BC Cycle Tourism Society

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 Surrey to Shearwater.

For scale
As the crow flies497 km
Biking whole way692 km Β· 37 h 15 m
By car696 km Β· 15 h 07 m

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

πŸŽ’ 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
Fill in the gap with a rental car.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkSurrey Central β†’Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free β€” 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.
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) β†’Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)61 kmBook online ahead β€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way β€” $25 in personNo e-bikes β€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
🚲Travel the short hop from Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.5 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
πŸš™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)Downtown Nanaimo β†’YZT (Port Hardy)298 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches β€” bookable onlineBike rides inside β€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Bear Cove (Port Hardy), about 8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi might help.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBear Cove (Port Hardy) β†’Shearwater (Denny Island)168 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop β€” check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
Option two · five legs📅 seasonal
Four ways to travel, one destination.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkSurrey Central β†’Stadium-Chinatown (Vancouver)Roll on, free β€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressStadium-Chinatown (Vancouver) β†’Horseshoe Bay17 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes β€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayHorseshoe Bay β†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km.
πŸš™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)Downtown Nanaimo β†’YZT (Port Hardy)295 kmOne-way between Island branches β€” no drop chargeBike rides inside β€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Bear Cove (Port Hardy), about 8 km.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBear Cove (Port Hardy) β†’Shearwater (Denny Island)168 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop β€” check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
Option three · four legs📅 seasonal
Same as Option one, but a coach bus instead of the SkyTrain.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚲First, get from Surrey to South Surrey Border (176 St & 8 Ave), about 20 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Aldergrove-Langley Taxi Ltd., Green Cab might help.
🚌Quick Shuttle (Quick Coach Lines / TRAXX)Vancouver – Seattle (SeaTac)South Surrey Border (176 St & 8 Ave) β†’Vancouver Canada Place46 kmBikes accepted β€” book as an add-on$42 USD each β€” about $57 CAD
Runs year-round; winter service drops to Friday–Monday only.
🚲Travel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km.
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) β†’Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)61 kmBook online ahead β€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way β€” $25 in personNo e-bikes β€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
🚲Travel the short hop from Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.5 km.
πŸš™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)Downtown Nanaimo β†’YZT (Port Hardy)298 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches β€” bookable onlineBike rides inside β€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Bear Cove (Port Hardy), about 8 km.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBear Cove (Port Hardy) β†’Shearwater (Denny Island)168 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop β€” check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
Option four · five legs📅 seasonal
Same as Option two, but a coach bus instead of the city bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkSurrey Central β†’Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free β€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverVancouver Canada Place β†’Horseshoe Bay16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack β€” otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes
Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayHorseshoe Bay β†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km.
πŸš™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)Downtown Nanaimo β†’YZT (Port Hardy)295 kmOne-way between Island branches β€” no drop chargeBike rides inside β€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Bear Cove (Port Hardy), about 8 km.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaBear Cove (Port Hardy) β†’Shearwater (Denny Island)168 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop β€” check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
Option five · three legs✈ the splurge📅 seasonal
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkSurrey Central β†’Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)Roll on, free β€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – Bella BellaVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) β†’ZEL (Bella Bella)480 kmRides in the hold β€” small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
🚲Travel the short hop from ZEL (Bella Bella) to McLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella), about 0.9 km.
⛴️BC FerriesPort Hardy – Bella CoolaMcLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella) β†’Shearwater (Denny Island)3.7 kmRoll on, free β€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK β€” no charging on board
Doesn't sail every day, and not every sailing calls at every stop β€” check the BC Ferries schedule for your date.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
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: Shearwater to Surrey (best: ferry + rental car + SkyTrain)

Connections from Surrey: Mission (best: SkyTrain + bus) · Comox (best: SkyTrain + bus + ferry) · Port Hardy (best: SkyTrain + ferry + rental car) · Whitehorse, YT (best: SkyTrain + plane)

Connections from Shearwater: Ocean Falls (best: ferry) · Squamish (best: ferry + rental car + bus) · Victoria (best: ferry + rental car + bus) · Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + rental car + SkyTrain)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Surrey