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.

Good news: buses, ferries, trains and flights can carry you and your bike from Qualicum Beach to Kelowna.

For scale
As the crow flies362 km
Biking whole way537 km ยท 35 h 56 m
By car623 km ยท 7 h 52 m

We found two ways to get you there.

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 ›
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
A beautiful ferry ride with transit on both sides.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŽBC Transit9 IntercityRavensong Exch (Qualicum Beach) โ†’Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)32 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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
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€“ KelownaPacific Central Station (Vancouver) โ†’Kelowna (Orchard Park Mall)331 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Kelowna (Orchard Park Mall).
Option two · five legs✈ the splurge
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŽBC Transit9 IntercityRavensong Exch (Qualicum Beach) โ†’Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)32 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) โ†’Downtown Nanaimo Exchange12 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
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Nanaimo Harbour, about 0.6 km.
๐Ÿ›ฉ๏ธHarbour AirVancouver Harbour โ€“ Nanaimo HarbourNanaimo Harbour โ†’CXH (Vancouver)60 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee โ€” bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter โ€” other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place โ†’Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)Roll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
โœˆ๏ธAir CanadaVancouver (YVR) โ€“ Kelowna (YLW)Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) โ†’Kelowna Airport288 kmBox or sturdy bag requiredBook ahead for your bikeAbout $50 per directionNo e-bikes
๐ŸšฒAt the far end, Kelowna is about 11 km from Kelowna Airport. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Apple Cabs, Checkmate Cabs Ltd. might help.
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: Kelowna to Qualicum Beach (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry)

Connections from Qualicum Beach: Denman Island (best: bus + carpool + ferry) · Delta (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Port Hardy (best: bus + rental car) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)

Connections from Kelowna: Summerland (best: bus) · Port Coquitlam (best: bus + SkyTrain + train) · Duncan (Cowichan Valley) (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + train + ferry)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Qualicum Beach and Kelowna