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 Thetis Island to Sorrento.
For scale
As the crow flies368 km
Biking whole way522 km · 35 h 51 m
By car590 km · 7 h 55 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 · seven legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Beautiful BC from a coach window.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesChemainus – Thetis – PenelakutPreedy Harbour (Thetis Island) →Chemainus7.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Chemainus to Pine & Daniel (North Cowichan), about 1.3 km.
🚎BC Transit34 Ladysmith-ChemainusPine & Daniel (North Cowichan) →Coronation Mall (Ladysmith)8.1 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit36 Ladysmith-Duncan ExpressCoronation Mall (Ladysmith) →Duncan24 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressDuncan →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch46 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲Travel the short hop from Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1.4 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
⛴️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 →Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚌EbusVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)or Rider Express (Vancouver – Calgary)Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) →Sorrento368 kmRides in the hold — bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
Runs the same Highway 1 corridor as Rider Express, so compare schedules and fares.
🚲You arrive at Sorrento.
Option two · eight legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Four ways to travel, one destination.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesChemainus – Thetis – PenelakutPreedy Harbour (Thetis Island) →Chemainus7.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Chemainus to Pine & Daniel (North Cowichan), about 1.3 km.
🚎BC Transit34 Ladysmith-ChemainusPine & Daniel (North Cowichan) →Coronation Mall (Ladysmith)8.1 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit36 Ladysmith-Duncan ExpressCoronation Mall (Ladysmith) →Duncan24 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressDuncan →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch46 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲Travel the short hop from Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1.4 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.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Lougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit66 Fraser Valley ExpressLougheed Stn Bay 5 (Burnaby) →Downtown Chilliwack Bay B76 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Chilliwack Bay B to Chilliwack, about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Chilliwack Taxi might help.
🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Chilliwack →Sorrento274 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable
🚲You arrive at Sorrento.
Option three · eight legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
The coach takes care of the long stretch.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesChemainus – Thetis – PenelakutPreedy Harbour (Thetis Island) →Chemainus7.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Chemainus to Pine & Daniel (North Cowichan), about 1.3 km.
🚎BC Transit34 Ladysmith-ChemainusPine & Daniel (North Cowichan) →Coronation Mall (Ladysmith)8.1 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit36 Ladysmith-Duncan ExpressCoronation Mall (Ladysmith) →Duncan24 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressDuncan →Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch46 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲Travel the short hop from Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch to Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, about 0.5 km.
🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
⛴️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 →Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚌Rider ExpressVancouver – Calgary (Hwy 1)Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) →Sorrento367 kmRides in the hold — bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike — non-refundable
🚲You arrive at Sorrento.
Option four · eight legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A proper expedition.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️BC FerriesChemainus – Thetis – PenelakutPreedy Harbour (Thetis Island) →Chemainus7.7 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲Travel the short hop from Chemainus to Pine & Daniel (North Cowichan), about 1.3 km.
🚎BC Transit34 Ladysmith-ChemainusPine & Daniel (North Cowichan) →Coronation Mall (Ladysmith)8.1 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit36 Ladysmith-Duncan ExpressCoronation Mall (Ladysmith) →Duncan24 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressDuncan →Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 kmRack on the bus, free — 2 bikes · first come, first servedE-bikes OK
🚲Travel the short hop from Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) to Victoria Harbour, about 0.7 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bluebird Cabs, Sidney Taxi might help.
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Victoria HarbourVictoria Harbour →CXH (Vancouver)98 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee — bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter — other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from CXH (Vancouver) to Vancouver Canada Place, about 0.8 km.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Canada Place →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
✈️Air CanadaVancouver (YVR) – Kelowna (YLW)Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →Kelowna Airport288 kmBox or sturdy bag requiredBook ahead for your bikeAbout $50 per directionNo e-bikes
🚌EbusKamloops – Kelowna (via Salmon Arm)Kelowna Airport →Sorrento112 kmRides in the hold — bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
🚲You arrive at Sorrento.
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: Sorrento to Thetis Island (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry)
Connections from Thetis Island: Lake Cowichan (best: ferry + bus) · Langford (best: ferry + bus) · Port Renfrew (best: ferry + bus) · Tofino (best: ferry + bus + carpool)
Connections from Sorrento: Sicamous (best: bus) · Creston (best: bus) · Mill Bay (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + train + ferry)