Take in the magic of the season from your seat on a vintage TransLink bus decked out in festive garb and twinkling lights as you tour Metro Vancouver neighbourhoods sparkling with holiday lights.
The annual Christmas Lights Tour put on by the Transit Museum Society (TRAMS) is a unique way to see the holiday sights--and it's a fundraiser for the incredible work the TRAMS volunteers do to restore and promote the region's transit history, including their fleet of vintage vehicles.
This year, TRAMS is running four tour dates on December 13, 14, 20, and 21 - though currently the first two dates are already sold out.
The tours depart from Coquitlam Central and are three and a half hours long, including a 30-minute refreshment break.
You'll be riding on a vintage 1996 New Flyer coach (#9753), journeying through the streets to see all the beautiful holiday light displays on residences and businesses in the area. The tour even passes by Lights at Lafarge and Anmore's "Candy Cane Lane."
The bus may be a familiar one to locals. "People in the Lower Mainland will no doubt remember these vehicles, which were the first low-floor buses,” TRAMS vice president Michael Taylor-Noonan told the Tri-City News, noting it ran in Vancouver and Burnaby for 18 years.
Tickets are sold online and are $35 per person (regardless of age). TRAMS members can book for $30 per person. Children two and under who are not occupying their own seats can ride for free.
A note that due to uncertain weather, TRAMS may need to cancel the tours. "When good weather is forecast for the departure date, we will contact reservation holders informing them that they may pay online using a credit card," describe organizers on the booking page. "We follow this procedure because our payment processor charges us a fee to refund payments."
TRAMS Christmas Lights Tour
When: Dec. 13-14 and 20-21, 2024. Trip departs at 7:15 p.m. (arrive early)
Where: Tours leave from/return to Coquitlam Central Station - 2920 Barnet Highway, Coquitlam
Cost: $35 per person; $30 TRAMS members. Children on laps (2 and under) are free. Book online.
With a file from Janis Cleugh/Tri-City News
