Vancouver International Airport (YVA) (Grant McConachie Way, Richmond, PHONE: 604/207-7077, www.yvr.ca) is on Sea Island, about 23 km (14 mi) south of downtown off Highway 99.

Passengers departing from Vancouver must pay an airport-improvement fee before they can board their plane. The fee is C$5 for flights within British Columbia, C$10 for flights within North America, and C$15 for overseas flights. Cash and credit cards are accepted.

Flying time to Vancouver is 5½ hours from New York, 6½ hours from Montréal, 4 hours from Chicago, and 2½ hours from Los Angeles.

Carriers

Alaska, American, British Airways, Continental, Northwest, Qantas, and United serve the airport. The two major domestic carriers are Air Canada and Canadian Airlines.

Of the U.S. airlines, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, and United fly to Vancouver. Among smaller carriers, Horizon Air (an affiliate of Alaska Airlines) flies to Vancouver and Victoria from many western U.S. cities. From the United Kingdom, Air Canada and British Airways fly to Vancouver. Canadian charter line Air Transat flies to Montréal and Toronto, with connections to Vancouver, usually at lower rates than the other airlines offer.

From the U.S.

Air Canada (PHONE: 888/422-7533, www.aircanada.ca).

American (PHONE: 800/433-7300, www.aa.com).

Continental (PHONE: 800/525-0280, www.continental.com).

Delta (PHONE: 800/241-4141, www.delta.com).

Horizon Air (PHONE: 800/547-9308, www.horizonair.com).

Northwest (PHONE: 800/225-2525, www.nwa.com).

United (PHONE: 800/241-6522, www.ual.com).

From Australia and New Zealand

Air Canada (PHONE: 612/9286-8900 in Sydney; 649/379-3371 in Auckland, www.aircanada.ca).

Air New Zealand (PHONE: 800/663-5494 in Vancouver; 0800/737-767 in Auckland, www.airnz.com).

Qantas (PHONE: 800/227-4500; 612/13-13-13 in Sydney; www.qantas.com.au).

From the U.K.

Air Canada (PHONE: 0870/524-7226, www.aircanada.ca).

Air Transat (PHONE: 877/872-6728; 8457/125-478 in the U.K.; www.airtransat.com).

British Airways (PHONE: 0845/773-3377 or 800/247-9297, www.britishairways.com).

Transfers Between the Airport and Town

By Bus

The Vancouver Airporter Service (PHONE: 604/946-8866 or 800/668-3141) bus leaves the international- and domestic-arrivals levels of the terminal building approximately every half hour, stopping at major downtown hotels. It operates from 8:55 AM until 11:30 PM. The fare is $12 one-way and $18 round-trip.

Quick Shuttle (PHONE: 604/940-4428 or 800/665-2122, www.quickcoach.com) buses run service from downtown Vancouver and Vancouver Airport to Seattle (SeaTac) Airport and downtown Seattle. They leave five times a day in winter and up to eight times a day in summer.

The downtown Vancouver depot (1110 Howe St., Downtown, PHONE: no phone) is at the Holiday Inn, though the shuttle picks up at most downtown Vancouver hotels by prior arrangement.

By Car

The drive from the airport to downtown takes 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the time of day. Airport hotels provide shuttle service to and from the airport. If you're driving, go over the Arthur Laing Bridge and north on Granville Street (also signposted as Highway 99). Signs direct you to Vancouver City Centre.

By Limousine

Limousine service from LimoJet Gold (PHONE: 604/273-1331) costs about $34 one-way.

By Taxi

Taxi stands are in front of the terminal building on domestic- and international-arrivals levels. The taxi fare to downtown is about $25. Area cab companies include Black Top and Yellow.

Black Top (PHONE: 604/681-2181).

Yellow (PHONE: 604/681-1111).

Greyhound Lines (PHONE: 604/482-8747; 800/661-8747 in Canada; 800/231-2222 in the U.S.) is the largest bus company serving Vancouver.

Pacific Central Station (1150 Station St., Downtown, PHONE: no phone) is the depot for Greyhound Lines as well as for Amtrak and VIA Rail train service.

Quick Shuttle (PHONE: 604/940-4428 or 800/665-2122, www.quickcoach.com) buses run service from downtown Vancouver and Vancouver Airport to Seattle (SeaTac) Airport and downtown Seattle. They leave five times a day in winter and up to eight times a day in summer.

Pacific Coach Lines (PHONE: 604/662-8074 or 800/661-1725, www.pacificcoach.com) provides service from Vancouver to Victoria every two hours.

Interstate 5 in Washington State becomes Highway 99 at the U.S.-Canada border in Blaine, Washington, 48 km (30 mi) south of Vancouver. Vancouver is a three-hour drive (226 km/140 mi) from Seattle.

Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway, enters Vancouver from the east, as does Highway 3, the Crowsnest Highway, which crosses southern British Columbia. From Alaska and the Yukon, take the Alaska Highway (from Fairbanks) or the Klondike Highway (from Skagway or Dawson City).

Border-crossing procedures are usually quick and simple. The I-5 border crossing is one of the busiest border crossings between the United States and Canada. Weekend and holiday traffic tends to be heaviest; listen to local radio traffic reports for information about wait times.

The Pacific Central Station (1150 Station St., Downtown, PHONE: no phone), at Main Street and Terminal Avenue, near the Main Street SkyTrain station, is the hub for rail service.

Amtrak (PHONE: 800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com) operates its Cascades train service between Vancouver and Eugene, Oregon.

VIA Rail (PHONE: 800/561-8630 in Canada; 800/561-3949 in the U.S.; www.viarail.ca) provides transcontinental service through Jasper to Toronto three times a week.

Banks and Offices

Most banks in British Columbia are open Monday-Thursday 10-3 and Friday 10-5 or 6. Some banks are open longer hours and also on Saturday morning. All banks are closed on national holidays. Most banks (and some gas stations and convenience stores) have automatic teller machines (ATMs) that are accessible around the clock. Many small islands and rural areas, however, do not have ATMs.

Gas Stations

Most highway and city gas stations in Canada are open daily (although there's rarely a mechanic on duty Sunday), and some are open around the clock. In small towns, gas stations are often closed on Sunday, although they may take turns staying open.

Museums and Sights

Hours at museums vary, but most open at 10 or 11 and close in the evening. Some smaller museums close for lunch. Many museums are closed on Monday; some make up for it by staying open late on Wednesday or Thursday, often waiving admission.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies are usually open daily 9-6.

Shops

Stores in B.C. are usually open Monday-Saturday 9-6. Shops in the major cities and in areas frequented by tourists are usually open Sunday as well. Stores often stay open Thursday and Friday evenings, most shopping malls until 9 PM. Many supermarkets are open 7:30 AM-9 PM, and some food and convenience stores in Vancouver are open 24 hours. B.C.'s government-run liquor stores are closed on Sunday, but most towns also have a private beer and wine store that stays open evenings and on Sunday.

Arriving in Canada

American and British visitors may bring in the following items duty-free: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, and 7 ounces of tobacco; 1 bottle (1.1 liters or 40 imperial ounces) of liquor or wine, or 24 355-ml (12-ounce) bottles or cans of beer for personal consumption. Any alcohol and tobacco products in excess of these amounts is subject to duty, provincial fees, and taxes. You can also bring in gifts up to a total value of C$60.

A deposit is sometimes required for trailers (refunded upon return). Cats and dogs must have a certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian that clearly identifies the animal and certifies that it has been vaccinated against rabies during the preceding 36 months. Seeing Eye and other assistance dogs are allowed into Canada without restriction. Plant material must be declared and inspected. There may be restrictions on some live plants, bulbs, and seeds. With certain restrictions or prohibitions on some fruits and vegetables, visitors may bring food with them for their own use, providing the quantity is consistent with the duration of the visit.

Additional information is available from the Travellers' Division, Operational Policy and Coordination Directorate, Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (Sir Richard Scott Building, 191 Laurier Ave. W, Ottawa, ON K1A 0L5, PHONE: 204/983-3500; 800/461-9999 in Canada; FAX: 613/954-4570; www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/customs/individuals/visitors-e.html). Canada's firearms laws are significantly stricter than those in the United States, and it is strongly advised that, if you do plan to bring a gun into Canada, you contact the Canadian Firearms Centre (PHONE: 800/731-4000, www.cfc.gc.ca) for up-to-date information before leaving home. All handguns and semiautomatic and fully automatic weapons are prohibited and cannot be brought into the country. Sporting rifles and shotguns may be imported provided they are to be used for sporting, hunting, protection from wildlife in remote areas, or competition while in Canada. All firearms must be declared to Canada Customs at the first point of entry. Failure to declare firearms will result in their seizure, and criminal charges may be made. Regulations require visitors to have a confirmed "Firearms Declaration" to bring any guns into Canada; a fee of $C50 applies, good for one year.

Canada, like the United States, uses 110-volt, 60-cycle electric power. Foreign visitors traveling with dual-voltage appliances will not need a converter, but they will need a plug adapter. The standard electrical outlet takes a plug of two flat pins set parallel to each other.

Australia

Australian Consulate (888 Dunsmuir St., Suite 1225, Vancouver V6C 3K4, PHONE: 604/684-1177).

Australian High Commission (50 O'Connor St., Suite 710, Ottawa K1P 6L2, PHONE: 613/236-0841).

