SkyTrain (Vancouver) rolling stock
| Company type | Rapid transit rolling stock |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1984 |
Area served | Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Products | Driverless rapid transit vehicles (ICTS Mark I, Bombardier ART Mark II, Innovia Metro Mark III, Innovia Metro Mark V, Hyundai Rotem EMU) |
The SkyTrain operates as a driverless rapid transit network within the Metro Vancouver area in British Columbia, employing several types of rolling stock tailored to specific lines and service requirements.
Summary
| Manufacturer | Model | Acquisition period | Number of units | Fleet identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Transportation Development Corporation | ICTS Mark I | 1984–1986 | 114 vehicles | 001–056; 061–118 |
| 1990–1991 | 16 vehicles | 121–136 | ||
| 1994–1995 | 20 vehicles | 137–156 | ||
| Bombardier Transportation | ART Mark II | 2000–2002 | 60 vehicles | 201–260 |
| 2009 | 34 vehicles | 301–334 | ||
| 2010 | 14 vehicles | 335–348 | ||
| Innovia Metro Mark III | 2016 | 28 vehicles | 401–428 | |
| 2018–2020 | 56 vehicles | 429–484 | ||
| Alstom | Innovia Metro Mark V | From 2025 onward | 5 vehicles | |
| Hyundai Rotem | EMU | 2009 | 40 vehicles | 101–120; 201–220 |
| 2019–2020 | 24 vehicles | 121–132; 221–232 |
| Model | Length per car | Seating capacity per car | Total capacity per car | Number of cars per trainset | Train length total | Passenger capacity per trainset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICTS Mark I (1984–1995) | 12.7 m (41 ft 8 in) | Between 22 and 36 seats | Approximately 80 passengers | 4 cars per trainset | "Template:Convert" | "332" |
| "6 cars per trainset | "Template:Convert" | "498" | ||||
| ART Mark II (2000–2002) | 17.35 m (56 ft 11+1⁄8 in) | 42 seats | 123 passengers | "2 cars per trainset | "Template:Convert" | "256" |
| "4 cars per trainset | "Template:Convert" | "512" | ||||
| ART Mark II (second generation; delivered in 2009/2010) | 33 seats | 130 passengers | "2 cars per trainset | "Template:Convert" | "264" | |
| "4 cars per trainset | "Template:Convert" | "528" | ||||
| "Innovia Metro Mark III (2016–2019)" | Template:Convert" | "Between 30 and 33 seats | "131 to135 passengers | "4 cars per trainset | "Template:Convert" | "532" |
Expo Line and Millennium Line rolling stock
The Expo and Millennium Lines operate using the Bombardier Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) system, which employs fully automated trains driven by linear induction motor technology, formerly identified as the Intermediate Capacity Transit System (ICTS). These trains achieve top speeds of ; when factoring in stops at stations, the average speed from start to finish is , making them approximately three times quicker than conventional buses and nearly double the pace of the B-Line express bus service.
UTDC ICTS Mark I
The initial fleet comprises lightweight Mark I ICTS vehicles manufactured by the Urban Transportation Development Corporation, resembling those previously deployed on Line 3 Scarborough in Toronto (until July 2023) and the Detroit People Mover. These Mark I units typically operate in coupled pairs, forming six-car trains, though configurations of two or four cars are also possible. The maximum train length is six cars, with the entire fleet consisting of 150 Mark I vehicles. Each train car is equipped with side-facing seating, interiors featuring red, white, and blue colors, and two doors per car; some units have been repainted in a blue and white scheme.
Every Mark I car offers seating for 36 passengers and can accommodate up to 80 individuals. Specific areas are designated for wheelchairs, bicycles, and strollers to ensure accessibility.
Constructed between 1984 and 1986 for the initial phase of the Expo Line, the original vehicles featured two doors at each end and rear sections painted black. The total fleet includes 150 cars: 114 built from 1984 to 1986 with an average distance exceeding 3.2 million kilometers per vehicle; an additional 16 cars introduced in 1991 for the Scott Road extension; and 20 more added in 1994 for the King George extension.
The batch added in 1991 eliminated the end doors and black rear paint; windows were enlarged and fitted with electric windshield wipers. Fold-down seats located near the front provide passengers with views of the tracks ahead.
