With the announcement of SQL Saturday #950 – Victoria, here is a quick summary of travel options for getting here from Vancouver or Seattle.
For those who have not been here before, don’t get Victoria and Vancouver confused.
Victoria is on Vancouver Island.
Vancouver is not on Vancouver Island.
Victoria Island is in the Arctic and as far as I know there are no SQL Saturdays there.
Victoria International Airport (YYJ)
Located 20 minutes from Downtown Victoria
Offers flights to Vancouver (YVR) and SeaTac (SEA) among others.
Car Ferry from lower mainland BC
http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/tssw-current.php
Victoria Terminal (Swartz Bay) is located 35 minutes from Downtown Victoria.
The Tsawwassen Terminal is south of Vancouver, close to the US border.
Car Ferry from Washington State (Port Angeles)
Black Ball Ferry Line – M.V. Coho
https://www.cohoferry.com/
Passenger Ferry from Seattle
https://www.clippervacations.com/seattle-victoria-ferry/
Just 1 sailing Daily!
Drops you off just a little North West of Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle, or downtown Victoria in the inner harbour.
Sea Plane
https://www.kenmoreair.com/
Downtown Victoria to Seattle/Lake Union and optionally onto Kenmore/Lake Washington
Warning: As this is a sea plane, it will not operate in extreme weather – they will assist with alternate modes of transportation as they operate out of YYJ and also partner with the Clipper Passenger ferry, but it will take a lot longer. You must be traveling light to take a Sea Plane… just a carry on.
The car rental companies that serve YYJ
http://www.victoriaairport.com/car-rentals
Taxi service and bus shuttle
There is no ride sharing yet in BC. I repeat: no Uber, no Lyft.
http://www.victoriaairport.com/taxi-and-shuttle
Yellow Cab estimates a trip from YYJ to downtown is CAD $54.
Shuttle rates from CAD $15 to CAD $25 per person.
Local Public Transit
BC Transit trip planner:
https://bctransit.com/victoria/home
Fare is CAD $5