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: ferries and flights can carry you and your bike from Ucluelet to Vancouver.
For scale
As the crow flies181 km
Biking whole way269 km Β· 15 h 07 m
By car397 km Β· 6 h 13 m
We found two ways to get you there.
π 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 · two legs📱 schedule erratic — check the Poparide app
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
πPoparideHwy 4 rideshare (Nanaimo - Port Alberni - Ucluelet - Tofino)Ucluelet βDowntown Nanaimo Exchange120 kmOnly some rides take bikes β look for the bicycle icon on the listingSchedule is variable β check Poparide for driver-listed dates and times
Only book rides that say they permit bicycles (bike icon on the listing).
π²Travel 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.
β΄οΈHulloHullo (Nanaimo β Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) βCXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead β 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way β $25 in personNo e-bikes β no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
π²You arrive at CXH (Vancouver).
Not an option · two legs🚫 not possible with a bike
Coach bus to Nanaimo, then a ferry into Vancouver.
🚫 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
πIsland LinkTofino Express BusUcluelet Medical Centre βDowntown Nanaimo Exchange128 kmDoes not carry bikes
π²Travel the short hop from Downtown Nanaimo Exchange to Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way), about 1 km.
β΄οΈHulloHullo (Nanaimo β Vancouver)Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) βCXH (Vancouver)61 kmBook online ahead β 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way β $25 in personNo e-bikes β no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
π²You arrive at CXH (Vancouver).
Not an option · four legs🚫 not possible with a bike
A coach bus, two 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
πIsland LinkTofino Express BusUcluelet Medical Centre βDowntown Nanaimo Exchange128 kmDoes not carry bikes
πBC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDowntown Nanaimo Exchange βDeparture Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 kmFront rack, no fee β 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only β lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
β΄οΈBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay β Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) βHorseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free β no reservation neededE-bikes OK β no charging on board
πTransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressHorseshoe Bay βDowntown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes β first come, first servedE-bikes OK
π²You arrive at Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie).
Not an option · three legs🚫 not possible with a bike
A coach-bus relay: three buses, two changes.
🚫 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
πIsland LinkTofino Express BusUcluelet Medical Centre βDowntown Nanaimo Exchange128 kmDoes not carry bikes
πIsland LinkVictoria Express BusDowntown Nanaimo Exchange βDouglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)92 kmDoes not carry bikes
πWilson's Transportation (BC Connector)BC Ferries Connector β Vancouver / VictoriaDouglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) βDowntown Vancouver101 kmRides in the hold β bagged or boxed$42 per bike β 50 lb maxReserve bike spot β recommended
β΄οΈ Downtown to downtown via the TsawwassenβSwartz Bay ferry crossing.
π²You arrive at Downtown Vancouver.
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Not an option · four legs🚫 not possible with a bike📅 seasonal
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
πIsland LinkTofino Express BusUcluelet Medical Centre βDowntown Nanaimo Exchange128 kmDoes not carry bikes
πBC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDowntown Nanaimo Exchange βDeparture Bay (Nanaimo)3.3 kmFront rack, no fee β 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only β lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
β΄οΈBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay β Departure BayDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) βHorseshoe Bay53 kmRoll on, free β no reservation neededE-bikes OK β no charging on board
πSquamish ConnectorSquamish β VancouverHorseshoe Bay βVancouver Canada Place16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack β otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes
Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.
π²You arrive at Vancouver Canada Place.
Option six · one leg✈ the splurge📅 seasonal
A splurge, but an unforgettable ride.
CarrierRideYour bike
π©οΈHarbour AirVancouver Harbour β Ucluelet (new from Jun 2026)Ucluelet Harbour βCXH (Vancouver)182 kmFront wheel must come off$20 handling fee β bike weight counts toward your baggage allowanceNot on the Twin Otter β other floatplanes are fine; confirm when booking
New route from June 2026.
π²You arrive at CXH (Vancouver).
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: Vancouver to Ucluelet (best: ferry + carpool)
Connections from Ucluelet: Tofino (best: bus) · Saturna Island (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Williams Lake (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain) · Calgary, AB (best: carpool + ferry + SkyTrain)
Connections from Vancouver: Gibsons (best: bus + ferry) · Powell River (best: bus + ferry) · Port McNeill (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · Haida Gwaii (best: train + ferry)