Mayors from Iceland visit Vancouver to learn about its transit systems

A group of mayors from Iceland has come to B.C. to study Metro Vancouver's transit system in hopeof getting some good ideas for a similar system back home.

"We are studying what we think are the best cities where we can learn the most from when it comes to public transport and multi-modal forms of transport," said ReykjavikMayor DagurEggertsson.

"What's interesting, in my opinion, is the seamless shift from bus or bike or walking or even cars to mass transit. And, that is what we want to imitate and learn more about."

The Reykjavik area has a population of220,000 people, but a tourism boom attracts 1.7 million visitors every year.

"We want a better link to the airport. We want better links within the city," said Eggertsson.

Eggertsson said he's also learned about issues around an aging SkyTrain system.

"We actually went to see the place where they are constantly fixing them and trying to get them going again," he said.

TransLinksays ithosts 70 to 100 international delegations a year.

Before coming to Vancouver, Eggertsson and his 13 colleaguesvisited Copenhagen, Denmark and Strasbourg, France to look at transit systems in those cities.