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 Whistler to Ladysmith.
For scale
As the crow flies139 km
Biking whole way196 km · 10 h 47 m
By car248 km · 4 h 33 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 · four legs📅 seasonal
SkyTrain helps connect the dots.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Epic RidesVancouver – Whistleror YVR Skylynx (Vancouver – Whistler) (seasonal) or Whistler Shuttle (Vancouver – Whistler)Gateway Loop / Village (Whistler) →Downtown Vancouver (Burrard Station)93 kmBikes ride free — outside rack, or boxed under the busBox to avoid scratches — outside-rack bikes ride at your own risk
Epic Rides: The only direct, non-stop run between Vancouver and Whistler. Bikes ride free and can go boxed or unboxed, spring through fall only (no bikes November to April).
YVR Skylynx: Summer service April 18 to November 21; Squamish is a reservation-only stop.
Whistler Shuttle: Door-to-door shuttle; the downtown Vancouver pickup is suspended for summer 2026.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkDowntown Vancouver (Burrard Station) →Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚲Travel 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.
⛴️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 →1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith)20 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 1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith).
Option two · six legs📅 seasonal
A ferry in the middle ties it all together.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Epic RidesVancouver – Whistleror Whistler Shuttle (Vancouver – Whistler)Gateway Loop / Village (Whistler) →Downtown Vancouver (Burrard Station)93 kmBikes ride free — outside rack, or boxed under the busBox to avoid scratches — outside-rack bikes ride at your own risk
Epic Rides: The only direct, non-stop run between Vancouver and Whistler. Bikes ride free and can go boxed or unboxed, spring through fall only (no bikes November to April).
Whistler Shuttle: Door-to-door shuttle; the downtown Vancouver pickup is suspended for summer 2026.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkDowntown Vancouver (Burrard Station) →Stadium-Chinatown (Vancouver)Roll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚎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 →1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith)20 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 1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith).
Option three · four legs
Two coach buses and two city buses.
CarrierRideYour bike
🚌Whistler ShuttleVancouver – WhistlerGateway Loop / Village (Whistler) →Downtown Vancouver (Burrard Station)94 kmBook ahead — bikes carried with advance noticeBike fee
Door-to-door shuttle; the downtown Vancouver pickup is suspended for summer 2026.
🚌Wilson's Transportation (BC Connector)BC Ferries Connector — Vancouver / VictoriaDowntown Vancouver (Burrard Station) →Douglas St at Pandora Ave (Victoria)101 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 Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan Expressor the 36 Ladysmith-Duncan Express (doesn't run every day)Duncan →1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith)26 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 1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith).
Option four · three legs✈ the splurge
The scenic splurge: a floatplane over the water.
CarrierRideYour bike
🛩️Harbour AirVancouver Harbour – WhistlerGreen Lake (Whistler) →CXH (Vancouver)96 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
🛩️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
🚲Travel the short hop from Nanaimo Harbour to Bay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch, about 1.1 km.
🚎BC Transit70 NCX Nanaimo - Cowichan ExpressBay D at Downtown Nanaimo Exch →1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith)20 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 1st Ave at Hwy 1 (Ladysmith).
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: Ladysmith to Whistler (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)
Connections from Whistler: Squamish (best: bus) · Salt Spring Island (best: bus + SkyTrain + ferry) · Barkerville (best: bus + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: bus + plane)
Connections from Ladysmith: Salt Spring Island (best: bus + ferry) · Courtenay (Comox Valley) (best: bus + carpool) · Armstrong (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain) · Whitehorse, YT (best: bus + ferry + SkyTrain)