Vancouver hop on hop off

My visiting family from Norway did it last September and didn’t like it. Unfortunately it appears an older bus is used and the route includes the not so great area east of downtown that visitors best avoid. Downtown itself is quite walkable. Other options could include the Sea Bus from downtown over to North Vancouver for a patio meal and view; the various routes of the False Creek ferries (includes Granville Island); and the bus to the Capilano Suspension Bridge (pick up at Canada Place).

We were in Vancouver the first week of June traveling with another couple. In preparations this spring the other couple mentioned the possibility of using the HOHO. My wife checked into that and felt it would be much more expensive than taking the bus. We waited until we arrived in the city and on the suggestion of our hotel, purchased passes that allowed us to ride for $5.00 per day.

When my wife checked in the Spring the HOHO pass was around $48 per person for 24 hours and a 48 hour pass was $59 PP. Though Metro Vancouver showed an all zone, all day pass for $11.25 we paid $5 and rode all day by keeping the ticket and just showing it to the driver when boarding. The $5 passes were purchased at Compass Vending Machines (CVM) and were only good for the day they were purchased.
I would suggest getting information about the buses, times, and routes before going to Vancouver as it was difficult to find that information once in the city at bus stops and ticket machines

www.translink.ca explains fares including day passes and tap options. Tap may work for you if not taking very many trips in a day. It works on buses and the Seabus mentioned above. False Creek Ferries and the bus to Capilano are ticketed separately (there is a Translink bus to Capilano in addition to the private system). Transit route maps are also on the website.

I wouldn’t bother with the HOHO bus, public transit is great, cheaper and more frequent. An adult day pass is $11.50 and covers all buses, Skytrain and Seabus. If you purchase individual tickets on a bus you will get a paper transfer that is not useable at Skytrain as the bus tickets cannot be scanned to get you through the fare gates, so it’s best to purchase a day pass at a machine. Take a look at this Translink page about visiting Vancouver. It tells you how to get to many places, and how to purchase fares. https://www.translink.ca/rider-guide/visiting-vancouver

Distances here are large, so I also recommend the city busses, sometimes with a transfer to a second bus. You can just Tap a credit card. Transportation times can add up, especially for a budget that never permits a taxi. Short boat rides can be fun.

We tried to use the HOHO bus about 6 years ago or so and it was a disaster. It was March, so not even high season, and there were not enough buses and too many people wanting on. We took it for two stops and then just gave up. We drove up from our home near Seattle, so had our vehicle and used that for a few things, but otherwise we just walked everywhere.

I agree that it was one of the worst we have ever used. Scorching hot with no ac, crowded. Ugh, terrible memory with my 80+ year old mother. We did get to see a streaker being chased by police through one of the parks tho. Can't forget that....

We recently stayed in North Vancouver and loved it. If you are staying in downtown Vancouver, I highly recommend taking the SeaBus to North Vancouver (takes about 15 minutes and runs continuously); there are some amazing restaurants in North Vancouver, and you get a beautiful view back to downtown.