BC Ferries
 

I'm planning a trip to the island and would like to know how early should I arrive at the ferry terminal if I don't make a reservation online? (Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay sailing)

weekdays except for friday, I would say an hour before should give you ample time. Weekends including friday, expect a full one sailing wait. I used to travel a lot for work on the ferries. My suggestions are for both directions.

Unless it's a long weekened or something, generally if you're there 30-45 minutes before the sailing you won't have a problem getting on.

The ferries are on summer schedule now so if even if you miss a sailing the next one is only an hour away.

I use the ferries a lot, and found that reservations are generally a big waste of money.

^ This. I travel back and forth between the mainland and the island quite often and I have never made a reservation. I usually cut it a little close and get to the terminal about 15-20 minutes before boarding. However, I would not recommend this if you know it will be a busy sailing (ie. long weekends, holidays...etc). Check the status of the ferry online beforehand. There have been times where I drove straight from the ticketing area onto the ferry without stopping and have the doors shut right behind me :awwyeah:

If you want to play it safe, give yourself a bit more time, anywhere from 30-45 minutes should be enough, especially on weekends and holidays.

This may have changed in the last few years, but I've made a reservation for the latest I wanted to get on (say 6pm) and showed up early (2pm) and been let on the next sailing (3pm). More helpful for people traveling a ways before the ferry so you can leave yourself a big buffer for delays.

I am thanking OP for making this thread because I have been contemplating on whether to make a thread just like this for the past month, but I`ve been too lazy! I was actually going to just wing it, but reading other people's advice is comforting.

Anyways, we`re going to the sunshine coast tomorrow (Friday) and staying at a B&B then coming back home on Sunday.

OK I will try this without reservation, because $18.50 is quite a fee.

Question:
For Sunday the reservation list says there are no ferries for the two slots between the 11am one and the 6pm one. I guess I should try to aim for the one before the 11am one just incase it`s full if I don't want to wait for the 6pm one??

Unless your company is paying for reservations, notworthit.

What schedule are you looking at?

According to the ferries schedule, the following sailing times are scheduled for Sunday:

6:20am
8:50am
11:30am
2:45pm
4:50pm
6:50pm
7:30pm
8:45pm

So if you miss the 11:30am your next ferry is the 2:45pm

Long weekends only. Most of the time, the ferry is nowhere near capacity.

Currently posting from a BC Ferry (Departure Bay > Horseshoe Bay), no reservation, showed up about 25 minutes prior to sailing.

Used to travel back and forth all the time (lived in Burnaby, worked on the island). Only time I had to wait for the next ferry (not including long weekends) was August 2012 ... And we would've been on if we had been 5 minutes earlier (missed it by 3 cars).

An hour before is pretty good UNLESS its a long weekend. If you do reserve you still have to arrive early!

Thanks,

I didn't read your message until now.

Actually I read the wrong ferry schedule online somehow.
Got in line at 12:00 (thinking there was a 1:00) and took the 2:45 ferry, but! We were still on the bottom level near the door. So, I think if we went any later we wouldn't have got on... crazy!