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 Smithers to Port Hardy.
For scale
As the crow flies451 km
Biking whole way806 km ยท 45 h 05 m
By car1,634 km ยท 19 h 02 m
We found three ways to get you there.
๐ 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 · two legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Halfway across the province, no car required.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐VIA RailSkeena (Prince Rupert โ Prince George โ Jasper)4th Ave at King St (Smithers) โDowntown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)276 kmChecked baggage โ staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK โ battery disconnected at check-in
Three departures a week; the trip includes an overnight stop in Prince George (book your own hotel).
โด๏ธBC FerriesPort Hardy โ Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St) โBear Cove (Port Hardy)445 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
Sails alternate days, roughly 3โ4 sailings a week each way in summer.
๐ฒYou arrive at Bear Cove (Port Hardy).
Option two · two legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option one, but a coach bus instead of the train.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐BC Bus North (Tahltan NST Busing Ltd.)Prince George โ Prince Rupert (Hwy 16 West)4th Ave at King St (Smithers) โDowntown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)292 kmLuggage bay on the Prince Rupert routeOther routes: bagged or boxed โ checked as luggage
Twice a week: Monday and Thursday westbound, Tuesday and Friday eastbound.
โด๏ธBC FerriesPort Hardy โ Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St) โBear Cove (Port Hardy)445 kmRoll on, free โ no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ no charging on board
Sails alternate days, roughly 3โ4 sailings a week each way in summer.
๐ฒYou arrive at Bear Cove (Port Hardy).
Option three · two legs✈ the splurge
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
โ๏ธAir CanadaVancouver (YVR) โ Smithers (YYD)YYD (Smithers) โVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)684 kmBox or sturdy bag requiredBook ahead for your bikeAbout $50 per directionNo e-bikes
โ๏ธPacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver โ Port HardyVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) โYZT (Port Hardy)343 kmRides in the hold โ small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
๐ฒAt the far end, Central Port Hardy is about 10 km from YZT (Port Hardy). Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi 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: Port Hardy to Smithers (best: ferry + train)
Connections from Smithers: Houston (best: train) · Bowen Island (best: train + bus + ferry) · Enderby (best: train + bus) · Fernie (best: train + bus)
Connections from Port Hardy: Port McNeill (best: bus) · West Vancouver (best: rental car + ferry) · Prince Rupert (best: ferry) · Calgary, AB (best: rental car + ferry + bus)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Smithers and Port Hardy