R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus

Project Overview
Say hello to the new R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus!
Starting September 2026, we’re extending the existing R2 Marine Drive RapidBus from its current eastern terminus at Phibbs Exchange to Metrotown Station following Hastings Street and Willingdon Avenue. Get ready for more frequent, all-day service between the North Shore, Vancouver, and Burnaby seven days a week.
With the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus, we’re bringing all-door boarding, accessible loading areas, bus stop shelters at select locations, and accessibility features such as text-to-audio functionality and tactile pads. Larger 60-foot buses will create room for 50% more people, giving customers more space on board, shorter waits, and a more comfortable trip.
This project represents an important connection for xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) members, supporting inclusion with the region and enhancing access to opportunities. Fully funded by the 2025 Investment Plan and delivered in partnership with municipal partners in the District of West Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, City of North Vancouver, City of Vancouver, and the City of Burnaby, the project reflects a shared commitment to improving regional transit connections.
R2 RapidBus Route and Stops

What's Changing
To support the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus, we’re adjusting service on some existing bus routes.
List of Stops
We’re keeping all the bus stops currently served by the R2 Marine Drive RapidBus.
Park Royal
Buses to Horseshoe Bay Ferries
Capilano Road
Pemberton Avenue
Hamilton Avenue
Bewicke Avenue
Lonsdale Quay
Connections to SeaBus
3rd Street
Ridgeway Avenue
Brooksbank Avenue
Phibbs Exchange
Buses to Capilano University
In addition to all the stops listed above, the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus will serve eight additional stops.
Kootenay Loop
Connections to R5 Hastings St RapidBus
Gilmore
Connections to R5 Hastings St RapidBus
Willingdon
Connections to R5 Hastings St RapidBus
Brentwood Station
Connections to Millenium Line
BCIT
Moscrop
Kingsway
Metrotown Station
Connections to Expo Line
Changes to Routes #222 and #130
The peak hour #222 Metrotown/Phibbs Exchange route will be discontinued. The new R2 Extension will replace the #222 with all-day service, seven days a week, to add more capacity and alleviate overcrowding.
The #130 Metrotown/Phibbs Exchange route will continue to provide local service, with most trips terminating at Kootenay Loop. Customers needing to continue to Phibbs Exchange can transfer to the new R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus.
Bonsor Street Area Construction
From June 8 until the end of June, we’re installing new concrete bus pads for a new layover space. Temporary traffic disruptions are expected on Bonsor St between Brief St and Central Blvd.
Driver Impacts
During working hours:
Weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Single lane alternating traffic on Bonsor Ave between Brief St and Central Blvd will be in place. Access to residential driveways, Bonsor Recreation Complex, and Metropolis at Metrotown will be maintained.
Traffic control personnel will be on-site to direct traffic.
Outside of working hours:
Weekdays from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and weekends from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. or the start of Monday construction.
The northbound direction is closed to all traffic. Residential driveways and Bonsor Recreation Complex are accessible to vehicles via the southbound direction.
The closure of the northbound direction is required to protect the construction area while construction crews are not present.
At all times:
Temporary parking restrictions are in place along Bonsor Ave between Central Blvd and Brief St for safety and operational requirements.
Transit Impacts
For more information, please visit translink.ca/alerts.
Pedestrian and Cyclist Impacts
At all times:
The west sidewalk on Bonsor Ave between Central Blvd and Brief St is open. The east sidewalk will be closed for safety and operational requirements.
Kootenay Street Area Construction
Construction is expected to resume in the Kootenay Loop area in mid-July. Thank you in advance for your patience as we work to complete the installation of new concrete bus pads. Information will be posted here in advance of construction activities resuming.
Gilmore Ave Area Construction
Construction is expected to resume in the Gilmore Ave area in mid-August. Thank you in advance for your patience as we work to complete the installation of new concrete bus pads. Information will be posted here in advance of construction activities resuming.
Lougheed Hwy Area Construction
From June 12 until the week of June 29, we’re upgrading existing concrete bus pads to accommodate longer buses. Temporary traffic disruptions are expected on Willingdon Ave between Skyline Ln and Halifax St.
Driver Impacts
In the southbound direction:
From June 12 to the week of June 29
One thru lane will be open to traffic between Lougheed Hwy and Skyline Ln. Left and right turn lanes will be open right before the intersection of Willingdon Ave and Lougheed Hwy. Access to Skyline Dr and Skyline Ln is restricted. Access is open via Madison Ave.
These temporary traffic changes are needed to protect the construction site and maintain safe conditions for all road users. As a result, these changes are in effect 24 hours a day – even when crews are not present on site. We thank you for your patience as we work to complete construction activities.
At all times:
A construction zone speed limit of 30km/hr is in effect.
Transit Impacts
Brentwood Station at Bay 7 (Stop 51389)
From June 12 to the week of June 29
This stop is temporarily closed due to construction.
For buses serving routes 123 and 130, please walk 220m south towards Dawson St and use Stop 51390.
For buses serving 222 Metrotown Station please walk 180m north towards Buchanan St and use Bay 6 (Stop 61806).
For the latest information, please visit translink.ca/alerts.
Pedestrian and Cyclist Impacts
In the southbound direction:
From June 12 to the week of June 29
The multi-use path is closed between Lougheed Highway and Dawson St. Traffic control personnel will be on site to assist people accessing local businesses.
Local businesses will remain open and accessible.
Metrotown Area Construction
From June 1 until mid-July, we’re installing new concrete bus pads to accommodate longer buses. Temporary traffic disruptions are expected on Willingdon Ave between McKay Ave and 4800 Central Blvd.
Driver Impacts
In the westbound direction:
From June 1 until mid-July
Traffic is reduced to one lane in some sections, however the right lane towards the Metropolis at Metrotown underground parking will remain open.
These temporary traffic changes are needed to protect the construction site and maintain safe conditions for all road users. As a result, these changes are in effect 24 hours a day – even when crews are not present on site. We thank you for your patience as we work to complete construction activities.
Pedestrian and Cyclist Impacts
In the westbound direction:
From June 1 until mid-July
The north sidewalk along Central Blvd beside (south of Metrotown Station Loop) will be closed to pedestrians due to safety and operational requirements.
Traffic control personnel will be on site to guide and direct pedestrians.
Completed Construction Areas
Work is progressing to get things ready for the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus. In these areas, bus pad construction has been completed. We thank you for your patience as we completed this essential work.
In Burnaby, we completed work on Hastings St at Willingdon Ave, Willingdon Ave at Goard Way (BCIT), and Willingdon Ave at Moscrop Ave.
In West Vancouver, we completed work near Park Royal, where we extended the existing layover space to accommodate more buses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is TransLink extending the R2 RapidBus to Metrotown Station?
This corridor is currently served by Route 222, which operates only during weekday peak hours and does not run on weekends, providing limited access. Thousands of transit riders travelling between the North Shore and Metrotown experience long travel times and overcrowding. Demand on this corridor continues to grow, and the extension responds to the need for stronger transit connections between the North Shore and Burnaby.
The R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus will provide more frequent, all-day service with larger buses and more capacity when compared to the existing Route 222.
In Burnaby, the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus will also connect the areas between Metrotown, Brentwood Town Centre, and Burnaby Heights with a new high frequency, high-capacity transit service that aligns with its Official Community Plan and Transportation Plan.
Will the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus replace Route 222?
The R2 Marine-Willingdon will replace the existing Route 222 and provide an enhanced experience for customers that the RapidBus is known for – including all day service and larger buses.
The existing 222 is a limited-stop, peak-hour only weekday service running from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.). It does not provide service on weekends. It runs between Phibbs Exchange and Metrotown with additional stops at BCIT, Brentwood, Burnaby Heights, and Boundary Road.
What will happen to the 130 Metrotown Station/Phibbs Exchange route?
Route 130 will continue to provide local service with frequent stops, but most northbound trips will now end at Kootenay Loop. Customers needing to continue to Phibbs Exchange can transfer to the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus – with a new stop at Kootenay Loop.
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Frequency on Route 130 will be adjusted to every 10-minutes at peak and every 15-30 minutes off-peak once the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus enters service.
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All off-peak trips will end at Kootenay Loop, while two peak trips per hour will continue to Phibbs Exchange.
Will the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus be faster than existing services?
