BC Cycle Tourism Society
My bike and I are in and we’d like to be in .
We show what transit connections accept bikes. Check with the operator for prices, schedules, and reservations.
Same place twice. You’re already there, so enjoy the ride.

Good news: buses, ferries, trains and flights can carry you and your bike from Bella Bella to Smithers.

For scale
As the crow flies298 km
Biking whole way692 km · 32 h 17 m
By car678 km · 13 h 50 m

We found three ways to get you there.

Note: Most carriers carry only a handful of bikes, and summer weekends fill up fast. Reserve where you can. Where you can't, go early or have a backup plan.
Option one · three legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Mostly a boat trip, really.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaMcLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella) →Bear Cove (Port Hardy)164 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop — check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)Bear Cove (Port Hardy) →Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)445 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Sails alternate days, roughly 3–4 sailings a week each way in summer.
🚌BC Bus North (Tahltan NST Busing Ltd.)Prince George – Prince Rupert (Hwy 16 West)Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St) →Smithers292 kmRides in the hold — boxed, bagged, or wrappedReserve bike spot
Twice a week: Monday and Thursday westbound, Tuesday and Friday eastbound.
🚲You arrive at Smithers.
Option two · three legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option one, but a train instead of the coach bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaMcLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella) →Bear Cove (Port Hardy)164 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop — check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)Bear Cove (Port Hardy) →Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)445 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Sails alternate days, roughly 3–4 sailings a week each way in summer.
🚆VIA RailSkeena (Prince Rupert – Prince George – Jasper)Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St) →Smithers276 kmChecked baggage — staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK — battery disconnected at check-in
Three departures a week; the trip includes an overnight stop in Prince George (book your own hotel).
🚲You arrive at Smithers.
Option three · four legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Ride The Canadian through the mountains.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚲Travel the short hop from McLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella) to ZEL (Bella Bella), about 0.9 km.
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – Bella BellaZEL (Bella Bella) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)480 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚆VIA RailThe Canadian (Vancouver – Kamloops North – Jasper)Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) →Jasper AB541 kmChecked baggage — staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK — battery disconnected at check-in
Two departures a week in season; bikes can be checked on and off at Vancouver and Jasper only.
🚆VIA RailSkeena (Prince Rupert – Prince George – Jasper)Jasper AB →Smithers646 kmChecked baggage — staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK — battery disconnected at check-in
Three departures a week; the trip includes an overnight stop in Prince George (book your own hotel).
🚲You arrive at Smithers.
Route facts last checked July 2026. We check that every leg here carries bikes, but policies and seasons change. Check times and book with the operator. Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Explore more

Heading back: Smithers to Bella Bella (best: bus + ferry)

Connections from Bella Bella: Ocean Falls (best: ferry) · Ucluelet (best: ferry + rental car + carpool) · New Westminster (best: ferry + rental car + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + rental car + bus)

Connections from Smithers: Houston (best: bus) · Tofino (best: bus + ferry + rental car) · Mayne Island (best: train + SkyTrain + bus) · Fernie (best: bus)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Bella Bella and Smithers