OLYMPICS: Getting to the Vancouver Olympics

Tim Newcomb
Tribune assistant editor

Speed skaters prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics at the new Richmond Olympic Oval outside of Vancouver, B.C. The Olympics kick off on Feb. 12 and run 16
days. Turn to page A3 for more information. — Lynden Tribune | COURTESY OF VANCOUVER 2010

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Crossing the border and driving to Vancouver, B.C., for the Feb. 12-28 Winter Olympics may not be a major feat, but landing a parking place might be, competing with an extra 400,000 visitors, or so.
  Vancouver officials are all but begging spectators to use public transportation when trying to attend Olympic events. And you may have no other option, since no parking is available at any of the venues.

Crossing the border
  Thomas Schreiber, local spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said that border crossing officials aren’t expecting too-heavy-to-handle traffic crossing north.
  Since February is traditionally the least busy month at the border crossings, officials are anticipating border traffic at summer levels instead.
  Also, keep in mind that passports or enhanced driver's licenses are required identification for returning to the United States.
  Interstate 5 turns into Highway 99 once you cross north in a seamless transition, but you’d better have a plan after that. With a variety of downtown Vancouver streets closed off to traffic and others turned into Olympics-only lanes, just driving around the city for fun will be tricky, at best.

Once there
  Once in Vancouver, the best bet is to park at a SkyTrain park-and-ride lot and take the light rail system into the city, either getting off at your venue location or hooking into the Olympic bus network.
  The closest park-and-ride location for Washingtonians is in south Surrey. But choose any that you feel comfortable with by going to Translink.ca/en/Driving/Park-and-Ride.aspx.
  Extra Olympics lots have been added and those can be seen at Translink.ca/en/Driving/Park-and-Ride/2010-Park-and-Ride.aspx.
  The public transit fee is waived in Vancouver for those holding an Olympics venue ticket.
  The two definitive Web sites for drivers are http://travelsmart2010.ca and http://www.translink.ca.

Mountain venues
  Not all the Olympics events are happening within Vancouver. Cypress Mountain outside the city and Whistler 75 miles north will both provide alternative venues, but also challenging transportation hurdles.
  Mountain venues can be reached on the Olympic bus network from metro Vancouver. However, a transportation ticket purchased in advance is required on the Olympic bus network heading to a mountain venue.
  Drivers will not be allowed past checkpoints on the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler without a valid parking pass. Those passes can be obtained from your lodging destination and must be received prior to your travel.
  And there is no parking at all on Cypress Mountain. You will need to access the Olympic bus network, on which you can reserve a seat only with a venue ticket. Those buses leave at various Vancouver hubs. To reserve a seat, go to Departurehubs.clickandpark.com.
  Once in Whistler, foot traffic is a prime option. Also, B.C. Transit will offer bus service in and around the area.

The train
  Getting to Vancouver via Amtrak is a possibility, since the Cascades train heads north from Bellingham to Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station twice each day.
  The second train leaves Vancouver for Bellingham at 7:45 p.m. during the games, two hours later than normal.
  However, that timetable could hamper your stay. Visit www.amtrak.com for details on that option. Tickets are selling out quickly for trains running during the Olympics.

The bus
  Greyhound and QuickCoach do also go from Bellingham to Vancouver, B.C. Check out tickets at Greyhound.com or Quickcoach.com.

Just for fun?
  Translink has SkyTrain light rail, including the new Canada Line from the Vancouver International Airport in Richmond into downtown, and a fleet of buses for riding whether you are attending a venue event or not.
  Costs are $10 Canadian and less for rider tickets, depending on your extent of travel.
  Also, an Olympics streetcar will go between the Olympic Village area and Granville Island as part of a pilot project to enhance Olympics sightseeing.
  E-mail Tim Newcomb at tim@lyndentribune.com.