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 and flights can carry you and your bike from Whitehorse, YT to Nanaimo.

For scale
As the crow flies1,463 km
Biking whole wayno route found
By carno route found

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

🎒 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✈ the splurge
One long leg does most of the travelling.
CarrierRideYour bike
✈️Air NorthVancouver (YVR) – Whitehorse (YXY)or Air Canada (Vancouver (YVR) – Whitehorse (YXY))YXY (Whitehorse) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)1487 kmHard case or bike box — a box needs a signed release; 32 kg max$50 plus taxAdd your bike to the booking ahead — space availableE-bikes only with a small battery — removable, 160 Wh max, carried in the cabin
Nonstop, two or three flights a day, year-round.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →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
🚲You arrive at Hullo Nanaimo Terminal (Port Way).
Option two · four legs✈ the splurge
SkyTrain helps connect the dots.
CarrierRideYour bike
✈️Air NorthVancouver (YVR) – Whitehorse (YXY)or Air Canada (Vancouver (YVR) – Whitehorse (YXY))YXY (Whitehorse) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)1487 kmHard case or bike box — a box needs a signed release; 32 kg max$50 plus taxAdd your bike to the booking ahead — space availableE-bikes only with a small battery — removable, 160 Wh max, carried in the cabin
Nonstop, two or three flights a day, year-round.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →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
🚲You arrive at Departure Bay (Nanaimo).
Option three · four legs✈ the splurge
The same idea as Option two, on different routes.
CarrierRideYour bike
✈️Air NorthVancouver (YVR) – Whitehorse (YXY)or Air Canada (Vancouver (YVR) – Whitehorse (YXY))YXY (Whitehorse) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)1487 kmHard case or bike box — a box needs a signed release; 32 kg max$50 plus taxAdd your bike to the booking ahead — space availableE-bikes only with a small battery — removable, 160 Wh max, carried in the cabin
Nonstop, two or three flights a day, year-round.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →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
620 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Ferry: 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.
900 Bike Bus: Seasonal: June 12 to September 7, Fridays, weekends and holidays; hourly, timed to ferry sailings. Carries 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 · four legs✈ the splurge📅 seasonal
Same as Option two, but a coach bus instead of the city bus.
CarrierRideYour bike
✈️Air NorthVancouver (YVR) – Whitehorse (YXY)YXY (Whitehorse) →Vancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond)1487 kmHard case or bike box — a box needs a signed release; 32 kg max$50 plus taxAdd your bike to the booking ahead — space availableE-bikes only with a small battery — removable, 160 Wh max, carried in the cabin
Nonstop, two or three flights a day, year-round.
🚝SkyTrainTransLinkVancouver Airport (YVR) (Richmond) →Vancouver Canada PlaceRoll on, free — 2 bikes per carAvoid rush hourE-bikes OK
🚌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).
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: Nanaimo to Whitehorse, YT (best: ferry + SkyTrain + plane)

Connections from Whitehorse, YT: Skagway, AK (best: plane + SkyTrain + bus) · Qualicum Beach (best: plane + SkyTrain + ferry) · Mayne Island (best: plane + SkyTrain + bus) · Fernie (best: plane + bus)

Connections from Nanaimo: Chemainus (best: bus) · Maple Ridge (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Clearwater (best: ferry + SkyTrain + bus) · Skagway, AK (best: ferry + bus)

Check out BC Bike Stops in Nanaimo