BC Cycle Tourism Society

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: rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Nanaimo to Courtenay (Comox Valley).

For scale
As the crow flies91 km
Biking whole way122 km ยท 7 h 28 m
By car116 km ยท 1 h 17 m

We found three ways to get you there.

๐ŸŽ’ 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 · one leg
A one-way rental fills in the missing piece.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
๐Ÿš™National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Comox โ€“ NanaimoDowntown Nanaimo โ†’Comox Airport (YQQ)88 kmOne-way between Island branches โ€” no drop chargeBike rides inside โ€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
๐ŸšฒAt the far end, Courtenay (Comox Valley) is about 5.4 km from Comox Airport (YQQ). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
Option two · one leg📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
Simple: one carpool.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐Ÿš—PoparideIsland Hwy rideshare (Nanaimo - Courtenay)Downtown Nanaimo Exchange โ†’Courtenay97 kmOnly some rides take bikes โ€” look for the bicycle icon on the listingSchedule is variable โ€” check Poparide for driver-listed dates and times
Only book rides that say they permit bicycles (bike icon on the listing).
๐ŸšฒAt the far end, Courtenay (Comox Valley) is about 5.4 km from Courtenay. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
Option three · two legs✈ the splurge
A splurge, but an unforgettable ride.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐Ÿ›ฉ๏ธHarbour AirVancouver Harbour โ€“ Nanaimo HarbourNanaimo Harbour โ†’CXH (Vancouver)60 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee โ€” bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter โ€” other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
๐Ÿ›ฉ๏ธHarbour AirVancouver Harbour โ€“ ComoxCXH (Vancouver) โ†’Comox Harbour138 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee โ€” bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter โ€” other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Comox Harbour.
Not an option · one leg🚫 not possible with a bike
One coach bus.
🚫  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
๐ŸšŒIsland LinkIsland Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange โ†’Courtenay97 kmDoes not carry bikes
๐ŸšฒAt the far end, Courtenay (Comox Valley) is about 5.4 km from Courtenay. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
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: Courtenay (Comox Valley) to Nanaimo (best: rental car)

Connections from Nanaimo: Chemainus (best: bus) · Lund (best: ferry + bus) · Sicamous (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + SkyTrain + plane)

Connections from Courtenay (Comox Valley): Powell River (best: ferry) · Port Renfrew (best: bus) · Port Hardy (best: rental car) · Skagway, AK (best: carpool + ferry + bus)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Nanaimo and Courtenay (Comox Valley)