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, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Ladysmith to Prince Rupert.
For scale
As the crow flies741 km
Biking whole wayWe can't compute the bike route from the ferry dock but it may be rideable: please consult other sources.
By car1,665 km · 19 h 37 m
We found three ways to get you there.
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
Fill in the gap with a rental car.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan Express1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith) →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch20 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
🚲Travel the short hop from Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.5 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / DoverDowntown 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
🚲Travel the short hop from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km.
🚙National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimoor Budget (One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimo)Downtown Nanaimo →YZT (Port Hardy)295 kmOne-way between Island branches — no drop chargeBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Bear Cove (Port Hardy), about 8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi might help.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)Bear Cove (Port Hardy) →Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)445 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Sails alternate days, roughly 3–4 sailings a week each way in summer.
🚲You arrive at Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St).
Option two · four legs✈ the splurge
SkyTrain helps connect the dots.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan Express1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith) →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch20 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
🚲Travel the short hop from Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch to Nanaimo Harbour, about 1.1 km.
🛩️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. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Black Top Cabs, Maclure'S Cabs might help.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
✈️Air CanadaVancouver (YVR) – Prince Rupert (YPR)Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →YPR (Prince Rupert)756 kmBox or sturdy bag requiredBook ahead for your bikeAbout $50 per directionNo e-bikes
🚲At the far end, Central Prince Rupert is about 8.2 km from YPR (Prince Rupert). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Skeena Taxi might help.
Option three · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Halfway across the province, no car required.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan Express1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith) →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch20 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
🚲Travel the short hop from Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1.4 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.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚆VIA RailThe Canadian (Vancouver – Kamloops North – Jasper)Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) →Jasper AB541 kmChecked baggage — staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK — battery disconnected at check-in
Two departures a week in season; bikes can be checked on and off at Vancouver and Jasper only.
🚆VIA RailSkeena (Prince Rupert – Prince George – Jasper)Jasper AB →Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)922 kmChecked baggage — staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK — battery disconnected at check-in
Three departures a week; the trip includes an overnight stop in Prince George (book your own hotel).
🚲You arrive at Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St).
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: Prince Rupert to Ladysmith (best: ferry + rental car + bus)
Connections from Ladysmith: Salt Spring Island (best: bus + ferry) · Denman Island (best: bus + carpool + ferry) · Kelowna (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + rental car + ferry)
Connections from Prince Rupert: Terrace (best: train) · Parksville (best: ferry + rental car + bus) · Abbotsford (best: train + bus) · Fernie (best: train + bus)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Ladysmith and Prince Rupert