As reported yesterday, BC Ferries has added 90 sailings this Thanksgiving long weekend to cope with the spike in both foot and vehicle traffic.
The most heavily impacted route – Vancouver-Victoria (Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay) – will be getting 82 extra sailings, including 6 AM departures starting Friday, October 6th, and midnight departures on Friday and Monday nights.
Additionally, the company is offering discounted fares on select early morning and late evening sailings.
“We’ve also discounted those [off-peak hour] sailings,” said B.C. Ferries representative Deb Marshall. “So it will provide customers with a bit of an incentive to travel at the off-peak periods.”
Travel to Vancouver from Swartz Bay for just $39 for car and driver:
- 11:59pm Friday
- 9:00pm Saturday
Travel to Vancouver from Swartz Bay for just $59 for car and driver:
- 8:00pm Thursday
- 7:00am Friday
- 10:00pm Friday
- 6:00am Saturday
- 7:00pm Saturday
Similar pricing is available for return trips after Saturday, as well as on other routes.
Holiday Monday One of the Busiest Times of the Year
Regardless of whether you have a reservation or not, the holiday Monday of the Thanksgiving weekend is usually the busiest time of the year for B.C. Ferries, so passengers are advised to arrive at the terminal earlier than they normally would.
Wait times aren’t just going to affect vehicle traffic either, as B.C. Ferries expects to hit maximum foot passenger numbers during peak hours.
