Learn more about free and discounted transit programs by clicking below.
We are continuing with the Whistler High School Transit Pass program for Grade 8-12 students attending Whistler secondary schools. This year, the parent/guardian permission form will be available online at My.Whistler.ca. We will start accepting the electronic information for grade 8 students on Thursday, September 7 and grade 9 students on Friday, September 8. Students in grade 10, 11, 12 can start adding their information the following week.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has been offering Whistler secondary school students in Grades 8 through 12 complimentary access to the Whistler Transit System since January 2020 and added Grade 7 students to the program in 2023. The funding for this program comes from the parking fees collected from Day Lots 1 – 5.
The main goals of the Whistler Highschool Transit Pass program are to:
1) Reduce “parent chauffeur” trips within Whistler, reducing highway congestion and GHG emissions
2) Improve affordability for families in Whistler
Our existing 6-month and 12-month bus passes are magnetic swipe passes with pictures, and they are not transferable. We have developed a unique Whistler Transit System Highschool 12-month bus pass that is similar to the existing 12-month concession pass. However, this complimentary pass will only be valid within Whistler. Should the student contravene the terms and conditions, their complimentary High School bus pass may be cancelled. View the Terms and Conditions.
New this year, we are asking that you fill out the survey permission form online. It will go live on:
Thursday September 7 for Grade 8, Friday September 8 for Grade 9 students. Grade 10s, 11s and 12s can access the forms the following week. The on-line form will available until October 15, 2023. If you do not have access to a computer, you can still access a paper parent/guardian permission form from the school administration office or Municipal Hall Customer Service desk. We need to have the survey and permission form signed before a bus pass can be issued to your child.
We will produce the High School bus passes starting in late September using this year’s school pictures from the school photographer and bring the bus passes to the school to distribute in early October. This bus pass will be valid through October 15, 2024.
We hope that your family will take advantage of this unique Whistler program as well as the provincial Kids 12 and under ride free. Since September 2021, the Province has offered free transit to all children 12 and under anywhere in BC as part of the provincial ‘Get on Board Kids 12 and Under Ride Free’ program which replaced our Whistler Family Travel Program. If you would like some on-line BusReady training videos to watch with your kids, check out bctransit.com/BusReady .
We work with the administration at Whistler Secondary School, the Whistler Waldorf School and the SD48 on-line school to send letters with permission forms to parents by email through the school contact channels.
Passes are be distributed to the students through the schools in late September and early October depending on when we receive the school photos.
Contact
Emma DalSanto
Transportation Demand Management Coordinator
transit@whistler.ca
604-935-8197
The Resort Municipality of Whistler, Whistler Blackcomb and the Chamber of Commerce have partnered to offer Whistler Experience® participants 6-month and 12-month Spirit Transit Passes as part of the 2017 Transportation Action Plan. With your valid 2022-23 Whistler Experience number, a 6-month Spirit Transit Pass is $220 and a 12-month Spirit Transit Pass is $410. That’s one and half months free with a 6-month pass or 25 per cent savings over buying monthly passes, and almost four months free with a 12-month pass or a 30 per cent savings over buying a monthly pass!
Note: 1-month Spirit Transit Pass, can be purchased at Whistler Public Library as well as Municipal Hall.
- To purchase a 1-month Spirit Transit Pass, please visit Whistler Public Library or Municipal Hall. To purchase 6-month or 12-month Spirit Transit Pass, come to the Customer Service desk at Municipal Hall between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. You must present your Whistler Experience® number to claim your discount when purchasing your Spirit Transit Pass.
- You are only allowed to purchase one Spirit Transit Pass product per Whistler Experience year.
- Please read the Terms and Conditions for the 6- and 12-month passes.
- For 2021/22 and 2022/23, the prices are:
- 12-month Spirit Transit Pass: $410 (savings of $100 from regular price)
- 6-month Spirit Transit Pass: $220(savings of $50 from regular price)
- 1-month Spirit Transit Pass: $25 (savings of $25 from regular price)
- For employers wishing to purchase passes directly for their staff, please contact Emma DalSanto at edalsanto@whistler.ca.
As of Sept. 1, 2021, the Whistler Family Travel program is being replaced with a new provincial program where children 12 and under can ride BC Transit and TransLink services free of charge. This change makes it easier and more affordable for families in and around Whistler and Metro Vancouver.
Learn more about the Kids on Board program.
Route 4, 5, and 8 Village Shuttle routes are always complimentary, sponsored by the Province of B.C.’s Resort Municipality Initiative.
Route 7–Staff Housing Complimentary Shuttle is free from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. in the winter only from November 19, 2022 through April 2, 2023. Dates are renewed annually. This program is sponsored by Whistler-Blackcomb.
**Note: from Saturday, November 19 – Friday, December 9, 2022, the Route 7 Staff Housing Free Shuttle starts at 5 p.m.
The RMOW and BC Transit encourages everyone to make the safe and smart choice to ride transit on New Year’s Eve. Take advantage of free local transit on December 31, 2022 all day to end of service at 3:30am on January 1, 2023.
From June 15 to Labour Day, catch any Whistler Transit System bus on summer weekends and statutory holidays (Canada Day, BC Day and Labour Day) for free in Whistler. All routes are free from the first bus at 5 a.m. on Saturdays through the last bus on the Sunday/holiday Monday transit day leaving the Village at 3:15 a.m. Check out the Summer Rider’s Guide for times.
New for 2023, the free summer weekend program has been expanded to include the May long weekend (May 20, 21, and 22), the Thanksgiving long weekend (October 7, 8 and 9) and Truth and Reconciliation Day, September 30.
And Kids 12 and under ride free everyday.
For bus directions to Whistler’s Parks, see whistler.ca/parkandplay
