Taxi rates from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) are flat zone fares for most of Vancouver and Richmond, set by British Columbia's Passenger Transportation Board. They range from C$24 for Sea Island to C$51 for north-east Vancouver, with C$46 to the Canada Place and downtown zone, each including a C$4 passenger load charge and excluding the tip. Trips beyond the zones, and trips to the airport, run on the meter.
For one to three travellers going downtown or to Richmond, those fares are good value and usually cheaper than any pre-booked car. A fixed-price Elly8.net car, from US$110 for YVR to downtown in a Business Sedan, earns its place in specific cases: groups that would need several cabs, families with car seats, destinations outside the zones, and the return to the airport. This guide lists every fare and then sets out those cases plainly.
What are the taxi zone fares from YVR?
YVR taxi zone fares, including the C$4 passenger load charge, are C$24 to C$47 for Richmond and Sea Island and C$28 to C$51 for Vancouver, including C$46 to downtown and Canada Place, C$40 to Kitsilano and Broadway, C$46 to UBC and C$48 to Stanley Park. Tips are extra.
The fares come from the zone map on YVR's taxi page, updated October 11, 2024, and from the Board's Rule 9 for Metro Vancouver, which sets them in law.
See Vancouver prices and reserve
Every YVR taxi zone fare
All fares in Canadian dollars, rounded, including 5% GST and the C$4 passenger load charge, from YVR to the zone.
| Zone | Area | Fare from YVR |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Sea Island | C$24 |
| 101 | North Richmond | C$25 |
| 102 | Central Richmond | C$31 |
| 103 | Mitchell Island | C$34 |
| 104 | South Richmond and Steveston | C$35 |
| 105 | North East Richmond | C$39 |
| 106 | South East Richmond | C$40 |
| 107 | Far East Richmond | C$47 |
| 200 | South Vancouver | C$28 |
| 201 | South Central Vancouver | C$31 |
| 202 | South UBC | C$35 |
| 203 | Central Vancouver | C$35 |
| 204 | South East Vancouver | C$37 |
| 205 | Kitsilano and Broadway | C$40 |
| 206 | Central East Vancouver | C$45 |
| 207 | UBC | C$46 |
| 208 | Canada Place and downtown | C$46 |
| 209 | Stanley Park | C$48 |
| 210 | North East Vancouver | C$51 |
The downtown zone covers most of the downtown peninsula, and Stanley Park has its own zone at C$48, so check the map for a hotel near the park. Where an address is directly on a zone boundary, the lower fare applies on both sides of the street.
What the zone fare includes, and what it does not
Included: the trip from the YVR taxi stand to an address in the zone, 5% GST and the C$4 passenger load charge. YVR explains that in some zones the fare may be up to C$5 higher because of rounding. There are no luggage charges.
Not included: the tip, tolls if any apply, and a few specific extras the Board allows:
| Extra | Charge (C$, GST included) | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Stop en route, 10 minutes or less | C$6 | Only if you ask for a stop on the way |
| Additional stopping time | C$2 per minute | After the first 10 minutes of a stop |
| Second destination in the zone | The meter, from the first drop-off | Passengers going to different addresses |
| Clean-up fee | Varies | Only if the vehicle is soiled |
If two passengers share a taxi to different addresses in a zone, the zone fare covers the trip to the first address, and the meter starts only when the taxi moves toward the second. That rule comes straight from Rule 9.
Beyond the zones: the meter plus the load charge
The zone map does not cover the North Shore, Burnaby, Delta, Surrey or the Sea-to-Sky Highway. For those trips the taxi runs on the meter, and the C$4 passenger load charge is added to the final fare. The Metro Vancouver common meter rate in Rule 9 is a C$3.75 flag for the first 45.95 metres, C$0.10 for each further 45.95 metres (about C$2.18 per km) and C$0.10 for each 9.25 seconds of waiting or slow traffic (about C$38.93 an hour), all including GST. Our guide to the cost of a taxi in Vancouver works through examples of that meter.
The Board's taxi rates page adds that taxis may only charge approved rates and may not charge rates that respond to demand, so neither the zone fares nor the meter rise on a busy night. Metro Vancouver taxi licensees could apply in 2026 for a one-time 3.92% cost index increase, so some meters may run slightly above the Rule 9 figures; the rates shown in the cab apply.
Going to YVR: the meter, with one exception
The zone fares apply only to trips from the airport. YVR's taxi page states that metered rates apply on trips to YVR. The one exception is the Canada Place cruise terminal: on posted cruise ship days, the Board's flat fare from the terminal to YVR is C$42 including GST. A cruise passenger leaving the ship for a flight can therefore budget that trip precisely; most other trips to YVR depend on distance and traffic.
Paying, tipping and complaints
YVR says its taxis accept cash, credit cards and debit cards. Tips are not included in the zone fares, and the amount is your choice. If you believe you were overcharged, YVR recommends contacting the taxi company first, then the province's Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement branch, and you can also contact the airport. Keep the receipt and note the cab number.
The South Terminal and accessible taxis
YVR's small South Terminal, used by regional airlines, has its own taxi stand right outside the building. The airport says only Richmond Taxi, Garden City Cabs and Kimber Cabs operate there, and the same zone fares apply. At the main terminal, the stands are on International Arrivals Level 2 and Domestic Arrivals Level 2, served on a first come, first served basis by nearly 20 licensed operators, and drivers may not pick up anywhere else.
