By Public Transportation

The Translink (otherwise known as B.C. Transit; tel. 604/521-0400; www.translink.bc.ca) system includes electric buses, SeaBus catamaran ferries, and the magnetic-rail SkyTrain. It's an ecologically friendly, highly reliable, and inexpensive system that allows you to get everywhere, including the beaches and ski slopes. Regular service runs from 5am to 2am.

Schedules and routes are available online, at the Travel Info Centres, at many major hotels, and on buses. Pick up a copy of Discover Vancouver on Transit at one of the Travel Info Centres. This publication gives transit routes for many city neighborhoods, landmarks, and attractions, including numerous Victoria sites.

Fares -- Fares are the same for the buses, SeaBus, and SkyTrain. One-way, all-zone fares are C$2 (US$1.50) after 6:30pm on weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays. At other times, a one-zone fare costs C$2 (US$1.50) and covers the entire city of Vancouver. A two-zone fare -- C$3 (US$2.25) -- is required to travel to nearby suburbs such as Richmond or North Vancouver, while a three-zone fare -- C$4 (US$3) -- is required for travel to the far-off edge city of Surrey. Free transfers are available on boarding and are good for travel in any direction and for the SkyTrain and SeaBus, but they do have a 90-minute expiration. DayPasses, which are good on all public transit, are C$8 (US$6) for adults and C$6 (US$4.50) for seniors, students, and children. They can be used for unlimited travel on weekdays or weekends and holidays. Tickets and passes are available at Travel Info Centres, both SeaBus terminals, convenience stores, drugstores, credit unions, and outlets displaying the FAREDEALER sign and can be bought in advance; most of these outlets also sell a transit map showing all routes for C$1.95 (US$1.45).

By SkyTrain -- The SkyTrain is a computerized, magnetic-rail train that services 20 stations along its 35-minute trip from downtown Vancouver east to Surrey through Burnaby and New Westminster. An extension, the Millennium line, opened in the fall of 2002. Not really of interest to most visitors, but those venturing off past Vancouver's Commercial Drive will find new stations at Broadway, Renfrew, and Rupert as well as new stations in New Westminster, towards Coquitlam.

By Seabus -- The SS Beaver and SS Otter catamaran ferries annually take more than 700,000 passengers, cyclists, and wheelchair riders on a scenic 12-minute commute between downtown's Waterfront Station and North Vancouver's Lonsdale Quay. On weekdays, a SeaBus leaves each stop every 15 minutes from 6:15am to 6:30pm, then every 30 minutes until 1am. SeaBuses depart on Saturdays every half-hour from 6:30am to 12:30pm, then every 15 minutes until 7:15pm, then every half hour until 1am. On Sundays and holidays, runs depart every half-hour from 8:30am to 11pm. Note that the crossing is a two-zone fare on weekdays until 6:30pm.

By Bus -- Some key routes to keep in mind if you're touring the city by bus: no. 5 (Robson St.), no. 2 (Kitsilano Beach to downtown), no. 50 (Granville Island), no. 35 or 135 (to the Stanley Park bus loop), no. 240 (North Vancouver), no. 250 (West Vancouver-Horseshoe Bay), and buses no. 4 and 10 (UBC to Exhibition Park via Granville St. downtown). From June until the end of September, the Vancouver Parks Board operates a bus route through Stanley Park stopping at 14 points of interest. Call tel. 604/257-8400 for details on the free service or contact tel. 604/953-3333 for general public transportation information.

By Taxi

Cab fares start at C$2.30 (US$1.70) and increase at a rate of C$1.25 (US95¢) per kilometer, plus C30¢ (US25¢) per minute at stoplights or in stalled traffic: It's a little less than in most other major cities, but it still adds up. In the downtown area, you can expect to travel for less than C$10 (US$7.50) plus tip. The typical fare for the 13km (8-mile) drive from downtown to the airport is C$25 (US$19).

Taxis are easy to find in front of major hotels, but flagging one down can be tricky. Most drivers are usually on radio calls. But thanks to built-in satellite positioning systems, if you call for a taxi, it usually arrives faster than if you go out and hail one. Call for a pickup from Black Top (tel. 604/731-1111), Yellow Cab (tel. 604/681-1111), or MacLure's (tel. 604/731-9211). LimoJet (tel. 604/273-1331) offers flat-rate stretch limousine service to Vancouver Airport.

By Car

Vancouver has nowhere near the almost-permanent gridlock of northwest cities such as Seattle, but the roads aren't exactly empty either. Fortunately, if you're just sightseeing around town or heading up to Whistler (a car is unnecessary in Whistler), public transit and cabs should see you through. However, if you're planning to visit the North Shore mountains or pursue other out-of-town activities, then by all means rent a car or bring your own. Gas is sold by the liter, averaging around C65¢ (US50¢) per liter. This may seem inexpensive until you consider that a gallon of gas costs about C$2.70 (US$2). Also, speeds and distances are posted in kilometers. The speed limit in the city is 50kmph (31 mph); highway speed limits vary from 90kmph to 110kmph (56-68 mph).

