TransLink offers free rides to veterans and first responders on Remembrance Day

TransLink is inviting riders to pause at 11 a.m. on Remembrance Day, when staff on SkyTrain, SeaBus and buses will observe a moment of silence and buses will pull over at the nearest stop if it is safe to do so.

The silence is one piece of a day that changes how the system works on Nov. 11. For anyone planning to travel, the biggest practical change is that West Coast Express will not operate. Bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus services will run on a Sunday/holiday schedule, so trips may be less frequent than on a regular weekday.

Veterans and active military personnel can ride free by wearing their uniform or showing a badge, military ID or Veteran's Service Card. The offer reaches beyond the Canadian Armed Forces: police and fire personnel, Canadian Coast Guard personnel, Department of Fisheries and Oceans officers and BC Ambulance Service personnel are also covered.

How free travel works depends on the mode. Eligible riders can take buses and HandyDART all day at no charge. At SkyTrain stations and SeaBus terminals, fare gates will be open between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Riders who aren't veterans pay the holiday fare, which is a 1-Zone fare for travel across all zones.

The Royal Canadian Legion hosts Remembrance Day ceremonies across Metro Vancouver, and TransLink said Legion volunteers will hand out poppies by donation at various transit hubs throughout the region.

Anyone who needs in-person help should plan around the closures. The Customer Service Centre at Waterfront Station, the Access Transit Customer Care Office and the Lost Property Office will all be shut for the day.