For travellers who use a wheelchair or mobility aid, YVR says its taxi operators can accommodate them, and its Ground Transportation team can help hire a suitable vehicle. Certified service animals are welcomed on board under the BC Human Rights Code. With a pre-booked car, mention mobility needs at booking, and the chauffeur meets you inside arrivals with a name board; our airport meet and greet page explains how that works.
Groups: how the taxi count multiplies
A zone fare is per taxi, not per person, and the same is true of an Elly8.net fare, which is per vehicle. What changes with group size is how many vehicles you need. A standard taxi carries a few passengers and a limited amount of luggage, and YVR notes that guests may need additional or larger vehicles when bags exceed a cab's capacity. Every extra cab adds another fare, another tip and another arrival time. For groups, see group transportation, or take the Executive Sprinter, which seats twelve with twelve bags.
Fixed-price car or taxi: the honest arithmetic
Elly8.net fares are in US dollars, fixed and all-in: chauffeur, vehicle, taxes, standard gratuity and meet and greet inside arrivals. Taxi fares are in Canadian dollars, plus the tip you choose. To compare, convert at the rate your card charges and add the tip to the taxi.
| Trip from YVR | Taxi | Elly8.net fixed price | Cheaper on money alone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown, 1 to 3 people, 2 bags | 1 cab, C$46 plus tip | US$110 Business Sedan | Usually the taxi |
| Downtown, family of 5 with 5 bags and a car seat | Likely 2 cabs, C$92 plus tips | US$145 Business SUV | Close; the car wins on seats and bags |
| Downtown, 10 people with luggage | 3 or 4 cabs, C$138 to C$184 plus tips | US$290 Executive Sprinter | Often the taxis; the Sprinter wins on cohesion |
| Richmond airport hotel, 2 people | 1 cab, C$24 to C$31 plus tip | Web booker | The taxi |
| North Shore or Whistler | Meter plus C$4, long distance | Web booker or the Whistler price list | Often the fixed price |
| Round trip, downtown and back | C$46 out, metered back | US$210 Business Sedan round trip | Depends on traffic on the return |
Read the table plainly. For small groups going to a zone, the taxi is cheaper and perfectly good. A fixed-price car is the better buy when the taxi count multiplies, when a child seat or a guaranteed pickup matters, when the destination is far outside the zones and the meter keeps running, or when you want the outbound and return trips fixed in one booking. Time also has value: a chauffeur waiting inside arrivals skips the stand, which matters most when several wide-body flights land together. Our YVR taxi vs Uber vs private car guide gives verdicts for specific travellers.
How Elly8.net airport fares compare by vehicle
| Vehicle | Seats | Bags | YVR to downtown | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | 3 | 2 | US$110 | US$210 |
| Business SUV | 6 | 6 | US$145 | US$280 |
| First Class SUV | 6 | 6 | US$180 | US$345 |
| First Class Sedan | 3 | 2 | US$195 | US$375 |
| Executive Sprinter | 12 | 12 | US$290 | US$555 |
Every Elly8.net airport fare is the same in either direction, so downtown to YVR is also from US$110. Tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost. Seats and bag counts come from the fleet page.
When the taxi is simply the right answer
There is no point paying for a chauffeur to cross a short distance to a Richmond hotel with one bag, or for a couple going downtown at two in the afternoon. The zone fare is regulated, it does not surge, and the stand is a short walk from the arrivals exit. For a solo traveller near a SkyTrain station, the Canada Line is cheaper still; TransLink's fares page lists the regular fare plus a C$6.50 AddFare for journeys starting at YVR.
How to book a fixed-price car from YVR
- Enter YVR as the pickup, your destination and the flight number.
- Choose the vehicle by passengers and bags.
- Press Reserve now, or use the web booker for any address not on the price list. Confirmation arrives by email.
Rides in Vancouver are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show. See the Vancouver limo service page, airport transfers and chauffeur vs taxi.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from YVR to downtown Vancouver?
C$46 to the Canada Place and downtown zone, including GST and the C$4 passenger load charge, according to YVR's zone map. The tip is extra. The fare is flat, so it does not change with traffic or demand, and there is no charge for luggage.
What is the YVR passenger load charge?
A C$4 charge on taxi trips leaving YVR. It is already included in the zone fares, and for metered trips outside the zones it is added to the final meter fare. YVR says taxi rates, zone fares and the charge are governed by British Columbia's Passenger Transportation Board.
Is the taxi to YVR a flat rate?
No. The zone fares apply to trips from the airport only; trips to YVR run on the meter. The exception is the Board's flat fare of C$42 from the Canada Place cruise terminal to YVR on posted cruise ship days. Elly8.net airport fares are fixed in both directions.
Do YVR taxis charge for luggage or extra passengers?
YVR says no baggage charges are permitted. If luggage exceeds a taxi's capacity, passengers may need an additional or larger vehicle, and drivers may refuse unsafe loading. If passengers go to different addresses, the zone fare covers the first drop-off and the meter runs from there.
When is a fixed-price car cheaper than a YVR taxi?
On money alone, rarely for small groups going to a zone. It becomes competitive for groups that would need two or more cabs, for destinations beyond the zones such as the North Shore or Whistler, and for round trips. It wins on value when child seats, a guaranteed pickup or a tight schedule matter.
How long does a taxi take from YVR to downtown?
YVR is about 14 km (9 mi) from downtown, roughly 23 minutes on a clear road and longer at the afternoon peak or when events are on. The zone fare stays the same however long the drive takes, and so does an Elly8.net fixed fare, from US$110 in a Business Sedan.
