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 Penelakut Island to Pender Island.

For scale
As the crow flies32 km
Biking whole way46 km ยท 3 h 03 m
By car48 km ยท 2 h 15 m

We found four 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 · five legs
The long way round, but it works.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesChemainus โ€“ Thetis โ€“ PenelakutPenelakut Island โ†’Chemainus8.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit6 Crofton-ChemainusChemainus โ†’Duncan20 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†’Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 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 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.
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 FerriesSwartz Bay โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) โ†’Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Option two · five legs
The same idea as Option one, on different routes.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesChemainus โ€“ Thetis โ€“ PenelakutPenelakut Island โ†’Chemainus8.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit6 Crofton-ChemainusChemainus โ†’Duncan20 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†’Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 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 Transit75 Saanichton / Royal Oak / DowntownLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) โ†’Brentwood Bay20 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 Brentwood Bay to Swartz Bay (North Saanich), about 13 km.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesSwartz Bay โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) โ†’Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Option three · five legs
Same as Option one, but a ferry instead of the city bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesChemainus โ€“ Thetis โ€“ PenelakutPenelakut Island โ†’Chemainus8.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit6 Crofton-ChemainusChemainus โ†’Duncan20 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 Expressor the 8 Mill Bay via Telegraph Rd/Duncan via Shawnigan Lk or the 9 Mill Bay via Shawnigan Lk/Duncan via Telegraph RdDuncan โ†’Deloume Park & Ride (Mill Bay)17 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 FerriesBrentwood Bay โ€“ Mill BayDeloume Park & Ride (Mill Bay) โ†’Brentwood Bay12 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
Daily, with fewer sailings on Sundays.
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Brentwood Bay to Swartz Bay (North Saanich), about 13 km.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesSwartz Bay โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) โ†’Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Option four · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Not far, just fiddly.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesChemainus โ€“ Thetis โ€“ PenelakutPenelakut Island โ†’Chemainus8.4 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Chemainus to Pine & Daniel (Chemainus), about 0.9 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit34 Ladysmith-ChemainusPine & Daniel (Chemainus) โ†’Coronation Mall (Ladysmith)8.1 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 Transit36 Ladysmith-Duncan ExpressCoronation Mall (Ladysmith) โ†’Duncan24 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†’Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 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 Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) to Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria), about 1.3 km.
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 FerriesSwartz Bay โ€“ Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) โ†’Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Otter Bay (Pender 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: Pender Island to Penelakut Island (best: ferry + bus)

Connections from Penelakut Island: Lake Cowichan (best: ferry + bus) · Saanich (best: ferry + bus) · Qualicum Beach (best: ferry + bus) · Port Hardy (best: ferry + bus + rental car)

Connections from Pender Island: Chemainus (best: ferry + bus) · Port Alberni (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Salmon Arm (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Pender Island