Port McNeill 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 McNeill to Merritt.

For scale

As the crow flies450 km

Biking whole way733 km · 46 h 35 m

By car806 km · 9 h 49 m

We found five 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 · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

Beautiful BC from a coach window.

CarrierRideYour bike

🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort McNeill →Port Hardy33 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

Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.

🚲Travel the short hop from Port Hardy to YZT (Port Hardy), about 10 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi might help.

🚙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)YZT (Port Hardy) →Downtown Nanaimo295 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 Downtown Nanaimo to Departure Bay (Nanaimo), about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.

⛴️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 two · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

Same as Option one, but a SkyTrain instead of the city bus.

CarrierRideYour bike

Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.

🚲Travel the short hop from Port Hardy to YZT (Port Hardy), about 10 km.

🚙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)YZT (Port Hardy) →Downtown Nanaimo298 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.

⛴️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 three · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

Fill in the gap with a rental car.

CarrierRideYour bike

Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.

🚲Travel the short hop from Port Hardy to YZT (Port Hardy), about 10 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 · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

The same idea as Option three, on different routes.

CarrierRideYour bike

Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.

🚲Travel the short hop from Port Hardy to YZT (Port Hardy), about 10 km.

🚙BudgetOne-way rental: Port Hardy – NanaimoYZT (Port Hardy) →Downtown Nanaimo298 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.

🚲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 Express (FVX)Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby) →Abbotsford50 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

🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Abbotsford →Merritt166 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable

🚲You arrive at Merritt.

Option five · five legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule

The long way round, but it works.

CarrierRideYour bike

Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.

🚲Travel the short hop from Port Hardy to YZT (Port Hardy), about 10 km.

✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – Port HardyYZT (Port Hardy) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)343 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes

✈️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 McNeill (best: bus + ferry + rental car)

Connections from Port McNeill: Port Hardy (best: bus) · Lake Cowichan (best: bus + rental car) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + ferry) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + rental car + ferry)

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 McNeill and Merritt

To and Fro: moving your bike around British Columbia