Nanaimo to Castlegar 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 flights can carry you and your bike from Nanaimo to Castlegar.

For scale

As the crow flies456 km

Biking whole way721 km · 47 h 17 m

By car700 km · 8 h 55 m

We found seven 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⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

SkyTrain helps connect the dots.

CarrierRideYour bike

⛴️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 →Castlegar462 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 Castlegar.

Option two · three legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

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

CarrierRideYour bike

⛴️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 →Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK

🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverDowntown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) →Castlegar478 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 Castlegar.

Option three · four legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

Halfway across the province, no car required.

CarrierRideYour bike

⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Duke PointDuke Point (Nanaimo) →Tsawwassen (Delta)58 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board

🚎TransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Ferryor the 900 Bike Bus (seasonal)Tsawwassen (Delta) →Bridgeport (Richmond)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK

The 620 is year-round, roughly hourly, timed to sailings, with two bike-rack spots. On busy summer ferry days the seasonal 900 Bike Bus can carry an extra 10 bikes.

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkBridgeport (Richmond) →New WestminsterRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverNew Westminster →Castlegar462 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 Castlegar.

Option four · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

Four ways to travel, one destination.

CarrierRideYour bike

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

⛴️SeaBusTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver)3.5 kmRoll on, free — bikes ride inside the cabin6 bikes per sailing at rush hour — weekdays 7–9:30 am and 3–6:30 pm; no limit other timesE-bikes OK — no charging on boardNo trailers — 185 cm max bike length

Bikes ride inside the cabin; during weekday rush hours there's room for six bikes a sailing.

🚎TransLinkR2 Marine Dr RapidBusLonsdale Quay (North Vancouver) →Park Royal (West Vancouver)4.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK

🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressPark Royal (West Vancouver) →Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)7.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK

🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverDowntown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) →Castlegar478 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 Castlegar.

Show three moreShow fewer

Option five · four legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

Same as Option three, but a coach bus instead of the city bus.

CarrierRideYour bike

⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) →Horseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board

🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverHorseshoe Bay →Vancouver Canada Place16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack — otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes

Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →New WestminsterRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverNew Westminster →Castlegar462 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 Castlegar.

Option six · four legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

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

CarrierRideYour bike

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

🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverVancouver Canada Place →Park Royal (West Vancouver)5 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack — otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes

Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.

🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressPark Royal (West Vancouver) →Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)7.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK

🚌Mountain Man Mike'sKaslo – VancouverDowntown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) →Castlegar478 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 Castlegar.

Option seven · two legs✈ the splurge

Two flights, connecting in Richmond.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚲First, get from Central Nanaimo to YCD (Nanaimo), about 13 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.

✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – NanaimoYCD (Nanaimo) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)52 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes

✈️Air CanadaVancouver (YVR) – Castlegar (YCG)Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →Castlegar402 kmBox or sturdy bag requiredBook ahead for your bikeAbout $50 per directionNo e-bikes

🚲You arrive at Castlegar.

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: Castlegar to Nanaimo (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry)

Connections from Nanaimo: North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: bus) · Saanich (best: bus) · Chase (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus)

Connections from Castlegar: Salmo (best: bus) · Mission (best: bus) · Ladysmith (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + train + ferry)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Nanaimo and Castlegar

To and Fro: moving your bike around British Columbia