Vancouver Island ferries

Vancouver Island is not connected to the British Columbia mainland by bridge or tunnel, so you'll need to fly in or take a ferry.

BC Ferries

BC Ferries operates all but one ferry routes to Vancouver Island. All ferries can take vehicles (cars, trucks, campervans) and foot passengers.

The amount of different terminals and routes can be a bit overwhelming at first so I’d suggest playing around with the route map on the BC Ferries website to get an overview.

Route options

For the purposes of planning your Vancouver Island trip, here are the five main BC Ferries routes from the Vancouver area to Vancouver Island:

• Tsawwassen, south Vancouver, to Duke Point, south Nanaimo (1h 40m)

• Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, to Departure Bay, central Nanaimo (2 hours)

• Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, near Victoria (1h 30m)

• Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, near Victoria via the Gulf Islands (longer journey)

Beyond Vancouver, there are two other significant routes from the BC mainland to Vancouver Island:

• Powell River, Sunshine Coast, to Comox

• Bella Bella/Bella Coola/Prince Rupert, mid BC coast, to Port Hardy

An unorthodox route we sometimes use is:

• Tsawwassen to Long Harbour, Salt Spring Island (first ferry)

• Vesuvius Bay, Salt Spring Island to Crofton, south of Nanaimo (second ferry)

Most BC Ferries routes have multiple daily crossings. Some of the longer routes (such as those to/from Prince Rupert) operate a few times a week with fewer sailings in winter.

Fares

Ticket prices for BC Ferries vary depending on the crossing chosen, size of group, passenger ages and whether or not you have a vehicle. The size and type of vehicle is also important. 

There are fewer spots available for oversize vehicles (higher than 7ft/2.1m, longer than 20ft/6m) on each ferry, compared to standard sized vehicles. We've found this out the hard way a couple of times!

BC Ferries’ has an online fare calculator that you can use to estimate costs.

Right now (late 2024), the standard one-way fee for 2 adults with a standard vehicle crossing from Vancouver to Vancouver Island is $120.

Foot passenger fees are $20/adult.

Reservations

BC Ferries loads vehicles onto ferries in the order of arrival at the ferry terminal. The earlier you arrive, the more likely you will be able to secure a space on your desired crossing.

It is, however, possible to reserve a spot on specific ferry routes (all five of the main routes). This has an additional cost. 

I'd recommend all travellers with vehicles to make BC Ferries reservations, unless you have a very loose itinerary with lots of flexibility.

Be sure to arrive at the terminal within the time stated on your ferry reservation confirmation (usually 60 to 30 minutes before departure).

If you're even a minute late, you will not have the reservation honoured. BC Ferries is very strict on this. 

The BC Ferries experience

Vancouver to Vancouver Island routes use large ferry boats with multiple vehicle decks.

There is plenty of space on board, with several food options, gift shop, washrooms, seating etc. There is no wi-fi!

In summer, there are free coastal naturalist programs, offering a chance to learn more about the ocean and local wildlife like orca, shark and giant octopus. 

BC Ferries Connector Bus

Both of Vancouver's ferry ports, Tsawwassen and Duke Point, are accessible via public transport. This is a good option for foot passengers who want to keep costs down.

BC Ferries operates a bus service from Vancouver to Victoria.

Called the BC Ferries Connector Bus, this daily year round service picks up passengers from various Vancouver locations (some hotels included) and transports them all the way to downtown Victoria.

The ticket is more expensive but it makes for a more stress-free journey. It also means that you mean avoid renting a vehicle in Vancouver and rent it on Vancouver Island instead.

There is another service from Vancouver to Duke Point in south Nanaimo as well Duke Point is pretty isolated.

Hullo ferry

Hullo, a relatively new company, operates a foot passenger ferry between downtown Vancouver and downtown Nanaimo. The journey takes 70 minutes.

This is perfect for travellers who would prefer renting a vehicle on Vancouver Island rather than bringing one over from the mainland.

Pricing is a little higher than on BC Ferries ($40/adult) but the experience is quite different. And, of course, the downtown departure location is much more convenient.

There are a few downsides to Hullo. The schedule is less comprehensive than BC Ferries, with fewer daily sailings and only one destination. Hullo also operates smaller boats, so cancellations are more frequent in bad weather.