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 Castlegar to Nanaimo.
For scale
As the crow flies456 km
Biking whole way702 km · 47 h 01 m
By car712 km · 9 h 16 m
We found seven 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 · three legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Halfway across the province, no car required.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverCastlegar →New Westminster462 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote — fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkNew Westminster →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
🚲You arrive at Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way).
Option two · four legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Mountain Man Mike's will get you there.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverCastlegar →New Westminster462 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote — fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkNew Westminster →Stadium-Chinatown (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressStadium-Chinatown (Vancouver) →Horseshoe Bay17 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayHorseshoe Bay →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Departure Bay (Nanaimo).
Option three · four legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
The same idea as Option two, on different routes.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverCastlegar →New Westminster462 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote — fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkNew Westminster →Bridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚎TransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Ferryor the 900 Bike Bus (seasonal)Bridgeport (Richmond) →Tsawwassen (Delta)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Ferry: 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.
900 Bike Bus: Seasonal: June 12 to September 7, Fridays, weekends and holidays; hourly, timed to ferry sailings. Carries 10 bikes.
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Duke PointTsawwassen (Delta) →Duke Point (Nanaimo)58 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Duke Point (Nanaimo).
Option four · three legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option one, but a coach bus instead of the SkyTrain.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverCastlegar →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)478 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote — fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
🚌Wilson's Transportation (BC Connector)BC Ferries Connector — Vancouver / VictoriaPacific Central Station (Vancouver) →Tsawwassen (Delta)33 kmRides in the hold — bagged or boxed$42 per bike — 50 lb maxReserve bike spot — recommended
⛴️ Downtown to downtown via the Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay ferry crossing.
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Duke PointTsawwassen (Delta) →Duke Point (Nanaimo)58 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Duke Point (Nanaimo).
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Option five · four legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option two, but a coach bus instead of the city bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverCastlegar →New Westminster462 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote — fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkNew Westminster →Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverVancouver Canada Place →Horseshoe Bay16 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.
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayHorseshoe Bay →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Departure Bay (Nanaimo).
Option six · four legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Commute like a local on the West Coast Express.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverCastlegar →Abbotsford413 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote — fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
🚲Travel the short hop from Abbotsford to G Ferguson Way at McCallum Rd (Abbotsford), about 0.6 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Abbotsford Mission Taxi, Central Valley Taxi might help.
🚎BC Transit31 Valley Connectoror the 31X Valley Connector (doesn't run every day)G Ferguson Way at McCallum Rd (Abbotsford) →Junction Mall (Mission)9.1 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 Junction Mall (Mission) to Lougheed Hwy at Haig St (Mission), about 0.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Teco Taxi might help.
🚆West Coast ExpressTransLinkLougheed Hwy at Haig St (Mission) →Vancouver Canada Place63 kmRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carWeekdays only — peak direction only
Weekdays only, peak direction only: five trains toward Vancouver in the morning, five back in the evening.
🚲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
🚲You arrive at Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way).
Option seven · two legs✈ the splurge
Two flights, connecting in Richmond.
CarrierRideYour bike
✈️Air CanadaVancouver (YVR) – Castlegar (YCG)Castlegar →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)402 kmBox or sturdy bag requiredBook ahead for your bikeAbout $50 per directionNo e-bikes
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – NanaimoVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →YCD (Nanaimo)52 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚲At the far end, Central Nanaimo is about 13 km from YCD (Nanaimo). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
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: Nanaimo to Castlegar (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus)
Connections from Castlegar: Salmo (best: bus) · Calgary, AB (best: bus) · Duncan (Cowichan Valley) (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry) · Whitehorse, YT (best: bus + SkyTrain + plane)
Connections from Nanaimo: Chemainus (best: bus) · Maple Ridge (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Clearwater (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + SkyTrain + plane)