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 Sointula to Burnaby.
For scale
As the crow flies327 km
Biking whole way460 km · 26 h 17 m
By car575 km · 8 h 09 m
We found four 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 · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort McNeill – Sointula – Alert BaySointula (Malcolm Island) →Port McNeill6.2 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort McNeill →Port Hardy33 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
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
🚲Travel the short hop from Port Hardy to YZT (Port Hardy), about 10 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)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 Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / DoverDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange3.3 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
🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km.
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) →CXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead — 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way — $25 in personNo e-bikes — no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
🚲Travel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Black Top Cabs, Maclure'S Cabs might help.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Metrotown (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Metrotown (Burnaby).
Option two · six legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A one-way rental fills in the missing piece.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort McNeill – Sointula – Alert BaySointula (Malcolm Island) →Port McNeill6.2 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort McNeill →Port Hardy33 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
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
🚲Travel the short hop from Port Hardy to YZT (Port Hardy), about 10 km.
🚙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.
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) →Horseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverHorseshoe Bay →Vancouver Canada Place16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack — otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes
Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Metrotown (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Metrotown (Burnaby).
Option three · eight legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A transport smorgasbord: ferries, city buses, rental car, SeaBus, and SkyTrain.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort McNeill – Sointula – Alert BaySointula (Malcolm Island) →Port McNeill6.2 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort McNeill →Port Hardy33 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
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
🚲Travel the short hop from Port Hardy to YZT (Port Hardy), about 10 km.
🚙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.
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) →Horseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay →Park Royal (West Vancouver)11 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎TransLinkR2 Marine Dr RapidBusPark Royal (West Vancouver) →Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver)4.5 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
⛴️SeaBusTransLinkLonsdale Quay (North Vancouver) →Vancouver Canada Place3.5 kmRoll on, free — bikes ride inside the cabin6 bikes per sailing at rush hour — weekdays 7–9:30 am and 3–6:30 pm; no limit other timesE-bikes OK — no charging on boardNo trailers — 185 cm max bike length
Bikes ride inside the cabin; during weekday rush hours there's room for six bikes a sailing.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Metrotown (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Metrotown (Burnaby).
Option four · four legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A ferry, a city bus, a plane, and a SkyTrain.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesPort McNeill – Sointula – Alert BaySointula (Malcolm Island) →Port McNeill6.2 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort McNeill →Port Hardy33 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
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
🚲Travel the short hop from Port Hardy to YZT (Port Hardy), about 10 km.
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – Port HardyYZT (Port Hardy) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)343 kmRides in the hold — small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →Metrotown (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲You arrive at Metrotown (Burnaby).
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: Burnaby to Sointula (best: SkyTrain + ferry + bus)
Connections from Sointula: Port Hardy (best: ferry + bus) · Powell River (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · Duncan (Cowichan Valley) (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · New Hazelton (best: ferry + bus + train)
Connections from Burnaby: Gibsons (best: SkyTrain + bus + ferry) · Port Alberni (best: SkyTrain + ferry + rental car) · Clearwater (best: SkyTrain + bus) · Haida Gwaii (best: SkyTrain + train + ferry)