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 Nanaimo to Galiano Island.
For scale
As the crow flies55 km
Biking whole way103 km ยท 4 h 08 m
By car163 km ยท 3 h 01 m
We found six 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 · two legs
The ferry is the main event.
CarrierRideYour bike
โด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ Duke PointDuke Point (Nanaimo) โTsawwassen (Delta)58 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
โด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) โSturdies Bay (Galiano Island)36 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
Sailing times vary a lot by routing: some trips are about 50 minutes, others run 2 to 3 hours via Swartz Bay. Check the specific sailing before you book.
๐ฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Option two · four legs
Not far, just fiddly.
CarrierRideYour bike
โด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) โCXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead โ 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ $25 in personNo e-bikes โ no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ฒTravel 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.
๐SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โBridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free โ 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐TransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Ferryor the 900 Bike Bus (seasonal)Bridgeport (Richmond) โTsawwassen (Delta)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ first come, first servedE-bikes OK
620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Ferry: 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.
900 Bike Bus: Seasonal: June 12 to September 7, Fridays, weekends and holidays; hourly, timed to ferry sailings. Carries 10 bikes.
โด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) โSturdies Bay (Galiano Island)36 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
Sailing times vary a lot by routing: some trips are about 50 minutes, others run 2 to 3 hours via Swartz Bay. Check the specific sailing before you book.
๐ฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Option three · four legs
The long way round, but it works.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch โDuncan46 kmFront rack, no fee โ 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressDuncan โLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 kmFront rack, no fee โ 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ฒTravel 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.
๐BC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) โSwartz Bay (North Saanich)29 kmFront rack, no fee โ 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
โด๏ธBC FerriesSwartz Bay โ Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) โSturdies Bay (Galiano Island)23 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
๐ฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Option four · five legs
Two ferries, two city buses, and a SkyTrain.
CarrierRideYour bike
โด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) โHorseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
๐TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay โStadium-Chinatown (Vancouver)17 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ first come, first servedE-bikes OK
๐SkyTrainTransLinkStadium-Chinatown (Vancouver) โBridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free โ 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐TransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen FerryBridgeport (Richmond) โTsawwassen (Delta)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ 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.
โด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) โSturdies Bay (Galiano Island)36 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
Sailing times vary a lot by routing: some trips are about 50 minutes, others run 2 to 3 hours via Swartz Bay. Check the specific sailing before you book.
๐ฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Show two moreShow fewer
Option five · four legs
The same idea as Option three, on different routes.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch โDuncan46 kmFront rack, no fee โ 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressDuncan โLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 kmFront rack, no fee โ 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐BC Transit75 Saanichton / Royal Oak / DowntownLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) โBrentwood Bay20 kmFront rack, no fee โ 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ฒTravel the short hop from Brentwood Bay to Swartz Bay (North Saanich), about 13 km.
โด๏ธBC FerriesSwartz Bay โ Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) โSturdies Bay (Galiano Island)23 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
๐ฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
Option six · three legs✈ the splurge
Plane to Richmond, plane to Victoria, then a ferry into Sturdies Bay.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ฒFirst, 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.
โ๏ธPacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver โ NanaimoYCD (Nanaimo) โVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)52 kmRides in the hold โ small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
โ๏ธPacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver โ VictoriaVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) โYYJ (Victoria)63 kmRides in the hold โ small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
๐ฒTravel the short hop from YYJ (Victoria) to Swartz Bay (North Saanich), about 4.7 km.
โด๏ธBC FerriesSwartz Bay โ Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) โSturdies Bay (Galiano Island)23 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
๐ฒYou arrive at Sturdies Bay (Galiano Island).
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: Galiano Island to Nanaimo (best: ferry)
Connections from Nanaimo: Chemainus (best: bus) · Lund (best: ferry + bus) · Sicamous (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + SkyTrain + plane)
Connections from Galiano Island: Duncan (Cowichan Valley) (best: ferry + bus) · Harrison Hot Springs (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Sorrento (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Nanaimo and Galiano Island