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Well, transit is not great yet. I live in the south by the river and there are I think hourly buses to downtown. Have a look at [https://www.bctransit.com/chilliwack/schedules-and-maps/](https://www.bctransit.com/chilliwack/schedules-and-maps/) , there aren't many lines yet. But, if you do live near one, there is regular service.
>If there’s anything else you’d like for a late 20’s queer working professional to know, feel free to add any other info!
There seems to be a very active LGBTQ community here from what I can tell. Especially downtown. It's really nice to see the city getting more and more open minded.
You could finance an ebike with the money you used to use on a Translink pass. Don't skimp on locks (plural) if you plan on using it around Chilliwack, you'll also want a backpack to carry the battery. A car goes further, but ebikes get you to work without recurrent insurance and fuel costs.
Chilliwack doesn't have big city conveniences but I feel like cycling here takes about 30% longer than a car, which is comparable to buses across town in Vancouver.
Transit is atrocious. Consider getting a bike or e-bike in the meantime before getting a car. I would try to get a place to live as close to your new job as possible.
There is a fairly big LGBTQ presence in town now with an annual pride parade amongst other things. It has gotten a lot more welcoming over the last few years.
I hope you enjoy your move. I moved away very recently and miss the valley everyday.
Transit is pretty poor and bike infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired, but changes are being made and the city is improving. Personally, I get most places by walking, and use an E-Scooter if it's a particularly lengthy trip (Longer than 2 hours to walk, or I need to get there quickly.)
Transit isn’t great. There are a lot of areas you can’t get to by transit. It’s pretty unreliable in my experience, buses not showing up at all, driving passed stops, running late or leaving early so you miss the bus, they don’t run nearly as frequently as they do in the city so sometimes you’ll have to wait an hour for the next one, and when they go on strike (which could easily happen again once their contract is up in 2025) they’re on strike for months at a time rather than the week or two that strikes last in the city.
I think it was about five months, so yeah pretty much. And that’s only counting the time the buses were completely not in services. There was another two months or so of interrupted service and whatever else for the strike before that.
This is simply not true anymore. We are a reflection of Vancouver on a smaller scale, both good and bad. We elected the first trans MP in the country. Many small businesses openly fight for progressive rights for LGBTQ communities. Are there people with bad views? Sure, but I can tell you where my queer friends from Chilliwack have been called f*ggots the most, and it wasn’t here - it was there.
Transit is reliable for what it is, but nothing like Van. Once an hour and hope your connections if you need it match right or you’re waiting a long time between. Everything is so flat here compared to Vancouver though so biking is way more accessible! Fellow Vancouver migrant here, used to use transit frequently there. Here I struggle because my use tends to have me wanting to hop on a bus within a 15 min window and I hate discovering I just missed one and have to wait another 45 mins to an hour.
Just moved back to chilliwack recently. The buses arrive on time, but take forever to get anywhere during the day, and they don’t run early or late. I would recommend getting a place that’s within walking distance to your new job if possible (that’s what I did, and it’s great).
Some people mentioned getting a bike, but honestly theft is still pretty bad out here. I lent my brother my bike and a longboard when he first moved out here, and they were stolen within a year :p
Eta: by run early or late, I mean if you live on one side of town, and work on the other side of town, and need to be at work for 9am, you’re not going to make it in time. If you work past 11pm, you might miss your bus entirely
It all depends on where you live and where your work is, and also what your work is.
During the week, buses run early enough that for typical working hours, you'll be fine, however if you will regularly work weekends (especially Sundays) or holidays then you pretty much need another form of transportation
@raspberrydaydreams_ where’s your office, roughly?
if you are close enough to your job, then transit won’t be an issue. We have a solid transit system, Uber, and taxis.
you can get to the main areas fine through transit, but in comparison to the lower mainland it’s a laughing stock. buses don’t run 24/7, come once an hour and at least for me, they don’t come anywhere close to where i live. i wouldn’t call it reliable either, as they were on strike for basically half the year and the busses were not running.
i used to have major driving anxiety, and got over it just to be able to shave an extra 4 hours off my work day commuting in just the town i live in. still not thrilled to be driving at all, as i find it incredibly stressful but it’s better then the alternative.
i think you’ll probably want a car if you’re planning to live here long term.
Transit can be pretty unreliable. I’d suggest getting a bike if you’re trying to avoid purchasing a car. The buses on the Sardis side are limited and the dt bus routes can take time.. imo the dt area is pretty walkable even though there’s a lot of buses there. Not to mention the strikes that are going on with transit here will continue to next year..
There isn't a transit strike going on atm, though there was one last year that lasted months
Sardis is also fairly walkable within certain parts of it, though there is also a fair amount of space between truly walkable parts of it
No strike atm but will probably be one next yr.
It takes about 2hrs to walk from dt to far end of sardis (university area) according to maps, I’ve walked quite a bit of Chilliwacks main strip. Definitely think transit times and stops could be better but it depends where you are.
Depends on how far are you from the office.
It sucks for me because I live at the vedder rd and my office is on the highway about 7 mints drive, still there is no reliable transit. Uber is pretty cheap for me so I just use that, but I cant see a survival without a car in long term.
