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 Saturna Island.
For scale
As the crow flies67 km
Biking whole way123 km · 4 h 52 m
By car85 km · 2 h 38 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
Two ferries, changing in Tsawwassen.
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) →Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island)48 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 Lyall Harbour (Saturna 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
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.
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) →Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island)48 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 Lyall Harbour (Saturna 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 →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) →Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island)36 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island).
Option four · five legs
Two ferries, two city buses, and a 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 →Stadium-Chinatown (Vancouver)17 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkStadium-Chinatown (Vancouver) →Bridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚎TransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen FerryBridgeport (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) →Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island)48 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 Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island).
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Option five · 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
🚎BC Transit75 Saanichton / Royal Oak / DowntownLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) →Brentwood Bay20 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 Brentwood Bay to Swartz Bay (North Saanich), about 13 km.
⛴️BC FerriesSwartz Bay – Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island)36 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island).
Option six · three legs✈ the splurge
The splurge: hop a flight.
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) →Lyall Harbour (Saturna Island)36 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Lyall Harbour (Saturna 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: Saturna 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 Saturna Island: Brentwood Bay (best: ferry) · Port Renfrew (best: ferry + bus) · Enderby (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Nanaimo and Saturna Island