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 Pender Island.
For scale
As the crow flies61 km
Biking whole way117 km · 4 h 46 m
By car76 km · 2 h 05 m
We found six ways to get you there, ferries doing the heavy lifting.
🎒 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 · two legs
The ferry is the main event.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Duke PointDuke Point (Nanaimo) →Tsawwassen (Delta)58 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)27 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — 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.
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Option two · four legs
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 →Bridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚎TransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Ferryor the 900 Bike Bus (seasonal)Bridgeport (Richmond) →Tsawwassen (Delta)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.
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)27 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — 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.
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Option three · four legs
The long way round, but it works.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch →Duncan46 kmFront rack, no fee — 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only — lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan-Victoria ExpressDuncan →Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)46 kmFront rack, no fee — 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only — lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
🚎BC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)29 kmFront rack, no fee — 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only — lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
⛴️BC FerriesSwartz Bay – Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Option four · four legs
The same idea as Option three, on different routes.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch →Duncan46 kmFront rack, no fee — 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only — lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressDuncan →Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 kmFront rack, no fee — 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only — lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
🚲Travel 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.
🚎BC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)29 kmFront rack, no fee — 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only — lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
⛴️BC FerriesSwartz Bay – Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
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Option five · three legs
Two connections, then you're on your way.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Duke PointDuke Point (Nanaimo) →Tsawwassen (Delta)58 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚌Wilson's Transportation (BC Connector)BC Ferries Connector — Vancouver / VictoriaTsawwassen (Delta) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)41 kmRides in the hold — bagged or boxed$42 per bike — 50 lb maxReserve bike spot — recommended
⛴️ Downtown to downtown via the Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay ferry crossing.
⛴️BC FerriesSwartz Bay – Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Option six · three legs✈ the splurge
Plane to Richmond, plane to Victoria, then a ferry into Otter Bay.
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
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – VictoriaVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →YYJ (Victoria)63 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚲Travel the short hop from YYJ (Victoria) to Swartz Bay (North Saanich), about 4.7 km.
⛴️BC FerriesSwartz Bay – Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
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: Pender Island to Nanaimo (best: ferry)
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 Pender Island: North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: ferry + bus) · Mission (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Enderby (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · New Hazelton (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Nanaimo and Pender Island