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 Terrace to Shearwater.
For scale
As the crow flies266 km
Biking whole way478 km · 20 h 04 m
By car477 km · 12 h 23 m
We found three 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⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
The ferry is the main event.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚆VIA RailSkeena (Prince Rupert – Prince George – Jasper)Lakelse at Skeena Mall (Terrace) →Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)114 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).
Option two · three legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option one, but a coach bus instead of the train.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌BC Bus North (Tahltan NST Busing Ltd.)Prince George – Prince Rupert (Hwy 16 West)Lakelse at Skeena Mall (Terrace) →Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)125 kmLuggage bay on the Prince Rupert routeOther routes: bagged or boxed — checked as luggage
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 three · three legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
The long way round, but it works.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚲First, get from Central Terrace to YXT (Terrace), about 5.5 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
✈️Air CanadaVancouver (YVR) – Terrace (YXT)YXT (Terrace) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)695 kmBox or sturdy bag requiredBook ahead for your bikeAbout $50 per directionNo e-bikes
✈️Pacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver – Bella BellaVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →ZEL (Bella Bella)480 kmRides in the hold — 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 FerriesCentral Coast ConnectorMcLoughlin Bay (Bella Bella) →Shearwater (Denny Island)3.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
About one run a week: Wednesday out from Bella Coola, Thursday or Friday back from Shearwater.
🚲You arrive at Shearwater (Denny Island).
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: Shearwater to Terrace (best: ferry + train)
Connections from Terrace: Smithers (best: train) · Gibsons (best: train + bus + ferry) · Harrison Hot Springs (best: train + SkyTrain + bus) · Fernie (best: train + bus)
Connections from Shearwater: Ocean Falls (best: ferry) · Qualicum Beach (best: ferry + rental car + bus) · Port Coquitlam (best: ferry + rental car + train) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + rental car + bus)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Terrace