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: ferries, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Port Alberni to Tofino.
For scale
As the crow flies80 km
Biking whole way128 km · 8 h 06 m
By car126 km · 1 h 40 m
We found two 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 · one leg📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
Make some friends in a carpool.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚗PoparideHwy 4 rideshare (Nanaimo - Port Alberni - Ucluelet - Tofino)Port Alberni →Tofino (1st Street)80 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).
🚲You arrive at Tofino (1st Street).
Option two · three legs✈ the splurge
The long way round, but it works.
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
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – TofinoCXH (Vancouver) →Tofino Harbour203 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
🚲You arrive at Tofino Harbour.
Not an option · one leg🚫 not possible with a bike
One coach bus.
🚫 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
🚲You arrive at Tofino (1st Street).
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: Tofino to Port Alberni (best: carpool)
Connections from Port Alberni: Hornby Island (best: rental car + carpool + bus) · Squamish (best: rental car + ferry + bus) · Osoyoos (best: rental car + ferry + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: rental car + ferry + SkyTrain)
Connections from Tofino: Ucluelet (best: bus) · West Vancouver (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Penticton (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Port Alberni and Tofino