Initially, floors lined with carpet were replaced by waxed surfaces by mid-1992 due to maintenance challenges. Between 1989 and 1991, passenger-operated door buttons were removed because they caused confusion and door malfunctions that led to service delays.
From the late 1990s through the early 2000s, prior to the Millennium Line’s inauguration, the entire Mark I fleet underwent a comprehensive refurbishment. This included refreshed paint designs, updated signage, new seating fabrics, and revised station announcement recordings.
Since the system’s launch in January 1986, trains composed of two or four cars ran at intervals of five minutes. During Expo 86, four-car trains handled large crowds effectively. Two-car trains operated during off-peak hours but were discontinued by 1993 due to complaints about overcrowding. Six-car trains made their debut in 1990 on the Scott Road extension but ran less frequently while computer systems were being adjusted.
Before the Millennium Line opened, four-car trains became standard during peak periods with headways of around 150 seconds. The opening of GM Place (now Rogers Arena) led to increased evening service demand during events, necessitating longer trains. Currently, two-car sets are reserved exclusively for maintenance testing at Edmonds Maintenance Facility.
Starting in 2013, refurbishment began on the oldest group of 114 Mark I cars to extend their operational life from an expected end in 2011 through to 2026. Upgrades included repainting into TransLink’s blue–grey color scheme, removal of some seats to boost capacity, and various system enhancements. By mid-2017, all original cars had been repainted; refurbishment work continued with completion anticipated by April 2020.
By October 2016, as preparations for the Evergreen Extension’s December 2 opening advanced, six-car Mark I trains became more common compared to previously predominantly four-car formations.
In December 2024, TransLink initiated retirement of the Mark I fleet by withdrawing six cars from service.
Bombardier ART Mark II
TransLink commissioned 50 next-generation Mark II ART trains from Bombardier Transportation for the Millennium Line, with production taking place in Burnaby. These train variants are also utilized on Kuala Lumpur’s Kelana Jaya Line, New York’s JFK AirTrain, and Beijing’s Airport Express. Typically arranged in sets of two or four cars, each articulated pair spans and includes flexible joints that allow passengers to move freely between connected cars. The Mark II trains are characterized by their aerodynamic exterior design, interiors featuring white, grey, and blue tones, and three doors installed on every car.
Accessibility is fully integrated into the Mark II vehicles, which provide designated areas for wheelchairs, strollers, and bicycles. The original Mark II models offer seating for 41 passengers and accommodate up to 130 individuals, with maximum crush loads reaching 150. In 2002, an additional 60 Mark II cars were introduced to support Millennium Line expansion and increased ridership on the Expo Line.
In November 2006, Bombardier was awarded a $113 million contract to deliver 34 second-generation ART Mark II cars. These updated trains reduced seating capacity to 33 but expanded aisle widths to enhance overall capacity to 145 passengers and improve space for standing riders and mobility aids. Upgrades included interactive LED route maps, destination display boards, additional handrails, door status indicator lights, and onboard video surveillance. Finished in TransLink’s refreshed color scheme, these units were assembled in Sahagun, Mexico, and Thunder Bay, Ontario. By early 2010, a further 14 second-generation cars had been delivered, with the first entering service on July 3, 2009.
After acquiring the initial batch of 60 larger Mark II cars in 2002, SkyTrain primarily operated two-car trains accommodating approximately 260 passengers—similar to four-car Mark I trains with a capacity near 320 passengers. This arrangement supported six-minute off-peak intervals on branch lines and three-minute peak headways between Waterfront and Columbia stations (utilizing 55 trains at intervals of about 108 seconds). With the May 2010 delivery of an additional 48 cars to address growing demand, most first- and second-generation Mark IIs were reconfigured into four-car formations. This adjustment increased passenger capacity without altering train frequency or the number of active trains.
Bombardier Innovia Metro 300 (ART Mark III)
To meet rising demand on existing SkyTrain routes—particularly the heavily trafficked Expo Line—and to accommodate new linear induction motor (LIM) rail lines such as the Evergreen Extension, TransLink placed orders for more Bombardier ART vehicles. The Evergreen Extension project included an initial procurement of 28 new cars, with an option exercised in 2016 to add another 28 units, thereby significantly enhancing network capacity. Future plans also call for operating five-car Mark II trains on current platforms without requiring station lengthening.
