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 Tofino to Pender Island.
For scale
As the crow flies192 km
Biking whole way330 km · 18 h 07 m
By car281 km · 4 h 39 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📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
A shared ride helps bridge the gap.
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).
🚲Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 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 →Bridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚎TransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Ferryor the 900 Bike Bus (seasonal)Bridgeport (Richmond) →Tsawwassen (Delta)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
The 620 is year-round, roughly hourly, timed to sailings, with two bike-rack spots. On busy summer ferry days the seasonal 900 Bike Bus can carry an extra 10 bikes.
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)27 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Sailing times vary a lot by routing: some trips are about 50 minutes, others run 2 to 3 hours via Swartz Bay. Check the specific sailing before you book.
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Not an option · four legs🚫 not possible with a bike
Two coach buses, 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
🚌Island LinkVictoria Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange →Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)92 kmDoes not carry bikes
🚎BC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)29 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 FerriesSwartz Bay – Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike
A coach bus, two ferries, a SkyTrain, and a city bus.
🚫 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 Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 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 →Bridgeport (Richmond)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚎TransLink620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen FerryBridgeport (Richmond) →Tsawwassen (Delta)22 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
The 620 is year-round, roughly hourly, timed to sailings, with two bike-rack spots. On busy summer ferry days the seasonal 900 Bike Bus can carry an extra 10 bikes.
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Southern Gulf IslandsTsawwassen (Delta) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)27 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
Sailing times vary a lot by routing: some trips are about 50 minutes, others run 2 to 3 hours via Swartz Bay. Check the specific sailing before you book.
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike
A coach bus, three city buses, 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 Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch, about 0.5 km.
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch →Duncan46 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 Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressDuncan →Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria)54 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 Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) to Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria), about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bluebird Cabs, Sidney Taxi might help.
🚎BC Transit70 Swartz Bay / Downtownor the 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown (via Saanichton)Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)29 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 FerriesSwartz Bay – Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Show two moreShow fewer
Not an option · five legs🚫 not possible with a bike
Another way: a coach bus, three city buses, 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 Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch, about 0.5 km.
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch →Duncan46 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 Transit66 CVX Cowichan-Victoria ExpressDuncan →Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)46 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 Transit70 Swartz Bay / DowntownDouglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) →Swartz Bay (North Saanich)29 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 FerriesSwartz Bay – Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender Island).
Option six · three legs✈ the splurge📅 seasonal
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚲First, get from Central Tofino to YAZ (Tofino), about 12 km. Ride it, or take a local bus or taxi.
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver (YVR South) – Tofino-Long Beach (wheeled, seasonal)YAZ (Tofino) →YVR South Terminal (Vancouver)191 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
Wheeled aircraft from YVR South terminal; seasonal.
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver (YVR South) – Victoria (wheeled)YVR South Terminal (Vancouver) →YYJ (Victoria)62 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
Wheeled aircraft from YVR South terminal, not the downtown harbour.
🚲Travel the short hop from YYJ (Victoria) to Swartz Bay (North Saanich), about 4.7 km.
⛴️BC FerriesSwartz Bay – Southern Gulf IslandsSwartz Bay (North Saanich) →Otter Bay (Pender Island)14 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Otter Bay (Pender 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: Pender Island to Tofino (best: ferry + 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 Pender Island: North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: ferry + bus) · Abbotsford (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · Enderby (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain) · New Hazelton (best: ferry + bus + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Tofino and Pender Island