TransLink brings back free public transit for this New Year's Eve

Waterfront Station during Concord's New Year's Eve Vancouver fireworks. (Concords NYE VAN)

After a hiatus from a long-standing tradition in 2020, free public transit across Metro Vancouver on New Year’s Eve will return this year.

All TransLink services will offer free rides from 5 pm on Friday, December 31, 2021 to 5 am on Saturday, January 1, 2022.

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Passengers are advised to not tap on fare gates or any Compass Card readers during this period. Passengers who begin trips before 5 pm are still required to tap out to ensure they are charged the correct fare.

This includes buses, which will run on a regular weekday schedule, with some routes operating additional evening and late-night service after their normal schedules. Additionally, NightBus will continue to operate around-the-clock on several routes.

All three SkyTrain lines will operate on regular weekday service, and SeaBus will run regular weekday service, with the last sailing from Lonsdale at 1 am and from Waterfront at 1:22 am. SeaBus’ 15-minute frequencies will be extended until 1 am.

The West Coast Express will be operating on a modified weekday schedule, with westbound trains leaving Mission at 5:25 am, 6:25 am, 6:55 am, and 7:25 am, and eastbound trains leaving Waterfront at 1:30 pm, 3:50 pm, 4:50 pm, and 6:20 pm.

“Offering a free and safe method of transportation on New Year’s Eve has been a long-standing tradition at TransLink,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn in a statement. “While restrictions prevented us from offering this last year, we are excited to bring this tradition back and encourage all those celebrating 2022 to choose transit for a safe ride home.”

The region’s largest event on the night, Concord’s New Year’s Eve Vancouver’s fireworks, is cancelled again this year due to the pandemic. But there are a number of other private indoor events still going ahead.

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