Merritt to Cortes Island with a bike

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 rental cars can carry you and your bike from Merritt to Cortes Island.

For scale

As the crow flies299 km

Biking whole way580 km · 36 h 47 m

By car560 km · 8 h 29 m

We found four ways to get you there, ferries doing the heavy lifting.

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 · six legs

A little bit of everything.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚌EbusVancouver – Kelownaor Ebus (Vancouver – Kamloops) or Ebus (Vancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)) or Rider Express (Vancouver – Calgary)Merritt →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)230 kmRides in the hold — bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkPacific Central Station (Vancouver) →Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚲Travel 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.

⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) →Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)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 Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.5 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.

🚙BudgetOne-way rental: Campbell River – Nanaimoor National Car & Truck Rental (One-way rental: Campbell River – Nanaimo) (counter a short ride away on the 20/20A Hammond Bay / Dover)Downtown Nanaimo →Campbell River134 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches — bookable onlineBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking

🚲Travel the short hop from Campbell River to Campbell River, about 0.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bee-Line Taxi might help.

⛴️BC FerriesCampbell River – Quathiaski Cove (Quadra)Campbell River →Quathiaski Cove (Quadra Island)2.9 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board

🚲Travel the short hop from Quathiaski Cove (Quadra Island) to Heriot Bay (Quadra Island), about 6.8 km.

⛴️BC FerriesHeriot Bay (Quadra) – Whaletown (Cortes)Heriot Bay (Quadra Island) →Whaletown (Cortes Island)11 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board

🚲At the far end, Central Cortes Island is about 7.4 km from Whaletown (Cortes Island). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.

Option two · six legs

Same as Option one, but a city bus instead of the SkyTrain.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Merritt →Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)231 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressDowntown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) →Horseshoe Bay19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK

⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayHorseshoe Bay →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging 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: Campbell River – Nanaimoor Budget (One-way rental: Campbell River – Nanaimo) (counter a short ride away on the 20/20A Hammond Bay / Dover)Downtown Nanaimo →YBL (Campbell River)127 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 YBL (Campbell River) to Campbell River, about 8.3 km.

⛴️BC FerriesCampbell River – Quathiaski Cove (Quadra)Campbell River →Quathiaski Cove (Quadra Island)2.9 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board

🚲Travel the short hop from Quathiaski Cove (Quadra Island) to Heriot Bay (Quadra Island), about 6.8 km.

⛴️BC FerriesHeriot Bay (Quadra) – Whaletown (Cortes)Heriot Bay (Quadra Island) →Whaletown (Cortes Island)11 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board

🚲At the far end, Central Cortes Island is about 7.4 km from Whaletown (Cortes Island). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.

Option three · seven legs

A one-way rental fills in the missing piece.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Merritt →Chilliwack139 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲Travel the short hop from Chilliwack to Downtown Chilliwack Bay B, about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Chilliwack Taxi might help.

🚎BC Transit66 Fraser Valley ExpressDowntown Chilliwack Bay B →Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)77 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkLougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby) →Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚲Travel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km.

🚲Travel the short hop from Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.5 km.

🚙BudgetOne-way rental: Campbell River – NanaimoDowntown Nanaimo →Campbell River134 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches — bookable onlineBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking

🚲Travel the short hop from Campbell River to Campbell River, about 0.3 km.

⛴️BC FerriesCampbell River – Quathiaski Cove (Quadra)Campbell River →Quathiaski Cove (Quadra Island)2.9 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board

🚲Travel the short hop from Quathiaski Cove (Quadra Island) to Heriot Bay (Quadra Island), about 6.8 km.

⛴️BC FerriesHeriot Bay (Quadra) – Whaletown (Cortes)Heriot Bay (Quadra Island) →Whaletown (Cortes Island)11 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board

🚲At the far end, Central Cortes Island is about 7.4 km from Whaletown (Cortes Island). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.

Option four · seven legs

The same idea as Option three, on different routes.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Merritt →Abbotsford166 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚎BC Transit66 Fraser Valley Express (FVX)Abbotsford →Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)50 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK