BC Cycle Tourism Society

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, rental cars and flights can carry you and your bike from West Kelowna to Sointula.

For scale
As the crow flies533 km
Biking whole wayWe can't compute the bike route from the ferry dock but it may be rideable: please consult other sources.
By car826 km ยท 10 h 17 m

We found seven ways to get you there, ferries doing the heavy lifting.

๐ŸŽ’ 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 · six legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
A transport smorgasbord: coach bus, SkyTrain, ferries, rental car, and city bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒEbusVancouver โ€“ KelownaWest Kelowna โ†’Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)319 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkPacific Central Station (Vancouver) โ†’Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Vancouver Canada Place to CXH (Vancouver), about 0.8 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Black Top Cabs, Maclure'S Cabs might help.
โ›ด๏ธHulloHullo (Nanaimo โ€“ Vancouver)CXH (Vancouver) โ†’Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way)61 kmBook online ahead โ€” 6 bike spots per sailing, 1 per guest$19.99 one way โ€” $25 in personNo e-bikes โ€” no trailers, 80 in / 50 lb max
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.5 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, A.C. Taxi, Yellow Cab Nanaimo might help.
๐Ÿš™BudgetOne-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ Nanaimoor National Car & Truck Rental (One-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ Nanaimo) (counter a short ride away on the 20/20A Hammond Bay / Dover)Downtown Nanaimo โ†’YZT (Port Hardy)298 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches โ€” bookable onlineBike rides inside โ€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Waivin Flags Taxi might help.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy โ†’Port McNeill33 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort McNeill โ€“ Sointula โ€“ Alert BayPort McNeill โ†’Sointula (Malcolm Island)6.2 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sointula (Malcolm Island).
Option two · seven legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Beautiful BC from a coach window.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒEbusVancouver โ€“ KelownaWest Kelowna โ†’Merritt89 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
๐ŸšŒRider ExpressVancouver โ€“ Calgary (Hwy 1)Merritt โ†’Downtown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie)231 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged, wrapped, or boxed$50 per bike โ€” non-refundable
๐ŸšŽTransLink257 Horseshoe Bay ExpressDowntown Vancouver (Dunsmuir at Cambie) โ†’Horseshoe Bay19 kmRack on the bus, free2 bikes โ€” first come, first servedE-bikes OK
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Departure BayHorseshoe Bay โ†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km.
๐Ÿš™National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ Nanaimoor Budget (One-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ Nanaimo) (counter a short ride away on the 20/20A Hammond Bay / Dover)Downtown Nanaimo โ†’YZT (Port Hardy)295 kmOne-way between Island branches โ€” no drop chargeBike rides inside โ€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy โ†’Port McNeill33 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort McNeill โ€“ Sointula โ€“ Alert BayPort McNeill โ†’Sointula (Malcolm Island)6.2 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sointula (Malcolm Island).
Option three · seven legs📅 seasonal⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Fill in the gap with a rental car.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒEbusVancouver โ€“ KelownaWest Kelowna โ†’Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)319 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
๐ŸšSkyTrainTransLinkPacific Central Station (Vancouver) โ†’Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free โ€” 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
๐ŸšŒSquamish ConnectorSquamish โ€“ VancouverVancouver Canada Place โ†’Horseshoe Bay16 kmBook aheadMax 2 bikes per tripSome buses have an outside rack โ€” otherwise carried in the luggage hold$15 each wayNo e-bikes
Bikes welcome May to September; check schedule outside that window.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesHorseshoe Bay โ€“ Departure BayHorseshoe Bay โ†’Departure Bay (Nanaimo)53 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Departure Bay (Nanaimo) to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1.3 km.
๐Ÿš™National Car & Truck Rental (Vancouver Island)One-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ Nanaimoor Budget (One-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ Nanaimo) (counter a short ride away on the 20/20A Hammond Bay / Dover)Downtown Nanaimo โ†’YZT (Port Hardy)295 kmOne-way between Island branches โ€” no drop chargeBike rides inside โ€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy โ†’Port McNeill33 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort McNeill โ€“ Sointula โ€“ Alert BayPort McNeill โ†’Sointula (Malcolm Island)6.2 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sointula (Malcolm Island).
Option four · eight legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Every leg of this works, there are just a lot of them.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒEbusVancouver โ€“ KelownaWest Kelowna โ†’Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)319 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
๐Ÿš†Amtrak CascadesVancouver โ€“ Seattle (Cascades)Pacific Central Station (Vancouver) โ†’Seattle Downtown WA194 kmRoll on the bike carReserve bike spotBike fee
Two daily round trips from Pacific Central; reserve bike space when you book. Passport required.
โ›ด๏ธVictoria ClipperVictoria Clipper (Victoria - Seattle)Seattle Downtown WA โ†’Victoria Belleville Terminal119 kmReserve ahead by phone โ€” space very limited, first booked first served$30 USD each way โ€” about $41 CADRides on the open deck โ€” bags and accessories off; waiver at check-in
Daily year-round, with extra sailings in summer. Bike space is very limited; reserve by phone when you book. Passport required.
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Victoria Belleville Terminal to Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria), about 0.7 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Bluebird Cabs, Sidney Taxi might help.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) โ†’Duncan54 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressDuncan โ†’Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch46 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1 km.
