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 Vancouver to Nanaimo.
For scale
As the crow flies61 km
Biking whole way85 km · 3 h 31 m
By car116 km · 2 h 53 m
We found six 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 · one leg
Next stop: Nanaimo.
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
🚲You arrive at Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way).
Option two · two legs
Option one, plus a city bus at the start.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚎TransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressDowntown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) →Horseshoe Bay19 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
🚲You arrive at Departure Bay (Nanaimo).
Option three · three legs
Option two, plus a SkyTrain at the start.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkPacific Central Station (Vancouver) →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 – Duke PointTsawwassen (Delta) →Duke Point (Nanaimo)58 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Duke Point (Nanaimo).
Option four · two legs
Option one, plus a coach bus at the start.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Wilson's Transportation (BC Connector)BC Ferries Connector — Vancouver / VictoriaDowntown Vancouver →Tsawwassen (Delta)31 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.
⛴️BC FerriesTsawwassen – Duke PointTsawwassen (Delta) →Duke Point (Nanaimo)58 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Duke Point (Nanaimo).
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Option five · two legs📅 seasonal
Another way: option one, plus a coach bus at the start.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Squamish ConnectorSquamish – VancouverVancouver Canada Place →Horseshoe Bay16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack — otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes
Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.
⛴️BC FerriesHorseshoe Bay – Departure BayHorseshoe Bay →Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free — no reservation neededE-bikes OK — no charging on board
🚲You arrive at Departure Bay (Nanaimo).
Option six · one leg✈ the splurge
Treat yourself: wings over the water.
CarrierRideYour bike
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – Nanaimo HarbourCXH (Vancouver) →Nanaimo Harbour60 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
🚲You arrive at Nanaimo Harbour.
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: Nanaimo to Vancouver (best: ferry)
Connections from Vancouver: Gibsons (best: bus + ferry) · Hope (best: bus) · Port McNeill (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · Haida Gwaii (best: train + ferry)
Connections from Nanaimo: North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton) (best: bus) · Comox (best: rental car) · Vernon (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Calgary, AB (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus)