Check out how much it will cost to take the new Vancouver-Nanaimo foot-passenger ferry
A new foot-passenger ferry service set to sail between downtown Vancouver and downtown Nanaimo in August will cost adults at least $40 for a one-way trip, according to a price list recently posted by the operator.
Hullo is promising to make the crossing in about 70 minutes. Run by the Vancouver Island Ferry company in Victoria, the company has yet to take delivery of the two Damen 4212 high-speed catamarans for the route.
Owners previously announced the service would launch this month.
According to the price list, passengers have a choice of three classes — comfort, premium and business — with an adult ticket going for $39.99, $49.99 or $59.99, respectively, plus GST.
The cost for a child ranges from $19.99 to $39.99, while the most inexpensive senior's ticket is $19.99. Discounts are being offered for first-time trips booked online.
Hullo is promising up to seven round-trip sailings per day, with flexibility to accommodate special events like a concert or sports event in Vancouver. Each vessel has a seating capacity of 354.
The terminals for the service are located at the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre at 1055 Canada Place, and the Nanaimo Port Authority at 100 Port Dr.
Hullo is launching in a space where multiple private operators have failed in the past, as it aims to provide an alternative to the B.C. Ferries route from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver to Nanaimo's Departure Bay.
Hullo's selling point is no different than those who went before, promising the convenience of downtown to downtown service and "terminal locations that make sense and save you time."
What is different today is the state of B.C. Ferries, which has been plagued with staffing shortages and semi-regular sailing cancellations in the last few years.
Hullo is now in competition with B.C. Ferries for employees, with a number of job openings posted on its website, including for captain, chief engineer and deckhand.
