[Studying in Vancouver 2023] How to Switch Your Vancouver Compass Card to a Keychain or Wristband (with Short Video Link)

The small Compass Card (Compass Mini) is a keychain you can hang on the bag you use most

In myprevious post, I mentioned that the first thing to do after arriving in Canada is get a public transit card, which in Vancouver is called the Compass Card. If you buy a reloadable Compass Card, it's a blue card the size of a Taiwanese EasyCard, like the one in the image below, and it lets you ride buses, the SkyTrain and the SeaBus in Vancouver.

Unlike Taiwan's EasyCard, Vancouver's Compass Card doesn't come in lots of colors and designs (Taiwan's EasyCards are seriously gorgeous!), and it can only be used for transit, not shopping.

But even within that one option, there's a little variety!

(Image source: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-launch-compass-mini)

Basically, the Compass Card comes in two colors, blue and orange. Each comes as a card, a Compass Mini or a wearable.

Let's start with the colors.

Orange requires a specific eligibility status:

• People with disabilities

• Seniors 65 and over

• Youth aged 14 to 18

• Children aged 5 to 13

Blue is for everyone else.

Once you get a Compass Card here, it's a good idea to register it online first, so that if you lose the card, the balance can be transferred straight to a new one. You also have to do this before switching to another format (Compass Mini or a wearable wristband).

How to register your Compass Card:

1. Go to the Compass Card website:

2. Choose Register your card in the middle column

3. Enter the 20-digit number on the back of your card, the 3-digit CVN next to it, and a name for the card

4. You'll need to fill in your email, a password of your choice and a custom security question (the staff will ask it when you switch to a Compass Mini)

Once you've registered, you can go get your Compass Mini!

How to get a Compass Mini:

1. Go to Waterfront Station, the end of the SkyTrain Expo Line

2. Find the TransLink office at Waterfront Station and wait in line

3. When you're called, tell the counter: I want to transfer to Compass Mini

The counter staff will ask the security question you set when registering; just answer it. (This process is super weird. The answer to a security question is supposed to be something only you know, but I guess that's a Canadian security loophole for you…)

Still, switching cards is really quick. The day I went, it took about 10 minutes including the line (the line was the longest part)

And then you have your Compass Mini~ (confetti)

I also made a Short with the steps above, so you can easily rewatch it on your phone:

https://youtube.com/shorts/lE_x24JIxnw?si=DVUqcfjWHHBU5cZp