BC Cycle Tourism Society
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, trains and flights can carry you and your bike from Port Coquitlam to Gabriola Island.

For scale
As the crow flies79 km
Biking whole wayWe can't compute the bike route from the ferry dock but it may be rideable: please consult other sources.
By car136 km · 3 h 26 m

We found two 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 · three legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
The ferry is the main event.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚆West Coast ExpressTransLinkPort Coquitlam Station →Vancouver Canada Place28 kmRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carWeekdays only — peak direction only
Weekdays only, peak direction only: five trains toward Vancouver in the morning, five back in the evening.
🚲Travel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Black Top Cabs, Maclure'S Cabs might help.
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) →Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)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 Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Nanaimo Harbour, about 0.9 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Nanaimo Harbour →Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island)5.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island).
Option two · three legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option one, but a plane instead of the ferry.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚆West Coast ExpressTransLinkPort Coquitlam Station →Vancouver Canada Place28 kmRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carWeekdays only — peak direction only
Weekdays only, peak direction only: five trains toward Vancouver in the morning, five back in the evening.
🚲Travel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km.
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Nanaimo HarbourCXH (Vancouver) →Nanaimo Harbour60 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
⛴️BC FerriesNanaimo Harbour – Descanso Bay (Gabriola)Nanaimo Harbour →Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island)5.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Descanso Bay (Gabriola Island).
Route facts last checked July 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: Gabriola Island to Port Coquitlam (best: ferry + train)

Connections from Port Coquitlam: Mission (best: train) · Port Renfrew (best: train + ferry + bus) · Rossland (best: train + SkyTrain + bus) · Haida Gwaii (best: train + ferry + rental car)

Connections from Gabriola Island: North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: ferry + bus) · Langley (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Port Hardy (best: ferry + rental car) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Port Coquitlam and Gabriola Island