- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Vancouver Pacific Central Station
Category: Hotels & Travel Train Stations Train Stations
1150 Station StVancouver, BC V6A 4C7
Neighbourhood: Strathcona
(888) 842-7245
25 reviews for Vancouver Pacific Central Station
25 reviews in English
-
Review from Reena M.
2/18/2010 4 Check-ins Here
This is an awesome bus station. I've never taken the train here so for me it's the bus depot. Have you ever been to the one in Seattle? That place is a little sketch. Compared to that, Pac Central is a palace. But really, it is pretty decent. I like that they have a few dining options in the station, such as a coffee shop, sushi, and.. McD's. Well it does the trick when you have a 6am bus to catch with nothing in your tummy.
I took the bus to Whistler and with the online ticket printing, wait times were quite minimal. -
Review from George H.
4/8/2012
This station is cool from the outside but the inside is depressing and dated.
I was taking the train from Vancouver to Edmonton and the one anal train worker that weights your luggage was such a downer. He made me pay extra for being 6 pounds overweight. I asked if I could transfer some stuff to my other piece of luggage and he was such a dick that he said if I did that then he would charge me for my other piece of luggage that was 2 pounds over.
If you ever go to this station make sure you watch the movie "Hugo" before and you will see the similarities between the baggage attendant and the character that is played by Sacha Baron Cohen. It's quite hilarious actually.
Anyways, besides that one employee the trip was quite memorable and well priced. I'd use it again if I had 23 hours to waste. -
Review from Christian H.
Vancouver, BC
4/2/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The Vancouver Pacific Central Station is a station for Amtrak, buses and other trains. It was very clean and orderly inside the station. They began boarding quite early. If you are going to the states, there is a desk with custom forms to be filled out before you get on the train. You have to go through the very quick and easy customs before getting on the train and then when you get to the boarder, you just have to show your identification. On the way back from the states, you do not stop at the boarder, however, the customs at the Vancouver Pacific Central Station is a little more thorough. You give the station customs your custom card. The station is easily accessible by the Skytrain. Take the Skytrain to the Main Street station and walk about 0.2 miles to the Pacific Central Station.
And as always, Have Fun!!! -
Review from Scott W.
5/24/2012
The rating would have been better and a reflection on the station had it not been for the RUDE security/police at the station. Our train was late (not affecting this review) and therefor arrived after 1 am (on 5/20/12). The customs were very cordial and polite,considering the late hours they were working. But the attendants/security to the station were yelling at people that the station was closed. I finally lost my cool when I returned into the station (after looking outside in the rain and to see the Sky Train -light rail was closed) to find a map so that I could walk to my hotel when the guard yelled at me that the station was closed. I yelled back that I just arrived from a train and that I just wanted to ask a question. Anyhow, first impressions in any city are important, and this was a sour one at best. This will directly impact my choice to enter Vancouver by rail ever again...a sorry outcome for Amtrak and Via Rail. But hey, I heard from others that the airport is awesome!
-
Review from Louise G.
11/2/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Train and bus station you say? Excellent. Not that I'd ever have need to use both at the same time, but it is nice to know where everything is located in this fine city.
Parking. Ugh. Pay parking. Double ugh. Pay parking with new fangled take your photo and instantly issue a citation because the damn thing is broken. Triple ugh. But the jet-setter need not worry about parking as you jet...uhm bus, train your way on an adventure. Your pickup/drop-off driver might not be too happy so get them something when you are away. -
Review from Garry C.
Whistler, BC
Updated - 5/26/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Security is weak at the bus terminal. Once a jewel, it now seems like a crumbling rock. They actually made me check a small screwdriver that I had in my bag. If I got on the bus at a stop that did not originate at the bus terminal then I would have gotten on with it.
They should get rid of the rent-a-cops and spend the money where it is really needed - like cleaning the stinky washrooms.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/11/2010
This is usually my gateway to the real world when I need to escape from my dream-like life in… Read more »
-
-
Review from Roanna Z.