Rentals -- Rates vary widely depending on demand and style of car. If you're over 25 and have a major credit card, you can rent a vehicle from Avis, 757 Hornby St. (tel. 800/879-2847 or 604/606-2868); Budget, 501 W. Georgia St. (tel. 800/472-3325 or 604/668-7000); Enterprise, 585 Smithe St. (tel. 800/736-8222 or 604/688-5500); Hertz Canada, 1128 Seymour St. (tel. 800/263-0600 or 604/606-4711); National/Tilden, 1130 W. Georgia St. (tel. 800/387-4747 or 604/685-6111); or Thrifty, 1015 Burrard St. or 1400 Robson St. (tel. 800/847-4389 or 604/606-1666). These firms all have counters and shuttle service at the airport as well. To rent a recreational vehicle, contact Go West Campers, 1577 Lloyd Ave., North Vancouver (tel. 800/661-8813 or 604/987-5288; www.go-west.com).

Parking -- All major downtown hotels have guest parking; either in-house or at nearby lots, rates vary from free to C$25 (US$19) per day. There's public parking at Robson Square (enter at Smithe and Howe sts.), the Pacific Centre (Howe and Dunsmuir sts.), and The Bay department store (Richards near Dunsmuir St.). You'll also find larger parking lots at the intersections of Thurlow and Georgia, Thurlow and Alberni, and Robson and Seymour streets.

Metered street parking isn't impossible to come by, but it may take a trip or three around the block to find a spot. Rules are posted on the street and are strictly enforced. (Drivers are given about a 2-min. grace period before their cars are towed away when the 3pm no-parking rule goes into effect on many major thoroughfares.) Unmetered parking on side streets is often subject to neighborhood residency requirements: Check the signs. If you park in such an area without the appropriate sticker on your windshield, you'll get ticketed, then towed. If your car is towed away or you need a towing service and aren't a CAA or an AAA member, call Unitow (tel. 604/251-1255) or Busters (tel. 604/685-8181).

Special Driving Rules -- Canadian driving rules are similar to those in the United States. Stopping for pedestrians is required even outside crosswalks. Seat belts are required. Children under 5 must be in child restraints. Motorcyclists must wear helmets. It's legal to turn right at a red light after coming to a full stop unless posted otherwise. Unlike in the United States, however, daytime headlights are mandatory. Though photo radar is no longer used in B.C. (the new government got elected partially on its pledge to eliminate the hated system), photo-monitored intersections are alive and well. If you run through a red light, you may get an expensive picture of your vacation from the police. Fines start at C$100 (US$75).

Auto Club -- Members of the American Automobile Association (AAA) can get assistance from the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), 999 W. Broadway, Vancouver (tel. 604/268-5600, or for road service 604/293-2222).

By Bike

There are plenty of places to rent a bike along Robson and Denman streets near Stanley Park. Paved paths crisscross through parks and along beaches, and new routes are constantly being added. Helmets are mandatory and riding on sidewalks is illegal except on designated bike paths.

You can take your bike on the SeaBus anytime at no extra charge. Bikes are not allowed in the George Massey Tunnel, but a tunnel shuttle operates four times daily from mid-May to September to transport you across the Fraser River. From May 1 to Victoria Day (the third weekend of May), the service operates on weekends only. All of the West Vancouver blue buses (including the bus to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal) can carry two bikes, first-come, first-served, and free of charge. In Vancouver, only a limited number of suburban routes allow bikes on the bus: bus no. 351 to White Rock, bus no. 601 to South Delta, bus no. 404 to the airport, and the 99 Express to UBC.

By Ferry

Crossing False Creek to Vanier Park or Granville Island on one of the blue miniferries is cheap and fun. The Aquabus (tel. 604/689-5858) docks at the foot of Howe Street. It takes you either to Granville Island's public market or east along False Creek to Science World and Stamps Landing. The Granville Island Ferry (tel. 604/684-7781) docks at Sunset Beach below the Burrard Street Bridge and the Aquatic Centre. It goes to Granville Island and Vanier Park. Both companies' Granville Island ferries leave every 5 minutes from 7am to 10pm. Granville Island Ferry's boats to Vanier Park leave every 15 minutes from 10am to 8pm, as do the Aquabus ferries to Stamps Landing and Science World. One-way fares for both companies on all routes vary from C$2 to C$5 (US$1.50-US$3.75) for adults and C$1 to C$3 (US75¢-US$2.25) for seniors and children.