SkyTrain station accessibility upgrades will bring temporary elevator and escalator closures to four stations in Vancouver, British Columbia. TransLink will replace elevators at Burrard and Royal Oak on the Expo Line, while escalators at Gilmore and Production Way–University on the Millennium Line will also be replaced.

Burrard Station entrance in Vancouver with escalators
Archive photo of the entrance to Burrard Station in Vancouver. Photo: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Scope of the modernization program

The wider TransLink modernization program will upgrade 21 original elevators across 15 stations and replace 24 Millennium Line escalators⁠ that have been in service since 2002. Nine new Expo Line elevators and four new escalators at Commercial-Broadway Station are already operating.

Don’t miss…300th Desiro ML train joins Austria’s Cityjet fleet

Elevator and escalator replacement schedule

At Burrard Station, elevator replacement is scheduled to begin July 21 and continue through spring 2027. Work at Royal Oak Station will start July 28 and is expected to take less than four months.

Escalator replacement at Gilmore and Production Way–University stations⁠ is due to begin July 20. At Gilmore, all three escalators are scheduled to be replaced by early 2029, with the first expected to be completed in spring 2027. The Production Way–University escalator is expected to be completed in summer 2027.

What will change for passengers?

Passengers who need step-free access will use alternative arrangements during the elevator closures at Burrard and Royal Oak. At Burrard, they can travel to Granville Station’s accessible entrance or take the #5 bus to Stadium–Chinatown, with about 20 extra minutes advised.

At Royal Oak, the #148 bus will provide an accessible connection, and passengers should allow roughly 30 additional minutes. Stairs and elevators will remain available at Gilmore and Production Way–University while the escalators are replaced. TransLink also plans to provide additional staff and signage at the affected stations.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Don’t miss…Madrid Metro Line 11 extension gets EUR 880.6m approval