Pricing and Fare Zones

The price of your trip depends on when, where, and how you are travelling.

As of July 1, 2025, fares have increased by an average of 4% to help TransLink continue to provide essential transit services and keep Metro Vancouver moving.

Fare Zones

There are three fare zones across Metro Vancouver. The number of zone boundaries you cross during your trip, and the time and day, determine your fare.

All bus and HandyDART trips are a 1-Zone fare at all times.
SkyTrain requires a 1, 2, or 3-Zone fare, depending on the time and day and number of zone boundaries you cross during your trip.
SeaBus requires a 1 or 2-Zone fare, depending on the time and day.
All trips across the system starting after 6:30 p.m. (Monday to Friday) and all travel on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) are a 1-Zone fare.
All trips across the system during provincial statutory holidays are a 1-Zone fare.
A single fare is valid for 90 minutes on bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and HandyDART.

YVR Airport AddFare

Leaving from the airport? Journeys starting at YVR–Airport, Sea Island Centre, or Templeton stations include a $5 YVR Airport AddFare at all times. For more information about this charge and who is exempt, please see our Transferring and AddFare page.

Find out how to pay for transit on our Compass Card page.

Illustration of an Adult Compass Card and Adult Compass Ticket

Adult fares are our standard fares that are applicable for most individuals aged 19 to 64.

Illustration of a Concession Compass Card and Concession Compass Ticket

Concession fares are discounted fares available for the following customers:

HandyCard holders
Seniors 65 and older*
Youth 13 to 18 years old*

*Must have a valid photo ID proving age.

Illustration of an Adult Compass Ticket and Concession Compass Ticket

You may purchase a Compass Ticket at cash rate from Compass Vending Machines. With a Compass Ticket you can transfer between bus, SeaBus, HandyDART, and SkyTrain services as many times as you need in the number of zones purchased for up to 90 minutes. Learn more about Compass Tickets.

1-Zone: $3.35

2-Zone: $4.85

3-Zone: $6.60

1-Zone: $2.25

2-Zone: $3.30

3-Zone: $4.50

Illustration of an Adult Compass Card and Concession Compass Card

You may load $5 or more on your Compass Card as Stored Value. It's just like having cash on your card, except when you pay with Stored Value, you get a discount over most cash fares, and the correct fare is automatically deducted when you tap-out at the end your journey. Stored Value can be added to your card at compasscard.ca, by phone, or at a Compass Vending Machine.

1-Zone: $2.70

2-Zone: $4.00

3-Zone: $5.10

1-Zone: $2.25

2-Zone: $3.30

3-Zone: $4.50

Monthly Passes provide unlimited travel on SkyTrain and SeaBus within the number of zones purchased, plus unlimited travel on buses and HandyDART at any time, and across all zones on all modes on weekends, statutory holidays, and after 6:30 p.m. on weekday evenings. Learn more about Monthly Passes.

1-Zone: $111.60

2-Zone: $149.25

3-Zone: $201.55

All Zones: $63.80

A DayPass provides unlimited transit use on all buses, SkyTrains, SeaBuses, and HandyDART for one full day from the start of the first transit service until 4 a.m. the following day. You can use it for travel through all zones, and save money over buying single fares when you take multiple trips in the same day. Not valid for travel on West Coast Express. Learn more about DayPasses.

All Zones: $11.95

All Zones: $9.40

Illustration of various credit cards, AMEX, Visa Mastercard

If you are buying one single adult ticket, you can save time and go paperless by tapping your contactless debit, credit card, or mobile wallet right at the SkyTrain fare gate or card reader on bus or West Coast Express. Our card readers accept contactless Interac Debit, American Express, Mastercard, and Visa credit cards along with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Learn more about contactless payment.

1-Zone: $3.35

2-Zone: $4.85

3-Zone: $6.60

HandyDART driver assisting an elderly passenger with exiting the bus.

