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 Bowen Island to Qualicum Beach.
For scale
As the crow flies81 km
Biking whole way112 km · 5 h 21 m
By car107 km · 2 h 40 m
We found five 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 · five legs
Full house: three city buses and two ferries.
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 / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDeparture 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
🚎BC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach)32 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
🚲You arrive at Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach).
Option two · six legs
Every leg of this works, there are just a lot of them.
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
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay →Stadium-Chinatown (Vancouver)17 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkStadium-Chinatown (Vancouver) →Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲Travel 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.
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) →Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)61 kmBook online ahead — 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way — $25 in personNo e-bikes — no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
🚲Travel the short hop from Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 1 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🚎BC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach)32 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
🚲You arrive at Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach).
Option three · seven legs
A long haul, but it all connects.
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
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay →Park Royal (West Vancouver)11 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎TransLinkR2 Marine Dr RapidBusPark Royal (West Vancouver) →Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver)4.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
⛴️SeaBusTransLinkLonsdale Quay (North Vancouver) →Vancouver Canada Place3.5 kmRoll on, free — bikes ride inside the cabin6 bikes per sailing at rush hour — weekdays 7–9:30 am and 3–6:30 pm; no limit other timesE-bikes OK — no charging on boardNo trailers — 185 cm max bike length
Bikes ride inside the cabin; during weekday rush hours there's room for six bikes a sailing.
🚲Travel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km.
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) →Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)61 kmBook online ahead — 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way — $25 in personNo e-bikes — no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
🚲Travel the short hop from Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 1 km.
🚎BC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach)32 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
🚲You arrive at Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach).
Option four · five legs📅 seasonal
Two ferries, a coach bus, and two city buses.
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
🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverHorseshoe Bay →Vancouver Canada Place16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack — otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes
Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.
🚲Travel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km.
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) →Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)61 kmBook online ahead — 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way — $25 in personNo e-bikes — no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
🚲Travel the short hop from Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 1 km.
🚎BC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach)32 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
🚲You arrive at Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach).
Option five · six legs✈ the splurge
Same as Option two, but a plane instead of the ferry.
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
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay →Stadium-Chinatown (Vancouver)17 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkStadium-Chinatown (Vancouver) →Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲Travel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km.
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Nanaimo HarbourCXH (Vancouver) →Nanaimo Harbour60 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
🚲Travel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.6 km.
🚎BC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach)32 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
🚲You arrive at Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach).
Route facts last checked October 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: Qualicum Beach to Bowen Island (best: bus + ferry)
Connections from Bowen Island: Sechelt (best: ferry + bus) · Comox (best: ferry + bus) · Enderby (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)
Connections from Qualicum Beach: Denman Island (best: bus + carpool + ferry) · Delta (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Princeton (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Bowen Island and Qualicum Beach