BC Cycle Tourism Society
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 trains can carry you and your bike from Smithers to Shearwater.

For scale
As the crow flies299 km
Biking whole way623 km · 38 h 11 m
By car682 km · 14 h 40 m

We found two ways to get you there, ferries doing the heavy lifting.

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⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
More time on the water than on wheels.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌BC Bus North (Tahltan NST Busing Ltd.)Prince George – Prince Rupert (Hwy 16 West)Smithers →Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)292 kmRides in the hold — boxed, bagged, or wrappedReserve bike spot
Twice a week: Monday and Thursday westbound, Tuesday and Friday eastbound.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St) →Bear Cove (Port Hardy)445 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Sails alternate days, roughly 3–4 sailings a week each way in summer.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBear Cove (Port Hardy) →Shearwater (Denny Island)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.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
Option two · three legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option one, but a train instead of the coach bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚆VIA RailSkeena (Prince Rupert – Prince George – Jasper)Smithers →Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)276 kmChecked baggage — staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK — battery disconnected at check-in
Three departures a week; the trip includes an overnight stop in Prince George (book your own hotel).
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St) →Bear Cove (Port Hardy)445 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Sails alternate days, roughly 3–4 sailings a week each way in summer.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBear Cove (Port Hardy) →Shearwater (Denny Island)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.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
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: Shearwater to Smithers (best: ferry + bus)

Connections from Smithers: Houston (best: bus) · Tofino (best: bus + ferry + rental car) · Mayne Island (best: train + SkyTrain + bus) · Fernie (best: bus)

Connections from Shearwater: Ocean Falls (best: ferry) · Ucluelet (best: ferry + rental car + carpool) · New Westminster (best: ferry + rental car + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + rental car + bus)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Smithers