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: buses and ferries can carry you and your bike from Nanaimo to Lake Cowichan.

For scale
As the crow flies38 km
Biking whole way82 km ยท 5 h 12 m
By car73 km ยท 52 m

We found two ways to get you there.

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
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch โ†’Duncan46 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
๐ŸšŽBC Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan โ†’South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 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
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
Option two · five legs
Full house: three city buses and two ferries.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ€“ Duke PointDuke Point (Nanaimo) โ†’Tsawwassen (Delta)58 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesTsawwassen โ€“ Swartz BayTsawwassen (Delta) โ†’Swartz Bay (North Saanich)41 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Swartz Bay (North Saanich) โ†’Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) to Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria), about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bluebird Cabs, Sidney Taxi might help.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) โ†’Duncan54 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
๐ŸšŽBC Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan โ†’South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 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
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
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: Lake Cowichan to Nanaimo (best: bus)

Connections from Nanaimo: North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: bus) · Comox (best: rental car) · Vernon (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus)

Connections from Lake Cowichan: Thetis Island (best: bus + ferry) · Burnaby (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Princeton (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Nanaimo and Lake Cowichan