The Bombardier ART Mark III—also known as the Innovia Metro 300—is an advanced iteration derived from the original UTDC ICTS design. While maintaining dimensions similar to the Mark II model, these vehicles feature a more streamlined appearance with larger windows, updated headlight designs, and interior layouts optimized to increase passenger capacity by reducing some seating areas. Comparable in style to Canada Line trains, the Mark III units are equipped with prominent LED displays both inside and outside for real-time station and system information.
The first batch of 28 Mark III cars began service on August 18, 2016, along the Expo Line but were temporarily withdrawn following a power failure incident in September of that year for additional testing. A subsequent order for another 28 cars was initiated starting in 2018; this order was later expanded to a total of 56 units early that year. All 84 Mark III vehicles were delivered by 2019 as part of TransLink’s decade-long strategy to expand fleet capacity.
In November 2021, TransLink reserved the designation Mark IV for possible future upgrades applicable to select Mark III trains.
Alstom Mark V
In December 2020, TransLink placed an order for 205 SkyTrain cars from Bombardier, which later became part of Alstom, valued at around $722 million. These new vehicles are intended to replace the original Mark I trains, support capacity growth for the Broadway extension, and enhance service frequency on both the Expo and Millennium Lines. The new fleet will consist of 41 trains, each composed of five cars—a configuration not previously used on SkyTrain, which had operated two-, four-, or six-car sets. Compared to the Mark III models, the Mark V trains introduce improvements such as onboard WiFi, LCD passenger information screens, redesigned seating layouts, bike racks, and enhanced operational reliability. Each five-car train typically carries 672 passengers, with a maximum crush load capacity reaching 1,207.
The "Mark V" designation was revealed in November 2021, marking these as the first SkyTrain vehicles manufactured by Alstom following its acquisition of Bombardier Transportation in January of that year. During the design phase, TransLink was provided with a mockup of the train. The delivery plan schedules one train per month from June 2024 through September 2027, with an option to procure up to 400 additional cars to support future network expansion and rolling stock replacement. Assembly of the trains commenced in June 2022 at Alstom’s facility in Quebec. Concurrently, station modifications began in early 2023 to accommodate the longer trainsets. By August 2023, the initial Mark V train was assembled and underwent testing in Kingston, Ontario before arriving in Vancouver for further trials in December 2023. In May 2024, Alstom secured a contract to manufacture six more trains (30 cars) valued at $68 million. Field testing without passengers started in March 2025. With these additions, full deployment of the Mark V fleet is anticipated by 2029. As of March 2025, four units had been delivered, and the first Mark V train entered regular passenger service on July 11, 2025.
Hyundai Rotem EMU
The Canada Line operates Hyundai Rotem electric multiple units that utilize traditional electric motors rather than the linear induction motors found on Bombardier ART vehicles. This difference renders them incompatible with other SkyTrain lines. Manufactured by Hyundai Rotem in Changwon, South Korea, there are 32 articulated two-car trainsets running at standard speeds up to , with a catch-up mode available at . These trains employ the SelTrac automated control system and are serviced at a maintenance yard located near Bridgeport station in Richmond.
Each train measures wide and long—dimensions larger than those of Bombardier’s Mark I–III models. Seating capacity stands at 88 passengers per set; under normal operating conditions they accommodate up to 334 passengers based on four persons per square meter, while crush load capacity reaches approximately 400 passengers. The trains provide designated areas for wheelchairs, bicycles, strollers, and luggage storage. Large LED screens display terminus information and upcoming stations.
Capacity can be increased by 50% through higher service frequency and another 50% by extending trains into three-car formations. Platforms at the five busiest stations have already been designed or modified to allow expansion up to long to support three-car sets. The line’s planned maximum throughput is 15,000 passengers per hour per direction (pphpd) when running three-car trains at two-minute intervals. A trial conducted in 2016 involved removing seats to further increase standing room and overall capacity.
The initial delivery included 20 trainsets arriving between 2007 and 2008. To address growing ridership demands, an additional order for 12 sets was placed in 2018 for $88 million; these were delivered during 2019 and 2020. Unlike Bombardier ART cars that can be combined into longer four- or six-car trains, Hyundai Rotem units cannot be lengthened beyond two cars but can add a middle “C” car to form three-car sets with passenger capacity comparable to longer Mark II or Mark I configurations.