5/21/2011 1 photo
The building is so grand from the outside that I kind of thought there'd be more amenities inside. Nope. It's your basic, overstated, cavernous old-world train station. I guess they want to keep it simple. "Keep moving, nothing to see here..." It also feels under-utilized.
I expected a crowd where there was none. I snapped a couple of pix before a security guy told me you're not supposed to take pix inside. Haah! -whatev's.
Union Stn. in Toronto is a much more interesting place. I can still hear the echoing announcements in my head from old memories. -
Review from Ryan C.
Burnaby, BC
1/28/2012
No organization. Directed me to the wrong line. Nobody knew what was going on.
-
Review from Lara O.
10/20/2011
I have taken busses to the island from here, as well as recently a train to seattle. The place could use some sprucing and some staff to help people out as to where to get forms and line up. I guess the long weekend we were travelling they were crazy busy and decided to build plywood walls everywhere and have random lines. It was also a millon degrees in there, and it was september. Over all, fun in an old movie style kind of way, I absolutely love travelling by train, I just wish they would update this place and make it nicer!
-
Review from Gary E.
8/28/2010 5 photos
Vancouver Pacific Central station serves as a transportation hub for VIA Rail Canada and Amtrak rail. It also serves as a bus depot for Greyhound/Cantrail Coach and Pacific Coach Lines.
For train and bus passengers there are a number of benches to warm your behinds while you wait for your ride.
Though sleepy as heck, we couldn't help but admire the beautiful
architecture of this old building... -
Review from Eric B.
7/1/2009
HAPPY CANADA DAY TO ALL OF MY CANADIAN FRIENDS!
Last year, I was on a business trip that ended Week 1 on Edmonton and started up again the next Monday in Vancouver. After doing some calculations, I convinced my colleague that it was cheaper and a lot more fun to take VIA Rail's Canadian train instead of flying. And that included a berth and meals. I'm a bit of a passenger train buff and so far my train travels within the Great White North had been limited to a GO Train between Toronto and Scarborough(!) and the Hudson Bay between Winnipeg and Churchill Manitoba.
My colleague (whose family loves cruises) thoroughly enjoyed his first passenger train trip. Of course I enjoyed my land cruise too, especially all the gorgeous mountain scenery starting just before Jasper and beyond. We even spotted the Skeena returning from its scenic trip from Prince Rupert. What I like most about trains is that it slows down time and allows you (without electronics) to relax, read, nap, enjoy, and chat with lots of interesting people. You also spend a lot of time in either the Parlour or Observation cars just hanging out and taking it all in. The food and service on the Canadian route was also excellent.
But eventually, all good things do come to an end as our train rolled into Pacific Central Station in Vancouver on Sunday morning. The Station itself is a bit out of the way and definitely a finely preserved throw back of what once was more elegant about passenger train travel. As we were waiting for our bags, I enjoyed the end row of parked trains, the central hall, the news stand, the wood benches, and the overall relaxed ambiance.
My colleague and I then took a cab into central Vancouver and started our new day with a whole different set of fun things to see and do. But looking back on this handsome Neoclassical Revival building, I hope to return. Maybe I'll take one of the Cascade (Talgo) trains to Seattle, or perhaps I'll take the Canadian back east all the way to Toronto (or catch the Skeena at Jasper). A cool train station definitely helps me dream of future travels. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
11/10/2009 2 Check-ins Here
When you arrive there's almost a sense that you may just travel back through time and be immersed in a Vancouver from long ago. Sleepy eyed travelers waiting to hear the "All Aboard" call for a southbound train queue, first to check in, then to pass through "customs." (Customs must be put in quotations here because it is quite laughable. I think they'd let anyone on a train.)
Looking grand from the front, and roomy once you're inside, Pacific Central is also rather large behind. Behind the station sit all those buses and trains. It's here in the dark, dreary and very early morning that I almost feel like I'm getting ready to explore Northeastern Europe! -
Review from Bob M.
2/13/2010 1 photo
My goodness! This might have been a friendly place if it wasn't that they were always yelling at us here...
