To and Fro: moving your bike around British Columbia
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 Coola to Houston.
For scale
As the crow flies225 km
Biking whole way783 km · 46 h 22 m
By car994 km · 12 h 12 m
We found three ways to get you there, ferries doing the heavy lifting.
🎒 Riding a coach? Most BC coach operators want your bike bagged or boxed. Our field note walks through packing it, including an inexpensive packable bike bag we like: How to bike-and-bus in BC ›
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📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
The long way round, but it works.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBella Coola →Bear Cove (Port Hardy)268 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) →Houston330 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 Houston.
Option two · three legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option one, but a coach bus instead of the train.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBella Coola →Bear Cove (Port Hardy)268 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) →Houston346 kmLuggage bay on the Prince Rupert routeOther routes: bagged or boxed — checked as luggage
Twice a week: Monday and Thursday westbound, Tuesday and Friday eastbound.
🚲You arrive at Houston.
Option three · four legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Pedal the first stretch, then let the ferries take over.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚲First, get from Central Bella Coola to QBC (Bella Coola), about 11 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – Bella CoolaQBC (Bella Coola) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)429 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – Port HardyVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →YZT (Port Hardy)343 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚲Travel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Bear Cove (Port Hardy), about 8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi might help.
⛴️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) →Houston330 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 Houston.
Route facts last checked August 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: Houston to Bella Coola (best: train + ferry)
Connections from Bella Coola: Ocean Falls (best: ferry) · Whistler (best: ferry + rental car + SkyTrain) · Port Renfrew (best: ferry + rental car + bus) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + rental car + bus)
Connections from Houston: Smithers (best: train) · Gibsons (best: train + bus + ferry) · Salt Spring Island (best: train + SkyTrain + bus) · Fernie (best: train + bus)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Bella Coola and Houston