The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reports that those purchasing tickets for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games that go on sale October 3 will notice that a surcharge of $4 to $18 will be added to all tickets to cover public transit and administration costs, said organizers Friday.
Those attending events in Whistler from Vancouver will be required to buy a $25 round-trip bus pass on top of the surcharge because there is no parking at venues.
The return-trip pass using the Olympic bus network will be $12 for people going to events at Cypress Mountain.
There will be a delivery fee for all tickets.
Caley Denton, vice president of ticketing and consumer marketing for Vancouver 2010 said in a press release Friday, “most ticket holders will need to use public transportation to get to Olympic events as there will be no parking at venues. One of our goals is to see the increased use of public transportation, walking and cycling as one of the legacies of hosting the Games”.
He added the surcharges are less than those usually applied to high-profile event tickets and the cost to travel between Vancouver and Whistler is about half that of taking commercial bus service.
Denton said, “we want to make public transportation as affordable and enticing as possible, thereby reducing the number of vehicles on the road, saving spectators parking costs and reducing emissions from heavy traffic”.
Although the first phase of ticket sales begins October 3, the transportation passes will be sold separately next year.
Denton said, with an Olympic ticket in your hand you have access to public transportation on the day of your event in Metro Vancouver, including buses and Skytrain, and in Whistler.
Olympic organizers said they aren’t planning to restrict access on the Sea-to-Sky Highway between Vancouver and Whistler to only Olympic business. Maureen Douglas, director of community relations for the organizing committee said, “the highway will essentially be able to operate as open. We will certainly provide the public with guidelines as to the best time tot travel. There will be more efficient times to travel south and more efficient times to travel north”.