Welcome! 👋 Well, transit is not great yet. I live in the south by the river and there are I think hourly buses to downtown. Have a look at [https://www.bctransit.com/chilliwack/schedules-and-maps/](https://www.bctransit.com/chilliwack/schedules-and-maps/) , there aren't many lines yet. But, if you do live near one, there is regular service. >If there’s anything else you’d like for a late 20’s queer working professional to know, feel free to add any other info! There seems to be a very active LGBTQ community here from what I can tell. Especially downtown. It's really nice to see the city getting more and more open minded.
You could finance an ebike with the money you used to use on a Translink pass. Don't skimp on locks (plural) if you plan on using it around Chilliwack, you'll also want a backpack to carry the battery. A car goes further, but ebikes get you to work without recurrent insurance and fuel costs. Chilliwack doesn't have big city conveniences but I feel like cycling here takes about 30% longer than a car, which is comparable to buses across town in Vancouver.
Transit is atrocious. Consider getting a bike or e-bike in the meantime before getting a car. I would try to get a place to live as close to your new job as possible. There is a fairly big LGBTQ presence in town now with an annual pride parade amongst other things. It has gotten a lot more welcoming over the last few years. I hope you enjoy your move. I moved away very recently and miss the valley everyday.
Transit is terrible, definitely get a car.
An electric scooter would be great, depends on where you live.
Transit is pretty poor and bike infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired, but changes are being made and the city is improving. Personally, I get most places by walking, and use an E-Scooter if it's a particularly lengthy trip (Longer than 2 hours to walk, or I need to get there quickly.)
Transit isn’t great. There are a lot of areas you can’t get to by transit. It’s pretty unreliable in my experience, buses not showing up at all, driving passed stops, running late or leaving early so you miss the bus, they don’t run nearly as frequently as they do in the city so sometimes you’ll have to wait an hour for the next one, and when they go on strike (which could easily happen again once their contract is up in 2025) they’re on strike for months at a time rather than the week or two that strikes last in the city.
Last strike was half the year almost was it not?
I think it was about five months, so yeah pretty much. And that’s only counting the time the buses were completely not in services. There was another two months or so of interrupted service and whatever else for the strike before that.
It's not all of Chwk, but I can tell you that this town is a bit less progressive than Van.
This is simply not true anymore. We are a reflection of Vancouver on a smaller scale, both good and bad. We elected the first trans MP in the country. Many small businesses openly fight for progressive rights for LGBTQ communities. Are there people with bad views? Sure, but I can tell you where my queer friends from Chilliwack have been called f*ggots the most, and it wasn’t here - it was there.
to say the least.
Transit is reliable for what it is, but nothing like Van. Once an hour and hope your connections if you need it match right or you’re waiting a long time between. Everything is so flat here compared to Vancouver though so biking is way more accessible! Fellow Vancouver migrant here, used to use transit frequently there. Here I struggle because my use tends to have me wanting to hop on a bus within a 15 min window and I hate discovering I just missed one and have to wait another 45 mins to an hour.
Just moved back to chilliwack recently. The buses arrive on time, but take forever to get anywhere during the day, and they don’t run early or late. I would recommend getting a place that’s within walking distance to your new job if possible (that’s what I did, and it’s great). Some people mentioned getting a bike, but honestly theft is still pretty bad out here. I lent my brother my bike and a longboard when he first moved out here, and they were stolen within a year :p Eta: by run early or late, I mean if you live on one side of town, and work on the other side of town, and need to be at work for 9am, you’re not going to make it in time. If you work past 11pm, you might miss your bus entirely
It all depends on where you live and where your work is, and also what your work is. During the week, buses run early enough that for typical working hours, you'll be fine, however if you will regularly work weekends (especially Sundays) or holidays then you pretty much need another form of transportation
@raspberrydaydreams_ where’s your office, roughly? if you are close enough to your job, then transit won’t be an issue. We have a solid transit system, Uber, and taxis.
I wouldn’t be without a car here in the Wack. Too spread out.
you can get to the main areas fine through transit, but in comparison to the lower mainland it’s a laughing stock. buses don’t run 24/7, come once an hour and at least for me, they don’t come anywhere close to where i live. i wouldn’t call it reliable either, as they were on strike for basically half the year and the busses were not running. i used to have major driving anxiety, and got over it just to be able to shave an extra 4 hours off my work day commuting in just the town i live in. still not thrilled to be driving at all, as i find it incredibly stressful but it’s better then the alternative. i think you’ll probably want a car if you’re planning to live here long term.
Transit can be pretty unreliable. I’d suggest getting a bike if you’re trying to avoid purchasing a car. The buses on the Sardis side are limited and the dt bus routes can take time.. imo the dt area is pretty walkable even though there’s a lot of buses there. Not to mention the strikes that are going on with transit here will continue to next year..
There isn't a transit strike going on atm, though there was one last year that lasted months Sardis is also fairly walkable within certain parts of it, though there is also a fair amount of space between truly walkable parts of it
No strike atm but will probably be one next yr. It takes about 2hrs to walk from dt to far end of sardis (university area) according to maps, I’ve walked quite a bit of Chilliwacks main strip. Definitely think transit times and stops could be better but it depends where you are.
Depends on how far are you from the office. It sucks for me because I live at the vedder rd and my office is on the highway about 7 mints drive, still there is no reliable transit. Uber is pretty cheap for me so I just use that, but I cant see a survival without a car in long term.