Traveling to Canada

Please visit the government of Canada’s visit website for important tips when travelling to Canada. Most people who want to visit Canada will need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Find out if you need a visa, eTA, or both here. Should you need a visa to travel to Canada, we suggest you start the paper work as soon as possible because this is a long process that may take a few months. ​​​​​​​

Traveling to Victoria

The easiest way to get to Victoria is to fly into the Victoria International Airport (YYJ), located in Sidney, about 30 km from downtown Victoria can 25 km from the University of Victoria where the workshop will take place. Taxis are available just outside of the airport and a ride to downtown is typically between 60 – 65 CAD. YYJ airport shuttle constantly runs from Victoria to the airport for 25 CAD. We highly recommend booking a reservation in advance due to the high number of visitors in the summer.  Public transportation from the airport to downtown Victoria or to UVic costs 5.00 CAD. However, this bus route frequency is low.

If your travel plans are through Vancouver International Airport you can take the BC ferry  from Tsawwassen  to Swartz Bay either on public transportation or through the BC Ferries Connector. For public transportation, walk to the sky train station, take the train towards Waterfront and get off on Bridgeport station. Go downstairs to Bay 11 and take bus # 620 towards Tsawwassen. At the ferry terminal, pay for the fare (17.20 CAD), hop on the ferry and enjoy the beautiful views of the Pacific North West. In Swartz Bay, walk to the bus station and get on bus # 72 or # 70 which will drive you to downtown. Note that while Vancouver transit allows credit card to pay bus fares, Victoria doesn’t. You will need cash to pay for the bus fare in Swartz Bay.
The BC Ferries Connector ticket counter is located in the International Arrival Terminal, at the arrival level, and next to the escalators. The fare from Vancouver airport to downtown Victoria is 58.00 CAD. If you chose to use this service we suggest booking a seat in advance since this is a popular way to travel to Vancouver Island from Vancouver airport.