Getting Here

Travel by air

Vancouver is easily accessible by air. The Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is in Richmond, BC, approximately 12 km from Downtown Vancouver, and 15 km from the University of British Columbia. Abbotsford Airport (YXX) is located in Abbotsford, British Columbia, approximately 70 km from Downtown Vancouver, and 80 km from the University of British Columbia.

• YVR

Most major airlines fly into and out of YVR. Airline options include Air Canada and WestJet, but there are many others. See the YVR website for more information.

• YXX

Two airlines fly into and out of YXX: WestJet and Flair. See the YXX website for more information.

Travel by train

VIA Rail and Amtrak operate out of the Pacific Central Station in Vancouver. This station is located at 1500 Station Street, approximately 12km from the UBC campus. 

Travel by bus

A number of companies provide long distance bus service to Vancouver:

• Amtrak
• FlixBus
• Greyhound
• QuickShuttle

Travel by sea

Several seaplane airlines fly into Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre located in Downtown Vancouver, servicing Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and other Pacific Northwest coastal communities. BC Ferries provides service to Vancouver via the Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay ferry terminals.

If departing from YVR, you may use one of the taxi stands located on Level 2 of Domestic and International Arrivals. Airport taxis are licensed and use a zoned fare rate dependent on your destination.

There are numerous options for traveling to UBC campus, such as public transportation, taxis, rideshare and carshare apps, and car rentals.

Rideshare services are provided by Uber and Lyft. The pick-up areas are located near the taxi stand on Level 2.

1. A taxi or rideshare from YVR to UBC takes approximately 20 minutes; the UBC zone rate for taxis is $42.
2. Public transit from YVR to UBC takes approximately 60-70 minutes and costs $9.55 ($4.55 fare plus an additional $5 YVR AddFare for a Canada Line trip.

Public Transit

Take the Canada Line from YVR in the direction of Waterfront station, then transfer to a bus. There are four bus transfer options:

1. Langara-49th Ave Station. From here, take the 49 bus (direction: UBC) from the bus stop on the north-east corner of the Cambie/W 49th Ave intersection.
2. Oakridge-41st Ave Station. From here, take the R4 bus (direction: UBC) from the bus stop on the north-west corner of the Cambie/W 41st Ave intersection.
3. King Edward Station. From here, take the 25 bus (direction: UBC) from the bus stop on the north-east corner of the Cambie/W King Edward intersection.
4. Broadway/City Hall Station. From here, take the 99 bus (direction: UBC) from the bus stop on the north-west corner of the Cambie/W Broadway intersection

All routes are approximately 60-70 minutes travel time between YVR and UBC.

Car Rentals

Please note that there is a $5.75 CFC charge for car rentals administered via the airport terminal.

• Alamo
• Avis Rent A Car
• Budget
• Dollar
• Enterprise
• Hertz
• National
• Thrifty

Car Sharing

There are two car sharing options available in Vancouver. These programmes require registration and verification of a valid driver’s license, but once a member, you can pick up and drop off at a variety of convenient locations on campus and throughout Vancouver.

• Evo CarShare
• Modo

Parking

There are multiple parking options available at UBC: The Rose Garden Parkade; the University Centre Lot; the Armouries Lot; the North Parkade, and the Fraser River Parkade. The nearest parking locations to the Buchanan Complex are the Rose Garden Parkade, the North Parkade, and the University Centre Lot.

Parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis, with regular rates of $4.50/hour or $22/day. Parking is available from 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, or 12:00 AM – 11:59 PM, depending on the parking lot. More information and locations can be found on the UBC Parking Map.

On-Campus Accommodations

There are a number of reserved spaces at the Walter Gage Apartments at UBC for conference attendees available for reservation at a discounted rate. Bookings can be made here, and questions related to this accommodation space can be directed to our Reservations Office by email (reservations@housing.ubc.ca) or by phone at 604-822-1000 x3, or toll free at 1-888-822-1030.

For more information about different accommodation options on-campus, see Stay at UBC, but note the special discounts for delegates.

• West Coast Suites at UBC
• Carey Centre at UBC
• Pacific Spirit Hostel

Off-Campus Accommodations

Vancouver has hotels at a variety of price points. Most hotels are situated downtown, although there are several near YVR Airport. The big names are all represented in the Vancouver selection, as are a variety of local or boutique options.

• Hilton
• Marriot
• Holiday Inn and Suites
• Best Western
• Ramada
• Four Seasons

The conference will take place at the Buchanan Complex, which is conveniently located near Walter Gage Residence, the Rose Garden Parkade, and the UBC bus loop.

Maps of the UBC Campus can be found here. To find a specific building on campus, use UBC Wayfinding, or Google Maps.

Vancouver is an internationally renowned tourist destination. Please explore the following links to plan your perfect trip:

• Destination Vancouver
• Hello BC: Vancouver Travel
• Vancouver Tourism