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, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Gabriola Island to Cumberland.
For scale
As the crow flies98 km
Biking whole way122 km · 7 h 28 m
By car111 km · 1 h 28 m
We found three 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 · three legs📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) →Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.6 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🚗PoparideIsland Hwy rideshare (Nanaimo - Courtenay)Downtown Nanaimo Exchange →Courtenay97 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 Courtenay to Anfield Centre (Courtenay), about 2.9 km.
🚎BC Transit2 Cumberland / Anfield CentreAnfield Centre (Courtenay) →Dunsmuir Ave at 4th St (Cumberland)6.4 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Dunsmuir Ave at 4th St (Cumberland).
Option two · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A one-way rental fills in the missing piece.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) →Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.6 km.
🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / DoverDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲Travel the short hop from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km.
🚙National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Comox – NanaimoDowntown Nanaimo →Comox Airport (YQQ)88 kmOne-way between Island branches — no drop chargeBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚎BC Transit11 Airport via Powell R. Ferry / DowntownComox Airport (YQQ) →Courtenay8.3 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
One loop serves both the Little River ferry terminal and Comox airport; about 5–7 trips a day, and Sunday service is unconfirmed.
🚲Travel the short hop from Courtenay to Anfield Centre (Courtenay), about 2.9 km.
🚎BC Transit2 Cumberland / Anfield CentreAnfield Centre (Courtenay) →Dunsmuir Ave at 4th St (Cumberland)6.4 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Dunsmuir Ave at 4th St (Cumberland).
Not an option · three legs🚫 not possible with a bike
Ferry to Nanaimo Harbour, coach bus to Courtenay, then a city bus into Cumberland.
🚫 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
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) →Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.6 km.
🚲Travel the short hop from Courtenay to Anfield Centre (Courtenay), about 2.9 km.
🚎BC Transit2 Cumberland / Anfield CentreAnfield Centre (Courtenay) →Dunsmuir Ave at 4th St (Cumberland)6.4 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Dunsmuir Ave at 4th St (Cumberland).
Option four · five legs✈ the splurge
Fly most of the way, then let transit finish the trip.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) →Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Nanaimo HarbourNanaimo Harbour →CXH (Vancouver)60 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
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – ComoxCXH (Vancouver) →Comox Harbour138 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
🚲Travel the short hop from Comox Harbour to Comox Mall Bay B, about 0.4 km.
🚎BC Transit1 Comox Mall / Anfield Centre via N.I.C.Comox Mall Bay B →Anfield Centre (Courtenay)4 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit2 Cumberland / Anfield CentreAnfield Centre (Courtenay) →Dunsmuir Ave at 4th St (Cumberland)6.4 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Dunsmuir Ave at 4th St (Cumberland).
Route facts last checked July 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: Cumberland to Gabriola Island (best: bus + carpool + 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)
Connections from Cumberland: Texada Island (best: bus + ferry) · Burnaby (best: bus + carpool + ferry) · Shearwater (best: bus + rental car + ferry) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + carpool + ferry)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Gabriola Island and Cumberland