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, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from Tofino to Alert Bay.
For scale
As the crow flies176 km
Biking whole way465 km · 30 h 21 m
By car477 km · 6 h 11 m
We found two 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 · five legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚗PoparideHwy 4 rideshare (Nanaimo - Port Alberni - Ucluelet - Tofino)Tofino (1st Street) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange143 kmOnly some rides take bikes — look for the bicycle icon on the listingSchedule is variable — check Poparide for driver-listed dates and times
Only book rides that say they permit bicycles (bike icon on the listing).
🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / DoverDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 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 Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🚙National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimoor Budget (One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimo)Downtown Nanaimo →YZT (Port Hardy)295 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 YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi might help.
🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy →Port McNeill33 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.
⛴️BC FerriesPort McNeill – Sointula – Alert BayPort McNeill →Alert Bay (Cormorant Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Alert Bay (Cormorant Island).
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A coach bus, two city buses, a rental car, and a ferry.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusTofino (1st Street) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange162 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / DoverDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 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 Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km.
🚙National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimoor Budget (One-way rental: Port Hardy – Nanaimo)Downtown Nanaimo →YZT (Port Hardy)295 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 YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy →Port McNeill33 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.
⛴️BC FerriesPort McNeill – Sointula – Alert BayPort McNeill →Alert Bay (Cormorant Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Alert Bay (Cormorant Island).
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Two coach buses, a rental car, a city bus, and a ferry.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusTofino (1st Street) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange162 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚲Travel the short hop from Campbell River to YBL (Campbell River), about 8.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bee-Line Taxi might help.
🚙National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Campbell River – Port HardyYBL (Campbell River) →YZT (Port Hardy)170 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 YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy →Port McNeill33 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.
⛴️BC FerriesPort McNeill – Sointula – Alert BayPort McNeill →Alert Bay (Cormorant Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Alert Bay (Cormorant Island).
Not an option · six legs🚫 not possible with a bike⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Six legs, end to end.
🚫 This chain exists, but Island Link does not carry bikes, so it cannot work with yours. We show it so you can see where the connection breaks.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Island LinkTofino Express BusTofino (1st Street) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange162 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚎BC Transit11 Airport via Powell R. Ferry / DowntownCourtenay →Comox Airport (YQQ)8.3 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
One loop serves both the Little River ferry terminal and Comox airport; about 5–7 trips a day, and Sunday service is unconfirmed.
🚙National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Comox – Port HardyComox Airport (YQQ) →YZT (Port Hardy)207 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 YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy →Port McNeill33 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.
⛴️BC FerriesPort McNeill – Sointula – Alert BayPort McNeill →Alert Bay (Cormorant Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Alert Bay (Cormorant Island).
Option five · five legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A little bit of everything.
CarrierRideYour bike
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – TofinoTofino Harbour →CXH (Vancouver)203 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
⛴️HulloHullo (Nanaimo – Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) →Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)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 Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.5 km.
🚙BudgetOne-way rental: Port Hardy – NanaimoDowntown Nanaimo →YZT (Port Hardy)298 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches — bookable onlineBike rides inside — SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
🚲Travel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
🚎BC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy →Port McNeill33 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.
⛴️BC FerriesPort McNeill – Sointula – Alert BayPort McNeill →Alert Bay (Cormorant Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Alert Bay (Cormorant 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: Alert Bay to Tofino (best: ferry + bus + rental car)
Connections from Tofino: Ucluelet (best: bus) · Saanich (best: carpool + bus) · Keremeos (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain)
Connections from Alert Bay: Port Hardy (best: ferry + bus) · Ocean Falls (best: ferry + bus) · Vancouver (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · New Hazelton (best: ferry + bus + train)