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, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Shearwater to Gibsons.
For scale
As the crow flies444 km
Biking whole way663 km · 34 h 53 m
By car630 km · 15 h 29 m
We found three ways to get you there, ferries doing the heavy lifting.
🎒 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 · four legs📅 seasonal
A one-way rental fills in the missing piece.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaShearwater (Denny Island) →Bear Cove (Port Hardy)168 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop — check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲Travel the short hop from Bear Cove (Port Hardy) to YZT (Port Hardy), about 8 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
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – LangdaleHorseshoe Bay →Langdale (Gibsons)16 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Langdale (Gibsons).
Option two · five legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A little bit of everything.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaShearwater (Denny Island) →Bear Cove (Port Hardy)168 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop — check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲Travel the short hop from Bear Cove (Port Hardy) to YZT (Port Hardy), about 8 km.
🚙National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Comox – Port HardyYZT (Port Hardy) →Comox Airport (YQQ)207 kmOne-way between Island branches — no drop chargeBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚎BC Transit11 Airport via Powell R. Ferry / DowntownComox Airport (YQQ) →Little River (Comox)4.3 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
One loop serves both the Little River ferry terminal and Comox airport; about 5–7 trips a day, and Sunday service is unconfirmed.
⛴️BC FerriesWestview – Little River (Comox)Little River (Comox) →Marine & Duncan (Powell River)30 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Marine & Duncan (Powell River) to Powell River, about 0.4 km.
🚌Sunshine Coast ConnectorLangdale – Powell RiverPowell River →Gibsons101 kmReserve bike spot — rack space is limited$20 bike · $40 e-bikeNo box needed — rack on the bus
Includes the Earls Cove–Saltery Bay ferry leg.
🚲You arrive at Gibsons.
Option three · seven legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Fly most of the way, then let transit finish the trip.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesCentral Coast ConnectorShearwater (Denny Island) →McLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella)3.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
About one run a week: Wednesday out from Bella Coola, Thursday or Friday back from Shearwater.
🚲Travel the short hop from McLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella) to ZEL (Bella Bella), about 0.9 km.
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – Bella BellaZEL (Bella Bella) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)480 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲Travel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Black Top Cabs, Maclure'S Cabs might help.
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Nanaimo HarbourCXH (Vancouver) →Nanaimo Harbour60 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 Nanaimo Harbour to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.6 km.
🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / DoverDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 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
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) →Horseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – LangdaleHorseshoe Bay →Langdale (Gibsons)16 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Langdale (Gibsons).
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: Gibsons to Shearwater (best: ferry + rental car)
Connections from Shearwater: Ocean Falls (best: ferry) · Ucluelet (best: ferry + rental car + carpool) · Port Coquitlam (best: ferry + rental car + train) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + rental car + bus)
Connections from Gibsons: North Vancouver (best: ferry + bus) · Langford (best: ferry + bus) · Port Hardy (best: ferry + rental car) · Haida Gwaii (best: ferry + rental car)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Gibsons