Revelers planning to celebrate New Year's Eve across Metro Vancouver and parts of British Columbia will get a significant perk: free public transit. In an annual initiative to promote safe travel, TransLink and BC Transit are waiving all fares for the evening.
Free Ride Details and Schedules
The free service period begins at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and runs until 5 a.m. on Thursday, January 1, 2026. During this window, passengers do not need to tap their Compass cards. Fare gates across the TransLink system will remain open, though anyone who begins a trip before 5 p.m. must still tap out to be charged correctly.
The offer encompasses all major services. Buses, SkyTrains, and SeaBuses will be free from 5 p.m. on the 31st through to the end of service in the early hours of New Year's Day. Additionally, the West Coast Express trains departing Waterfront Station at 5:30 p.m. and 6:20 p.m. will also be complimentary.
Extended Service for the Celebration
To accommodate the expected surge in passengers, TransLink is implementing extended schedules. Buses will follow a modified weekday schedule, bolstered by 52 extra buses to support the longer SkyTrain hours.
SkyTrain lines will run for an extra hour. Key last departures from Waterfront Station include:
- To King George Station: 2:16 a.m.
- To Lougheed Town Centre: 2:11 a.m.
- To YVR-Airport Station: 2:08 a.m.
- To Richmond-Brighouse: 2:15 a.m.
The last SeaBus from Waterfront will sail at 2:22 a.m.
Getting Home After Service Ends
For those out after the trains and ferries stop, TransLink's NightBus network will provide coverage. Operating every 20 to 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver until 5 a.m., these buses serve routes across Vancouver, Richmond, the North Shore, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster, and Surrey. Most NightBuses depart from the intersections of Howe and Dunsmuir or Seymour and Granville.
This coordinated effort between transit authorities provides a safe, reliable, and cost-effective travel option for thousands of residents celebrating the start of 2026.
