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November 1, 2025 - Media Release

All aboard! TransLink celebrates 30 years of West Coast Express

Limited-edition Compass Mini-West Coast Express Trains available on Saturday, November 1

Two Compass Mini-West Coast Express are being held up in someone's hand, in front of a real West Coast Express train car. The two Compass Minis are different from one another. One is blue, indicating an Adult Compass product, and the other is orange, indicating a Concession Compass product.

VANCOUVER, BC – TransLink is inviting the public to celebrate three decades of the West Coast Express on Saturday, November 1, with the launch of a limited-edition new Compass Mini shaped like the iconic train. A special Saturday train will also be running that day to give riders a chance to experience Western Canada’s only commuter train, and customers are invited to come see and tour the locomotive.

Customers can get their hands on the Compass Mini-West Coast Express Trains starting at 10 a.m. at the TransLink Customer Service Centre at Waterfront Station. There will be 5,000 products available, including 4,000 adult and 1,000 concession Compass Minis, each available with a $6 refundable deposit.

Each Compass Mini works just like a Compass Card, allowing customers to tap in at fare gates and on buses. Customers will be limited to two Compass Minis per person.

The special Saturday train will depart Mission City Station at 9 a.m., travelling west to Waterfront Station. The afternoon train will depart Waterfront Station at 3 p.m., returning to Mission City Station. Regular fares will apply.

From 10 a.m. onwards, customers are also invited to the West Coast Express platform at Waterfront Station to take in family-friendly activities, including a photo opportunity aboard the West Coast Express locomotive, plus a chance to explore inside the train and learn its history from the team.

West Coast Express Facts:

  • The West Coast Express is the only commuter rail service of its kind in Western Canada.
  • A one-way trip spans 69 kilometres, taking approximately 75 minutes.
  • The West Coast Express travels between Mission City Station, Port Haney Station, Maple Meadows Station, Pitt Meadows Station, Port Coquitlam Station, Coquitlam Central Station, Moody Centre Station, and Waterfront Station.
  • In September 2025, the West Coast Express averaged 7,400 weekly boardings.
  • The name “West Coast Express” was the winning suggestion by Shannon O’Hara during a naming contest, held in January 1995. There were 8,447 entries into the contest.
  • In the early 2000s, the Vancouver Canucks’ trio of Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi, and Brendan Morrison were nicknamed the “West Coast Express”, reflecting their power, speed, and efficiency on the ice. They were considered one of the best lines in hockey during that time.
  • The “Brain Train” ran from 1997 to 2004, offering weekly lectures or activities from Capilano College instructors on various subjects. These classes would take part in a designated train car in the morning.
  • In 2023, TransLink boosted West Coast Express service by adding a fifth train through the West Coast Express Refurbishment Project. The refurbishments will extend the lifespan of the locomotive engines by 15 years.
  • In 2024, the West Coast Express fleet fully converted to renewable diesel, helping to reduce fleet emissions by 97 per cent.

More information:
West Coast Express 30th Anniversary

Media downloads:
Photos of Compass Mini-West Coast Express

Media contact:
TransLink Media Relations
E: media@translink.ca