BC Ferry Terminal Hours

[Scott]

Maybe I should know this, but what are the hours of the major BC Ferries terminals?  I'm specifically thinking of Horseshoe Bay as I try to plan some travels during the upcoming holiday season, but it could be useful to know for other terminals.

I'm pretty sure the terminals do close at night.  I've seen the gates close at Departure Bay after they have stopped selling tickets.  But how early can I arrive at Horseshoe Bay for the first sailing of the day (06:20 during the holidays).  How about Tsawwassen?  There's not much of a break there... the last ferry arrives at 00:45 and the next one leaves at 05:15.  People with reservations have to arrive at least 30 minutes before sailing, so they've got to be open fairly early.  Does anyone know if there are exact hours at each terminal?  A quick search of the BC Ferries website turned up nothing on my end.


- John H

[Deleted]

I think it would be best calling the terminal directly to find out. Horseshoe Bay's phone number is 604-921-7414, and as for TSA, I suppose you could just call 1-888-BCFERRY.

Sometime ago I found out that Langdale opens at 0515, one hour before cutoff for the first sailing. I'm not sure if a one hour timeframe is the case for other terminals, or if it's still in effect at all.

[Koastal Karl]

Swartz Bay I thought was open at 6am but the Gulf Island routes usually go earlier! I do remember once arriving at 5:45am for the 7am to Tsawwassrn and having to wait outside the terminal as the booths were not open yet! Tsawwassen for route 30 is probably open at like 4:15am if the first sailing is 5:15am!

[Nick]

Yes, the terminals close at night. What time the gates open in the morning depends on the schedule. At Swartz Bay they generally open about 30 minutes before the first SGI sailing. It happens often that traffic (usually commercial) is lined up outside the booths before the terminal is opened though. People just wait in line until the ticket agents arrive.