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Voykit pocket guide · Canada

New Westminster

Give New Westminster half a day to one night as a stop on the SkyTrain Expo Line from Vancouver: riverfront walk, Victorian downtown, then move on.

New Westminster was the first capital of colonial British Columbia and still looks different from the rest of suburban Vancouver: brick storefronts, Victorian houses and a riverfront esplanade on a hill above the Fraser. It is compact, 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver by SkyTrain, and works as a half-day or one-night add-on rather than a base. Most travellers see it in 4–6 hours; one night is enough if you want the pubs and the evening waterfront.

Toronto100 Mile HouseAbbotsfordActonAddington HighlandsAguanishAinsworth Hot Springs…AirdrieAjaxAlert BayAlexandriaAlixAlmonteAmherstNew Westminster1,000 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Canada
Best months
May–Sep (dry, warm, long evenings); Jun–Aug for the riverfront
Avoid
Nov–Feb (rain, short days); occasional smoke in Aug–Sep
Stay
0–1 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
CAD
Money
Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
Daily spend
Budget C$70–110 excl. bed · Mid C$120–200 excl. bed · High C$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
Emergency
Police, fire, ambulance 911 · HealthLink BC (24 h nurse line) 811
Plugs
Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
Tipping
Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
Water
Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
Toilets
Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.

What things cost

ItemPrice
CoffeeC$3–6
Burger or sandwich lunchC$12–22
Pub main with a pintC$25–40
TransLink single fare, one zone (tap-to-pay)about C$3.20 (check)
Taxi across downtownC$12–20
Museum entry (Anvil Centre galleries)C$5–12 (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$15–35

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

YVR · Vancouver International
SkyTrain Canada Line to Waterfront, then Expo Line to New Westminster; about 50–60 min total. Driving via Marine Drive takes 25–40 min depending on traffic.

Typical fares

SkyTrain New Westminster → downtown Vancouver
about C$3.20–4.60 one zone, 30 min (check)
SkyTrain YVR → New Westminster
about C$9–11 including the airport surcharge, 50–60 min (check)
Taxi across downtown New Westminster
C$12–20
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

The city is about 11 km (6.8 mi) long and 6.5 km (4 mi) wide but sits on a hill, so walking downtown is easy and walking uptown is a climb. Five Expo Line SkyTrain stations serve New Westminster; New Westminster station is one block from the riverfront and the most useful. TransLink buses link to Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey and Richmond; there is no direct bus to downtown Vancouver, so use SkyTrain. Fares are zone-based on weekdays before 18:30 and a single zone rate applies at other times; tap a Compass Card, Compass Ticket or contactless card. Taxis and Uber/Lyft/Kabu also operate.

See and do

Known for

  • Victorian-era downtown and houses
  • Fraser River waterfront esplanade
  • Wait for Me, Daddy memorial
  • The Royal City nickname

Day trips

WhereHowTime
VancouverExpo Line SkyTrain from New Westminster stationAbout 30–40 min
BurnabyExpo Line to Metrotown or Brentwood, or bus 123 along 8th St15–30 min
CoquitlamBus 159 from Braid station to Coquitlam CentralAbout 30–40 min
Port MoodySkyTrain to Moody Centre, or bus from Braid stationAbout 30–45 min
Port CoquitlamBus 159 from Braid stationAbout 45–60 min

Sleep

Downtown / Columbia Street
Walk to the riverfront, River Market, restaurants and New Westminster SkyTrain station; best for one night without a car.
Quayside / Westminster Quay
Waterfront hotels and the esplanade on the doorstep; quieter, 10–15 min walk uphill to Columbia Street.
Uptown (6th St and 6th Ave)
Royal City Centre mall, groceries and everyday shops; 15–20 min walk or a short bus ride from the river.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
Thank youThank you—
Sorry / Excuse meSorry—
How much is it?How much is it?—
Can I pay by card?Can I pay by card?—
Where is the SkyTrain station?Where is the SkyTrain station?—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please—

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
  • Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
  • Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
  • Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
  • Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume

Scams and watch-outs

  • The hill is real: Columbia Street to Uptown is a steady climb, so plan bus or SkyTrain hops if you have bags.
  • SkyTrain runs late but not all night; check the last train back to Vancouver before a late dinner.
  • Pay parking and permit zones apply near the riverfront; read the sign before leaving the car.
  • Winter is wet and grey rather than cold; bring a rain shell, not an umbrella you will fight with in wind.

A safe, well-lit suburb on the SkyTrain line; the real issues are the hill, rain and late-night quiet streets near the stations rather than crime. Standard city rules apply: keep bags zipped on transit, stay on lit streets after midnight.

One and two days

No timed day plan for New Westminster yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Victorian-era downtown and houses
  • Fraser River waterfront esplanade
  • Wait for Me, Daddy memorial
  • The Royal City nickname

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

New Westminster

To this address, please

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • HealthLink BC (24 h nurse line)811

Canada has no foreign embassies in New Westminster; most are in Ottawa, with consulates in Vancouver (check your country's list).

English is the working language here; French is official nationally but rarely needed locally.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/new-westminster). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.