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: buses, ferries, trains, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Port Coquitlam to Shearwater.

For scale
As the crow flies495 km
Biking whole way692 km · 37 h 14 m
By car706 km · 15 h 17 m

We found three 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 · four legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Commute like a local on the West Coast Express.
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 Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.5 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🚙BudgetOne-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimoor National Car & Truck Rental (One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimo) (counter a short ride away on the 20/20A Hammond Bay / Dover)Downtown Nanaimo →YZT (Port Hardy)298 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 YZT (Port Hardy) to Bear Cove (Port Hardy), about 8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi might help.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBear Cove (Port Hardy) →Shearwater (Denny Island)168 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop — check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
Option two · five legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Fill in the gap with a rental car.
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.
🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverVancouver Canada Place →Horseshoe Bay16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack — otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes
Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayHorseshoe Bay →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km.
🚙National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimoor Budget (One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimo) (counter a short ride away on the 20/20A Hammond Bay / Dover)Downtown Nanaimo →YZT (Port Hardy)295 kmOne-way between Island branches — no drop chargeBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Bear Cove (Port Hardy), about 8 km.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBear Cove (Port Hardy) →Shearwater (Denny Island)168 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop — check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
Option three · four legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Four ways to travel, one destination.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚆West Coast ExpressTransLinkPort Coquitlam Station →Coquitlam Central5.1 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.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkCoquitlam Central →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – Bella BellaVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →ZEL (Bella Bella)480 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚲Travel the short hop from ZEL (Bella Bella) to McLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella), about 0.9 km.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaMcLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella) →Shearwater (Denny Island)3.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop — check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny 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: Shearwater to Port Coquitlam (best: ferry + rental car + train)

Connections from Port Coquitlam: Mission (best: train) · Qualicum Beach (best: train + ferry + bus) · Port McNeill (best: train + ferry + bus) · Haida Gwaii (best: train + ferry + rental car)

Connections from Shearwater: Ocean Falls (best: ferry) · Port Alberni (best: ferry + rental car) · Delta (best: ferry + rental car + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + rental car + bus)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Port Coquitlam