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 and flights can carry you and your bike from Parksville to North Vancouver.
For scale
As the crow flies92 km
Biking whole way120 km · 5 h 35 m
By car269 km · 4 h 40 m
We found five 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 · six legs
Buses bookending a beautiful sailing.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityIsland Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville) →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)24 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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 Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 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 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 →Park Royal (West Vancouver)11 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎TransLinkR2 Marine Dr RapidBusPark Royal (West Vancouver) →Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver)4.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver).
Option two · four legs
The ferry is the main event.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityIsland Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville) →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)24 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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 Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
⛴️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.
⛴️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.
🚲You arrive at Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver).
Option three · five legs📅 seasonal
Three city buses, a ferry, and a coach bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityIsland Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville) →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)24 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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 Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km.
⛴️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.
🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverVancouver Canada Place →Park Royal (West Vancouver)5 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.
🚎TransLinkR2 Marine Dr RapidBusPark Royal (West Vancouver) →Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver)4.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver).
Option four · six legs📅 seasonal
Same as Option one, but a coach bus instead of the city bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityIsland Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville) →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)24 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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 Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 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 FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) →Horseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverHorseshoe Bay →Park Royal (West Vancouver)11 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.
🚎TransLinkR2 Marine Dr RapidBusPark Royal (West Vancouver) →Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver)4.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver).
Option five · four legs✈ the splurge
Same as Option two, but a plane instead of the ferry.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityIsland Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville) →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)24 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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 Nanaimo Exchange to Nanaimo Harbour, about 0.6 km.
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Nanaimo HarbourNanaimo Harbour →CXH (Vancouver)60 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee — bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter — other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
🚲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.
🚲You arrive at Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver).
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: North Vancouver to Parksville (best: SeaBus + ferry + bus)
Connections from Parksville: Nanaimo (best: bus) · Ucluelet (best: bus + carpool) · Merritt (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)
Connections from North Vancouver: Gibsons (best: bus + ferry) · Texada Island (best: bus + ferry) · Clearwater (best: bus) · Haida Gwaii (best: SeaBus + ferry + rental car)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Parksville and North Vancouver