Alternatives to the Stanley Park Train
Today, the Vancouver Park Board announced that the Stanley Park Train will not be back in operation in time for the popular Easter Train event. The train will need to remain offline for the foreseeable future.
From the Park Board: “Train operations have been suspended since late last year when emission safety concerns prompted the cancellation of the Bright Nights Christmas Train. Recent testing of the locomotive engines, all of which are 50 years old or more and showing signs of their age, indicates efforts to address emissions concerns were unsuccessful.
Over the past several years, numerous steps have been taken to extend the functional lifespan of the Stanley Park Train. However, this latest closure puts in question the operational and financial viability of operating the train with the existing combustion engines.
Staff are therefore undertaking a comprehensive analysis of potential paths forward which they will present to Park Board Commissioners for consideration in June 2025.”
Update July 2025 from the Park Board:
At a Park Board meeting last night, staff provided an update on the Stanley Park Train and laid out next steps in planning for future decisions regarding the cherished attraction. Staff also confirmed that the train will remain offline for the remainder of 2025 following its closure late last year due to safety concerns tied to the train’s aged engines and exhaust systems.
In the coming months, staff will be exploring a range of potential new and creative operating and business models for the railway site. These will include soliciting proposals for new, alternative operating models for the site, in addition to scoping what a full capital investment would entail to renew the train, its track and its facilities.
Preliminary analysis shows that a full renewal of the train and the ancillary buildings and amenities could require substantial capital investment. Alternative operating models, including some form of partnership or third-party operation could lead to a revitalized, reimagined attraction that would reduce the reliance on tax dollars to return the site to operation.
Staff will be issuing a formal call for requests for expressions of interest beginning later this year. Staff will conduct a thorough evaluation of each proposal and report back to the Board in early 2026. As part of their report, staff will bring forward proposed strategies for engaging key interest holders and the public, as appropriate, on any changes to the train and its site.
Alternatives to the Stanley Park Train
If you’re looking for some miniature railway fun, we actually have two more options in Metro Vancouver that operate seasonally and for special holidays.
Burnaby Central Railway: Open Saturdays, Sundays and Stat holidays, Easter to Thanksgiving. Their opening day for 2025 will be Good Friday, April 18th. It runs between 11:00am and 5:00pm. Ticket sales are only in person at the kiosk, no online sales. $4.50 for a single ride, all passengers 3 years old and up
$40.00 for a 10 ride passes (may be used over multiple days, no expiry). You can also book it for birthday parties. This is a fun ride-on-top miniature train.
Bear Creek Park Train: Now open for the season (as of March 15th) from 10:00am to 5:00pm every day of the week. There will be special activations for Easter in late April with specific hours. All tickets can be purchased on site, not online. They also host birthday parties, and have an 18-hole mini golf course on site. This is a bigger train like Stanley Park’s with passenger cars that you sit inside.
Both of these train options are attached to city parks with tons of amenities like playgrounds, nature walks, sports facilities, and more.
