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 Lake Cowichan to Ucluelet.
For scale
As the crow flies110 km
Biking whole way197 km · 15 h 55 m
By car255 km · 3 h 07 m
We found two 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 · three legs📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
A shared ride helps bridge the gap.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeSouth Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan) →Duncan27 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 Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressDuncan →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch46 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.
🚗PoparideHwy 4 rideshare (Nanaimo - Port Alberni - Ucluelet - Tofino)Downtown Nanaimo Exchange →Ucluelet120 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).
🚲You arrive at Ucluelet.
Not an option · three legs🚫 not possible with a bike
City bus to Duncan, city bus to Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch, then a coach bus into Ucluelet Medical Centre.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeSouth Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan) →Duncan27 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 Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressDuncan →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch46 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.
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Ucluelet Medical Centre128 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚲You arrive at Ucluelet Medical Centre.
Not an option · four legs🚫 not possible with a bike
Two city buses and two coach buses.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeSouth Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan) →Duncan27 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.
🚌Island LinkVictoria Express Busor West Coast Trail Express (Juan de Fuca Trail route) (seasonal)Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange92 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Ucluelet Medical Centre128 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚲You arrive at Ucluelet Medical Centre.
Not an option · four legs🚫 not possible with a bike
Another way: two city buses and two coach buses.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeSouth Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan) →Duncan27 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 →Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)46 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
🚌Island LinkVictoria Express BusDouglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange92 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Ucluelet Medical Centre128 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚲You arrive at Ucluelet Medical Centre.
Show two moreShow fewer
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Three city buses and two coach buses.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeSouth Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan) →Duncan27 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 Transit8 Mill Bay via Telegraph Rd/Duncan via Shawnigan Lkor the 9 Mill Bay via Shawnigan Lk/Duncan via Telegraph RdDuncan →Deloume Park & Ride (Mill Bay)17 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 Transit99 SVX Shawnigan Lake - Victoria ExpressDeloume Park & Ride (Mill Bay) →Douglas & Finlayson - Mayfair (Victoria)28 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 Douglas & Finlayson - Mayfair (Victoria) to Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria), about 1.9 km.
🚌Island LinkVictoria Express BusDouglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange92 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Ucluelet Medical Centre128 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚲You arrive at Ucluelet Medical Centre.
Option six · four legs✈ the splurge📅 seasonal
The long way round, but it works.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeSouth Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan) →Duncan27 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 Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressDuncan →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch46 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
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Ucluelet (new from Jun 2026)CXH (Vancouver) →Ucluelet Harbour182 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
New route from June 2026.
🚲You arrive at Ucluelet Harbour.
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: Ucluelet to Lake Cowichan (best: carpool + bus)
Connections from Lake Cowichan: Thetis Island (best: bus + ferry) · West Vancouver (best: bus + ferry) · Princeton (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)
Connections from Ucluelet: Tofino (best: bus) · Richmond (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Williams Lake (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Lake Cowichan and Ucluelet