Exit
Expo Line
Canada Line
SeaBus
The Waterfront Station consists of a long single island platform where two trains are stored during midday (with the other 3 trainsets just beyond on sidings), it has a canopy with red columns for a good portion of its length and very few benches.
A double escalator, staircase, escalator and elevator lead up to the small West Coast Express lobby with its dedicated vending machines and a customer service desk (always staffed during the PM Rush Hour when all 5 departures leave). In 2015 this became the location of numerous Compass card target readers, with West Coast Express Customers required to double-tag on and off at this station even when not transferring to SkyTrain or Sea Bus, Passengers entering the station must tap on at the regular faregates that provide all access to West Coast Express, Expo Line and SeaBus, and then again tap on, on the readers in the West Coast Express lobby. When I rode in 2022 friendly staff in the PM rush hour made sure everyone tapped on before they descended onto the West Coast Express platform. These extra taps are required to make sure that West Coast Express customers are charged the premium fare for the commuter train ride. Wwithout the extra taps a customer would be charged the cheaper fare as if they had ridden via SkyTrain rate when, for example, riding the West Coast Express between here and Moody Centre, where West Coast Express has a similar fare/compass reader configuration with the SkyTrain. Luckily all premimum West Coast Express fares include free transfers to SkyTrain, SeaBus and all other local buses.
Beyond the West Coast Express lobby here two sets of doors (that are closed during the many hours and all day weekends when West Coast Express is due to leave) lead to the entry area right near the Expo SkyTrain Lines, as well as the walkway to the Sea Bus. There is a digital display that countdowns the time till the departure of the next train but is blank if there is not one too soon and the platform doors are locked (Sea Bus has one too). This walkway leads to the main Waterfront Station building where West Coast Express trains share a set of faregates with the Expo Line and SeaBus.
Until it was discontinued in 2016 (and replaced by some trips of local bus Route 701 extended to Mission connecting with the SkyTrain at Coquitlam Central Station) outside on Cordova Street was where boarding took place for the TrainBus. This was a Motorcoach service intended to suppliment the limited West Coast Express peak-hour schedule, stopping only at train stations At first this was known as the work late bus in the mid-2000s with one round-trip operating after the 5 peak hour West Coast Express train trips had concluded service in each direction for the day when it was expanded to provide more service (including weekend service from about 2007 to 2010) although as of 2011 there were just two more westbound trips (late AM), and five more eastbound trips to Port Haney with one westbound and three eastbound continuing all the way to Mission.
Photos 1-7 taken on 27 September, 2011 from the top of the Vancouver Lookout, 8-27 on 7 October, 2011, 28-32 on 8 October, 2011, 33: 16 April, 2014; 34-40: 8 March, 2018; 41-63: October 14, 2022