The extension increases frequency and capacity, and its limited-stop design is expected to improve travel times compared with Route 130. Travel times between Phibbs Exchange and Metrotown are currently estimated to decrease by 20 to 30% compared with the existing service on Route 130. This project will also increase capacity along the Willingdon corridor and on the North Shore. While increase at peak periods is expected to be modest, off-peak capacity on Willingdon is expected to rise by at least 50%.
Future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) planning will consider additional measures to further improve reliability.
Compared to the existing Route 222, what new stops are being added on this route?
New stops are being added where spacing between existing stops is larger than ideal and where there are opportunities to serve more people.
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Hastings and Gilmore: to better connect customers to the Burnaby Heights neighborhood and commercial area.
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Willingdon and Moscrop: to provide Moscrop Secondary School students with better transit access.
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Willingdon and Kingsway: to improve access in a highly populated area and reduce walking distances for many customers who would otherwise have to travel to Metrotown for their nearest R2 stop.
Is this taking a lane away on the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge?
No vehicle lane removal is planned on the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge as part of this project.
Will there be changes to the HOV hours of operation on Hastings Street?
In Burnaby, no changes are planned to the HOV hours of operation along Hastings Street.
In Vancouver, no changes are planned to the HOV hours of operation along Hastings Street. In early 2026, the City of Vancouver asked businesses, residents and transit users for feedback on proposed bus lane changes between Kaslo Street and Boundary Road. Implementation of these bus lanes are paused to further assess how bus priority measures can better support the Hastings corridor. Visit vancouver.ca/hastings-transit for more information.
Will there be changes to HOV or other bus priority measures on Willingdon Avenue?
No, there are no plans to change HOV or bus priority on Willingdon Avenue. The existing HOV hours of operation will remain in effect.
In Burnaby will parking be removed on Hastings or Willingdon?
Since there are no changes to the HOV lane hour of operations on Hastings Street, most of the parking on Hastings Street will remain the same as it is today.
There are minor changes to parking at the stop locations on Hastings Street to ensure the safety of our customers, bus operators, pedestrians, and drivers.
There are no changes to parking on Willingdon Avenue.
Will the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus improve service for Capilano University students?
While the R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus does not directly serve Capilano University, it will benefit many students, especially those who live in Burnaby or south of the Fraser River. Students will be able to rely on more frequent service between the Expo Line, Millennium Line, and Phibbs Exchange, where they can connect to Route 245 to Capilano University.
In September 2026, TransLink will also be adding additional weekday midday trips to Route 245. This will shorten travel times for students and make their journeys less crowded and more comfortable.
Will any street trees be removed during construction?
During design, the project team worked to keep trees in place wherever possible. However, two street trees need to be removed in the City of Burnaby to safely accommodate bus stop upgrades at the westbound stop on Hastings Street at Willingdon Avenue and the southbound stop on Willingdon Avenue at Lougheed Highway.
Bus stop locations are selected based on factors such as safe bus operations, customer access, all-door boarding, and the space needed for 60-foot articulated buses. At these two locations, keeping the trees in place is not possible while meeting the requirements for the upgraded stops.
Separately, a tree removal near the Metrotown bus loop is being coordinated with the landowner and the City of Burnaby.
Why are some stops temporary?
Some permanent stops are constrained by adjacent developments. Temporary stops are in place to maintain transit access for riders until permanent construction is completed, and stops return to their regular locations.
By completing construction on the permanent stops today where available, we are minimizing any future disruptions.
How will the project be funded?
Funding is provided through the 2025 Investment Plan, including capital works and additional service hours.
Is this a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project?
No, this project is not BRT as the new R2 Marine-Willingdon RapidBus does not have any advanced bus priority features like dedicated lanes or transit signal priority on Hastings Street or Willingdon Avenue in Burnaby.
TransLink and our municipal partners have been planning to upgrade the Route 222 Willingdon Express to a RapidBus service as a near-term transportation improvement to better serve customers on this corridor.
TransLink and our municipal partners continue to work on the design plans for the Metrotown to North Shore BRT including on the route options. No decision has been made on the final route for BRT. For more information on Metrotown-North Shore BRT, please visit our Bus Rapid Transit Program page.
Have more questions?
Reach out to the RapidBus Team at rapidbus@translink.ca.