The SeaBus is a passenger-only ferry service in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It crosses Burrard Inlet to connect the cities of Vancouver (at Waterfront station) and North Vancouver (at Lonsdale Quay). Owned by TransLink and operated by the Coast Mountain Bus Company, the SeaBus forms an important part of the region's integrated public transportation system. In , the SeaBus had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of .
Service
The SeaBus fleet currently consists of four vessels, with the most recent ship—the MV Burrard Chinook—entering service July 22, 2021. The ferries operate between approximately 6:00am and 1:00am from Monday to Saturday, and between 8:00am and 11:30pm on Sundays and holidays. During the daytime, two ferries are in service, with the two ferries departing simultaneously from opposite termini and passing each other halfway. The crossing takes 10 to 12 minutes in each direction with a cruising speed of , with a 3 to 5 minute turnaround and, therefore, operates on a 15-minute turn-around schedule. At these times, over 50 crossings are made a day. During the evenings (after 9:00pm) and early Saturday mornings (until 7:00am), service is reduced to a 30-minute schedule with only one ferry operating. In 2017, the SeaBus carried over 17,000 riders on average per weekday and transported an estimated 5.84 million people between Vancouver and the North Shore of Burrard Inlet.
The SeaBus is capable of operating on a 12-minute turnaround (down to 10 minutes with simultaneous loading and unloading). However, at the higher speeds, the wake created disturbs other users of the Burrard Inlet. During overloads, it is sometimes operated at the higher speeds.
The ferries operate with four crew members on board (captain and first mate on the bridge and two attendants on the passenger level) and engineers who stay ashore most of the time, but do regular checks of the engines and are available to come aboard at any time. SeaBus crew members are trained and certified to deal with marine emergencies, and will give directions to passengers in the unlikely event of an emergency.
The original emergency procedure involved using the other SeaBus to evacuate passengers from the distressed vessel. Although the viability of this had been demonstrated, Transport Canada became concerned about this approach during times that the other vessel may not be available and has recently mandated the addition of life rafts.
The turnstiles on the entrance into the SeaBus waiting area are used only for counting the number of passengers boarding. If the maximum number is reached, the turnstiles lock and no more passengers are allowed to board the vessel.
Fares
SeaBus is a "Fare Paid Zone", similar to SkyTrain and buses, wherein passengers are required to possess a valid fare. Fare inspections are performed by transit security officers and on occasion by members of the Metro Vancouver Transit Police. SeaBus attendants may check fares but do not conduct enforcement. SeaBus attendants can call transit security to deal with non-compliant passengers. Failure to pay the correct fare or retain a valid fare may result in being removed from the terminal or fined $173.
Terminals
The SeaBus stops on the Vancouver side at Waterfront Station, near the Vancouver Convention Centre and the cruise ship terminal at Canada Place. A skywalk connects the SeaBus terminal to the main station building, where passengers can transfer to the West Coast Express and two lines of the SkyTrain system (Expo Line and Canada Line). In 2018, a seismic and accessibility upgrade of the Waterfront terminal began, which included escalator replacements and the construction of a new staircase to improve foot traffic flow.
In North Vancouver, the SeaBus stops at the purpose-built Lonsdale Quay, which features an adjacent bus loop; together they form a major transit hub for Vancouver's North Shore municipalities. In addition to serving commuters, Lonsdale Quay has become an important tourist destination, with a hotel and public market. In 1989, the North Vancouver terminal was designated the "Charles A. Spratt SeaBus Terminal", in honour of Charles Spratt, Project Manager of the SeaBus project from conception to launch, and Marine Manager of the system until his retirement in 1988.
Each terminal consists of two docks surrounded by an "E"-shaped structure: passengers board from the central waiting hall, which is separated into two waiting areas (each serving one dock) by partitions and turnstiles, and disembark onto a side platform (a Spanish solution).
Ferries
The current SeaBus fleet consists of the following vessels: