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.
Transit connects Hornby Island and Port Renfrew, but every chain we know includes a leg that will not take your bike. We show the chains anyway so you can see exactly where it breaks.
For scale
As the crow flies108 km
Biking whole way251 km · 15 h 30 m
By car235 km · 3 h 27 m
🎒 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 ›
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike📅 seasonal
Two ferries, a city bus, and two coach buses.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link and West Coast Trail Express does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesGravelly Bay (Denman E) – HornbyShingle Spit (Hornby Island) →Gravelly Bay (Denman Island)2 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Gravelly Bay (Denman Island) to Denman Island West, about 9.4 km.
⛴️BC FerriesBuckley Bay – Denman WestDenman Island West →Buckley Bay2.5 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit10 Fanny Bay / Deep Bay / Downtown CourtenayBuckley Bay →Courtenay20 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
🚌West Coast Trail ExpressJuan de Fuca Trail routeor West Coast Trail Express (West Coast Trail route) (seasonal)Downtown Nanaimo Exchange →Port Renfrew76 kmDoes not carry bikes
Runs May 1 to September 30.
🚲You arrive at Port Renfrew.
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike📅 seasonal📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
Two ferries, a city bus, a carpool, and a coach bus.
🚫 This chain exists, but West Coast Trail Express does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesGravelly Bay (Denman E) – HornbyShingle Spit (Hornby Island) →Gravelly Bay (Denman Island)2 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Gravelly Bay (Denman Island) to Denman Island West, about 9.4 km.
⛴️BC FerriesBuckley Bay – Denman WestDenman Island West →Buckley Bay2.5 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit10 Fanny Bay / Deep Bay / Downtown CourtenayBuckley Bay →Courtenay20 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
🚗PoparideIsland Hwy rideshare (Nanaimo - Courtenay)Courtenay →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange97 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).
🚌West Coast Trail ExpressJuan de Fuca Trail routeor West Coast Trail Express (West Coast Trail route) (seasonal)Downtown Nanaimo Exchange →Port Renfrew76 kmDoes not carry bikes
Runs May 1 to September 30.
🚲You arrive at Port Renfrew.
Two workarounds riders use: rent a bike at the far end instead of bringing yours, or ship your bike ahead to a shop or your accommodation.
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: Port Renfrew to Hornby Island (best: bus + ferry)
Connections from Hornby Island: Port Alberni (best: ferry + bus + carpool) · Campbell River (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · Tofino (best: ferry + bus + carpool) · Port Hardy (best: ferry + bus + rental car)
Connections from Port Renfrew: Lake Cowichan (best: bus) · Surrey (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · 100 Mile House (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Hornby Island and Port Renfrew