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 flights can carry you and your bike from Gabriola Island to Sechelt.

For scale
As the crow flies34 km
Biking whole way114 km Β· 4 h 46 m
By car112 km Β· 3 h 21 m

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

πŸŽ’ 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 · five legs
Not far, just fiddly.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) β†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” 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.
🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDowntown Nanaimo Exchange β†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 kmFront rack, no fee β€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only β€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) β†’Horseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – LangdaleHorseshoe Bay β†’Langdale (Gibsons)16 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
🚌Sunshine Coast ConnectorLangdale – Powell RiverLangdale (Gibsons) β†’Cowrie St at Trail Ave (Sechelt)24 kmReserve bike spot β€” rack space is limited$20 bike Β· $40 e-bikeNo box needed β€” rack on the bus
Includes the Earls Cove–Saltery Bay ferry leg.
🚲You arrive at Cowrie St at Trail Ave (Sechelt).
Option two · five legs📅 seasonal
The views come built in.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) β†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” 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) β†’CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead β€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way β€” $25 in personNo e-bikes β€” 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.
🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverVancouver Canada Place β†’Horseshoe Bay16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack β€” otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes
Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – LangdaleHorseshoe Bay β†’Langdale (Gibsons)16 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
🚌Sunshine Coast ConnectorLangdale – Powell RiverLangdale (Gibsons) β†’Cowrie St at Trail Ave (Sechelt)24 kmReserve bike spot β€” rack space is limited$20 bike Β· $40 e-bikeNo box needed β€” rack on the bus
Includes the Earls Cove–Saltery Bay ferry leg.
🚲You arrive at Cowrie St at Trail Ave (Sechelt).
Option three · seven legs
Island hopping: four ferries stitched together.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) β†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” 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) β†’CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead β€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way β€” $25 in personNo e-bikes β€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
🚲Travel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
⛴️SeaBusTransLinkVancouver Canada Place β†’Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver)3.5 kmRoll on, free β€” bikes ride inside the cabin6 bikes per sailing at rush hour β€” weekdays 7–9:30 am and 3–6:30 pm; no limit other timesE-bikes OK β€” no charging on boardNo trailers β€” 185 cm max bike length
Bikes ride inside the cabin; during weekday rush hours there's room for six bikes a sailing.
🚎TransLinkR2 Marine Dr RapidBusLonsdale Quay (North Vancouver) β†’Park Royal (West Vancouver)4.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes β€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressPark Royal (West Vancouver) β†’Horseshoe Bay11 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes β€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – LangdaleHorseshoe Bay β†’Langdale (Gibsons)16 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
🚌Sunshine Coast ConnectorLangdale – Powell RiverLangdale (Gibsons) β†’Cowrie St at Trail Ave (Sechelt)24 kmReserve bike spot β€” rack space is limited$20 bike Β· $40 e-bikeNo box needed β€” rack on the bus
Includes the Earls Cove–Saltery Bay ferry leg.
🚲You arrive at Cowrie St at Trail Ave (Sechelt).
Option four · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
Two ferries, a carpool, a city bus, and a coach bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) β†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 1.9 km.
πŸš—PoparideIsland Hwy rideshare (Nanaimo - Courtenay)Downtown Nanaimo Exchange β†’Courtenay97 kmOnly some rides take bikes β€” look for the bicycle icon on the listingSchedule is variable β€” check Poparide for driver-listed dates and times
Only book rides that say they permit bicycles (bike icon on the listing).
🚎BC Transit11 Airport via Powell R. Ferry / DowntownCourtenay β†’Little River (Comox)13 kmFront rack, no fee β€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only β€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
One loop serves both the Little River ferry terminal and Comox airport; about 5–7 trips a day, and Sunday service is unconfirmed.
⛴️BC FerriesWestview – Little River (Comox)Little River (Comox) β†’Marine & Duncan (Powell River)30 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Marine & Duncan (Powell River) to Powell River, about 0.4 km.
🚌Sunshine Coast ConnectorLangdale – Powell RiverPowell River β†’Cowrie St at Trail Ave (Sechelt)81 kmReserve bike spot β€” rack space is limited$20 bike Β· $40 e-bikeNo box needed β€” rack on the bus
Includes the Earls Cove–Saltery Bay ferry leg.
🚲You arrive at Cowrie St at Trail Ave (Sechelt).
Option five · two legs✈ the splurge📅 seasonal
Ferry to Nanaimo Harbour, then a plane into Porpoise Bay.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island) β†’Nanaimo Harbour5.4 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
πŸ›©οΈHarbour AirSechelt – Nanaimo Harbour (seasonal from May 2026)Nanaimo Harbour β†’Porpoise Bay (Sechelt)37 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee β€” bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter β€” other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
Seasonal, from May 2026.
🚲You arrive at Porpoise Bay (Sechelt).
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: Sechelt to Gabriola Island (best: bus + 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 Sechelt: Bowen Island (best: bus + ferry) · Lund (best: bus) · Chase (best: bus + ferry) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Gabriola Island and Sechelt