We got in rather late, and when we went through customs we found out that Canadians do not have a sense of humor about past DUIs no matter how nice you are to them or how long ago this was allegedly an issue.
They let my SO in but told him that he darn well better use public transportation and that going forward he needs a note of permission from Our Government to visit.
The ATM seemed not to work but rather than the machine saying it was out of cash or out of order it instead said something about us not having authorization to withdraw funds from our account. Others got the same message, so clearly it was just some mixed up programing but at this point we were getting rather paranoid. We thought Canadians were friendly. Could we have been wrong?
On our return visit I got yelled at by Security for taking pictures. So, I am risking some sort of Evil by posting my picture on this review, but no risk is too great to help my fellow Yelpers.
The McDonald's opened fifteen minutes late even though there were guests outside with their noses against the window openly weeping, pleading for breakfast (OK, maybe it was just me out there carrying on...)
Crystal H. is right, as she always is: coming back "Customs" was very pleasant. They did not frisk me for my Chinese paring knife that I was carrying (another review explains this), nor did they demand to review my pictures.
We were sober both coming and going, so maybe this helped.
Watch out for the American Customs agents, though. They can get nasty if you bring Canadian fruit over the border....Listed in: Vancouver BC for goobers
-
Review from Tim S.
4/20/2010 5 Check-ins Here
Intercity rail terminals have maybe in general had better days. I'll say this: Vancouver's is (much) nicer than Seattle's.
Chloe and Crystal nail the ambiance: it's the closest I've had to a little bit of a turn-of-the-century gold-rush feeling here in our pioneer city and, yeah, it's a great place for a little bit of that. I'm still ambivalent about the station as a station, though: it's not really all that functional. There's no WiFi, power outlets are hidden and few, your food option is McDonalds and it has short hours compared to when the trains run, and I'm not even sure I've seen the coffee shop open. And I know it's customs and I know it's not supposed to be pretty, but it's pretty intimidating when the Cascades train comes in and they lock you (and the train) in a chain-link fenced cage until you file through Canadian customs without so much as a pot of flowers or a welcome sign.
I will say that while it's in an area I'm usually interested in leaving pretty quickly (especially when the late train comes in even later than promised), it's easy to quickly leave; the bus stop to take me up to Broadway is well-lit and easily accessible. It's not quite the bustling and vibrant intermodal hub that Boston's South Station or DC's luxurious Union Station is, but it'll at least do ya the bare basics. -
Review from Simon R.
BC
12/12/2008 1 photo
Old-timey on the outside and renovated on the inside, Pacific Central was once the major transportation center in Vancouver, back when cars had horses instead of seatbelts. The city has deemed it to be one of Vancouver's heritage sites, and visitors to the city will want to at least stray down here to better educate themselves to a piece of what Vancouver looked like before condos, Skytrain, and crackheads.
This is also where all of the trans-city bus companies begin and end their routes, and the people working behind the ticket booth are very friendly about accurately informing the traveler about which company would best suit their budget and schedule.
There's a couple quick fast food places inside, and of course a convenience store that sells expensive last minute kitsch Canadianna souvenirs like maple syrup and post cards of Stanley Park. If you need to get somewhere with your luggage there's always a few taxis waiting outside, and a beautiful park out front to sit and wait for your bus to come in. Just don't stray too far, because it's cracktown to the North and industrial wasteland to the South. -
Review from andrew w.
8/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
Off the beaten path. A bit run down and dirty.
Bathroom was disgusting!
Got the job done though...glad we were in and out. -
Review from Mathieu Y.
Vancouver, BC
11/10/2009
Obviously a go to spot if youre traveling outside of Vancouver by bus or train. The greyhound, CN and Amtrak stations all depart from here and offer their brochures and rates at the ticket counters. In addition there is information about hostels, motels, and hotels on one wall in case you havent figured out where youre planning to sleep that night (and the answer, as many a poor bum has figured out, is not in the Pacific Central Station!).
It's also close to many hostels in Vancouver, with the majority of them located on either Main st or West Hastings. Try to avoid the hostels on East Hastings unless you want trouble.