New Zealand

New Zealand Consulate (888 Dunsmuir St., Suite 1200, Vancouver V6C 3K4, PHONE: 604/684-7388).

New Zealand High Commission (99 Bank St., Suite 727, Ottawa K1P 6G3, PHONE: 613/238-5991).

United Kingdom

British Consulate General (1111 Melville St., 8th floor, Vancouver V6E 3V6, PHONE: 604/683-4421).

British High Commission (80 Elgin St., Ottawa K1P 5K7, PHONE: 613/237-1530).

United States

U.S. Consulate General (1095 W. Pender St., 21st floor, Vancouver V6E 2M6, PHONE: 604/685-4311).

U.S. Embassy (490 Sussex Dr., Ottawa K1N 1G8, PHONE: 613/238-5335).

Ambulance, fire, police (PHONE: 911).

Hospitals

Medicentre (1055 Dunsmuir St., lower level, Downtown, PHONE: 604/683-8138), a drop-in clinic in Bentall Centre, is open weekdays 8 AM-4:30 PM.

The emergency ward at St. Paul's Hospital (1081 Burrard St., Downtown, PHONE: 604/682-2344) is open 24 hours.

24-Hour Pharmacy

Shopper's Drug Mart (1125 Davie St., West End, PHONE: 604/669-2424).

Airplane Tours

Baxter Aviation conducts tours to the mountains, glaciers, and islands around the city from $119 per person. You can see Vancouver from the air for about $80 for 20 minutes, or take a one-hour flight ($167-$190) over nearby mountains and glaciers with Harbour Air Seaplanes. Both services leave from beside the Pan Pacific Hotel.

Fees and Schedules

Baxter Aviation (PHONE: 604/683-6525 or 800/661-5599, www.baxterair.com).

Harbour Air Seaplanes (PHONE: 604/688-1277 or 800/665-0212, www.harbour-air.com).

Bike Tours

Between May and October, Velo-City Cycle Tours leads daily trips around the Stanley Park seawall, including a "peddle and paddle" option that includes kayaking in English Bay. The rides through the North Shore rain forest finish at a local pub. The pace is easy, and all equipment is supplied.

Fees and Schedules

Velo-City Cycle Tours (PHONE: 604/924-0288, www.velo-city.com).

Boat Tours

Aquabus Ferries operates tours of False Creek on small covered boats and vintage wooden ferries. Twenty-five-minute tours cost $6 and run year-round; 45-minute minicruises are offered May through October and cost $8. The tours leave every 30 minutes from the Aquabus dock on Granville Island. The company also runs full-day catered tours into Howe Sound on a historic fishing boat.

False Creek Ferries has a 40-minute tour for $8. It leaves from Granville Island daily, about four times an hour, in summer. In winter, tours run hourly on weekends only.

Harbour Cruises, at the north foot of Denman Street on Coal Harbour, operates a 1¼-hour narrated tour of Burrard Inlet aboard the paddle wheeler MPV Constitution. Tours are given from April through October and cost less than $20. Harbour Cruises also offers sunset dinner cruises, four-hour lunch cruises up scenic Indian Arm, and full-day trips to Bowen Island.

Paddlewheeler Riverboat Tours, at the New Westminster Quay, can take you out on the Fraser River in an 1800s-style paddle wheeler. Tours run daily, year-round, and include a variety of sightseeing and evening entertainment options, including cruises to historic Fort Langley.

Fees and Schedules

Aquabus Ferries (PHONE: 604/689-5858, www.aquabus.bc.ca).

False Creek Ferries (PHONE: 604/684-7781, www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca).

Harbour Cruises (1 North foot of Denman St., at W. Georgia St., West End, PHONE: 604/688-7246 or 800/663-1500, www.boatcruises.com).

Paddlewheeler Riverboat Tours (Unit 139, 810 Quayside Dr., New Westminster, PHONE: 604/525-4465 or 877/825-1302, www.vancouverpaddlewheeler.com).

Bus Tours

Gray Line conducts a 3½-hour Grand City bus tour year-round. The tour picks up at all major downtown hotels and includes Stanley Park, Chinatown, Gastown, English Bay, and Queen Elizabeth Park. The fee is about $46. From May through October, Gray Line also has a narrated city tour aboard double-decker buses; passengers can get on and off as they choose and can travel free the next day. Adult fare is about $27.

Fees and Schedules

Gray Line (PHONE: 604/879-3363 or 800/667-0882, www.grayline.ca).

Ecological Tours

Between mid-November and mid-February, thousands of bald eagles gather at Brackendale, about an hour north of Vancouver. With Canadian Outback Adventure Company, you can watch and photograph the eagles from a slow-moving raft on the river. Vancouver All Terrain Adventures runs four-wheel-drive trips into the mountains near Vancouver, including an eagle-viewing trip.

