TransLink's top bus routes and SkyTrain stations for ridership recovery

R4 RapidBus at the stop next to Oakridge-41st Avenue Station (left) and the Millennium Line platforms at Commercial-Broadway Station (right). (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

For the first time in years, with 2022 being the first “normal” year, TransLink has provided a detailed breakdown of its service performance for the previous year.

Based on the provided data from TransLink, compiled by Daily Hive Urbanized, there was a 48% increase in Metro Vancouver’s public transit ridership in 2022 compared to 2021, indicative of a continued upward trajectory from the previous pandemic lows in Spring 2020.

TransLink recorded 324.8 million boardings in 2022, which is down from the all-time record of 451.4 million in pre-pandemic 2019. But annual journeys reached 193.6 million in 2022, representing a 70% recovery of 2019 levels and a 48% increase from 2021.

Ridership levels greatly fluctuated throughout 2022, with ridership recovery reaching 60% of pre-pandemic levels in January, 72% in June upon the start of the summer season, 77% in September when the new school year began, and 82% in December.

This is TransLink’s first detailed service performance update since 2019, providing highly valuable data on how the pandemic has reshaped travel patterns. It should be noted that data for 2020 and 2021 — particularly for bus routes — is not available, as this period was severely impacted by the pandemic-induced ridership slump, the free public transit period between March 2020 and June 2020, and the December 2020 cyber attack.

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SkyTrain station ridership

Ridership on SkyTrain’s combined Expo and Millennium lines reached 83 million in 2022 (down from 115 million in 2019), with averages of 252,000 boardings per weekday (down from 359,000 in 2019), 201,000 per Saturday (down from 252,000 in 2019), and 151,000 per Sunday/holiday (down from 192,600 in 2019).

SkyTrain Canada Line’s ridership in 2022 was significantly lower than before the pandemic, with 33.6 million boardings recorded throughout 2022 — down from 50.2 million in 2019.

Canada Line averaged 98,800 boardings per weekday (down from 152,000 in 2019), 85,400 boardings per Saturday (down from 117,000 in 2019), and 70,300 boardings per Sunday/holiday (down from 97,000 in 2019). These 2022 figures are similar to what the Canada Line recorded shortly after it opened in 2009.

The overall rankings of the region’s busiest SkyTrain stations have not changed for the most part.

Waterfront Station on SkyTrain Canada Line. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Waterfront Station — served by both the Expo and Canada lines — continued to be the entire SkyTrain network’s busiest station with 7.89 million boardings in 2022, but this was a considerable decrease from 13.27 million in 2019, likely due to the continued impacts of semi-remote office work and restrained tourism activity. However, out of all 53 SkyTrain stations on the entire network, Waterfront Station had the second worse ridership recovery: 63% of pre-pandemic levels — only ahead of dead-last Olympic Village Station at 62%.

Main Street-Science World Station disappeared from being within the top 10 ranking of the busiest SkyTrain stations, replaced by Surrey Central Station, which ranked eighth.

Burnaby’s Brentwood Town Centre Station experienced the highest ridership recovery in 2022 for any SkyTrain station, achieving 91% of its pre-pandemic ridership. This station also saw a big boost from the pandemic-time opening of The Amazing Brentwood Mall’s first redevelopment phase.

SkyTrain stations in Surrey were the next highest for recovery, with Brentwood Town Centre Station followed by Surrey Central Station at 89%, Scott Road Station at 89%, and Gateway Station at 88%, while SkyTrain stations in downtown Vancouver were amongst the lowest for percentage recovery.

Broadway-City Hall Station, which will become a major regional interchange hub between the Canada Line and Millennium Line in early 2026 (opening of the Broadway Extension), had the third worst SkyTrain station ridership recovery, with a Fall 2022 rate of 64% of Fall 2019 levels. This is likely due to the impacts of semi-remote office work given that Central Broadway has a large concentration of office space — including the many City of Vancouver office workers who now mainly choose to work from home — and the potential of people being deterred from the area due to subway construction accessibility impacts.

In real numbers, Broadway-City Hall Station recorded a total of 1.95 million boardings in 2022 (down from 2.84 million in 2019), pushing it down the rankings to the 24th busiest SkyTrain station, with averages of 5,840 per weekday (down from 8,460 in 2019), 4,900 per Saturday (down from 7,060 in 2019), and 3,780 per Sunday/holiday (down from 5,650 in 2019).