On that note, due to it's proximity to the Downtown Eastside, be wary at night. The park accross the street has it's benches filled with drunks on the weekend, but by simply taking the skytrain you can bypass that problem (unless youre staying in the Downtown Eastside.) A bum told me he was just $8 short of a ticket "back home" to WIlliams Lake the other day, and when I offered to go with him to the counter and help him buy his ticket he freaked out! So be a little wary with your compassion for "travelers" around here, although I have met a lot of well meaning hobos who wash windows and busk around there for change to get on the bus somewhere else.
The Pacific Central Station is a heritage site, and looks like a heritage site as well. It's featured in postcards and city tours because of it's impressive design. It's well lit and patrolled at night, so realistically you should be pretty safe on the streets around there. -
Review from mimi p.
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Less than a mile away from Granville street... Great form of transportation if you're looking to head over to Portland or Seattle for a couple days.. RT tickets start around $70... Make sure you get there early to allow yourself enough time to go through the lines and the baggage check or any other issues..
-
Review from Sheila W.
BC
1/2/2009
This station is clean, there's lots of seating and shops to get snacks for your upcoming bus ride.
My complaint is that I was recently here during the Christmas season. They were running extra buses and they were all sold out, probably because of the crazy snow storm and many cancelled flights that had people flocking to Greyhound.
We were told to go outside immediately to line up for our bus. The man said that since it was sold out, if everyone lined up they'd load the bus early and leave early. Well, he told us the wrong gate to wait at. It seemed that everyone outside was told a different gate. It was mass confusion and there were no staff members who could set people straight.
Finally, a man who knew the gate information came out and started to organize people, but we'd all already been standing out in the cold for about an hour. The organization could have been much, much better -- especially since it was a busy time of year. -
Review from Chloë E.
Vancouver, BC
1/8/2009
There's the ambiance of itinerancy just with the setting of a bus and train station, and this heritage building only adds to that exponentially.
The wooden benches are a great spot to sit and watch people amble by. The amenities, like the coffee shop, close quite early. But I've appreciated the electrical outlet by the payphones for discreetly charged my laptop while waiting for a bus one day. If only there was Wi-Fi I think I'd set up shop here M-F.
I've got an on-going gripe with the poor customer service from the Greyhound ticket guys. Plus I saw the security staff here violently take down a guy who was perhaps up to something. He was bleeding-face down on the concrete floor with no fewer than four security guys subduing him as he lay there motionless, croaking his protest. It seemed a little extreme. That makes me happy that I don't have to pass a long wait here. Very happy. -
Review from Eros A.
8/3/2010
Nothing special here to mention; except that is not overly crowded; in fact it was kind of empty. Service was quick and security was a joke; they don't check your bags; they just ask you if you have anything that may harm others; and if you say "no" they wish you a safe trip.
-
Review from Sara B.
8/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
Old is the first word that would come to mind. The place has that feel.
-
Review from Renee B.
5/4/2010
It's a very small bus and train station compared to ones I've been to in Seattle and Los Angeles, but it's clean and the customs staff there were really nice. I'm sure it's as good as everyone else says it is during the day, but when I had to take a Vancouver to Seattle bus at 5:30 AM and got there about a 1/2 hour early, goodness gracious- crazy homeless people were already out and about trying to hassle people and there was only one security guard trying to fend them off. They should've had at least another security guard there for that.
-
Review from Bryan W.
Vancouver, BC
10/4/2010
This bus station is located in the perfect area.Just steps from the skytrain you can go downtown and walk around if your on a layover and have time to kill. For those that would rather stay in the station theres plenty to do too. A coffee shop,mcdonalds,sushi place,coffee shop all await you.Via Rail,Amtrak,Greyhound,Pacific Coach Lines and other bus lines stop through here going every which way at all hours of the day.People can even sleep on the benches and for those of you that are looking for a hotel/motel/hostel in the city you can go to their kiosk and it will show you all sorts of places where you can stay.
-
Review from Naia D.
5/5/2009
A once-grand terminus of the trans-Canada railway. But still a lovely spot