Lotus Land Tours can take you out in a Zodiac to watch whales in the Strait of Georgia. From May through October, the company leads a four-hour sea-kayak trip -- including a salmon barbecue lunch -- to Twin Island (an uninhabited provincial marine park), as well as kayaking day trips to the Gulf Islands, including a floatplane flight back to Vancouver. Experience is not required; the kayaks are easy for beginners to handle.

Ocean West Expeditions, on English Bay beach at the foot of Denman Street, offers guided half-day sea-kayaking trips around English Bay and Stanley Park, as well as kayak rentals and lessons, and multiday trips out of Vancouver.

Fees and Schedules

Canadian Outback Adventure Company (PHONE: 604/921-7250 or 800/565-8735, www.canadianoutback.com).

Lotus Land Tours (PHONE: 604/684-4922 or 800/528-3531, www.VancouverNatureAdventures.com).

Ocean West Expeditions (PHONE: 604/688-5770 summer only; 800/660-0051; www.ocean-west.com).

Vancouver All-Terrain Adventures (PHONE: 604/984-2374 or 888/754-5601, www.all-terrain.com).

Helicopter Tours

Tour Vancouver, the harbor, or the mountains of the North Shore by helicopter for $140 to $275 per person (minimum of three people). Most tours leave from the Harbour Heliport next to the Pan Pacific Hotel downtown. Shorter tours are also available from the top of Grouse Mountain.

Fees and Schedules

Helijet Charters (455 Waterfront Rd., Downtown, PHONE: 604/270-1484 or 800/987-4354, www.helijet.com).

Hiking Tours

Hike BC conducts guided hikes to the North Shore Mountains between May and October. North Shore Hiking Services offers half-day hikes, from easy strolls to tough mountain hikes, on the North Shore. The trips include lunch and hotel pickup. Guided walks through the rain forests and canyons surrounding the city, including a popular day trip to Bowen Island in Howe Sound, are run by Rockwood Adventures.

Fees and Schedules

Hike BC (PHONE: 604/540-2499).

North Shore Hiking Services (PHONE: 604/929-5751, www.northshorehikingservices.com).

Rockwood Adventures (PHONE: 604/980-7749 or 888/236-6606, www.rockwoodadventures.com).

Orientation Tours

The one-hour Stanley Park Horse Drawn Tours operate March 15 to the end of October and cost $18.65 per person. The tours leave every 20 to 30 minutes from near the information booth on Stanley Park Drive. The Vancouver Trolley Company runs old-style trolleys through Vancouver on a two-hour narrated tour of Stanley Park, Gastown, English Bay, Granville Island, and Chinatown, among other sights. A day pass allows you to complete one full circuit, getting off and on as often as you like. Start the trip at any of the 23 stops and buy a ticket ($25) on board. The four-hour City Highlights tour run by West Coast City and Nature Sightseeing is about $47. A longer tour includes a visit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Pickup is available from all major hotels downtown.

North Shore tours usually include a gondola ride up Grouse Mountain, a walk across the Capilano Suspension Bridge, a stop at a salmon hatchery, a visit to the Lonsdale Quay Market, and a ride back to town on the SeaBus. North Shore tours are offered early March through late October by Landsea Tours and all year by West Coast City and Nature Sightseeing. The half-day tours are about $75.

Fees and Schedules

Landsea Tours (PHONE: 604/255-7272 or 877/669-2277, www.vancouvertours.com).

Stanley Park Horse Drawn Tours (PHONE: 604/681-5115, www.stanleyparktours.com).

Vancouver Trolley Company (PHONE: 604/801-5515 or 888/451-5581, www.vancouvertrolley.com).

West Coast City and Nature Sightseeing (PHONE: 604/451-1600 or 877/451-1777, www.vancouversightseeing.com).

Private Guides

Early Motion Tours picks you up at your hotel for a spin through Vancouver in a 1930 Model-A Ford convertible. Vancouver All-Terrain Adventures offers customized city tours in a luxury four-wheel-drive Suburban at $75 an hour for up to seven passengers. Individual and group tours in eight European languages are available from VIP Tourguide Services.

Fees and Schedules

Early Motion Tours (PHONE: 604/687-5088).

Vancouver All Terrain Adventures (PHONE: 604/984-2374 or 888/754-5601, www.all-terrain.com).

VIP Tourguide Services (PHONE: 604/214-4677, www3.telus.net/tourguides).

