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 rental cars can carry you and your bike from Port Alberni to Qualicum Beach.

For scale
As the crow flies29 km
Biking whole way44 km ยท 2 h 47 m
By car44 km ยท 37 m

We found two ways to get you there.

๐ŸŽ’ 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 · three legs
A one-way rental fills in the missing piece.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšฒTravel 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.
๐Ÿš™BudgetOne-way rental: Port Alberni โ€“ NanaimoPort Alberni โ†’Downtown Nanaimo64 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches โ€” bookable onlineBike rides inside โ€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.6 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange โ†’Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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 Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) โ†’Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach)32 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
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach).
Option two · three legs📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
Same as Option one, but a carpool instead of the rental car.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐Ÿš—PoparideHwy 4 rideshare (Nanaimo - Port Alberni - Ucluelet - Tofino)Port Alberni โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange64 kmOnly some rides take bikes โ€” look for the bicycle icon on the listingSchedule is variable โ€” check Poparide for driver-listed dates and times
Only book rides that say they permit bicycles (bike icon on the listing).
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange โ†’Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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 Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) โ†’Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach)32 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
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach).
Not an option · three legs🚫 not possible with a bike
Coach bus to Nanaimo, city bus to Nanaimo, then a city bus into Ravensong Exch.
🚫  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
๐ŸšŒIsland LinkTofino Express BusPort Alberni โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange64 kmDoes not carry bikes
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange โ†’Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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 Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) โ†’Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach)32 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
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Ravensong Exch (Qualicum Beach).
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: Qualicum Beach to Port Alberni (best: bus + rental car)

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 Qualicum Beach: Denman Island (best: bus + carpool + ferry) · Squamish (best: bus + ferry) · Port Hardy (best: bus + rental car) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Port Alberni and Qualicum Beach