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 Gabriola Island to Richmond.
For scale
As the crow flies52 km
Biking whole way108 km · 4 h 47 m
By car104 km · 2 h 58 m
We found four 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
Mostly sailing, a little rolling.
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 Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 0.9 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) →CXH (Vancouver)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
🚲Travel 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.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Richmond-BrighouseRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Richmond-Brighouse.
Option two · five legs
The ferry is the main event.
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 / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 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
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) →Horseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay →Stadium-Chinatown (Vancouver)17 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkStadium-Chinatown (Vancouver) →Richmond-BrighouseRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Richmond-Brighouse.
Option three · three legs📅 seasonal
Same as Option one, but a coach bus instead of the SkyTrain.
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 Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 0.9 km.
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) →CXH (Vancouver)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
🚲Travel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
🚌Quick Shuttle (Quick Coach Lines / TRAXX)Vancouver – Seattle (SeaTac)Vancouver Canada Place →Bridgeport (Richmond)10 kmBikes accepted — book as an add-on$42 USD each — about $57 CAD
Runs year-round; winter service drops to Friday–Monday only.
🚲You arrive at Bridgeport (Richmond).
Option four · three legs✈ the splurge
Same as Option one, but a plane instead of the ferry.
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
🚲Travel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Richmond-BrighouseRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Richmond-Brighouse.
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: Richmond to Gabriola Island (best: SkyTrain + ferry)
Connections from Gabriola Island: Chemainus (best: ferry + bus) · Maple Ridge (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Vernon (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + SkyTrain + plane)
Connections from Richmond: Galiano Island (best: bus + ferry) · Cumberland (best: SkyTrain + ferry + carpool) · Castlegar (best: SkyTrain + bus) · Whitehorse, YT (best: SkyTrain + plane)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Gabriola Island and Richmond