Special-Interest Tours

If Vancouver looks familiar, chances are you've already seen it on screen, posing as an American city in any of the hundreds of U.S. movies and TV shows filmed here. X-Tours will take you behind the scenes to locations made famous in film and video, including the apartment used by Agent Scully in The X-Files. Three-hour tours run daily, year-round, and cost $49.

Fees and Schedules

X-Tours (PHONE: 604/609-2770 or 888/250-7211, www.x-tour.com).

Train Tours

You can sample West Coast cuisine in the vintage rail coaches of the Pacific Starlight Dinner Train, which leaves the North Vancouver B.C. Rail station at 6:15 PM, stops at scenic Porteau Cove on Howe Sound, and returns to the station at 10 PM. The train runs Friday through Sunday, May through October, with additional Wednesday trips between late June and early September. Fares, including a three-course meal, are $89.95 for salon seating, $112.95 for the dome car. Reservations are essential.

Fees and Schedules

Pacific Starlight Dinner Train (B.C. Rail Station, 1311 W. 1st St., North Vancouver, PHONE: 604/984-5246 or 800/363-3733, www.bcrail.com).

Walking Tours

Students from the Architectural Institute of British Columbia lead free 90-minute walking tours of the city's top heritage sites June through September. The Gastown Business Improvement Society sponsors free 90-minute historical and architectural walking tours daily June through August. Meet the guide at 2 PM at the statue of "Gassy" Jack in Maple Tree Square. Rockwood Adventures has guided walks around Vancouver neighborhoods, including Gastown, Granville Island, and Chinatown, and a special walk for art lovers.Guides with Walkabout Historic Vancouver dress in 19th-century costume for their two-hour historical walking tours around downtown and Gastown or Granville Island. Tours run mid-February to mid-November and cost $18.

Fees and Schedules

Architectural Institute of British Columbia (PHONE: 604/683-8588, www.aibc.bc.ca).

Gastown Business Improvement Society (PHONE: 604/683-5650, www.gastown.org).

Rockwood Adventures (PHONE: 604/980-7749 or 888/236-6606, www.rockwoodadventures.com).

Walkabout Historic Vancouver (PHONE: 604/720-0006, www.walkabouthistoricvancouver.com).

In British Columbia you can buy stamps at the post office or from many retail outlets and some newsstands. If you're sending mail to or within Canada, be sure to include the postal code (six digits and letters). Note that the suite number often appears before the street number in an address, followed by a hyphen. The postal abbreviation for British Columbia is BC.

Vancouver's main post office, Canada Post (349 W. Georgia St., Downtown, PHONE: 800/267-1177), is open weekdays 8-5:30. There are also postal outlets in many stores, particularly Shopper's Drug Mart and Pharmasave branches, throughout the city. These outlets usually keep the same hours as the store they are in.

Postal Rates

Within Canada, postcards and letters up to 30 grams cost 48¢; between 31 grams and 50 grams, the cost is 77¢; and between 51 grams and 200 grams, the cost is 96¢. Letters and postcards to the United States cost 65¢ for up to 30 grams, 90¢ for between 31 and 50 grams, and $1.40 for up to 200 grams. Prices do not include GST (Goods and Services Tax).

International mail and postcards run $1.25 for up to 30 grams, $1.75 for 21 to 50 grams, and $3 for up to 200 grams.

Receiving Mail

Visitors may have mail sent to them c/o General Delivery in the town they are visiting, for pickup in person within 15 days, after which it will be returned to the sender.

ATMs

ATMs are available in most bank and credit-union branches across the country, as well as in many convenience stores, malls, and gas stations.

Currency

U.S. dollars are accepted in much of Canada (especially in communities near the border). However, to get the most favorable exchange rate, exchange at least some of your money into Canadian funds at a bank or other financial institution. Traveler's checks (some are available in Canadian dollars) and major U.S. credit cards are accepted in most areas.

The units of currency in Canada are the Canadian dollar (C$) and the cent, in almost the same denominations as U.S. currency ($5, $10, $20, 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, etc.). The $1 and $2 bill are no longer used; they have been replaced by $1 and $2 coins (known as a "loonie," because of the loon that appears on the coin, and a "toonie," respectively).

Taxes

A Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 7% applies on virtually every transaction in Canada except for the purchase of basic groceries.

In addition to the GST, British Columbia levies a sales tax of 7.5% on most items (although services, accommodation, groceries, children's clothes, and restaurant meals are exempt). Hotel rooms are subject to an 8% tax (in addition to the GST), and some municipalities levy an additional 2%. Wine, beer, and spirits purchased in bars and restaurants are subject to a 10% tax. Some restaurants build this into the price of the beverage, but others add it to the bill.

