Islanders rejoice.
It’s now 15 percent cheaper to take the ferry on the Bowen Island to Horseshoe Bay route — with prices cut as of April 1.
This isn’t an April Fool’s joke.
We're among the 21, inter-island and northern routes — as well as the Horseshoe Bay-Langdale route — to enjoy the price reduction, a BC Ferries press release announced today.
And local seniors can once again travel for free Monday through Thursday, excluding holidays, on major and inter-island routes.
“I really like that the Monday the Thursday is free again,” said Pauline Le Bel, 74, of Bowen Island, speaking with The Undercurrent. “I think it encourages more people to travel.”
The buy-in level for Experience Cards is reduced as well by 15 percent to $95 for vehicle and driver and $55 for passenger fares. Reservation fees are now $10, down from $15.
“We are focused on the affordability of ferry travel,” said Mark Collins, BC Ferries’ president, in the release. “Our present financial position allows us to use some of our net earnings to reduce fares for our customers.”
It said the provincial government and BC Ferries reached the agreement to fund the reductions at a cost of $43.2 million for 2019, and $54.8 for fiscal 2020 — a total cost of $98 million.
Not all routes are reduced, it said, noting fares on the three Metro Vancouver-Vancouver Island routes are held constant at current rates.
