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: rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Campbell River to Nanaimo.
For scale
As the crow flies134 km
Biking whole way161 km · 9 h 37 m
By car157 km · 1 h 36 m
We found two ways to get you there.
🎒 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 · one leg
A one-way rental fills in the missing piece.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚲First, get from Central Campbell River to YBL (Campbell River), about 8.3 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bee-Line Taxi might help.
🚙National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Campbell River – Nanaimoor Budget (One-way rental: Campbell River – Nanaimo)YBL (Campbell River) →Downtown Nanaimo127 kmOne-way between Island branches — no drop chargeBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo to Departure Bay (Nanaimo), about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🚲You arrive at Departure Bay (Nanaimo).
Not an option · one leg🚫 not possible with a bike
One coach bus.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚲You arrive at Downtown Nanaimo Exchange.
Option three · two legs✈ the splurge📅 seasonal
A splurge, but an unforgettable ride.
CarrierRideYour bike
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Campbell River (new, seasonal from Jul 2026)Campbell River Harbour →CXH (Vancouver)176 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
New route, seasonal from July 2026.
🛩️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
🚲You arrive at Nanaimo Harbour.
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: Nanaimo to Campbell River (best: rental car)
Connections from Campbell River: Lund (best: just ride) · Galiano Island (best: rental car + ferry + SkyTrain) · West Kelowna (best: rental car + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: rental car + ferry + bus)
Connections from Nanaimo: North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: bus) · Saanich (best: bus) · Vernon (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Campbell River and Nanaimo