Getting There
By Car -- Whistler is about a 2-hour drive from Vancouver along Hwy. 99, also called the Sea-to-Sky Highway. The spectacular drive winds first along the edge of Howe Sound before climbing through the mountains. Ample pay parking is available for day skiers and visitors in the Village; most hotels charge a minimum of C$20 for underground parking.
By Bus -- Perimeter Whistler Express (8695 Barnard St.; tel. 888/717-6606 or 604/717-6600; www.perimeterbus.com) operates bus service from Vancouver International Airport and downtown Vancouver hotels to Squamish and the Whistler Bus Loop, as well as drop-off service at most Whistler hotels and properties. The trip takes 2 1/2 to 3 hours; round-trip fares from Whistler Village are C$150 adults, C$80 children 2 to 12, and free for children 1 and under. Reservations are required year-round.
Whistler Direct Shuttle (tel. 888/405-2410; www.whistlerdirectshuttle.com) operates year-round deluxe highway coach service between Vancouver and Whistler. The service is by reservation only and picks up from the airport and all downtown Vancouver hotels. Adult one-way fare from a Vancouver hotel is C$49; the fare from the airport is C$65.
Greyhound Bus Lines (tel. 800/661-8747 or 604/683-8133; www.greyhound.ca) operates daily bus service from the downtown Vancouver bus depot to Whistler Village and Whistler Creekside. The trip takes about 2 1/2 hours; round-trip fares are C$56 to C$63 adults, C$42 to C$48 children 2 to 11, and free for children 1 and under.
By Plane -- From mid-May through September, Whistler Air (tel. 888/806-2299; www.whistlerair.ca) offers two daily flights from Vancouver’s Coal Harbour to the Whistler area. Fares start at C$150.
By Train -- From May through September, Rocky Mountaineer (tel. 877/460-3200 or 604/606-7245; www.rockymountaineer.com) offers Thursday to Monday service between North Vancouver and Whistler on the Whistler Mountaineer, a refurbished train with vintage dome observation cars. Trains depart North Vancouver early in the morning and return in the afternoon, though if you want to stay overnight of course you can do so. Breakfast is served on the way up, and a light meal on the return. Standard adult round-trip fare starts at C$270.
Visitor Information
For planning and accommodations deals, contact Tourism Whistler (tel. 800/944-7853 or 604/932-0606; www.whistler.com). The Whistler Visitor Info Centre (4230 Gateway Dr., off Village Gate Blvd. from Hwy. 99) is open daily 8am to 10pm (till 8pm during spring and fall), and can answer questions about the area, as well as help you find accommodations. Another good website for general information and mountain updates is www.whistlerblackcomb.com.
Getting Around
By Foot -- Compact and pedestrian-oriented, Whistler Village has signed trails and pathways linking hotels, shops, and restaurants with the gondolas up to Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. If you’re staying in the Village, you can park and leave your car for the duration of your stay. Remember that the resort is divided into Whistler Village (where you get gondolas for both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains) and the Upper Village (where you get the gondola for Blackcomb); it takes about 5 minutes to walk between the villages. At some hotels, you can ski from the front door right to the hill. There’s also the Valley Trail System, more than 40km (25 miles) of paved pathway that connects all of Whistler’s neighborhoods.
By Bus -- Whistler and Valley Express (WAVE; tel. 604/932-4020; www.bctransit.com), a year-round public transit service, runs from the Gondola Transit Exchange to the neighboring districts of Whistler Creekside, Alpine Meadows, and Emerald Estates. Service from the Village to Village North and Upper Village accommodations is free.
By Taxi -- Whistler Taxi (tel. 800/203-5322 or 604/932-3333; www.whistlertaxi.com) runs 24 hours.
By Car -- Rental cars are available from Avis (4315 Northlands Blvd.; tel. 800/230-4898 or 604/932-1236).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
