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 and trains can carry you and your bike from Bowen Island to Galiano Island.

For scale
As the crow flies56 km
Biking whole way168 km ยท 6 h 34 m
By car83 km ยท 2 h 21 m

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

๐ŸŽ’ 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 · five legs📅 seasonal
Not far, just fiddly.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Snug Cove (Bowen)Snug Cove (Bowen Island) โ†’Horseshoe Bay3.7 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŒSquamish ConnectorSquamish โ€“ VancouverHorseshoe Bay โ†’Vancouver Canada Place16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack โ€” otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes
Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Bridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŽTransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen FerryBridgeport (Richmond) โ†’Tsawwassen (Delta)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
The 620 is year-round, roughly hourly, timed to sailings, with two bike-rack spots. On busy summer ferry days the seasonal 900 Bike Bus can carry an extra 10 bikes.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) โ†’Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island)36 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
Sailing times vary a lot by routing: some trips are about 50 minutes, others run 2 to 3 hours via Swartz Bay. Check the specific sailing before you book.
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Option two · seven legs
A little bit of everything.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Snug Cove (Bowen)Snug Cove (Bowen Island) โ†’Horseshoe Bay3.7 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽTransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay โ†’Park Royal (West Vancouver)11 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŽTransLinkR2 Marine Dr RapidBusPark Royal (West Vancouver) โ†’Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver)4.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
โ›ด๏ธSeaBusTransLinkLonsdale Quay (North Vancouver) โ†’Vancouver Canada Place3.5 kmRoll on, free โ€” bikes ride inside the cabin6 bikes per sailing at rush hour โ€” weekdays 7โ€“9:30 am and 3โ€“6:30 pm; no limit other timesE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on boardNo trailers โ€” 185 cm max bike length
Bikes ride inside the cabin; during weekday rush hours there's room for six bikes a sailing.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Bridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŽTransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen FerryBridgeport (Richmond) โ†’Tsawwassen (Delta)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
The 620 is year-round, roughly hourly, timed to sailings, with two bike-rack spots. On busy summer ferry days the seasonal 900 Bike Bus can carry an extra 10 bikes.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) โ†’Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island)36 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
Sailing times vary a lot by routing: some trips are about 50 minutes, others run 2 to 3 hours via Swartz Bay. Check the specific sailing before you book.
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Option three · seven legs
The long way round, but it works.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Snug Cove (Bowen)Snug Cove (Bowen Island) โ†’Horseshoe Bay3.7 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Departure BayHorseshoe Bay โ†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange3.3 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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch, about 0.5 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch โ†’Duncan46 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
๐ŸšŽBC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressDuncan โ†’Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) to Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria), about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bluebird Cabs, Sidney Taxi might help.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) โ†’Swartz Bay (North Saanich)29 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
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesSwartz Bay โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) โ†’Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island)23 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Option four · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Built from several shorter hops.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Snug Cove (Bowen)Snug Cove (Bowen Island) โ†’Horseshoe Bay3.7 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽTransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay โ†’Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŒMountain Man Mike'sKaslo โ€“ VancouverDowntown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) โ†’New Westminster16 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote โ€” fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkNew Westminster โ†’Bridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŽTransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen FerryBridgeport (Richmond) โ†’Tsawwassen (Delta)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
The 620 is year-round, roughly hourly, timed to sailings, with two bike-rack spots. On busy summer ferry days the seasonal 900 Bike Bus can carry an extra 10 bikes.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) โ†’Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island)36 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
Sailing times vary a lot by routing: some trips are about 50 minutes, others run 2 to 3 hours via Swartz Bay. Check the specific sailing before you book.
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Show two moreShow fewer
Option five · seven legs
A long haul, but it all connects.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Snug Cove (Bowen)Snug Cove (Bowen Island) โ†’Horseshoe Bay3.7 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Departure BayHorseshoe Bay โ†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange3.3 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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) โ†’CXH (Vancouver)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 CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Black Top Cabs, Maclure'S Cabs might help.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Bridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŽTransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen FerryBridgeport (Richmond) โ†’Tsawwassen (Delta)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
The 620 is year-round, roughly hourly, timed to sailings, with two bike-rack spots. On busy summer ferry days the seasonal 900 Bike Bus can carry an extra 10 bikes.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) โ†’Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island)36 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
Sailing times vary a lot by routing: some trips are about 50 minutes, others run 2 to 3 hours via Swartz Bay. Check the specific sailing before you book.
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Option six · seven legs
The same idea as Option three, on different routes.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Snug Cove (Bowen)Snug Cove (Bowen Island) โ†’Horseshoe Bay3.7 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Departure BayHorseshoe Bay โ†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange3.3 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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch, about 0.5 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch โ†’Duncan46 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
๐ŸšŽBC Transit66 CVX Cowichan-Victoria ExpressDuncan โ†’Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)46 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
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) โ†’Swartz Bay (North Saanich)29 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
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesSwartz Bay โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) โ†’Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island)23 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano 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.
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Heading back: Galiano Island to Bowen Island (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)

Connections from Bowen Island: Sechelt (best: ferry + bus) · Port Alberni (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · Enderby (best: ferry + bus) · Haida Gwaii (best: ferry + rental car)

Connections from Galiano Island: Duncan (Cowichan Valley) (best: ferry + bus) · Abbotsford (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Armstrong (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · New Hazelton (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Bowen Island and Galiano Island