American Express 1203 Douglas St (tel 385-8731 or 1-800/669-3636); open Mon, Wed & Sat 9.30am-5.30pm, Tues & Fri 9.30am-9pm.

BC Transit City buses (tel 382-6161 or 385-2551).

Bike rental Cycle Victoria Rentals, 950 Wharf St (tel 885-2453 or 1-877/869-0039, www.cyclevictoriarentals.com ); Harbour Rentals, 811 Wharf St (tel 995-1661 or 1-877/733-6722), rent bikes (from $8 an hour) plus scooters ($16 per hour, $50 daily); kayaks ($15 an hour, $49 daily); rowing boats ($35 for 3 hours); motor boats ($49 an hour); and motor bikes (from $119 a day).

Bookstores Chapters, 1212 Douglas St near corner with View St, is a huge modern bookshop; Munro's Books, 1108 Government St (tel 382-2424), is more traditional.

Bus information Airporter shuttle bus from Victoria Airport (tel 386-2525). For services to Vancouver, Pacific Coast Lines (tel 604/662-8074 in Vancouver or 250/385-4411 at the Victoria bus terminal); for services on the island, Laidlaw (tel 385-4411, 388-5248 or 1-800/318-0818). Both operate from the bus terminal at 700 Douglas and Belleville, which also has an office for Greyhound (tel 388-5248). Gray Line of Seattle service to Seattle (tel 206/626-6090 or 1-800/544-0739). For West Coast Trail Express to Bamfield and Port Renfrew, call 477-8700.

Car rental Avis, 62b-1001 Douglas St (tel 386-7726 or 1-800/879-2847) and Victoria Airport (tel 656-6033); Budget, 757 Douglas St (tel 953-5300 or 1-800/668-9833); Island Auto Rentals, 837 Yates St (tel 384-4881), guarantee "lowest rates"; National, 767 Douglas St (tel 386-1213 or 1-800/387-4747).

Doctors directory tel 383-1193.

Equipment rental Sports Rent, 611 Discovery St, on corner of Government and Discovery sts (tel 385-7368), rents bikes, rollerblades, all camping, hiking, climbing and diving gear.

Exchange Currencies International, 724 Douglas St (tel 384-6631 or 1-800/706-6656); Custom House Currency, 815 Wharf St (tel 389-6001).

Ferries BC Ferries (tel 386-3431 or 1-888/223-3779); Black Ball Transport (tel 386-2202 or 360/457-4491); Victoria Clipper (tel 382-8100, 206/448-5000 or 1-800/888-2535); Washington State Ferries (tel 382-1551 or 1-800/542-7052).

Hospitals Fairfield Health Centre, 841 Fairfield Rd (tel 389-6300), three blocks from the Empress Hotel ; Victoria General Hospital, 35 Helmcken Rd (tel 727-4212).

Left luggage At bus terminal; $2 per 24hr - but note lockers are stated not to be "secure" at night.

Lost property Contact Victoria police (tel 384-4111) or BC Transit's lost-and-found line (tel 382-6161).

Maps Crown Publications Inc, 521 Fort St (tel 386-4636). .

Post office 1230 Government and Yates (tel 388-3575). Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police 625 Fisgard and Government (tel 384-4111).

Taxis Blue Bird Cabs (tel 382-3611); Empire Taxi (tel 381-2222); Victoria Taxi (tel 383-7111).

Tourist information tel 953-2033. Accommodation reservations tel 1-800/663-3883 in North America.

Train information VIA Rail, 450 Pandora Ave (tel 383-4324 or 1-800/561-8630 in Canada and 1-800/561-3949 in USA).

Weather tel 656-3978.