Travel & Accommodation

There is a daily bus service from downtown Vancouver and / or Vancouver Airport to downtown Victoria. This trip involves taking the ferry from Tsawwassen on the mainland to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island, and then the bus drops off in downtown Victoria (not UVic). From downtown, there are a variety of public transit buses (e.g. #4, #11, #14, #15) that take ~30 minutes to get to campus.
BC Transit provides affordable and convenient bus transportation throughout Victoria. The cost is $2.50 one-way or $5.00 for a Day Pass with unlimited rides. Note that the bus drivers do not give change.

There are regular ferries from Vancouver and Seattle to Victoria. For more information, visit BC Ferries or Victoria Clipper Ferry Service.

The BC Ferries boat from Vancouver docks in Swartz Bay (Sidney), approximately 45 minutes by taxi (~$70-$80 CAD) or 1-1.5 hours by bus to the university. For public transit, take the #70 or #72 downtown, then the #4, #11, #14, #15 to UVic.

The Victoria Clipper from Seattle arrives at the Inner Harbour, approximately 20 minutes by taxi (~$25 CAD) or 30-45 minutes by bus to UVic.

If you are hoping to share transportation from the airport, ferry, or downtown to UVic, we recommend using the DHSI hashtag on Twitter or the on-site listserv to coordinate this.

Many DHSI participants stay in on-campus accommodation during DHSI for the convenience of being located close to all activities and fellow participants. Campus lodging is basic dormitory style. We recommend arriving during daylight hours, so that you have the chance to get settled in, explore, and get your bearings without trying to find your way in the dark!

Check in is at the Craigdarroch Residence Office. UVic holds space for DHSI participants in both dormitory and cluster housing. Internet access is available in each bedroom and pay phones are located in or near all buildings. Please note that amenities in on-campus accommodations are quite basic. For those who would prefer hotel-type accommodations, please see Off-Campus Accommodation.

Residence Rooms
Bedrooms in Residence (dormitory) buildings come with either 1 or 2 single beds. Shared washroom facilities are located on each floor along with a central lounge to relax and watch TV with other guests. Note that there are generally no refrigerators, stoves, or cooking implements available in residence rooms.

Cluster Units
Similar to an apartment or townhouse, Cluster Housing units come with 4 bedrooms, 2 washrooms, and a shower. Each bedroom in the unit contains 1 single bed. The living room is furnished with a loveseat and coffee table. The kitchen has a fridge, stove, dishwasher, and dining room table with chairs. A “Deluxe” Cluster House will also be equipped with dishes, cutlery, and utensils (for an additional charge). Please note: cable and phone lines are available; however, televisions and telephones are not provided in the units.
For additional information and floor plans visit www.uvic.ca/residence/visitors/.

Booking On-campus Accommodation
To book on-campus accommodation for DHSI you need to email visitoraccommodation@uvic.ca and identify yourself as DHSI participants, with a full name, room type request, address and phone number, and dates of check in, and check out. As of now, the booking portal is not available and this is the only way to secure a reservation. 

*Note: Ongoing construction projects, maintenance, and renovations will be taking place in and around the student housing neighborhoods from May to August 2023. Please be aware that construction work will be active 7 days a week throughout the 2023 conference season, bringing some unavoidable disruption, noise and dust. There will be no compensation or discounts provided due to disruption and/or relocation.

Arrivals
Having trouble finding your dorm or cluster? Here is a map of the area.