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Hey there. I am preparing to move in Vancouver next year. I am wondering, because i don't drive and i will work in Yaletown, i am still looking a place to rent. I am want close to food market/shopping mall if it's possible.
Also, i am not sure how i will shop without a car, i prefer monthly big shop, or every 2 weeks.
Are there taxi near malls? Can i go from home to shopping mall with taxi? How much is wait time? While i am shopping, can the taxi wait for me and bring me back home? Or i should go there with with bus or walk, and when i finish, to call a taxi to come and pick me up?
It's been almost of couple of decades since I've lived in Vancouver so I can't say where things are any more. However, the basics should have stayed the same.
Most of the time we didn't own a car. Once, or sometimes twice a month, we would bus to one of the larger grocery stores and stock up. There was usually a direct line to the cab company at the store so we would order a cab when we were ready to go. I wouldn't suggest taking a cab there and expecting it to wait while you shop. I can't imagine the cost being worth it if they would wait.
Most weekends we bussed to Granville Island to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, etc. We rarely bought so much that we couldn't bus home. For the little things you always run out of, either my husband or myself would stop at whatever grocery store or bakery was on our way home from work.
How close you can live to where you work will likely depend on your salary. I would suggest you get an idea of what areas you are considering living in and see what stores are in those areas. Also check out what bus lines, etc, will get you where you need to go.
It is certainly very doable to live in Vancouver and other parts of the Lower Mainland without a car.
Sorry I can't be of more specific help. Accordingly to DH, some of the buildings that were built while we lived there have already been torn down or seriously renovated. Maybe someone else will pop in later who is more current on the city.
Hey there. I am preparing to move in Vancouver next year. I am wondering, because i don't drive and i will work in Yaletown, i am still looking a place to rent. I am want close to food market/shopping mall if it's possible. Also, i am not sure how i will shop without a car, i prefer monthly big shop, or every 2 weeks.......
Are there taxi near malls? Taxis are located all over town. Just phone a taxi dispatch office and they'll send one to pick you up.
Can i go from home to shopping mall with taxi? Yes. Phone them to pick you up.
How much is wait time? Depends on your location and the time of day and the day of the week. Wait time might be anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes. An alternative is to call well ahead of time and book an appointed time to be picked up at an exact time.
While i am shopping, can the taxi wait for me and bring me back home? No. They usually won't wait while you're grocery shopping because that is time consuming and they're busy and have other customers to pick up. You'll have to either call for another taxi when you've finished shopping, or ask the taxi driver who dropped you off at the shopping center for him or another driver to return for you at an appointed time to take you back home. However, if you take a taxi to a store and are just running into the store for only 5 minutes or less to only get one or two items and come right back out immediately, the taxi driver will usually wait for you if you've already paid him for the trip there and tip him. He will charge you for the extra wait time on the return trip. A good example of this is if you are picking up something very quickly at the liquor store or pharmacy, or running into the bank to get extra money out of the bank and then immediately continuing your journey.
Or i should go there with with bus or walk, and when i finish, to call a taxi to come and pick me up? For grocery shopping ....Yes. That way you can take as much time as you want with your shopping.
Bokchee, all over Vancouver and the lower mainland there are thousands of people who don't have cars or don't always want to use their cars, they walk or take the bus and they take their own personal shopping carts with them. They are very popular with both men and women. They are strong but lightweight and hold a surprising amount of weight, quantity and volume. They are not expensive, only around $15. I see people walking about shopping in stores and getting on and off busses with them all the time. I personally own two of them (2 different sizes) and always take one with me whenever I walk to the library with a lot of heavy books, or walk to stores to do some shopping. They look similar to this:
Hi Bokchee ......I am a Vancouverite born and raised, plus I have lived in Yaletown for several years now. Perhaps I can offer some recommendations.
First off, you'll want to get yourself situated in an apartment that is in the Yaletown/West End area, it's mostly residential but has loads of grocery stores, restaurants, bars, liquor stores, pharmacies, dental clinics, hair salons, bakeries, banks, and just about anything else your heart desires.
Everything will be at your fingertips and you'll even be able to walk to your job.
A car is not necessary. Most people that live and work in the area just pick up stuff on their way home from work.
If you still prefer a big monthly or every two weeks shopping haul then you will find plenty of available cabs on the street at any time of day or night.
Hoping your move goes well....you will love Vancouver
Last edited by allthatglitters; 06-23-2015 at 07:46 PM..
I think Vancouver banned Uber. At least when I last visited in December. Also, you can still order city taxis via the Uber app.
Uber as a company, specifically their UberX service... I've no comment. The way they treat their drivers, no commercial insurance or license, refusal to abide by commercial vehicle regulations in their host cities.
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......I am a Vancouverite born and raised, plus I have lived in Yaletown for several years now. Perhaps I can offer some recommendations.
