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 Vancouver to Lake Cowichan.
For scale
As the crow flies84 km
Biking whole way144 km · 8 h 25 m
By car175 km · 3 h 32 m
We found four 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
Ferry to Nanaimo, city bus to Duncan, then a city bus into Lake Cowichan.
CarrierRideYour bike
⛴️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 Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch, about 1.4 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
🚎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 Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 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 South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
Option two · three legs
Same as Option one, but a coach bus instead of the ferry.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Wilson's Transportation (BC Connector)BC Ferries Connector — Vancouver / VictoriaPacific Central Station (Vancouver) →Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)103 kmRides in the hold — bagged or boxed$42 per bike — 50 lb maxReserve bike spot — recommended
⛴️ Downtown to downtown via the Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay ferry crossing.
🚲Travel the short hop from Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria) to Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria), about 1.3 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bluebird Cabs, Sidney Taxi might help.
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) →Duncan54 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 Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 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 South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
Option three · five legs
A ferry in the middle ties it all together.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressStadium-Chinatown (Vancouver) →Horseshoe Bay17 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes — first come, first servedE-bikes OK
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayHorseshoe Bay →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚎BC Transit20/20A Hammond Bay / Doveror the 25 Ferry ShuttleDeparture Bay (Nanaimo) →Downtown Nanaimo Exchange3.3 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 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 Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 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 South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
Option four · three legs✈ the splurge
Same as Option one, but a plane instead of the ferry.
CarrierRideYour bike
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Victoria HarbourCXH (Vancouver) →Victoria Belleville Terminal98 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 Victoria Belleville Terminal to Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria), about 0.7 km.
🚎BC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) →Duncan54 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 Transit7 Cowichan LakeDuncan →South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan)27 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 South Shore Rd & King George (Lake Cowichan).
Route facts last checked October 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: Lake Cowichan to Vancouver (best: bus + ferry)
Connections from Vancouver: Gibsons (best: bus + ferry) · Courtenay (Comox Valley) (best: bus + ferry) · Trail (best: bus) · Whitehorse, YT (best: plane)
Connections from Lake Cowichan: Crofton (best: bus) · North Vancouver (best: bus + ferry + SeaBus) · Port McNeill (best: bus + rental car) · Whitehorse, YT (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)
Check out BC Bike Stops in Vancouver and Lake Cowichan