If you require a temporary visa to enter Canada, or you think you may require one, see our Visa Information Page.
Victoria is located on Vancouver Island. (Vancouver itself is NOT on Vancouver Island, paradoxically; it's on the mainland.) The simplest way to get to Victoria is to fly into Victoria International Airport, then get a cab or a shuttle bus from the airport to the downtown area or to the University campus. The trip from the airport into town takes about 30 minutes. PLEASE NOTE: ALL PRICES QUOTED (correct as of 3/2005) ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Ground transportation at the Victoria Airport also offers car rentals, as well as BC Transit (city) Bus services. Cabs from the airport to campus or downtown are about $42.00 CDN. An airport shuttle bus (Ph: (250) 386-2525; Toll Free: 1-877-386-2525) provides daily half-hour service to and from the airport to the University of Victoria and all hotels and motels in Greater Victoria. Cost is about $15.00 CDN one way, $10/person for groups of 3 or more coming to campus. Campus drop-off/pick up is at the Student Union Building and parking lot #5, which is beside the registration office of Housing, Food and Conference Services (off Sinclair Rd.), the UVic Residences, and conference centre. Note: if returning to the airport via the airport shuttle bus, please phone a day in advance 386-2525 between 4:30 am and 11:30 pm to make return reservations.
A cab from the downtown hotels to the University of Victoria is about $17.00 CDN. Parking: Parking at UVic costs $5.00 CDN per day (Canadian coins, VISA or MASTERCARD) Monday to Friday. Permits may be purchased at automated coin/credit card dispensers located in every numbered parking lot outside of Ring Road.
If you're flying into Vancouver or Seattle, an onward ticket to Victoria can be purchased as part of your main trip ticket, and the flight only takes a few minutes.
If you fly into Vancouver International Airport and make your own way over to Victoria, Pacific Coach Lines run buses from Vancouver airport to downtown Victoria via guaranteed-access ferry. Allow plenty of time for this; the trip takes about four hours.
Reservations & Information: 1-800-661-1725 (USA & Canada) (604) 662-7575 (Vancouver, BC).
Please Note: Ferry waits of 1-2 hours for vehicles are not uncommon at certain times of day. Advance booking is possible (See the BC Ferries website: http://www.bcferries.ca.)
If you're flying into SeaTac http://www.seatac.org/ (Seattle Tacoma) International Airport and making your own way by land/sea over to Victoria, allow at least eight hours. You can shuttle from the airport into downtown Seattle. From downtown Seattle you may take the Victoria Clipper passenger service (Clipper Ferries) to Victoria harbour. Another option is driving north for approximately 3 hours and then taking a vehicle ferry from the BC ferries port just north of the US border (TSAWWASSEN FERRY TERMINAL).
All ferry rides are a spectacular trip through the Gulf Islands.
Reminder: All prices and schedules subject to change. Please check websites for further information.
See the BC Ferries Website (http://www.bcferries.ca) or call them (1-888-223-3779 from anywhere in BC; 250-386-3431 from outside BC) for public transportation, taxis, limos, shuttles, car rentals, updated schedules, information and driving directions for the trip from Vancouver (TSAWWASSEN) to Victoria (SWARTZ BAY).
Clipper Ferries offer high-speed passenger-only service from downtown Seattle (Pier 69) to Victoria Harbour, taking about 2.5 hours, with great scenery.
Toll Free: 1-800-888-2535 Seattle: 206-448-5000 Victoria: 250-382-8100
Victoria Express (http://www.victoriaexpress.com/travelinfo-vic.html) is a passenger only ferry serving Port Angeles, Victoria and Friday Harbour.
Phone from US: (360) 452-8088; from Canada call: (250) 361-9144.
Coho Ferry System (http://www.cohoferry.com/) is a vehicle ferry from Port Angeles WA to Victoria.
Phone from US:(360) 457-4491; from Canada: (250) 386-2202
Sidney-Anacortes (http://www.ferrytravel.com/anacortes.htm) is a passenger/vehicle ferry offering daily sailings between Anacortes, WA and Sidney, BC (30 km. North of Victoria).
Reservations required: 206-464-6400.
Bellingham-Victoria (http://www.ferrytravel.com/bellingham.htm) is a passenger-only ferry service from Bellingham, WA to downtown Victoria, B.C.
Reservations required: 1-800-686-0446
There are other ways to get here, including seaplane and helijet flights from various locations in the Pacific Northwest. For further travel information, check out Tourism Victoria's Transportation page.
Note: Canadian businesses routinely accept US$$ at slightly below the current exchange rate, but give CA$$ in change. Euros, Pounds etc. must be exchanged at banks, currency exchange bureaux or larger post offices.
You may find these maps helpful:
The cab drivers and Airporter shuttle drivers will drop you at "UVic Housing and Conference Centre" (Craigdarroch Office on the maps). Check-in is available 24 hrs. a day. It is right next to the Conference Centre (Commons Block) too.
Those of you staying downtown should take the Airporter directly to your hotel.
Conference Registration is separate from Housing registration, and will take place in the Conference Centre, beginning on Wednesday 15th - times will be posted here and in the Housing Office.