SkyTrain Stadium-Chinatown Station. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Oakridge-41st Avenue Station also saw one million fewer boardings in 2022 than in 2019, with the temporary full closure of Oakridge Centre shopping mall likely a significant factor in the discrepancy. The brand-new world-class mall development is expected to reach completion and open in late 2024.

Oakridge-41st Avenue Station recorded a total of 1.94 million boardings in 2022, with averages of 5,840 per weekday (down from 8,500 in 2019), 4,900 per Saturday (down from 7,100 in 2019), and 3,800 per Sunday/holiday (down from 5,700 in 2019).

YVR Airport Station, the SkyTrain station that directly serves the terminal building of Vancouver International Airport, saw 2.23 million boardings in 2022 (down from 3.14 million in 2019), earning it a 22nd busiest station ranking. It averaged 6,200 boardings on weekdays (down from 8,800 in 2019), 5,800 on Saturdays (down from 7,700 in 2019), and 6,100 on Sundays/holidays (down from 8,500 in 2019). Overall air passenger traffic at the airport in 2022 was down compared to 2019, with aviation seeing a relatively strong recovery towards the middle of the year.

Top 10 SkyTrain stations for annual ridership in 2022:
1. Waterfront Station (Expo, Canada): 7.89 million
2. Metrotown Station (Expo): 6.65 million
3. Commercial-Broadway Station (Expo, Millennium): 5.37 million
4. Burrard Station (Expo): 4.86 million
5. Granville Station (Expo): 4.81 million
6. Joyce-Collingwood Station (Expo): 4.24 million
7. Vancouver City Centre Station (Canada): 4.03 million
8. Surrey Central Station (Expo): 3.89 million
9. New Westminster Station (Expo): 3.79 million
10. Stadium-Chinatown Station (Expo): 3.67 million
Top 10 SkyTrain stations for best weekday ridership recovery in Fall 2022:
1. Brentwood Town Centre Station (Millennium): 91% of Fall 2019
2. Surrey Central Station (Expo): 89% of Fall 2019
3. Scott Road Station (Expo): 89% of Fall 2019
4. Gateway Station (Expo): 88% of Fall 2019
5. Coquitlam Central Station (Millennium): 88% of Fall 2019
6. Nanaimo Station (Expo): 87% of Fall 2019
7. Joyce-Collingwood Station (Expo): 87% of Fall 2019
8. 22nd Street Station (Expo): 87% of Fall 2019
9. Burquitlam Station (Millennium): 83% of Fall 2019
10. Sea Island Station (Canada): 83% of Fall 2019
Top 10 SkyTrain stations for the worst weekday ridership recovery in Fall 2022:
1. Olympic Village Station (Canada): 62% of Fall 2019
2. Waterfront Station (Expo, Canada): 63% of Fall 2019
3. Broadway-City Hall Station (Canada): 64% of Fall 2019
4. VCC-Clark Station (Millennium): 65% of Fall 2019
5. Vancouver City Centre Station (Canada): 67% of Fall 2019
6. Lake City Way Station (Millennium): 67% of Fall 2019
7. Burrard Station (Expo): 67% of Fall 2019
8. Renfrew Station (Millennium): 68% of Fall 2019
9. Main Street-Science World Station (Expo): 68% of Fall 2019
10. Stadium-Chinatown Station (Expo): 68% of Fall 2019
Weekday ridership recovery of downtown Vancouver SkyTrain stations in Fall 2022:
1. Granville Station (Expo): 74% of Fall 2019
2. Yaletown-Roundhouse Station (Canada): 70% of Fall 2019
3. Stadium-Chinatown Station (Expo): 68% of Fall 2019
4. Main Street-Science World Station (Expo): 68% of Fall 2019
5. Burrard Station (Expo): 67% of Fall 2019
6. Vancouver City Centre Station (Canada): 67% of Fall 2019
7. Waterfront Station (Expo, Canada): 63% of Fall 2019

SkyTrain passenger volume flows in a direction

In addition to providing SkyTrain station ridership figures, TransLink also has a breakdown of the number of passengers flowing through each segment of a SkyTrain line, based on the ability to collect valuable data from passengers tapping in and out of fare gates. The following figures should not be confused for station ridership, as it accounts for both ridership between stations and passengers who remain on the train for destinations beyond.

