PASMO is for Japan—here’s what to use in Vancouver
A PASMO card won’t pay Vancouver transit fares. Choose Compass or contactless payment, with simple tap rules and the YVR airport surcharge explained.
You cannot use a PASMO card to pay for Vancouver transit. PASMO serves Tokyo and participating train, bus and shopping networks across Japan. In Metro Vancouver, the reloadable transit card is Compass; TransLink also accepts specified contactless bank cards and mobile wallets. A PASMO stored in your phone’s wallet is not a substitute for one of those payment cards. (PASMO coverage, TransLink payment options)
Which payment should you choose?
| Your Vancouver plan | Practical choice |
|---|---|
| A few adult-fare journeys, with convenience the priority | Tap an accepted contactless credit card or mobile wallet directly at the reader. |
| Repeated transit use over several days | Consider a Compass Card with Stored Value for discounted fares. |
| A day with many separate journeys | Compare a DayPass with your planned single fares; it covers all zones on buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus. |
Contactless payment charges the single adult cash fare, not the discounted Compass Stored Value fare. Readers accept American Express, Mastercard and Visa credit cards, Interac Debit, and Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay with an accepted payment card. Each fare-paying rider needs their own card, ticket or payment device. (TransLink fares and contactless rules)
To buy an adult Compass Card, use a vending machine at any SkyTrain station—including YVR–Airport—or a SeaBus terminal. The card requires a $6 refundable deposit plus a minimum $5 load at purchase from a machine. Machines accept cash, debit and credit cards. (Where to buy Compass)
The tap rules to remember
- Bus: tap when boarding; do not tap when getting off.
- SkyTrain and SeaBus: tap both in and out.
- Transfers: use the same card or device throughout. A physical bank card and its mobile-wallet version count as different payment forms.
- Time window: a single fare allows transfers across bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus for up to 90 minutes from your first tap, within the zones paid for.
These are TransLink’s payment and transfer rules. Take the card out of your wallet before tapping to avoid unintentionally charging another card.
Two Vancouver fare details that affect your day
Buses are always one-zone fares. SkyTrain and SeaBus fares depend on zones, but journeys starting after 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, and travel on weekends and provincial statutory holidays, use one-zone fares. (Fare-zone rules)
Leaving YVR can cost extra. As of October 14, 2026, the airport AddFare is $6.50 for applicable Canada Line trips starting at YVR–Airport, Sea Island Centre or Templeton and continuing beyond Sea Island. It applies to Compass Stored Value and contactless payments; buying a Compass Card does not remove it. There is no airport AddFare for journeys to YVR. (Airport surcharge and exemptions)
For a mostly walking day, plan the route before buying a pass: a one-way seawall walk with a transit return may need fewer paid journeys than a day spent moving between several neighborhoods.