[mr.x2]

http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/images/transit_labs_hp_logo.gif
Link: http://www.google.com/transit


Google Transit is currently available to only one city in Canada, Vancouver. Create your own transit trip, complete with itineraries and maps



Now you can Google your bus route
By 24 HOURS NEWS SERVICES

Metro Vancouver bus riders are the first in Canada able to plan trips using Google Transit.

The service, available now at google.com/transit, offers visitors three route options between destinations as well as scheduling information.

"Including transit information is part of our goal to make all types of information accessible," Google's Wendy Rozeluk said yesterday.

Info for the real-time bus routes is piped to Google from TransLink's online trip planner.





I find it to be extremely helpful, and it certainly is a lot easier [for those who aren't familiar with computers] to use compared to Translink's online transit planner.

[deasine]

It's so much faster... but then the routes aren't the most accurate... but we really only need the directions themselves.

It's so much easier to implement this in Vancouver since we have a unified transit network

[zivan56]

Wow, talk about inaccurate. But a good start I guess...

[npinguy]

For years I would tell all new visitors to Vancouver, when they asked about directions to the north shore or horseshoe bay, or cypress, etc, to take the "tunnel".

And when they'd react by asking with bewildered faces "The Tunnel?? What Tunnel?" I would quickly put on a sombre face and say "OH crap. You're not supposed to know about the tunnel."


:tup:


But it turns out I was right all along...or WILL be according to Google's brilliant time-traveling engineers.

Witness the directions from Central Vancouver to Grouse Mountain!

http://www.google.com/transit?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=king+edward+%26+arbutus,+vancouver&daddr=grouse+mountain,+vancouver&sll=49.188123,-122.922592&sspn=0.28991,0.55481&ie=UTF8&ll=49.270941,-123.11451&spn=0.144712,0.277405&z=12&om=1&start=0



And if you think about it, isn't that the perfect place for a tunnel on both sides of the shore? Next to coal harbour where the cars on georgia could split into two tracks - the Lions gate for a scenic un-tolled drive, or the tunnel for a tolled quick one. There's nothing but a field with some art installations there. You wouldn't even have to move the yacht club too much - just reclaim a little land for the tunnel entrance, and the rest is underground!

And on the other side, it's pretty much just some sulphur yards and blank space.

[argon007]

the information of the google transit is not enough, or it is wrong.

[SFUVancouver]

For years I would tell all new visitors to Vancouver, when they asked about directions to the north shore or horseshoe bay, or cypress, etc, to take the "tunnel".

And when they'd react by asking with bewildered faces "The Tunnel?? What Tunnel?" I would quickly put on a sombre face and say "OH crap. You're not supposed to know about the tunnel."


Now that's funny!

A few days before the Olympics I want to put on a few layers long underwear and head out to YVR without a coat and just stand there outside the main entrance drinking a coffee. I want to watch the tourists arrive wearing parkas and mukluks and then stop in their tracks when they step outside. I'll say hello to the bewildered people and ask if they would like directions.

Them: "Are we in the right place? There's no snow! You're not even wearing a jacket? What gives?"

Me: (option 1) "Oooh, you want the other Vancouver. Yeah it's pretty tacky how we're riding the coat tails of Vancouver Washington's Olympic Games. All the signs up in the airport are for Vancouver Washington. You need to take a connector flight."

(option 2) Me: "Yep, this is Vancouver. Welcome!"

Them: "But there's no snow... for the WINTER Olympics."

Me: "Yeah, we figured people would catch on eventually and we'd have to blanket the city in movie snow once we got caught. But here we are, we got away with it. Welcome to the only snow-free Winter Olympic host city. Surprise!"

[zivan56]

During the '84 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, no snow fell in the city/on the mountains until the day of the opening ceremonies. So I doubt people will be shocked, as a number of places that hosted it didn't have snow piled up in the city centre.

[mr.x2]

forget Vancouver, people will be shocked at Sochi 2014 - that place is subtropical.