You can get a GST refund on purchases taken out of the country and on short-term accommodations of less than one month, but not on food, drink, tobacco, car or motor-home rentals, or transportation; rebate forms, which must be submitted within 60 days of leaving Canada, may be obtained from certain retailers, duty-free shops, customs officials, or from the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. Instant cash rebates up to a maximum of $500 are provided by some duty-free shops when you leave Canada, and most provinces do not tax goods that are shipped directly by the vendor to the purchaser's home. Always save your original receipts from stores and hotels (not just credit-card receipts), and be sure the name and address of the establishment are shown on the receipt. Original receipts are not returned. To be eligible for a refund, receipts must total at least $200, and each individual receipt for goods must show a minimum purchase of $50.

For information, contact the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (Visitor Rebate Program, Summerside Tax Centre, 275 Pope Rd., Suite 104, Summerside, PE C1N 6C6, PHONE: 902/432-5608; 800/668-4748 in Canada; www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca).

Tipping

Tips and service charges are not usually added to a bill in Canada. In general, tip 15% of the total bill. This goes for waiters, waitresses, barbers and hairdressers, and taxi drivers. Porters and doormen should get about $2 a bag. For maid service, leave at least $2 per person a day ($3 in luxury hotels).

When traveling internationally, carry your passport even if you don't need one (it's always the best form of I.D.) and make two photocopies of the data page (one for someone at home and another for you, carried separately from your passport). If you lose your passport, promptly call the nearest embassy or consulate and the local police.

Entering Canada

Citizens and legal residents of the United States do not need a passport or a visa to enter Canada, but proof of citizenship (a birth certificate or valid passport) and some form of photo identification will be requested. Naturalized U.S. residents should carry their naturalization certificate. Permanent residents who are not citizens should carry their "green card." U.S. residents entering Canada from a third country must have a valid passport, naturalization certificate, or "green card."

Citizens of the United Kingdom need only a valid passport to enter Canada for stays of up to six months.

Passport Offices

The best time to apply for a passport, or to renew your old one, is in fall or winter. Before any trip, check your passport's expiration date, and, if necessary, renew it as soon as possible.

Australian Citizens

Australian Passport Office (PHONE: 131-232; www.passports.gov.au).

Canadian Citizens

Passport Office (Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G3, PHONE: 819/994-3500 or 800/567-6868; www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/passport).

New Zealand Citizens

New Zealand Passport Office (PHONE: 04/474-8100 or 0800/22-5050, www.passports.govt.nz).

U.K. Citizens

London Passport Office (PHONE: 0870/521-0410; www.passport.gov.uk).

U.S. Citizens

National Passport Information Center (PHONE: 900/225-5674; calls are 35¢ per minute for automated service, $1.05 per minute for operator service; travel.state.gov/passport_services.html).

The country code for Canada is 1. The area code for Vancouver is 604. You do not need to dial the three-digit area code when making a call from within the same code. When calling a number in another area code, dial a 1 followed by the area code and the telephone number. Telephone numbers beginning with 800 or 888 are toll-free numbers that can be dialed without charge from anywhere in the country.

Directory & Operator Information

For operator assistance, dial "0." For directory assistance in Canada, dial the area code followed by 555-1212; dial 1 before the area code if the area code is not the same as the one you are calling from.

International Calls

International calls can be direct-dialed from most phones. If you're dialing Canada from the United States, dial 1 plus the area code and telephone number. If you're dialing the United States from Canada, dial 1 plus the area code and telephone number.

To call Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, or other countries except the U.S. from Canada, dial 011 followed by the appropriate country code, city code, and number. For operator assistance, dial "0" and ask for the overseas operator. The country codes are 44 for Great Britain, 61 for Australia, and 64 for New Zealand. To dial Canada from these countries, you should be able to dial 001 followed by the area code and telephone number.

Long-Distance Calls

To dial another province or an area of the same province that has a different area code, dial 1 followed by the area code and number.

Competitive long-distance carriers make calling within the United States and Canada relatively convenient and let you avoid hotel surcharges. By dialing an 800 number, you can get connected to the long-distance company of your choice.

Public Phones

Pay telephones take coins, and charge phones are found in many locations, including airports and shopping malls. These phones can be used to charge a call to a telephone company card, your home, or the party you are calling.

Tourist Offices

In Vancouver

Granville Island Information Centre (1398 Cartwright St., Granville Island, PHONE: 604/666-5784, www.granvilleisland.com).

Vancouver Tourist Info Centre (200 Burrard St., Downtown, PHONE: 604/683-2000, www.tourismvancouver.com).

At Home

Canadian Tourism Commission (PHONE: 613/946-1000, www.canadatourism.com).

Hello B.C. (Tourism B.C.) (PHONE: 800/435-5622, www.hellobc.com).

Tourism Vancouver (Plaza Level, 200 Burrard St., Vancouver V6C 3L6, PHONE: 604/683-2000, www.tourismvancouver.com).