For example, the data shows the Canada Line recorded an average of 50,500 passengers per weekday travelling under False Creek, including 25,800 inbound (entering downtown) and 24,700 outbound (leaving downtown). In pre-pandemic 2019, this same segment under False Creek saw an average of 83,600 passengers per weekday, including 42,300 inbound and 41,300 outbound.

In pre-pandemic 2019, the busiest segment of the Canada Line was northbound from King Edward Station to Broadway-City Hall Station, with an average hourly passenger volume of 6,500 at 8 am on weekdays. In 2022, this segment at this specific weekday hour and direction is still the busiest segment of the Canada Line, but its average hourly volume has fallen to 3,500 passengers.

Pre-pandemic 2019 Canada Line passenger flow patterns, weekdays:

skytrain canada line ridership statistics 2019

2019 SkyTrain Canada Line passenger flow statistics, weekdays. Click on the image for an expanded version. (TransLink)

2022 Canada Line passenger flow patterns, weekdays:

skytrain canada line ridership statistics 2022

2022 SkyTrain Canada Line passenger flow statistics, weekdays. Click on the image for an expanded version. (TransLink)

As for how the slump in global aviation has impacted Canada Line ridership towards Vancouver International Airport, average weekday ridership volumes in 2022 between Bridgeport Station and YVR hovered at 11,900 passengers, including 5,900 inbound (towards Waterfront) and 6,000 outbound (towards YVR). This is down from 2019’s average of 17,400, including 8,500 inbound and 8,900 outbound.

Ridership on the Richmond segment of the Canada Line is roughly twice that of the Sea Island segment towards YVR, before and after the pandemic.

In 2019, the Canada Line’s passenger flows between Bridgeport Station and Richmond reached an average of 37,700 per weekday, including 19,000 inbound (towards Waterfront) and 18,700 outbound (towards Richmond City Centre). These volumes on this segment dropped to 24,700 in 2022, including 12,400 inbound and 12,300 outbound. Some of the Canada Line’s ridership on the Richmond segment was also impacted by construction disruptions for the new additional Capstan Station, which will open later this year mid-way between Bridgeport and Aberdeen stations.

The busiest segment on the entire SkyTrain network continues to be the Expo Line west of Commercial-Broadway Station towards downtown, with a weekday average of 96,000 passengers, including 48,300 inbound (entering downtown) and 47,700 outbound (leaving downtown). But these 2022 figures are down from 2019, when this same Expo Line segment between Commercial-Broadway and Main Street-Science World stations saw a weekday average of 151,400 passengers, including 76,000 inbound and 75,400 outbound.

Pre-pandemic 2019 Expo Line and Millennium Line passenger flow patterns, weekdays:

skytrain expo millennium line ridership statistics 2019

2019 SkyTrain Expo Line and Millennium Line passenger flow statistics, weekdays. Click on the image for an expanded version. (TransLink)

2022 Expo Line and Millennium Line passenger flow patterns, weekdays:

skytrain expo millennium line ridership statistics 2022

2022 SkyTrain Expo Line and Millennium Line passenger flow statistics, weekdays. Click on the image for an expanded version. (TransLink)

In 2022, the busiest time, segment, and direction was 7:45 am on weekdays, when there was an average hourly passenger volume of 8,100 travelling westbound from Commercial-Broadway Station towards downtown. This is down considerably from 2019’s top figure of 14,900 starting at 8 am, which is also near the Expo Line’s maximum capacity per hour per direction based on the current train fleet size.

On the Millennium Line, its busiest section remains the segment between Commercial-Broadway Station and Renfrew Station, with the segment averaging 29,300 passengers per weekday in 2022 — down from 46,500 in 2019. Inbound volumes (towards Commercial-Broadway) were 23,700 in 2019 and 15,100 in 2022, while outbound volumes (going east from Commercial-Broadway) were 22,800 in 2019 and 14,300 in 2022.

This busiest segment of the Millennium Line sees its highest ridership levels at 7:45 am weekdays in the inbound direction, with hourly averages of 2,100 passengers in 2022 and 3,800 in 2019.

