BC Ferries is adding 171 extra sailings for customers travelling between Vancouver, Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.
The extra sailings will be running between Dec. 19 and Jan. 1. There will 128 extra sailings between Tsawwassen (Vancouver) – Swartz Bay (Victoria), including 6 a.m. departures from Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay on Dec. 23, 26 and 27. There are also 10 p.m. departures from Tsawwassen on Dec. 21.
Between Horseshoe Bay (West Vancouver) and Nanaimo (Departure Bay), there will be 37 extra sailings. Between West Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) and the Sunshine Coast (Langdale), there will be six extra sailings.
BC Ferries says the most popular travel times over the holidays tend to between Dec. 20 and 23 for traffic going from Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay to Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. For traffic returning from the Departure Bay, Swartz Bay and Langdale, the busiest days are Dec. 26 and Dec. 27.
Customers travelling between Swartz Bay and Salt Spring Island are being reminded that from Dec. 20, 2019 to Jan. 1, 2020, the 60-vehicle Bowen Queen will be on the route replacing the
90-vehicle Skeena Queen, which is undergoing a mid-life upgrade. The Bowen Queen will do two additional round trips per day on the route so the maximum number of customers can
be accommodated. However, BC Ferries says peak sailing times will still be popular. Due to the smaller capacity of the Bowen Queen, customers travelling in vehicles from Fulford Harbour on Salt Spring Island may experience longer lineups. Customers connecting with busses may see longer waits upon arrival at the terminal due to the revised ferry schedule.
Drivers are advised to make vehicle reservations to secure a spot on the sailings. Customers with reservations should plan to arrive at the terminals 45 to 60 minutes before their sailings. Walk-on passengers are asked to arrive 45 minutes before their sailings.
Both drivers and foot passengers should be prepared for sailing waits and look for sailing advisories at the BC Ferries website. For vehicles, sailing waits only applies to people without reservations.
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