In the U.K.: Visit Canada Center (62-65 Trafalgar Sq., London WC2 5DY, PHONE: 0891/715-000 for 50p per minute peak rate and 45p per minute cheap rate).

Most travelers visit British Columbia between June and September, when the sun shines and the wilderness is at its most accessible. The cities -- Vancouver and Victoria -- are perhaps most enjoyable in the shoulder seasons: May and June, September and October, when the weather is still mild and the crowds thin. December to April brings snow to the interior ski resorts, but on the coast, the winter months mean rain and dramatic winter storms.

Weather Chart

The following are the normal daily temperature ranges for Vancouver:

January 33-42°F (1-6°C); February 36-45°F (2-7°C); March 37-48°F (3-9°C); April 41-54°F (5-12°C); May 47k-60°F (8-16°C); June 52-65°F (11-18°C); July 55-70°F (13-21°C); August 55-70°F (13-21°C); September 52-65°F (11-18°C); October 45-56°F (7-13°C); November 39-48°F (4-9°C); December 35-43°F (2-6°C).

Holidays

Canadian national holidays are as follows: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day (third Monday in May), Canada Day (July 1), Labour Day (first Monday in September), Thanksgiving (second Monday in October), Remembrance Day (second Monday in November), and Christmas. British Columbia Day (August 7) is a provincial holiday.

TransLink (PHONE: 604/953-3333, www.translink.bc.ca) buses provide regular service throughout Vancouver and its suburbs (except West Vancouver).

Exact change is needed to ride TransLink buses: $2 for regular adult fares or $3-$4 for weekday trips to the suburbs, including the SeaBus to the North Shore. Books of 10 tickets (FareSavers) are sold at convenience stores and newsstands; look for a red, white, and blue Fare Dealer sign. Day passes, good for unlimited travel all day, cost $8. They are available from fare dealers and at any SeaBus or SkyTrain station. Transfers (ask for one when you board) are valid for 90 minutes, allow travel in any direction, and are good on buses, SkyTrain, and SeaBus.

Buses to West Vancouver (on the North Shore) are operated by West Vancouver Transit (PHONE: 604/985-7777).

A car can be handy for touring areas outside the city center, but it isn't essential. On the compact downtown peninsula, however, it's generally easier to get around on foot or by public transport, especially in light of the congestion, limited parking, and many one-way streets.

Vancouver's rush-hour traffic, about 7-9 weekday mornings and starting at 3 PM weekday afternoons, can be horrendous. The worst bottlenecks outside the city center are the North Shore bridges (especially Lions Gate Bridge), the George Massey Tunnel on Highway 99 south of Vancouver, and Highway 1 through Coquitlam and Surrey.

Car Rentals

Rates in Vancouver begin at about $45 a day or $275 a week. Car rentals in B.C. also incur a 14.5% sales tax, a $1.50-per-day social services tax, and a vehicle licensing fee of 91¢ per day. An additional 14% Concession Recovery Fee, an extra fee charged by the airport authority for retail space in the terminal, is levied at airport locations. If you prefer a manual-transmission car, check whether the rental agency of your choice offers stick shifts; some companies, such as Avis, don't in Canada.

Car rental rates vary by supply and demand, so it pays to shop around and to reserve well in advance. Vancouver's airport and downtown locations usually have the best selection.

In Vancouver

Avis (PHONE: 604/606-2847 or 800/331-1212).

Budget (PHONE: 604/668-7000 or 800/268-8900).

Thrifty Car Rental (PHONE: 604/606-1666 or 800/847-4389).

At Home

Alamo (PHONE: 800/522-9696; www.alamo.com).

Avis (PHONE: 800/331-1084; 800/879-2847 in Canada; 0870/606-0100 in the U.K.; 02/9353-9000 in Australia; 09/526-2847 in New Zealand; www.avis.com).

Budget (PHONE: 800/527-0700; 0870/156-5656 in the U.K.; www.budget.com).

Dollar (PHONE: 800/800-6000; 0124/622-0111 in the U.K.; where it's affiliated with Sixt; 02/9223-1444 in Australia; www.dollar.com).

Hertz (PHONE: 800/654-3001; 800/263-0600 in Canada; 020/8897-2072 in the U.K.; 02/9669-2444 in Australia; www.hertz.com).

National Car Rental (PHONE: 800/227-7368; 020/8680-4800 in the U.K.; www.nationalcar.com).

Emergency Services

The British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) (PHONE: 604/293-2222 or 800/222-4357, www.bcaa.com) provides 24-hour emergency road service for members of the American and the Canadian automobile associations.

