BC Cycle Tourism Society

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 and trains can carry you and your bike from Gabriola Island to Abbotsford.

For scale
As the crow flies115 km
Biking whole way167 km ยท 7 h 55 m
By car159 km ยท 3 h 25 m

We found five ways to get you there, ferries doing the heavy lifting.

๐ŸŽ’ 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 · four legs
SkyTrain helps connect the dots.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesNanaimo Harbour โ€“ Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) โ†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 0.9 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) โ†’CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead โ€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ€” $25 in personNo e-bikes โ€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Black Top Cabs, Maclure'S Cabs might help.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŽBC Transit66 Fraser Valley ExpressLougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby) โ†’Highstreet Mall (Abbotsford)44 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšฒAt the far end, Central Abbotsford is about 6.6 km from Highstreet Mall (Abbotsford). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Abbotsford Mission Taxi, Central Valley Taxi might help.
Option two · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A few connections, but each one moves you closer.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesNanaimo Harbour โ€“ Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) โ†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 0.9 km.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) โ†’CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead โ€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ€” $25 in personNo e-bikes โ€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Coquitlam CentralRoll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŽTransLink701 Coquitlam Central / Haney Place (daily core)Coquitlam Central โ†’Haney Place (Maple Ridge)16 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŽTransLink701 Haney Place / Mission City (weekday-only extension)Haney Place (Maple Ridge) โ†’Lougheed Hwy at Haig St (Mission)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
Weekday-only extension; it doesn't run on weekends, when the West Coast Express is also dark.
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Lougheed Hwy at Haig St (Mission) to Junction Mall (Mission), about 0.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Teco Taxi might help.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit31 Valley Connectoror the 31A Valley Connector or the 31X Valley Connector (doesn't run every day)Junction Mall (Mission) โ†’G Ferguson Way at McCallum Rd (Abbotsford)9.1 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at G Ferguson Way at McCallum Rd (Abbotsford).
Option three · four legs
The same idea as Option one, on different routes.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesNanaimo Harbour โ€“ Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) โ†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 0.9 km.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) โ†’CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead โ€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ€” $25 in personNo e-bikes โ€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŽBC Transit66 Fraser Valley Express (FVX)Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby) โ†’Abbotsford50 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Abbotsford.
Option four · four legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option one, but a train instead of the SkyTrain.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesNanaimo Harbour โ€“ Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) โ†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 0.9 km.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) โ†’CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead โ€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ€” $25 in personNo e-bikes โ€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
๐Ÿš†West Coast ExpressTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Lougheed Hwy at Haig St (Mission)63 kmRoll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carWeekdays only โ€” peak direction only
Weekdays only, peak direction only: five trains toward Vancouver in the morning, five back in the evening.
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Lougheed Hwy at Haig St (Mission) to Junction Mall (Mission), about 0.3 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit31 Valley Connectoror the 31A Valley Connector or the 31X Valley Connector (doesn't run every day)Junction Mall (Mission) โ†’G Ferguson Way at McCallum Rd (Abbotsford)9.1 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at G Ferguson Way at McCallum Rd (Abbotsford).
Option five · four legs
Same as Option one, but a coach bus instead of the city bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesNanaimo Harbour โ€“ Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) โ†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 0.9 km.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) โ†’CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead โ€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ€” $25 in personNo e-bikes โ€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŒEbusVancouver โ€“ Kelownaor Ebus (Vancouver โ€“ Kamloops) or Ebus (Vancouver โ€“ Calgary (Hwy 1)) or Rider Express (Vancouver โ€“ Calgary)Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) โ†’Abbotsford65 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Abbotsford.
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: Abbotsford to Gabriola Island (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry)

Connections from Gabriola Island: North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: ferry + bus) · Langley (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Kelowna (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus)

Connections from Abbotsford: White Rock (best: bus + SkyTrain) · Nanaimo (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry) · Salmon Arm (best: bus) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + train + ferry)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Gabriola Island and Abbotsford