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Vancouver 2026 World Cup Transport Guide
How to get to Vancouver for the 2026 World Cup, getting to Vancouver Stadium, and traveling around the city during the tournament 🛥
✒️ By the worldcup-travel.com team | 📅 Published 9 July 2025
Our Vancouver World Cup transport guide is written with the purpose of making getting to Vancouver for the 2026 World Cup a breeze. We have tons of information on planes, trains, and automobiles, and on how to get around the city and its surrounding areas. It’s everything 2026 World Cup fans will need to get around Vancouver for the tournament.
Note: All of the information below is current. However, specific transportation guidance will be announced between now and the World Cup. Sign up to our email list so you get the latest information and deals direct to your inbox đź“© .
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Luckily, Vancouver is super walkable and provides an excellent public transportation system with TransLink, making it easy to not only get around Downtown Vancouver (where Vancouver Stadium is located), but to get to and from the nearby island systems, North Vancouver, and other surrounding regions. The regional transit system operates a comprehensive network of buses, light rail (SkyTrain), ferries (SeaBus), and commuter rail (West Coast Express) giving fans lots of opportunity to explore during the tournament. You can pay with a reloadable Compass Card or simply use your contactless payment method of choice.
Ride Like a Local: Vancouver World Cup Transport Tips
We spoke to football-loving locals to get their take on the 2026 World Cup host cities they call home. Mauricio Lozano is a Vancouver Whitecaps season ticket holder and owns Faculty Brewing Co in the city - a must-visit during the tournament. His advice for fans getting to Vancouver Stadium for 2026 World Cup games:
The stadium is Downtown, very close to the seawall. My best advice is to walk or take transit – don’t even attempt to take Uber or taxis as the traffic can be very difficult. On game days, it’s best is to come Downtown early and walk to the stadium. There are lots of bars and restaurants nearby, but my favorite area is Mount Pleasant, south of Olympic Village. Grab some lunch, visit some breweries, and then walk to the stadium.
I am biased, obviously, but my favorite brewery is Faculty Brewing and it is just a short 15-minute walk to the stadium. 🍻
Get more in-the-know tips from Mauricio on our Vancouver World Cup city guide. Photo courtesy of Mauricio Lozano.
Flying to Vancouver for the 2026 World Cup
The main airport for Vancouver is Vancouver International Airport (YVR). It’s one of the busiest airports in Canada, acting as a gateway to northern points in British Columbia and popular skiing destinations like Whistler. YVR is located on Sea Island in Richmond, about eight miles from Downtown Vancouver.
Getting to Downtown is cheap and simple, using SkyTrain’s Canada Line. In about 25 minutes, you’ll be in Vancouver for about $5 CAN. Taxis, Uber, and Lyft are also available, but you’re looking at a similar drive time (without traffic) and a cost of $35-50 – which will likely surge during the 2026 World Cup.
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) – the primary option for flying to Vancouver for the 2026 World Cup
âś… Extensive international connectivity with many non-stop flights to London Heathrow
âś… Easy access to Downtown via SkyTrain
âś…More direct flights to China than any other North American or European airport
You can search for 2026 World Cup flights to Vancouver from the box below through Kiwi.com. Their tech finds flight itineraries that combine multiple airlines (they call it “Virtual Interlining” with options that often aren’t available anywhere else). This can help streamline the booking process and increase savings.
2026 World Cup car rental in Vancouver
Will fans need a car in Vancouver for the World Cup?
You are not going to need a car in Vancouver for the 2026 World Cup. Vancouver Stadium is walkable from many parts of the city, and if you’re staying further out, public transportation is going to get you where you want to be for the games. Plus, Vancouver has rideshare and bikeshare apps to help you get around the city.
The only reason you might need a car is if you’re planning a 2026 World Cup road trip to Seattle (about a two-and-a-half hour drive). But note that you’ll have to cross the USA-Canada border, so you’ll need to rent from a company that allows it.
To rent a car at Vancouver International Airport (YYZ), walk from the main terminal on the ground floor of the parkade. They’ve got all the major rental agencies, including Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, and Thrifty.​
Tip: If you do decide to look for car rentals in Vancouver for the 2026 World Cup, we recommend Qeeq.com, where you will always pay the lowest price. Qeeq’s Price Drop Protector 📉 tracks prices daily, and if the rental price drops after you book, Qeeq rebooks at the lower price and saves you the difference. They offer free cancellation, no credit card fees, and you can even pay with crypto if that’s your vibe.
Alternatively, Trip.com is part of the same group as Skyscanner.com, and allows you to search car rental deals from all of the big companies — with free cancellation, no credit card fees, and often with extra discounts as an incentive
Buses to Vancouver for the 2026 World Cup
Taking a bus into Vancouver can be a cheap and fairly reliable mode of transportation for World Cup fans. Just be aware that you’re crossing an international border if you’re coming from fellow World Cup host city Seattle. It will take you anywhere from three to six hours and has a wide ranging cost: $38 to $95 CAD.
FlixBus, Greyhound, and Quick Shuttle are all options to get you to/from Seattle to Vancouver. Pacific Central Station is located just southeast of Downtown and is the main hub for most buses into the city. It’s also where Amtrak trains leave from.
Trains to Vancouver for the 2026 World Cup
You can take a train to Vancouver, and arrive at the World Cup on North America’s only transcontinental railway system: Amtrak. The Cascades route is the primary option for getting to Vancouver from USA cities like Portland and host city Seattle. And you can connect to the Empire Builder or Coast Starlight lines to get to other Canadian cities, if that’s in your World Cup travel plans.
The route from Seattle to Vancouver is a non-stop four-hour scenic journey and starts at $39 CAD.
Public transport in Vancouver during the World Cup
Vancouver’s public transit system is reliable, efficient, and used by locals on a daily basis to get around the city center and surrounding regions. TransLink is the region's transit authority, and they operate a mix of light rail, buses, trolleys, and ferries.
You can get a reloadable Compass Card, but most people use a credit card and tap-to-pay on each end of the journey. Each fare on the buses, SkyTrain/Canada Line, and Sea Bus (ferries) are valid for 90 minutes. Remember, you don’t need to tap out on the bus or trolley. Your fare will depend on how many zones you travel through, but ranges from $3.35 to $6.60 CAD.
Vancouver also has the HandyDART, a door-to-door, shared ride service for those who can’t navigate the conventional public transit system. This option is available to and from YVR as well.
Public transit to 2026 World Cup matches at Vancouver Stadium
If you’re staying in or are already Downtown, you can walk to Vancouver Stadium. Otherwise, you can hop on the SkyTrain to Stadium-Chinatown Station, which is only two blocks away. Or, if you’re staying along the Canada Line, take it to Yaletown-Roundhouse Station, just three blocks from the stadium.
Using ridesharing apps in Vancouver
You can certainly opt for Uber and Lyft rideshares, or taxis to get around Vancouver, but public transportation is so good, why spend the money? If your feet are hurting after a day jumping up and down at Vancouver Stadium, they’re always there if you need them.
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