smack through the middle, I can appreciate the upside of NOT having such a thing bisect your city.)

Bobmrg

...and the ongoing construction of the Canada line through downtown makes a royal mess of things...and you don't learn about it from online sources.

Bobmrg

Google "Vancouver + Canada line" to see the extent of the construction for future reference.

NorthwestMale

First of all, Vancouver is NOT on the way to anywhere, and THAT is the major factor in why their freeway system is/seems so out-of-date.

Cities with the least traffic problems are those which are central to many different places (use Indianapolis as an example) and which have direct paths criss-crossing the whole area.

Vancouver is on the edge (in more ways than one) so it takes a different outlook to successfully navigate the city without traffic concerns.

The odd part of your post is that you felt the need to go to Richmond for "great Chinese (food)". If you can't find "great Chinese" in the rest of the Vancouver area then you probably haven't looked enough.

How hard could it be to take the truck crossing, connect with the TC east of the city, and take the Hastings exit to Chinatown to find great chinese food?

Good luck.

limazulu

Hi,

Vancouver's traffic is probably as "bad" as Seattle's traffic.... Listen to CKNW 980AM radio for traffic reports, which you can pick up around Lake Samish, south of Bellingham. You could take I-5 to the Guide Meridian exit in Bellingham (Bellis Fair mall) and head up the Guide Meridian to Lynden's border crossing. Keep straight north through Aldergrove and you will connect with the Trans-Canada. That will drop you right into Coquitlam, Burnaby, West Van and North Van, which will also have good Asian food. You will miss all of the Vancouver traffic (just keep on the Trans-Canada) and you can use provinicial highways to get over to Richmond, too.

Have a great day!
Julia

klam_chowder

I'd never go over Lions Gate to get to Whistler unless it was really off-hours - driving thru all that Skytrain-building traffic, downtown congestion, West End flockers, and then onto a good-chance of an accident bridge.

If you want to shoot up 99/Oak St Bridge from the west side border crossing you'd probably be fine, but I would then head east and get on the TransCda from Rupert or so (take a look at a map). Further away but much quicker to take Second Narrows Bridge I think.

In Vancouver our friends & I never go to Chinatown for "great Chinese food" (IMHO)

Enjoy-la!

weasel

Hi, I agree with taggie on this one. Northwest male must live north of the Portmann bridge(parking lot). The Tunnel to Richmond is never too bad unless there is an accident and through Vancouver is congested but it moves. There are great chinese restaurants in both Richmond and Vancouver but Richmond is easier to find parking.