HandyDART fares match 1-Zone Concession fares on bus, SeaBus, and SkyTrain, making it easier for you to use all these services. Please visit the HandyDART page for more information.

A family waiting for a West Coast Express train to arrive at the station platform

The West Coast Express operates on different fare pricing and zones than Bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus. Please visit the West Coast Express Fares page for more information.

YVR Airport Station on the Canada Line on a sunny day

You may upgrade your fare to travel within additional Zones, and additional modes. There's also an AddFare when travelling from YVR Airport. Please visit the Transferring & AddFare page for more information.

Where are you going? From To

Fare Type:

Adult 19 to 64 Concession 13 to 18 and 65+

When are you going?

Buses are a 1-Zone fare, all day, every day. Cash fares on buses are not transferable to SkyTrain, West Coast Express, or SeaBus.

Your trip requires a -Zone fare.

Pass Type	-Zone
Cash/Credit Card	$
Compass Card - Stored Value	$
DayPass	$

Plan Your Trip Now

Paying on the Bus and HandyDART

Using a Compass Card, Compass Ticket, contactless payment cards, or mobile wallet.

When you board, tap your card, ticket, or mobile wallet on the card reader located near the bus doors. You don't need to tap out when exiting.

Using cash

Place the coins or bills into the fare box (no change can be given). You'll be handed a bus transfer from the Operator that is your proof of payment and can be used to transfer between buses (but not on SkyTrain, SeaBus, or West Coast Express).

For more information about paying on HandyDART, visit the HandyDART page.

Paying on SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express

Using a Compass Card, Compass Ticket, contactless payment cards, or mobile wallet.

When you travel on SkyTrain, SeaBus, or West Coast Express, tap your card, ticket, or mobile wallet to the card reader at the fare gates (or validator for West Coast Express) as you enter and exit a station to validate your fare. Tapping reserves the fare for a 3-Zone trip, or a full-distance trip in the case of West Coast Express.
When you tap out, the system calculates the fare zones you've travelled and charges you the correct fare. This applies to all products, including Monthly Passes.
Paper bus transfers are only valid for transfer between buses.

Proof of Payment

Transit vehicles and all areas within fare gates are Fare Paid Zones.

All customers must pay the fare required by the TransLink Transit Tariff and carry proof of payment whenever they’re aboard a transit vehicle, within fare gates, or within any station area that is designated as a Fare Paid Zone.

Valid proof of payment:

Compass Cards and Compass Tickets with a valid fare that has been successfully tapped in are accepted as proof of payment on all modes.
Validated FareSavers (no longer sold) and bus transfers are accepted as proof of payment on buses.

Transit Police and Transit Security regularly conduct fare checks. Ensure you’ve tapped your Compass Card or Compass Ticket to validate your fare, and have them, along with any required valid identification, available for inspection, if asked. On buses, keep your bus transfer for inspection.

Anyone who fails to produce proof of payment with valid identification on request will be asked to leave the vehicle and risks facing a fare infraction ticket with a fine of $173.

If a fare product was lost or stolen while traveling on SkyTrain or SeaBus, you must immediately purchase a new fare to ensure you have proof of payment before continuing your journey. You may purchase a new ticket at an exit ticket machine or use contactless payment at the fare gate to charge a maximum fare.

Visit our Fare Infraction page for more information on paying or disputing a fare evasion ticket.

Paying as a Group

For large group trips (e.g., school field trips), you can bulk purchase Compass Tickets ahead of time. Visit our Group Travel page for all the details.

Taking transit and don’t have a Compass Card? No need to print a ticket. Save time, skip lines, and go straight to the gate!

Our card readers accept contactless Interac Debit, American Express, Mastercard, and Visa credit cards along with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Go paper-free and help the environment. All you need to do is tap your card or device on the fare gate or bus card reader to pay.

Like a Compass Card, you can only use one payment device per person. You still have 90 minutes to make your transfer across bus, SeaBus and SkyTrain services (120 minutes on West Coast Express services). Be sure to tap your card, not your wallet, and to use the same card when transferring between buses, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express to avoid getting multiple charges. Final charges are determined by when you tap out at the end of your trip. Single adult cash fare applies. For discounted fare, use a Compass Card.

