Nanaimo to Salmon Arm 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 Salmon Arm.

For scale

As the crow flies375 km

Biking whole way574 km · 36 h 25 m

By car543 km · 6 h 43 m

We found 10 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

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 →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚌EbusVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)or Rider Express (Vancouver – Calgary)Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) →Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm)393 kmRides in the hold — bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike

Runs the same Highway 1 corridor as Rider Express, so compare schedules and fares.

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

Option two · three legs

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

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) →Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm)391 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

Option three · four legs

A transport smorgasbord: ferry, city bus, SkyTrain, and coach bus.

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 FerryTsawwassen (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) →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

Runs the same Highway 1 corridor as Rider Express, so compare schedules and fares.

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

Option four · four legs

The coach takes care of the long stretch.

CarrierRideYour bike

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

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚎BC Transit66 Fraser Valley ExpressLougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby) →Downtown Chilliwack Bay B76 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 Downtown Chilliwack Bay B to Chilliwack, about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Chilliwack Taxi might help.

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Chilliwack →Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm)299 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

Show six moreShow fewer

Option five · five legs

A ferry, two city buses, a SkyTrain, and a coach bus.

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 FerryTsawwassen (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) →Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Chilliwack Bay B to Chilliwack, about 1.3 km.

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Chilliwack →Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm)299 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

Option six · four legs

The same idea as Option four, on different routes.

CarrierRideYour bike

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

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚎BC Transit66 Fraser Valley Express (FVX)Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby) →Abbotsford50 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

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Abbotsford →Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm)326 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

Option seven · five legs

A ferry, a SeaBus, two city buses, and a coach bus.

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

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

Option eight · four legs📅 seasonal

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 →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

Runs the same Highway 1 corridor as Rider Express, so compare schedules and fares.

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

Option 9 · five legs

The same idea as Option five, on different routes.

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 FerryTsawwassen (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) →Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Abbotsford →Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm)326 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

Option 10 · two legs✈ the splurge

Plane to Kelowna Airport, then a coach bus into Salmon Arm.

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 AirlinesNanaimo – KelownaYCD (Nanaimo) →Kelowna Airport341 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes

🚌EbusKamloops – Kelowna (via Salmon Arm)Kelowna Airport →Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm)87 kmRides in the hold — bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike

🚲You arrive at Hudson Ave NE & 6 St NE (Salmon Arm).

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: Salmon Arm 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 Salmon Arm: Chase (best: bus) · Squamish (best: bus + SkyTrain) · Powell River (best: bus + ferry) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + train + ferry)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Nanaimo and Salmon Arm

To and Fro: moving your bike around British Columbia