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 and ferries can carry you and your bike from Bowen Island to Thetis Island.
For scale
As the crow flies51 km
Biking whole way111 km · 5 h 22 m
By car109 km · 3 h 16 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 · seven legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
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 / 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
🚲Travel 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.
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch →Duncan46 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 Transit36 Ladysmith-Duncan ExpressDuncan →Coronation Mall (Ladysmith)24 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 Transit34 Ladysmith-ChemainusCoronation Mall (Ladysmith) →Pine & Daniel (North Cowichan)8.1 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 Pine & Daniel (North Cowichan) to Chemainus, about 1.3 km.
⛴️BC FerriesChemainus – Thetis – PenelakutChemainus →Preedy Harbour (Thetis Island)7.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Preedy Harbour (Thetis Island).
Option two · seven legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Not far, just fiddly.
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. 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 Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch, about 1.4 km.
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch →Duncan46 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 Transit36 Ladysmith-Duncan ExpressDuncan →Coronation Mall (Ladysmith)24 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 Transit34 Ladysmith-ChemainusCoronation Mall (Ladysmith) →Pine & Daniel (North Cowichan)8.1 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 Pine & Daniel (North Cowichan) to Chemainus, about 1.3 km.
⛴️BC FerriesChemainus – Thetis – PenelakutChemainus →Preedy Harbour (Thetis Island)7.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Preedy Harbour (Thetis 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: Thetis Island to Bowen Island (best: ferry + bus)
Connections from Bowen Island: Sechelt (best: ferry + bus) · Port Alberni (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · Salmon Arm (best: ferry + bus) · Haida Gwaii (best: ferry + rental car)
Connections from Thetis Island: Lake Cowichan (best: ferry + bus) · Langford (best: ferry + bus) · Port Alberni (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · Seattle, WA (best: ferry + bus)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Bowen Island