West Coast Express and SeaBus ridership

As for the region’s commuter rail line, the West Coast Express recorded a total of 885,000 boardings in 2022 — a very significant drop from 2.6 million boardings in 2019. It saw a weekday boarding average of just 3,500 passengers, well below its 2019 average of 10,400.

Ridership recovery amongst West Coast Express’ eight stations in Fall 2022 ranged from a high of 53% of Fall 2019 volumes at Mission City Station to a low of 35% at Coquitlam Central Station, with Waterfront Station taking the middle ranking with its 40% recovery. In real numbers, the commuter rail’s ridership at Waterfront Station averaged just 1,640 per weekday in 2022 — down from 4,880 in 2019.

west coast express commuter rail coquitlam central station

West Coast Express commuter rail at Coquitlam Central Station. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Waiting area inside the SeaBus terminal at Lonsdale. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

A total of 4.68 million boardings were recorded on the SeaBus ferry in 2022, which is a drop from 6.66 million in 2019. Last year, SeaBus saw average boardings of 12,870 per weekday (down from 19,870 in 2019), 14,970 per Saturday (down from 16,870 in 2019), and 11,090 per Sunday/holiday (down from 13,050 in 2019).

Like the SkyTrain stations in downtown Vancouver and Central Broadway, the pace of ridership recovery on West Coast Express and SeaBus is also significantly impacted by semi-remote office work.

West Coast Express commuter rail station ridership recovery in Fall 2022:
1. Mission City Station: 53% of Fall 2019
2. Port Haney Station: 45% of Fall 2019
3. Pitt Meadows Station: 42% of Fall 2019
4. Moody Centre Station: 41% of Fall 2019
5. Waterfront Station: 40% of Fall 2019
6. Port Coquitlam Station: 39% of Fall 2019
7. Maple Meadows Station: 37% of Fall 2019
8. Coquitlam Central Station: 35% of Fall 2019

Bus network ridership

As for TransLink’s bus network, the 99 B-Line continues to be the busiest bus route out of over 200 bus routes across Metro Vancouver, even though its ridership in 2022 was substantially lower than before the pandemic.

The 99 B-Line saw a total of 9.72 million boardings in 2022 — down from 17.79 million in 2019. Its averages last year were 30,800 boardings per weekday (down from 57,200 in 2019), 20,700 per Saturday (down from 36,500 in 2019), and 14,800 per Sunday/holiday (down from 25,900 in 2019).

Ridership demand on the 99 B-Line is severely impacted by semi-remote office work, given that much of its ridership comes from the Central Broadway office district. TransLink also previously indicated that a chunk of its ridership has shifted to the R4 Joyce-Collingwood Station/UBC RapidBus service along 41st Avenue, which launched in 2020. It is also possible there are ridership impacts from the disruptive subway construction along Broadway. When the Millennium Line’s Broadway Extension opens in early 2026, the 99 B-Line’s route will be shortened from UBC to the new Arbutus Station.

commercial broadway station 99 b-line translink f

99 B-Line at SkyTrain Commercial-Broadway Station. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

translink r4 rapidbus oakridge cambie 41st avenue vancouver bus f

TransLink’s R4 41st Avenue RapidBus in Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The R4 RapidBus is now TransLink’s second busiest bus route, with 7.77 million boardings in 2022 — averaging at 24,300 per weekday, 16,800 per Saturday, and 12,800 per Sunday/holiday. This RapidBus route has also boosted ridership at Joyce-Collingwood Station. The R4’s ridership is partially transplanted from the No. 41 local bus running on the same corridor — previously one of TransLink’s top 10 busiest bus routes until the launch of the R4 — and the now-discontinued No. 43 Joyce-Collingwood Station/UBC express.

Ridership on the R5 Burrard Station/SFU Burnaby RapidBus running along Hastings Street is substantially below pre-pandemic volumes. The R5 saw 4.36 million boardings in 2022 — down from 7.46 million in 2019 when it was known as the 95 B-Line. Its average ridership in 2022 was 13,600 per weekday (down from 24,100 in 2019), 9,500 per Saturday (down from 14,300 in 2019), and 7,500 per Sunday/holiday (down from 11,200 in 2019). But the R5/95 B-Line, which funnels office workers to downtown Vancouver and students to the SFU Burnaby campus, is still amongst the region’s 10 busiest bus routes.

