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, ferries, trains, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Parksville to Prince Rupert.

For scale
As the crow flies689 km
Biking whole wayWe can't compute the bike route from the ferry dock but it may be rideable: please consult other sources.
By car1,725 km ยท 20 h 22 m

We found three ways to get you there.

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 · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Fill in the gap with a rental car.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŽBC Transit9 IntercityIsland Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville) โ†’Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)24 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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 Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / DoverDowntown Nanaimo Exchange โ†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
๐Ÿš™National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ Nanaimoor Budget (One-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ Nanaimo)Downtown Nanaimo โ†’YZT (Port Hardy)295 kmOne-way between Island branches โ€” no drop chargeBike rides inside โ€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Bear Cove (Port Hardy), about 8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi might help.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort Hardy โ€“ Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)Bear Cove (Port Hardy) โ†’Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)445 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
Sails alternate days, roughly 3โ€“4 sailings a week each way in summer.
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St).
Option two · five legs✈ the splurge
Fly most of the way, then let transit finish the trip.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŽBC Transit9 IntercityIsland Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville) โ†’Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)24 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Nanaimo Harbour, about 0.6 km.
๐Ÿ›ฉ๏ธHarbour AirVancouver Harbour โ€“ Nanaimo HarbourNanaimo Harbour โ†’CXH (Vancouver)60 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee โ€” bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter โ€” other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel 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.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
โœˆ๏ธAir CanadaVancouver (YVR) โ€“ Prince Rupert (YPR)Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) โ†’YPR (Prince Rupert)756 kmBox or sturdy bag requiredBook ahead for your bikeAbout $50 per directionNo e-bikes
๐ŸšฒAt the far end, Central Prince Rupert is about 8.2 km from YPR (Prince Rupert). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Skeena Taxi might help.
Option three · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
The long way round, but it works.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŽBC Transit9 IntercityIsland Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville) โ†’Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)24 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) โ†’CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead โ€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ€” $25 in personNo e-bikes โ€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐Ÿš†VIA RailThe Canadian (Vancouver โ€“ Kamloops North โ€“ Jasper)Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) โ†’Jasper AB541 kmChecked baggage โ€” staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK โ€” battery disconnected at check-in
Two departures a week in season; bikes can be checked on and off at Vancouver and Jasper only.
๐Ÿš†VIA RailSkeena (Prince Rupert โ€“ Prince George โ€“ Jasper)Jasper AB โ†’Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)922 kmChecked baggage โ€” staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK โ€” battery disconnected at check-in
Three departures a week; the trip includes an overnight stop in Prince George (book your own hotel).
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St).
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: Prince Rupert to Parksville (best: ferry + rental car + bus)

Connections from Parksville: Nanaimo (best: bus) · Ucluelet (best: bus + carpool) · Seattle, WA (best: bus + ferry) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)

Connections from Prince Rupert: Terrace (best: train) · Sechelt (best: ferry + rental car + bus) · Abbotsford (best: train + bus) · Fernie (best: train + bus)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Parksville and Prince Rupert