Vancouver is one of the most transit-friendly cities in North America. TransLink runs the integrated bus, SkyTrain (driverless rapid transit) and SeaBus (passenger ferry to North Vancouver) network on a single fare. Three SkyTrain lines cover the airport, downtown, the eastern suburbs and Surrey; the Canada Line connects the airport, Richmond and downtown and is the obvious airport transfer. A Compass Card or contactless tap-to-pay works on every mode.
Downtown and the West End are walkable. The seawall — a continuous 28km path around the downtown peninsula and through Stanley Park — is the city's most popular cycling route, and Mobi bike-share docks are well distributed. Aquabus and False Creek Ferries are small passenger boats that run between Granville Island, Yaletown, Olympic Village and Science World; they double as a fun, cheap way to get around.
A car is more useful for trips up the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler, across to Vancouver Island via ferry, or up the Sunshine Coast — but is a liability downtown. Parking is expensive and street parking is tightly enforced.