When it comes to overall bus ridership recovery by comparing TransLink’s available Fall 2022 data with Fall 2019 data, 24 bus routes or nearly one-in-five bus routes in Metro Vancouver have reached a recovery of 100% of pre-pandemic volumes or higher. The bus route with the highest ridership recovery is the 394 White Rock/King George Station Express, which reached a recovery of 196%.

None of the bus routes with the highest ridership recovery rates serve Vancouver, with the top 10 best routes for recovery largely located in the South of Fraser. TransLink notes ridership recovery in Surrey, White Rock, and Langley has outpaced the rest of the region.

Top 10 bus routes for annual ridership in 2022:
1. 99 B-Line: 9.72 million
2. R4 UBC/Joyce-Collingwood Station RapidBus: 7.77 million
3. 49 Metrotown Station/UBC: 7.34 million
4. 319 Scott Road Station/Newton Exchange: 6.05 million
5. 25 Brentwood Station/UBC: 5.67 million
6. 16 29th Avenue Station/UBC: 4.63 million
7. R5 Burrard Station/SFU RapidBus: 4.36 million
8. 20 Victoria/Downtown: 4.18 million
9. R1 Surrey Central Station/Newton Exchange: 4.13 million
10. 5/6 Robson/Downtown: 4.1 million
Top 10 bus routes for best weekday ridership recovery in Fall 2022:
1. 394 White Rock/King George Station Express: 196% of Fall 2019
2. 418 Kingswood/22nd Street Station: 195% of Fall 2019
3. 310 Scottsdale/Ladner: 164% of Fall 2019
4. 175 Coquitlam Central Station/Meridian: 140% of Fall 2019
5. 531 White Rock/Willowbrook: 133% of Fall 2019
6. 323 Newton Exchange/Surrey Central Station: 124% of Fall 2019
7. 640 Ladner Exchange/Scott Road Station: 122% of Fall 2019
8. 301 Richmond-Brighouse Station/Newton Exchange: 119% of Fall 2019
9. 364 Langley Centre/Scottsdale: 119% of Fall 2019
10. 342 Langley Centre/Newton Exchange: 115% of Fall 2019
Top 10 bus routes for worst weekday ridership recovery in Fall 2022:
1. 606 Ladner Ring: 49% of Fall 2019
2. 146 Metrotown Station/Suncrest: 49% of Fall 2019
3. 608 Ladner Ring: 50% of Fall 2019
4. 354 White Rock South/Bridgeport Station: 51% of Fall 2019
5. 170 Port Coquitlam Station/Port Coquitlam South: 51% of Fall 2019
6. 604 Bridgeport Station/English Bluff: 51% of Fall 2019
7. 251 Queens/Park Royal Village: 52% of Fall 2019
8. 8 Fraser/Downtown: 52% of Fall 2019
9. 252 Inglewood/Park Royal: 53% of Fall 2019
10. 9 Commercial-Broadway Station/Boundary: 54% of Fall 2019
RapidBus ridership in 2022
1. 99 B-Line UBC/Commercial-Broadway Station (TransLink’s busiest bus route): 9.72 million annual boardings; average of 30,800 boardings per weekday
2. R4 UBC/Joyce-Collingwood Station (2nd busiest bus route): 7.77 million annual boardings; average of 24,300 boardings per weekday
3. R5 Burrard Station/SFU (7th busiest bus route): 4.36 million annual boardings; average of 13,600 boardings per weekday
4. R1 Surrey Central Station/Newton Exchange (9th busiest bus route): 4.13 million annual boardings; average of 12,250 boardings per weekday
5. R2 Park Royal/Phibbs Exchange (38th busiest bus route): 1.68 million annual boardings; average of 4,900 boardings per weekday
6. R3 Coquitlam Central Station/Haney Place (72nd busiest bus route): 811,000 annual boardings; average of 2,440 boardings per weekday

According to TransLink, when ridership recovered to 80% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels in late 2020, it was the first major public transit authority in Canada and the United States to reach that milestone, and it continues to be the leader.

Ridership continues to shift upwards from 2022 levels, with TransLink reporting that March 2023’s volumes reached 84% of pre-pandemic 2019 ridership.

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