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.

Transit connects Port Renfrew and Golden, but every chain we know includes a leg that will not take your bike. We show the chains anyway so you can see exactly where it breaks.

For scale
As the crow flies613 km
Biking whole wayWe can't compute the bike route from the ferry dock but it may be rideable: please consult other sources.
By car893 km ยท 10 h 59 m
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 ›
Not an option · four legs🚫 not possible with a bike📅 seasonal
Two coach buses, a ferry, and a SkyTrain.
🚫  This chain exists, but West Coast Trail Express does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒWest Coast Trail ExpressJuan de Fuca Trail routeor West Coast Trail Express (West Coast Trail route) (seasonal)Port Renfrew โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange76 kmDoes not carry bikes
Runs May 1 to September 30.
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) โ†’CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead โ€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ€” $25 in personNo e-bikes โ€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ŸšฒTravel 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.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŒEbusVancouver โ€“ Calgary (Hwy 1)or Rider Express (Vancouver โ€“ Calgary)Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) โ†’Golden568 kmRides in the hold โ€” 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.
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Golden.
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike📅 seasonal
Two coach buses, two city buses, and a ferry.
🚫  This chain exists, but West Coast Trail Express does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒWest Coast Trail ExpressJuan de Fuca Trail routePort Renfrew โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange76 kmDoes not carry bikes
Runs May 1 to September 30.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDowntown Nanaimo Exchange โ†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 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
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) โ†’Horseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšŽTransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay โ†’Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŒRider ExpressVancouver โ€“ Calgary (Hwy 1)Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) โ†’Golden566 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike โ€” non-refundable
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Golden.

Two workarounds riders use: rent a bike at the far end instead of bringing yours, or ship your bike ahead to a shop or your accommodation.

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: Golden to Port Renfrew (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry)

Connections from Port Renfrew: Lake Cowichan (best: bus) · White Rock (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Osoyoos (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)

Connections from Golden: Field (best: bus) · Harrison Hot Springs (best: bus) · Brentwood Bay (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + train + ferry)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Port Renfrew and Golden