Apr 08, 2026 – Brent Richter/North Shore News

For once, it’s a good thing when your bus arrives ahead of schedule.

TransLink announced Wednesday that the R2 RapidBus extension from the North Shore to Metrotown will begin operating this September, well ahead of the previously announced target of 2027.

“For people who rely on this corridor every day, that was just too far away. Too many customers have dealt with overcrowded buses, multiple transfers, and honestly, long waits just to get where they need to go,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn at the announcement at Phibbs Exchange. “We heard that. We worked with our partners, and we moved and we pushed faster.”

The R2 Marine–Willingdon RapidBus, as it will be renamed, follows the same route with the same stops that the R2 does on the North Shore today, but instead of terminating at Phibbs, it will continue on over the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing to Hastings Street through Burnaby Heights to Willingdon Avenue before arriving at Metrotown Station.

When the R2 extension comes into effect, TransLink will stop running the 222 express bus, which follows a similar route between Metrotown and Phibbs but only operates during weekday rush hours. The R2 runs later in the evening and more frequently during peak hours.

Quinn said an end-to-end trip on the extended R2 route will take between 50 and 70 minutes, depending on the time of day. Making that trip along the same route during rush hour today with a transfer at Phibbs would take about an hour and a half, according to Google Maps estimates.

“This is a big deal for commuters along this corridor,” Quinn said. “It will mean a direct one-seat ride. It will mean faster, more frequent and more reliable service that people can count on every day.”

According to TransLink stats, the 222 had 946,000 boardings in 2024 – an average of 3,790 per day. The R2 RapidBus currently has more than 1.9 million boardings per year. About 18,000 passengers use Phibbs Exchange per day.

The R2 extensions was made possible through funding from TransLink Mayors’ Council and the province. North Vancouver-Lonsdale MLA Bowinn Ma also noted the increase in commuters who come to the North Shore because they cannot afford to live here and stressed that the entire transportation system in Metro Vancouver would benefit.

“It will serve not only those people who currently use transit, but also those people who might now use transit because of the one-seat connection between the North Shore and the main rapid transit system. It will also be a boon for people who need to drive their cars,” she said.

Read the full article at nsnews.com.