Watch Out for Card Clash

If you tap your wallet or phone case, multiple credit cards may be charged. Remove your credit or debit card from your wallet or phone case before you tap.

Keep in mind that Tap to Pay is unrelated to your Compass Card. Currently, there is no Compass App.

Avoiding Charge for Uncompleted Trips

If you tap in and decide not to complete a trip, you can easily reverse your charges. If you tapped on a bus, please ask the driver to reverse the tap for you. If travelling on rail, you can undo your initial tap in by tapping out of the same station within 21 minutes on SkyTrain and SeaBus, and 60 minutes for West Coast Express.

Transit Police Security Checks

Transit Police and Transit Security use FIA (Fare Inspection App) to check fares. If you've paid using Tap to Pay, police or security personnel may use an handheld device to detect if your credit card, debit card, or mobile device is an accepted form of payment and has been tapped into the system.

While travel for children 12 and under is free, parents and guardians are responsible for educating and making decisions about the safety and care of their children whenever travelling on transit. This includes when children are travelling unaccompanied and determining if their children can or should take transit unaccompanied.

Bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express

Children 12 and under can ride on Bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express free of charge. To gain access to the SkyTrain, SeaBus, or West Coast Express, seek a SkyTrain attendant or pick up the closest Courtesy Phone to ask for help through the fare gates.

HandyDART

Children 12 and under who are registered HandyDART customers or children who are accompanying a registered HandyDART customer can travel for free on HandyDART without requiring a fare product or identification. Learn more on the HandyDART page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do children need to be accompanied on the bus?

Children 12 and under do not need to be accompanied by a fare paying customer to travel for free on buses.

Parents and guardians are responsible for educating and making decisions about the safety and care of their children and determining if their children may take transit unaccompanied. We strongly recommend that parents and guardians are informed about transit use and the safety and care of their children whenever travelling on transit, including when their children travel unaccompanied, and determining whether their children can or should take transit unaccompanied.

Do children need to be accompanied on the gated system and how will children access the gated system for free?

Children 12 and under do not need to be accompanied by a fare paying customer to travel for free on SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express. To gain access to the SkyTrain, SeaBus, or West Coast Express, seek a SkyTrain attendant or to pick up the closest Courtesy Phone to ask for help. Parents and guardians are responsible for educating and making decisions about the safety and care of their children whenever travelling on transit, including if their children can or should take transit unaccompanied.

How can school groups, community groups, and larger families move through fare gates?

School groups, community groups, and larger families should seek a SkyTrain attendant or pick up the closest Courtesy Phone to ask for help. A SkyTrain attendant can assist larger groups with children 12 and under access the gated system using existing procedures. If you know your plans ahead of arriving, call 604.520.5518 and let us know when and where a SkyTrain attendant can meet your group.

If you have a Compass Card, Compass Ticket, contactless credit card or Interac Debit and used Tap to Pay, you can transfer across bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain, and HandyDART on a single fare for up to 90 minutes, or up to 120 minutes when including travel on the West Coast Express. Your travel time begins when you first tap your card or ticket to enter a fare paid zone.

Fares paid with cash on buses cannot be transferred to other modes.

Learn more about transferring between bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, WCE, and HandyDART and AddFares, including YVR AddFare, on our Transferring and AddFare page.

If you are a low-income senior or a person with a disability, you may be eligible to apply for the BC Bus Pass Program, for discounted fares.

If you are unable to travel on public transit without assistance, find out more about our Access Transit program by visiting the Access Transit section.

You can take the Canada Line to travel to and from Vancouver International Airport (YVR), which is accessible by SkyTrain. Find out more about navigating Vancouver's public transit as a tourist or newcomer on our Visiting Vancouver page.

Learn more about West Coast Express fares and fare zones on our West Coast Express Fares.