Transportation Whistler

UPDATE: The RCMP have been checking vehicles on the Sea to Sky highway and ticketing vehicles that don't have proper winter tires and/or chains ($109 ticket). Vehicles that don't have appropriate tires are then turned around and sent back to Vancouver. This isn't happening all the time, but keep it in mind when considering whether you should rent a car. You might get lucky and have dry roads for your trip. Or not. Remember, almost none of the rental cars available at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) would make it through those checks!

Planning on hiring a car and then driving up to Whistler for a ski holiday? Unfortunately, that is a pretty bad idea. We highly recommend that you leave the driving to the professionals whose vehicles are equipped for the demanding winter driving conditions of the Sea to Sky highway. That may seem self-serving, but our recommendation is based on many years of driving from Vancouver to Whistler.

Here's the problem: It is virtually impossible to rent a car in British Columbia that is equipped with snow tires or chains. Rental cars in British Columbia will most likely have "all season" tires (which are a myth), and some may even have summer tires. Just check out this news item from the CBC:

The law requires proper winter tires or snow chains on many mountain passes, but a survey by CBC News found that it's nearly impossible to find a rental car with either safety feature. None of the more than a dozen rental car agencies in Vancouver contacted by the CBC offered snow tires or chains.

- People warned to check rental cars for snow tires if driving to Interior in Whistler

It is possible to rent a SUV at Vancouver International, but even SUV's don't have proper snow tires! You do get the benefit of four wheel drive, but that really doesn't help as much as you think on slippery roads. Four wheel drive can help you get going, but it doesn't help you stop on ice or give you extra traction in corners! The ditches of Canadian highways are often littered with SUV's, clad with "all season" tires, after a major winter storm.

The other point about SUV's is the cost of a rental: A full size SUV rental at Vancouver International Airport is going to set you back well over $1000/week. You can do a round trip in a limo and go everywhere in Whistler in taxis for that price! You would also have the added benefits of not having to find or pay for parking.

So please, take the advice of someone who's been driving on ice and snow in Western Canada for 20+ years: Unless you have a LOT of experience driving in snow, you probably don't want to hire / rent a car in the winter and drive to Whistler! You might get lucky and have clear roads. Or you might get 2 feet of fresh snow and get stuck, have an accident, end up in the ditch, or much worse!

Check out our Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Whistler transportation options