๐Ÿš™BudgetOne-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ NanaimoDowntown Nanaimo โ†’YZT (Port Hardy)298 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches โ€” bookable onlineBike rides inside โ€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy โ†’Port McNeill33 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort McNeill โ€“ Sointula โ€“ Alert BayPort McNeill โ†’Sointula (Malcolm Island)6.2 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sointula (Malcolm Island).
Show three moreShow fewer
Option five · eight legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Same as Option four, but a coach bus instead of the train.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŒEbusVancouver โ€“ KelownaWest Kelowna โ†’Pacific Central Station (Vancouver)319 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
๐ŸšŒFlixBus (operated by MTRWestern)Vancouver โ€“ Seattle via Bellingham & EverettPacific Central Station (Vancouver) โ†’Seattle Downtown WA204 kmRack on the bus โ€” space not guaranteedAbout $19โ€“37Book bike as add-onNo e-bikes, tandems or trailers
โ›ด๏ธVictoria ClipperVictoria Clipper (Victoria - Seattle)Seattle Downtown WA โ†’Victoria Belleville Terminal119 kmReserve ahead by phone โ€” space very limited, first booked first served$30 USD each way โ€” about $41 CADRides on the open deck โ€” bags and accessories off; waiver at check-in
Daily year-round, with extra sailings in summer. Bike space is very limited; reserve by phone when you book. Passport required.
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Victoria Belleville Terminal to Legislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria), about 0.7 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit66 CVX Cowichan - Victoria ExpressLegislature Exch (Belleville St) Bay G (Victoria) โ†’Duncan54 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressDuncan โ†’Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch46 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch to Downtown Nanaimo, about 1 km.
๐Ÿš™BudgetOne-way rental: Port Hardy โ€“ NanaimoDowntown Nanaimo โ†’YZT (Port Hardy)298 kmOne-way between BC Budget branches โ€” bookable onlineBike rides inside โ€” SUV or minivan, seats folded, wheels offConfirm one-way and vehicle when booking
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy โ†’Port McNeill33 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort McNeill โ€“ Sointula โ€“ Alert BayPort McNeill โ†’Sointula (Malcolm Island)6.2 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sointula (Malcolm Island).
Option six · five legs✈ the splurge⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Two city buses, two flights, and a ferry.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 Kelowna / PentictonWest Kelowna โ†’Duncan & Main (Plaza) (Penticton)40 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Duncan & Main (Plaza) (Penticton) to YYF (Penticton), about 2.6 km. If pedalling it doesn't appeal, Klassic Taxi, Penticton Eco Taxi might help.
โœˆ๏ธPacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver โ€“ PentictonYYF (Penticton) โ†’Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)262 kmRides in the hold โ€” small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
โœˆ๏ธPacific Coastal AirlinesVancouver โ€“ Port HardyVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) โ†’YZT (Port Hardy)343 kmRides in the hold โ€” small aircraft, limited spaceAbout $105 per directionNo e-bikes
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from YZT (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 10 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy โ†’Port McNeill33 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort McNeill โ€“ Sointula โ€“ Alert BayPort McNeill โ†’Sointula (Malcolm Island)6.2 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sointula (Malcolm Island).
Option seven · seven legs⚠ doesn't run every day — check the schedule
Another way: every leg of this works, there are just a lot of them.
CarrierRideYour bike
๐ŸšŽBC Transit70 Kelowna / PentictonWest Kelowna โ†’Kelowna (Orchard Park Mall)12 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
๐ŸšŒEbusKamloops โ€“ Kelowna (via Salmon Arm)Kelowna (Orchard Park Mall) โ†’Kamloops188 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
๐ŸšŒEbusKamloops โ€“ Prince GeorgeKamloops โ†’Downtown Exch Bay B (Prince George)456 kmRides in the hold โ€” bagged or cloth-wrapped (no plastic), or boxed$30 per bike
Runs Wed/Fri/Sun toward Prince George and Mon/Thu/Sat toward Kamloops; no service on Tuesdays.
๐Ÿš†VIA RailSkeena (Prince Rupert โ€“ Prince George โ€“ Jasper)Downtown Exch Bay B (Prince George) โ†’Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St)591 kmChecked baggage โ€” staffed stations only, including Vancouver BC and Jasper AB$25 per directionE-bikes OK โ€” battery disconnected at check-in
Three departures a week; the trip includes an overnight stop in Prince George (book your own hotel).
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort Hardy โ€“ Prince Rupert (Inside Passage)Downtown Prince Rupert (2nd Ave at 3rd St) โ†’Bear Cove (Port Hardy)445 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
Sails alternate days, roughly 3โ€“4 sailings a week each way in summer.
๐ŸšฒTravel the short hop from Bear Cove (Port Hardy) to Port Hardy, about 3 km.
๐ŸšŽBC Transit1/2 Port McNeill - Port HardyPort Hardy โ†’Port McNeill33 kmFront rack, no fee โ€” 2 bikes, first come; space not guaranteedE-bikes under 25 kg only โ€” lithium battery off the bike and carried on board
Five trips a day on weekdays, two on Saturday, and no service on Sunday.
โ›ด๏ธBC FerriesPort McNeill โ€“ Sointula โ€“ Alert BayPort McNeill โ†’Sointula (Malcolm Island)6.2 kmRoll on, free โ€” no reservation neededE-bikes OK โ€” no charging on board
๐ŸšฒYou arrive at Sointula (Malcolm 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: Sointula to West Kelowna (best: ferry + bus + rental car)

Connections from West Kelowna: Penticton (best: bus) · Whistler (best: bus + SkyTrain) · Langford (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry) · Haida Gwaii (best: bus + train + ferry)

Connections from Sointula: Port Hardy (best: ferry + bus) · Powell River (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · Duncan (Cowichan Valley) (best: ferry + bus + rental car) · New Hazelton (best: ferry + bus + train)

Check out BC Bike Stops in West Kelowna and Sointula