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 and flights can carry you and your bike from Salt Spring Island to Lake Cowichan.
For scale
As the crow flies45 km
Biking whole way66 km · 4 h 19 m
By car126 km · 2 h 08 m
We found six 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 · three legs
Pedal the first stretch, then let the city buses take over.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚲First, get from Central Salt Spring Island to Vesuvius Bay (Salt Spring Island), about 15 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Silver Shadow Taxi Ltd. might help.
⛴️BC FerriesVesuvius – CroftonVesuvius Bay (Salt Spring Island) →Crofton5.9 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Crofton to Joan & Queen - Saltspring Ferry (North Cowichan), about 0.5 km.
🚎BC Transit6 Crofton-ChemainusJoan & Queen - Saltspring Ferry (North Cowichan) →Duncan11 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
Option two · four legs
Option one, plus a city bus at the finish.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesFulford Harbour – Swartz Bayor BC Ferries (Swartz Bay – Southern Gulf Islands)Fulford Harbour (Salt Spring Island) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)9.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Swartz Bay (North Saanich) →Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)29 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲Travel the short hop from Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) to Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria), about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bluebird Cabs, Sidney Taxi might help.
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) →Duncan54 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
Option three · four legs
Another way: option one, plus a city bus at the finish.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesFulford Harbour – Swartz Bayor BC Ferries (Swartz Bay – Southern Gulf Islands)Fulford Harbour (Salt Spring Island) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)9.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Swartz Bay (North Saanich) →Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)29 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan-Victoria ExpressDouglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Duncan46 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
Option four · four legs
Option one, plus a ferry at the start.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesFulford Harbour – Swartz Bayor BC Ferries (Swartz Bay – Southern Gulf Islands)Fulford Harbour (Salt Spring Island) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)9.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Swartz Bay (North Saanich) to Brentwood Bay, about 13 km.
⛴️BC FerriesBrentwood Bay – Mill BayBrentwood Bay →Deloume Park & Ride (Mill Bay)12 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Daily, with fewer sailings on Sundays.
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria Expressor the 8 Mill Bay via Telegraph Rd/Duncan via Shawnigan Lk or the 9 Mill Bay via Shawnigan Lk/Duncan via Telegraph RdDeloume Park & Ride (Mill Bay) →Duncan17 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
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Option five · four legs
Same as Option two, but a coach bus instead of the city bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesFulford Harbour – Swartz BayFulford Harbour (Salt Spring Island) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)9.4 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚌Wilson's Transportation (BC Connector)BC Ferries Connector — Vancouver / VictoriaSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)29 kmRides in the hold — bagged or boxed$42 per bike — 50 lb maxReserve bike spot — recommended
⛴️ Downtown to downtown via the Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay ferry crossing.
🚲Travel the short hop from Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) to Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria), about 1.3 km.
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) →Duncan54 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
Option six · three legs✈ the splurge
Same as Option one, but a plane instead of the ferry.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚲First, get from Central Salt Spring Island to Ganges (Salt Spring Island), about 9.9 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
🛩️Harbour AirVictoria Harbour – Salt Spring (Ganges)Ganges (Salt Spring Island) →Victoria Harbour49 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee — bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter — other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from Victoria Harbour to Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria), about 0.7 km.
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) →Duncan54 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
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: Lake Cowichan to Salt Spring Island (best: bus + ferry)
Connections from Salt Spring Island: Langford (best: ferry + bus) · Squamish (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Armstrong (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · New Hazelton (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)
Connections from Lake Cowichan: Thetis Island (best: bus + ferry) · Burnaby (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Princeton (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Salt Spring Island and Lake Cowichan