BC Ferries adding 167 sailings for holiday travellers
A BC Ferries vessel is seen arriving at Horseshoe Bay near West Vancouver on March 16, 2020. (Jonathan Hayward / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
BC Ferries is adding more than 150 extra sailings between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland to accommodate travellers over the holiday season.
Starting Dec. 17, the ferry service will operate 128 additional sailings between Vancouver (Tsawwassen) and Victoria (Swartz Bay) until Jan. 3.
The company is adding 33 more sailings to its Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) and Nanaimo (Departure Bay) route between Dec. 19 and Dec. 28.
An additional six sailings will be included on the Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Sunshine Coast (Langdale) route from Dec. 23 to Dec. 27.
BC Ferries says the busiest holiday travel times between the island and the mainland are from Dec. 20 to Dec. 23, as well as Dec. 26 and 27.
The ferry service says it will also add more sailings between Tsawwassen and the Southern Gulf Islands but the company did not specify where or how many.
Holiday travellers are urged to pre-book tickets in advance of their departure and to book sailings during off-peak times if possible to avoid crowds. Off-peak times include midweek days and early-morning or late-evening sailings.
Those who don't book in advance should prepare for multiple-sailing waits during peak travel times, the company said Thursday.
Customers travelling with a vehicle are advised to arrive at the terminal between 45 and 60 minutes before their scheduled departure. Walk-on passengers should arrive 45 minutes before their anticipated sailing.
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