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 Parksville, 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 flies86 km
Biking whole way186 km ยท 11 h 16 m
By car173 km ยท 2 h 19 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 · three legs🚫 not possible with a bike📅 seasonal
Coach bus to Nanaimo, city bus to Nanaimo, then a city bus into Parksville.
🚫  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.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange โ†’Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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
๐ŸšŽBC Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) โ†’Island Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville)24 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
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Island Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville).

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 Something wrong or out of date?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.
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Heading back: Parksville to Port Renfrew (best: bus)

Connections from Port Renfrew: Lake Cowichan (best: bus) · Comox (best: bus) · West Kelowna (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)

Connections from Parksville: Nanaimo (best: bus) · Campbell River (best: bus + rental car) · Merritt (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Port Renfrew and Parksville