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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Coquitlam
Skip Coquitlam as a base unless you have a car or a reason to be in the Tri-Cities: it is a suburb with parks, not sights. One half-day, or stay 1 night if visiting family.
Coquitlam is a Vancouver suburb of about 139,000 people in the Tri-Cities, 30-40 minutes from downtown Vancouver by SkyTrain's Millennium Line. There are no headline attractions: the draw is regional parks, trails and everyday suburban life. Come for a half-day of walking or a family visit, not as a sightseeing stop.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- May-Sep (dry, warm, long daylight)
- Avoid
- Nov-Feb (rain, short days); occasional summer wildfire smoke
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$70-110 excl. bed · Mid C$120-200 excl. bed · High C$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · HealthLink BC (24 h) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$3-6 |
| Casual lunch main | C$15-25 |
| Korean BBQ or sit-down dinner main | C$18-36 |
| Draught beer in a pub | C$7-10 |
| SkyTrain single fare (zone-based) | C$3-6 |
| Public indoor pool entry | about C$5.35 |
| Public skate session | C$3.75-4.50 plus skate rental |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YVR · Vancouver International
- SkyTrain Canada Line to downtown, then Millennium Line to Coquitlam; about 1 h 15 min total
- YXX · Abbotsford International
- Regional airport east of Vancouver; car or bus onward, no direct transit to Coquitlam
Typical fares
- SkyTrain Coquitlam to downtown Vancouver
- about C$3-6 zone fare, 45-60 min
- Taxi Coquitlam to Vancouver
- C$50-70 (check)
- Pinecone Burke day-use parking
- C$1/hour, max C$3
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
SkyTrain Millennium Line links Coquitlam Central and Lougheed Town Centre to Vancouver, Burnaby and Port Moody. Local buses (R3, 159, 160, 701) cover the Tri-Cities. A car is easiest for the parks; parking is free at most lots. Taxis, Uber and Lyft operate.
See and do
Known for
- Regional parks and trails (Minnekhada, ƛ̓éxətəm/Colony Farm)
- The Coquitlam Crunch fitness trail
- Maillardville, a historic French-Canadian neighbourhood
- Coquitlam Centre mall
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | SkyTrain Millennium Line to Commercial-Broadway, then Expo Line or bus | About 45-60 min |
| Burnaby | SkyTrain Millennium Line west | About 20-30 min |
| New Westminster | SkyTrain Expo Line via Columbia, or bus 159 | About 30-40 min |
| Port Moody | SkyTrain Millennium Line to Moody Centre | About 15-20 min |
| Port Coquitlam | West Coast Express or bus R3/159 | About 20-30 min |
Sleep
- Coquitlam Centre / Town Centre
- SkyTrain-adjacent, mall, restaurants; best for a car-free one-night stay.
- Lougheed Highway / North Road
- Motels and chain hotels along the highway; car-oriented, cheaper parking.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you / Merci |
| Excuse me | Excuse me / Excusez-moi |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Where is the SkyTrain station? | Where is the SkyTrain station? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the washroom? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Regional park gates close at dusk: do not get locked in.
- Pinecone Burke day-use parking is paid ($1/hour, max $3).
- West Coast Express runs weekday commute hours only, no weekend service.
- Summer wildfire smoke can affect air quality: check before hiking.
Coquitlam is a low-crime Vancouver suburb and safe for tourists by day and night. The real risks are rain-slick trails, park gates closing at dusk and summer wildfire smoke: carry water and check air quality before a hike.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Coquitlam yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Regional parks and trails (Minnekhada, ƛ̓éxətəm/Colony Farm)
- The Coquitlam Crunch fitness trail
- Maillardville, a historic French-Canadian neighbourhood
- Coquitlam Centre mall
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Coquitlam: www.coquitlam.ca/
- TransLink: www.translink.ca/
- Metro Vancouver regional parks: metrovancouver.org/services/regional-parks
- BC Parks - Pinecone Burke Provincial Park: bcparks.ca/pinecone-burke-park/
- Wikivoyage: Coquitlam, revision 5332069 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5332069
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Coquitlam
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Coquitlam; the US consulate-general and most others are in downtown Vancouver (check addresses).
English is the everyday language; French is spoken in parts of Maillardville.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/coquitlam). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.