Port Alberni to Merritt with a bike

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 Port Alberni to Merritt.

For scale

As the crow flies305 km

Biking whole way462 km · 30 h 20 m

By car542 km · 7 h 13 m

We found six ways to get you there.

🎒 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 · four legs

Four ways to travel, one destination.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚲Travel the short hop from Port Alberni to Port Alberni, about 0.8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Alberni District United Cabs Association, United Cabs'S #5 might help.

🚙BudgetOne-way rental: Port Alberni – NanaimoPort Alberni →Downtown Nanaimo64 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches — bookable onlineBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking

🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1.5 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.

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚌EbusVancouver – Kelownaor Ebus (Vancouver – Kamloops) or Ebus (Vancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)) or Rider Express (Vancouver – Calgary)Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) →Merritt230 kmRides in the hold — bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike

🚲You arrive at Merritt.

Option two · four legs📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app

Same as Option one, but a carpool instead of the rental car.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚗PoparideHwy 4 rideshare (Nanaimo - Port Alberni - Ucluelet - Tofino)Port Alberni →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange64 kmOnly some rides take bikes — look for the bicycle icon on the listingSchedule is variable — check Poparide for driver-listed dates and times

Only book rides that say they permit bicycles (bike icon on the listing).

🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km.

🚲Travel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚲You arrive at Merritt.

Option three · five legs

A one-way rental fills in the missing piece.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚲Travel the short hop from Port Alberni to Port Alberni, about 0.8 km.

🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1.5 km.

🚲Travel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚎BC Transit66 Fraser Valley ExpressLougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby) →Downtown Chilliwack Bay B76 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 Chilliwack Bay B to Chilliwack, about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Chilliwack Taxi might help.

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Chilliwack →Merritt139 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Merritt.

Option four · five legs📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app

Same as Option three, but a carpool instead of the rental car.

CarrierRideYour bike

Only book rides that say they permit bicycles (bike icon on the listing).

🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km.

🚲Travel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Chilliwack Bay B to Chilliwack, about 1.3 km.

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Chilliwack →Merritt139 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Merritt.

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Option five · five legs

Grab a window seat, the scenery's included.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚲Travel the short hop from Port Alberni to Port Alberni, about 0.8 km.

🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.6 km.

🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / DoverDowntown 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 →Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) →Merritt231 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Merritt.

Not an option · four legs🚫 not possible with a bike

Two coach buses, a ferry, and a SkyTrain.

🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusPort Alberni →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange64 kmDoes not carry bikes

🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km.

🚲Travel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

🚲You arrive at Merritt.

Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike

Two coach buses, two city buses, and a ferry.

🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusPort Alberni →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange64 kmDoes not carry bikes

🚎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 →Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) →Merritt231 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Merritt.

Option eight · six legs✈ the splurge

Every leg of this works, there are just a lot of them.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚲Travel the short hop from Port Alberni to Port Alberni, about 0.8 km.

🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo to Nanaimo Harbour, about 1.2 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.

🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK

✈️Flair AirlinesVancouver (YVR) – Calgary (YYC)Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →Calgary AB683 kmRides in the hold — boxed, bagged, or wrappedBike feeReserve bike spotNo e-bikes

✈️Flair AirlinesAbbotsford (YXX) – Calgary (YYC)Calgary AB →Abbotsford Airport634 kmRides in the hold — boxed, bagged, or wrappedBike feeReserve bike spotNo e-bikes

🚌EbusVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Abbotsford Airport →Merritt172 kmRides in the hold — bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike

Runs the same Highway 1 corridor as Rider Express, so compare schedules and fares.

🚲You arrive at Merritt.

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: Merritt to Port Alberni (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry)

Connections from Port Alberni: Hornby Island (best: rental car + carpool + bus) · Delta (best: rental car + ferry + SkyTrain) · West Kelowna (best: rental car + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: rental car + ferry + SkyTrain)

Connections from Merritt: Kamloops (best: bus) · West Vancouver (best: bus) · Lund (best: bus + ferry) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + train + ferry)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Port Alberni and Merritt

To and Fro: moving your bike around British Columbia