The Electric Train That Once Connected Chilliwack to Vancouver

Do you know the rail line that travels through town and over the Vedder River, before heading West through Abbotsford? Believe it or not, those rails once carried an electric passenger train all the way from Vancouver to Chilliwack.

This piece of Fraser Valley history helped shape how our communities grew, long before the highway made commuting a thing.

From City to Countryside, All by Rail

The Interurban line opened in 1910, linking small farming communities like Langley, Matsqui, Abbotsford, Yarrow, and Chilliwack to Vancouver. It was fast for its time, quiet, and efficient. The trains carried locals, produce, and mail right through the heart of the Fraser Valley.

At its peak, the Interurban made several trips a day, leaving Vancouver’s False Creek Station and traveling east through farmland and across rivers before rolling into downtown Chilliwack, near what’s now District 1881. For many residents, it was their main connection to the city; An early version of public transit in the valley.

The Route Through Chilliwack and Abbotsford

You can still trace the Interurban’s path today. In Yarrow, the tracks run just South of Yarrow Central Road, cross Vedder Mountain Road, and follow just north of the Vedder River. They continue through Greendale, crossing Keith Wilson, Lickman, South Sumas, Evans, and Vedder Roads, before heading into Downtown Chilliwack and reaching the old Chilliwack station site around Nowell Street and Yale Road.

In Abbotsford, the corridor passed through Matsqui Prairie, crossed near Gladwin Road, and continued southeast across farmland toward Huntingdon at the U.S. border before curving east toward Yarrow.

Passenger service ended in 1950, but the tracks are still used today by CN Rail to carry freight.

Could It Come Back?

That’s exactly what the South Fraser Community Rail group hopes to do. They’re campaigning to bring back passenger service along the old Interurban corridor, reconnecting Chilliwack to Surrey and beyond.

The plan would use the same right-of-way to create a clean, affordable, and practical commuter rail; Something the fast-growing Fraser Valley could really use.

Public support has been strong, with many residents saying it’s time to bring the train back.

Next time you’re driving through Yarrow or Greendale, take a closer look at the fields. That quiet stretch of track once carried an electric train full of passengers heading home, visiting family, or delivering goods across the valley.