Insurance

Drivers must carry owner registration and proof of insurance coverage, which is compulsory in Canada. The Canadian Non-Resident Inter-Provincial Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card, available from any U.S. insurance company, is accepted as evidence of financial responsibility in Canada. If you are driving a car that is not registered in your name, carry a letter from the owner that authorizes your use of the vehicle.

Parking

Parking downtown is expensive and tricky to find. Two large underground pay parking garages that usually have space are the Library Square lot and the Pacific Centre lot. Parking fees run about $2 an hour and $8-$13 a day. Don't leave anything in your car, even in the trunk; break-ins are quite common downtown (hotel parking tends to be more secure, though more expensive, than public lots). Parking outside the downtown core is an easier proposition.

Parking Information

Library Square lot (775 Hamilton St., off Robson St., Downtown, PHONE: 604/669-4183).

Pacific Centre lot (700 block of Howe St., east side, Downtown, PHONE: 604/684-9715).

Requirements

In Canada your own driver's license is acceptable. In B.C., children up to 40 pounds or 18 kilos in weight must use a child seat. Car seats cost about C$8 per day; fees vary, however, by agency. Additional drivers are charged about C$5 per day. Some agencies put a cap on these fees for longer rentals.

Road Conditions

Canada's highway system is excellent. It includes the Trans-Canada Highway, which uses several numbers and is the longest highway in the world -- running about 8,000 km (5,000 mi) from Victoria, British Columbia, to St. John's, Newfoundland, using ferries to bridge coastal waters at each end. The second-longest Canadian highway, the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16), follows a route from the Pacific Coast and over the Rockies to the prairies. North of the population centers, roads become fewer and less developed.

Rules of the Road

By law, you are required to wear seat belts (and to use infant seats). Motorcycle and bicycle helmets are mandatory. Right turns are permitted on red signals. Speed limits, given in kilometers, are usually within the 50-110 kph (30-66 mph) range outside the cities.

The SeaBus (PHONE: 604/953-3333, www.translink.bc.ca) is a 400-passenger commuter ferry that crosses Burrard Inlet from Waterfront Station downtown to the foot of Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver. Leaving every 15 to 30 minutes, the ride takes 13 minutes and costs the same as the TransLink bus. With a transfer, connection can be made to any TransLink bus or SkyTrain.

Aquabus Ferries (PHONE: 604/689-5858, www.aquabus.bc.ca) connect several stations on False Creek, including Science World, Granville Island, Stamp's Landing, Yaletown, and the Hornby Street dock. Some Aquabus ferries take bicycles, and the company also operates two historic wooden boats on some runs.

False Creek Ferries (PHONE: 604/684-7781, www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca) provides foot passenger service between the Aquatic Centre on Beach Avenue, Granville Island, Science World, Stamp's Landing, and Vanier Park.

False Creek and Aquabus Ferries are not part of the TransLink system, so bus transfers aren't accepted.

BC Ferries (PHONE: 250/386-3431; 888/223-3779 in British Columbia; www.bcferries.com) operates two major ferry terminals outside Vancouver. From Tsawwassen to the south (an hour's drive from downtown), ferries sail to Victoria and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and to the Gulf Islands (the small islands between the mainland and Vancouver Island). From Horseshoe Bay (45 minutes north of downtown), ferries sail to the Sunshine Coast and to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.

Vehicle reservations on Vancouver to Victoria and Nanaimo routes are optional and cost $15 in addition to the fare. There's no extra charge for reservations on Gulf Island routes.

A 46-km (27-mi) rapid-transit system called SkyTrain (PHONE: 604/953-3333, www.translink.bc.ca) travels underground downtown and is elevated for the rest of its route to Coquitlam and Surrey. Trains leave about every five minutes. Tickets, sold at each station from machines (correct change is not necessary), must be carried with you as proof of payment. You may use transfers from SkyTrain to SeaBus and TransLink buses and vice versa. SkyTrain is convenient for transit between downtown, B.C. Place Stadium, Pacific Central Station, and Science World.

It's difficult to hail a cab in Vancouver. Unless you're near a hotel, you'll have better luck calling a taxi service. Try:

Black Top (PHONE: 604/681-2181).

Yellow (PHONE: 604/681-1111).

Rail buffs take note: trains are becoming an increasingly convenient way to get around Vancouver. Part of an effort to revive streetcar service around False Creek, the volunteer-run Downtown Historic Railway (PHONE: 604/665-3903, www.trams.bc.ca) operates two restored electric trams (built in 1905 and 1913) along a 5-km (3-mi) track between Science World and Granville Island. The trams, which also stop at 1st Avenue and Ontario Street and at Leg-in-Boot Square, near 6th Avenue and Moberly Street, operate 12:30 to 5 PM weekends and holidays from late May to early October. The adult fare is $2.