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 Duncan (Cowichan Valley) to Gabriola Island.
For scale
As the crow flies46 km
Biking whole wayWe can't compute the bike route from the ferry dock but it may be rideable: please consult other sources.
By car57 km · 1 h 01 m
We found two ways to get you there, ferries doing the heavy lifting.
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 · two legs
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressDuncan →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch46 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 Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch to Nanaimo Harbour, about 1.1 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Nanaimo Harbour →Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island)5.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island).
Option two · two legs📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
Same as Option one, but a carpool instead of the city bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚗PoparideHwy 1 rideshare (Victoria - Duncan - Nanaimo)Duncan →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange47 kmOnly some rides take bikes — look for the bicycle icon on the listingSchedule is variable — check Poparide for driver-listed dates and times
Only book rides that say they permit bicycles (bike icon on the listing).
🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Nanaimo Harbour, about 0.6 km.
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Nanaimo Harbour →Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island)5.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Descanso Bay (Gabriola 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 Something wrong or out of date?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: Gabriola Island to Duncan (Cowichan Valley) (best: ferry + bus)
Connections from Duncan (Cowichan Valley): Galiano Island (best: bus + ferry) · Denman Island (best: bus + carpool + ferry) · Armstrong (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Prince Rupert (best: bus + rental car + ferry)
Connections from Gabriola Island: North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: ferry + bus) · Saanich (best: ferry + bus) · Kelowna (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Duncan (Cowichan Valley) and Gabriola Island