BC Cycle Tourism Society

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, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Bella Coola to Sointula.

For scale
As the crow flies195 km
Biking whole way297 km ยท 13 h 41 m
By car301 km ยท 11 h 28 m

We found two ways to get you there, ferries doing the heavy lifting.

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 ferry is the main event.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort Hardy โ€“ Bella CoolaBella Coola โ†’Bear Cove (Port Hardy)268 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop โ€” check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Bear Cove (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi might help.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy โ†’Port McNeill33 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort McNeill โ€“ Sointula โ€“ Alert BayPort McNeill โ†’Sointula (Malcolm Island)6.2 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sointula (Malcolm Island).
Option two · six legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A one-way rental fills in the missing piece.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšฒFirst, get from Central Bella Coola to QBC (Bella Coola), about 11 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
โœˆ๏ธPacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver โ€“ Bella CoolaQBC (Bella Coola) โ†’Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)429 kmRides in the hold โ€” small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) โ†’Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Black Top Cabs, Maclure'S Cabs might help.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) โ†’Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)61 kmBook online ahead โ€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ€” $25 in personNo e-bikes โ€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.5 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
๐Ÿš™BudgetOne-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ NanaimoDowntown Nanaimo โ†’YZT (Port Hardy)298 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches โ€” bookable onlineBike rides inside โ€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy โ†’Port McNeill33 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort McNeill โ€“ Sointula โ€“ Alert BayPort McNeill โ†’Sointula (Malcolm Island)6.2 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sointula (Malcolm Island).
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: Sointula to Bella Coola (best: ferry + bus)

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 Sointula: Port Hardy (best: ferry + bus) · Powell River (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · Vancouver (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · New Hazelton (best: ferry + bus + train)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Bella Coola and Sointula