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, trains and flights can carry you and your bike from Kaslo to Gabriola Island.

For scale
As the crow flies508 km
Biking whole wayWe can't compute the bike route from the ferry dock but it may be rideable: please consult other sources.
By car827 km ยท 11 h 04 m

We found four 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⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
SkyTrain helps connect the dots.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒMountain Man Mike'sKaslo โ€“ VancouverA Ave at 4th St (Kaslo) โ†’New Westminster555 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote โ€” fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkNew Westminster โ†’Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Black Top Cabs, Maclure'S Cabs might help.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) โ†’Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)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 Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Nanaimo Harbour, about 0.9 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesNanaimo Harbour โ€“ Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Nanaimo Harbour โ†’Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island)5.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island).
Option two · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
The coach takes care of the long stretch.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒMountain Man Mike'sKaslo โ€“ VancouverA Ave at 4th St (Kaslo) โ†’Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)571 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote โ€” fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
๐ŸšŽTransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressDowntown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) โ†’Horseshoe Bay19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Departure BayHorseshoe Bay โ†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange3.3 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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Nanaimo Harbour, about 0.6 km.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesNanaimo Harbour โ€“ Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Nanaimo Harbour โ†’Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island)5.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island).
Option three · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Halfway across the province, no car required.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒMountain Man Mike'sKaslo โ€“ VancouverA Ave at 4th St (Kaslo) โ†’Abbotsford506 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote โ€” fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Abbotsford to G Ferguson Way at McCallum Rd (Abbotsford), about 0.6 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Abbotsford Mission Taxi, Central Valley Taxi might help.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit31 Valley Connectoror the 31X Valley Connector (doesn't run every day)G Ferguson Way at McCallum Rd (Abbotsford) โ†’Junction Mall (Mission)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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Junction Mall (Mission) to Lougheed Hwy at Haig St (Mission), about 0.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Teco Taxi might help.
๐Ÿš†West Coast ExpressTransLinkLougheed Hwy at Haig St (Mission) โ†’Vancouver Canada Place63 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 Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) โ†’Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)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 Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Nanaimo Harbour, about 0.9 km.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesNanaimo Harbour โ€“ Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Nanaimo Harbour โ†’Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island)5.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island).
Option four · five legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A coach bus, two flights, a SkyTrain, and a ferry.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒMountain Man Mike'sKaslo โ€“ VancouverA Ave at 4th St (Kaslo) โ†’Castlegar93 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote โ€” fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
โœˆ๏ธAir CanadaVancouver (YVR) โ€“ Castlegar (YCG)Castlegar โ†’Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)402 kmBox or sturdy bag requiredBook ahead for your bikeAbout $50 per directionNo e-bikes
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) โ†’Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km.
๐Ÿ›ฉ๏ธHarbour AirVancouver Harbour โ€“ Nanaimo HarbourCXH (Vancouver) โ†’Nanaimo Harbour60 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee โ€” bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter โ€” other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesNanaimo Harbour โ€“ Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Nanaimo Harbour โ†’Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island)5.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island).
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: Gabriola Island to Kaslo (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus)

Connections from Kaslo: Nelson (best: bus) · Abbotsford (best: bus) · Langford (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + train + ferry)

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

Check out BC Bike Stops in Kaslo and Gabriola Island