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 North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) to Salt Spring Island.

For scale
As the crow flies26 km
Biking whole way36 km ยท 2 h 11 m
By car36 km ยท 58 m

We found two 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 · one leg
Pedal the first stretch, then let the ferries take over.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšฒFirst, get from North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) to Crofton, about 7.6 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesVesuvius โ€“ CroftonCrofton โ†’Vesuvius Bay (Salt Spring Island)5.9 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒAt the far end, Central Salt Spring Island is about 15 km from Vesuvius Bay (Salt Spring Island). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Silver Shadow Taxi Ltd. might help.
Option two · four legs
Not far, just fiddly.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšฒFirst, get from North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) to Joan & Queen - Saltspring Ferry (North Cowichan), about 8 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit6 Crofton-ChemainusJoan & Queen - Saltspring Ferry (North Cowichan) โ†’Duncan11 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 Transit66 CVX Cowichan-Victoria ExpressDuncan โ†’Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)46 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 Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) โ†’Swartz 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
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesFulford Harbour โ€“ Swartz BaySwartz Bay (North Saanich) โ†’Fulford Harbour (Salt Spring Island)9.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Fulford Harbour (Salt Spring 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: Salt Spring Island to North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: ferry)

Connections from North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton): Galiano Island (best: bus + ferry) · Surrey (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Merritt (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Prince Rupert (best: bus + rental car + ferry)

Connections from Salt Spring Island: Langford (best: ferry + bus) · Mission (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Armstrong (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · New Hazelton (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)

Check out BC Bike Stops in North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) and Salt Spring Island