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 Ladysmith to Princeton.
For scale
As the crow flies246 km
Biking whole way369 km · 22 h 58 m
By car447 km · 6 h 15 m
We found five ways to get you there.
🎒 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
A beautiful ferry ride with transit on both sides.
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. 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 →New WestminsterRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverNew Westminster →Princeton229 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote — fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
🚲You arrive at Princeton.
Option two · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Mountain Man Mike's will get you there.
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.
🚎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) →New WestminsterRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverNew Westminster →Princeton229 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote — fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
🚲You arrive at Princeton.
Option three · four legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Beautiful BC from a coach window.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan Expressor the 36 Ladysmith-Duncan Express (doesn't run every day)1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith) →Duncan26 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 Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressDuncan →Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 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 Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) to Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria), about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bluebird Cabs, Sidney Taxi might help.
🚌Wilson's Transportation (BC Connector)BC Ferries Connector — Vancouver / VictoriaDouglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)103 kmRides in the hold — bagged or boxed$42 per bike — 50 lb maxReserve bike spot — recommended
⛴️ Downtown to downtown via the Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay ferry crossing.
🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverPacific Central Station (Vancouver) →Princeton245 kmBikes acceptedCall for a quote — fee and packaging arranged with the booking agent
Runs once a week; hop-on hop-off along the way.
🚲You arrive at Princeton.
Option four · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Every leg of this works, there are just a lot of them.
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
🚌EbusVancouver – KelownaPacific Central Station (Vancouver) →West Kelowna319 kmRides in the hold — bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
🚎BC Transit70 Kelowna / PentictonWest Kelowna →Duncan & Main (Plaza) (Penticton)40 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 Duncan & Main (Plaza) (Penticton) to Cherry Lane Shopping Centre (Penticton), about 4.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Klassic Taxi, Penticton Eco Taxi might help.
🚎BC Transit50 Penticton / PrincetonCherry Lane Shopping Centre (Penticton) →Princeton91 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
Health Connections bus: medical patients get priority. You must call ahead to book a seat. Runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday only.
🚲You arrive at Princeton.
Option five · five legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Two city buses, two flights, and a SkyTrain.
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.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – PentictonVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →YYF (Penticton)262 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚲Travel the short hop from YYF (Penticton) to Cherry Lane Shopping Centre (Penticton), about 1.7 km.
🚎BC Transit50 Penticton / PrincetonCherry Lane Shopping Centre (Penticton) →Princeton91 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
Health Connections bus: medical patients get priority. You must call ahead to book a seat. Runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday only.
🚲You arrive at Princeton.
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: Princeton to Ladysmith (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry)
Connections from Ladysmith: Salt Spring Island (best: bus + ferry) · Courtenay (Comox Valley) (best: bus + carpool) · Armstrong (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)
Connections from Princeton: Keremeos (best: bus) · West Vancouver (best: bus + SkyTrain) · Williams Lake (best: bus) · Whitehorse, YT (best: bus + SkyTrain + plane)