For Immediate Release
21-034
August 11, 2021

BC Ferries expects busy weekend Aug 13-15

VICTORIA – The upcoming weekend is expected to be a busy one at BC Ferries so the company is offering travel tips for customers planning to take a ferry between Friday, August 13 and Sunday, August 15.

Historically, this middle weekend in August tends to be very popular at BC Ferries as many families take the first two weeks or the last two weeks of August as vacation. Some travellers will be heading home and others will be starting their holidays. The middle weekend of this month is dubbed the unofficial “change-over” weekend of the summer. 

BC Ferries expects sailings from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, Tsawwassen to Duke Point and Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay to be particularly busy all day Friday, August 13 and the morning of Saturday, August 14. If you are planning to travel on these routes without a reservation and wish to avoid sailing waits, BC Ferries recommends you travel on Thursday, August 12 or the afternoon of Saturday, August 14.

BC Ferries also expects sailings from Duke Point, Departure Bay and Swartz Bay to be very busy on Sunday, August 15. If you are planning to travel back to Metro Vancouver without a reservation and wish to avoid sailing waits, we recommend you travel in the afternoon on Saturday, August 14 or the afternoon on Monday, August 16.


Weekend Travel Tips
 

• Book in advance – Book early to secure a spot at the sailing day and time of your choice. Customers with flexibility can travel at less busy times and take advantage of reduced fares to avoid the rush. Book online at bcferries.com. Customers with a booking do not experience sailing waits.
   
• Be prepared for sailing waits if you do not book in advance – Sailing waits are common during popular travel periods. If bookings are sold out, the best option to avoid sailing waits is to travel during less busy times. These are typically mid-week days and early morning or late evening sailings. 
   
• Travel as a foot passenger – Leave the car at home. If possible, choose public transit or arrange to be dropped off at the terminal. Foot passengers can now make bookings on the Metro Vancouver – Vancouver Island routes.
   
• Arrive early – Customers with a booking should plan to arrive at the terminal 45-60 minutes before their scheduled departure. Walk-on passengers should arrive 45 minutes before their scheduled departure. 
   
• Keep hydrated – Bring plenty of water for you and your pets. Terminal holding compounds can reach high temperatures while waiting to board a ferry. Hats and sunscreen are always a good idea. Water fountains and fill up stations are available inside our staffed terminals. BC Ferries makes every effort to get traffic inside the holding compounds; however, during peak travel times you may need to lineup outside the terminal so bringing your own water bottle is recommended. For traffic safety reasons, there are limited or no facilities/amenities outside terminals. Please plan ahead. 
   
• Respect fellow passengers and crew – High traffic volumes can be stressful for both customers and employees. We have a zero tolerance policy for abuse, including verbal abuse, towards employees. Our employees are professionals doing their best to meet everyone’s needs. We deny service to customers who abuse employees.
  
  For full schedule information, current conditions, reservations and promotional offers, please visit bcferries.com. For the most up-to-date travel information, follow @BCFerries on Twitter.