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 and flights can carry you and your bike from Tofino to Parksville.
For scale
As the crow flies114 km
Biking whole way171 km · 10 h 50 m
By car169 km · 2 h 17 m
We found two ways to get you there.
🎒 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📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
Make some friends in a carpool.
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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Island Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville)24 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
🚲You arrive at Island Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville).
Not an option · three legs🚫 not possible with a bike
Coach bus to Nanaimo, city bus to Nanaimo, then a city bus into Parksville.
🚫 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 Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Island Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville)24 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
🚲You arrive at Island Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville).
Option three · four legs✈ the splurge
A splurge, but an unforgettable ride.
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 Exchange, about 1 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🚎BC Transit1 Nanaimo Rapid LineDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Bay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo)12 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
🚎BC Transit9 IntercityBay B at Woodgrove Exch (Nanaimo) →Island Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville)24 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
🚲You arrive at Island Hwy W at Wembley Centre (Parksville).
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: Parksville to Tofino (best: bus + carpool)
Connections from Tofino: Ucluelet (best: bus) · Saanich (best: carpool + bus) · Keremeos (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain)
Connections from Parksville: Nanaimo (best: bus) · Ucluelet (best: bus + carpool) · Merritt (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Tofino and Parksville