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: ferries, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Shearwater to Tofino.
For scale
As the crow flies368 km
Biking whole way678 km · 39 h 57 m
By car690 km · 13 h 52 m
We found two 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 · three legs📅 seasonal📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
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.
🚙BudgetOne-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimoor National Car & Truck Rental (One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimo) (counter a short ride away on the 20/20A Hammond Bay / Dover)YZT (Port Hardy) →Downtown Nanaimo298 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches — bookable onlineBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.6 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🚗PoparideHwy 4 rideshare (Nanaimo - Port Alberni - Ucluelet - Tofino)Downtown Nanaimo Exchange →Tofino (1st Street)143 kmOnly some rides take bikes — look for the bicycle icon on the listingSchedule is variable — check Poparide for driver-listed dates and times
Only book rides that say they permit bicycles (bike icon on the listing).
🚲You arrive at Tofino (1st Street).
Option two · three legs✈ the splurge📅 seasonal
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaShearwater (Denny Island) →McLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella)3.7 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 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
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – TofinoVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →YAZ (Tofino)190 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚲At the far end, Central Tofino is about 12 km from YAZ (Tofino). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
Not an option · three legs🚫 not possible with a bike📅 seasonal
Ferry to Bear Cove, rental car to Nanaimo, then a coach bus into Tofino.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
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.
🚙BudgetOne-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimoor National Car & Truck Rental (One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimo) (counter a short ride away on the 20/20A Hammond Bay / Dover)YZT (Port Hardy) →Downtown Nanaimo298 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches — bookable onlineBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.6 km.
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Tofino (1st Street)162 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚲You arrive at Tofino (1st Street).
Not an option · four legs🚫 not possible with a bike📅 seasonal
A ferry, a rental car, and two coach buses.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
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: Campbell River – Port HardyYZT (Port Hardy) →YBL (Campbell River)170 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 YBL (Campbell River) to Campbell River, about 8.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bee-Line Taxi might help.
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Tofino (1st Street)162 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚲You arrive at Tofino (1st Street).
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A ferry, a rental car, a city bus, and two coach buses.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
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) →Courtenay8.3 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.
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Tofino (1st Street)162 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚲You arrive at Tofino (1st Street).
Route facts last checked October 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: Tofino to Shearwater (best: carpool + rental car + ferry)
Connections from Shearwater: Ocean Falls (best: ferry) · Nanaimo (best: ferry + rental car) · Victoria (best: ferry + rental car + bus) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + rental car + SkyTrain)
Connections from Tofino: Ucluelet (best: bus) · Saturna Island (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Penticton (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Tofino