Richmond is located directly south of the city of Vancouver on a group of 17 islands. Three bridges connect Vancouver to Richmond.
There are a number of transportation options available for visitors wanting to get to and around the city.
By car or bus, it takes about 20 minutes to reach Richmond from downtown Vancouver.
Taxis and rental cars are available at the aiport. Multiple cab companies serve Richmond, and major car rental agencies can also be found elsewhere in the city.
Visitors arriving from the United States by car can follow Highway 99 (the Interstate 5 in the US) straight into Richmond. Take the George Massey Tunnel under the Fraser River.
Rail and Air Travel
It's a 13.6km/8.5mi drive from the intersection of Robson and Burrard Street in downtown Vancouver to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on Richmond's Sea Island. Taxis, buses and shuttle buses to Vancouver and Whistler are available from the airport, and the Canada Line rapid transit system provides direct service between YVR, Richmond and downtown Vancouver.
VIA Rail and Amtrak trains, plus Greyhound bus coaches arrive at the Pacific Central Station (1150 Station St) in downtown Vancouver. From there, travellers can transfer to public transportation or taxis.
Public Transportation
Public transportation makes it easy to get to and around most of Richmond.
Richmond is part of Metro Vancouver's TransLink public transportation system, and buses run approximately between 5am and 1am. Discount fares are available after 6:30pm and on weekends and public holidays. For TransLink customer information, call 604-953-3333 (6:30am-11:30pm).
The Canada Line (part of the SkyTrain rapid transit system) brings travellers from the airport to downtown Vancouver in 26 minutes. In total, Richmond has seven Canada Line SkyTrain stations: YVR-Airport, Sea Island Centre, Templeton, Bridgeport, Richmond-Brighouse, Lansdowne, and Aberdeen. Regular TransLink fares apply.
Cycling, rollerblading, and walking are also options in certain areas of Richmond, particularly due to its flat, sea-level terrain.
When planning transportation options, bear in mind that the municipality covers an area of 130sq km/50sq mi.
Check out the Richmond Visitor Centre for general travel tips, driving directions, maps and more.
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