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 flights can carry you and your bike from Bowen Island to Powell River.
For scale
As the crow flies100 km
Biking whole way153 km · 9 h 46 m
By car154 km · 3 h 31 m
We found two 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
The coach takes care of the long stretch.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Snug Cove (Bowen)Snug Cove (Bowen Island) →Horseshoe Bay3.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – LangdaleHorseshoe Bay →Langdale (Gibsons)16 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚌Sunshine Coast ConnectorLangdale – Powell RiverLangdale (Gibsons) →Powell River106 kmReserve bike spot — rack space is limited$20 bike · $40 e-bikeNo box needed — rack on the bus
Includes the Earls Cove–Saltery Bay ferry leg.
🚲You arrive at Powell River.
Option two · five legs✈ the splurge📅 seasonal
The long way round, but it works.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Snug Cove (Bowen)Snug Cove (Bowen Island) →Horseshoe Bay3.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayHorseshoe Bay →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / DoverDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange3.3 kmFront rack, no fee — 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only — lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Nanaimo Harbour, about 0.6 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Nanaimo HarbourNanaimo Harbour →CXH (Vancouver)60 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee — bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter — other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Powell River (seasonal)CXH (Vancouver) →Powell Lake (Powell River)122 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee — bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter — other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
Seasonal service.
🚲At the far end, Central Powell River is about 5.7 km from Powell Lake (Powell River). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
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: Powell River to Bowen Island (best: bus + ferry)
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 Powell River: Comox (best: ferry) · Coquitlam (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Oliver (best: bus + ferry) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Bowen Island and Powell River