Southern Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island
Time

Vancouver Island
Weather

airports serving Southern Vancouver Island

Vancouver International Airport

for flights throughout Canada and International destinations

Nanaimo Airport

for flights to Vancouver, Victoria and Abbotsford

Victoria Airport

for flights from Vancouver, Seattle and the west coast

transferring between YVR Main Terminal and the South Terminal

A free airport shuttle bus operates every 20 minutes from 0630 to 1830 weekdays (0730 to 1830 weekends) between the following locations:
             Main Terminal (International Arrivals - Level 1) outside the building, Pillar #1
             Main Terminal (Domestic Arrivals - Level 2) outside Door F
             South Terminal - outside the arrival doors at the south end of the building.

Typical transfer time to/from South Terminal is 10 minutes. This service does not stop at the Floatplane Terminals; passengers must travel to the South Terminal then walk to Inglis Drive (5 minutes)

connecting flights from the mainland to Southern Vancouver Island

Vancouver (YVR) - Victoria

Vancouver South (YVR) - Victoria

Seattle (SEA) to Victoria

San Francisco to Victoria

Edmonton (YEG) - Victoria

Calgary (YCG) - Victoria

Toronto - Victoria

Vancouver (YVR) - Nanaimo

Abbotsford - Victoria - Nanaimo

Abbotsford - Nanaimo

getting to and from local airports

Nanaimo Airport

Shuttle service to downtown Nanaimo and ferries

Victoria Airport

Shuttle service to downtown Victoria

Scheduled helicopter services to Southern Vancouver Island

Vancouver Harbour Heliport - Victoria Downtown Heliport
Regular daily service

Vancouver Airport Heliport - Victoria Downtown Heliport
One flight per day, Monday to Friday

Scheduled floatplane services to Southern Vancouver Island

Vancouver Harbour - Nanaimo Harbour

Vancouver Harbour - Nanaimo Harbour

1-855-647-7560

Vancouver Harbour - Nanaimo (Departure Bay)

Vancouver Airport - Nanaimo (Departure Bay)

Vancouver Airport - Nanaimo Harbour

Vancouver Airport - Gabriola Island - Nanaimo Harbour

1-855-647-7560

Sechelt - Nanaimo (Departure Bay)

1-855-647-7560

Sechelt - Nanaimo Harbour

Seattle - Nanaimo (Departure Bay)
(May to September)

Vancouver Harbour - Victoria Harbour

Vancouver Harbour - Victoria Harbour

Vancouver Harbour - Victoria (Patricia Bay)
Patricia Bay is close to Victoria Airport in North Saanich

Vancouver Airport - Victoria Harbour

Vancouver Airport - Victoria (Patricia Bay)
Patricia Bay is close to Victoria Airport in North Saanich

Whistler (Green Lake) - Victoria Harbour
Summer only

Langley, BC - Victoria Harbour

Seattle - Victoria Harbour

transfers by direct coach between YVR and Victoria

Regular coach services operate at least six times daily by Pacific Coach Lines between Vancouver International Airport and downtown Victoria, using the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay ferry. Coaches depart every two hours between 0740 and 1940 from the following locations at YVR:
       Main Terminal (International Arrivals - Level 1) : outside the terminal building on Bay #6
       Main Terminal (Domestic Arrivals Level) : outside the terminal building
Passengers wishing to alight at Swartz Bay should advise the driver on boarding the coach so that luggage may be offloaded before boarding the ferry. Passengers travelling through to Victoria may leave their bags on the coach during the ferry crossing.

Alternative route from YVR to Victoria by transit and ferry

Outside the main terminal,
take the escalator up to the
Canada Line Station.
Trains every 8 minutes approx
YVR AIRPORT to BRIDGEPORT
journey time about 7 minutes

Purchase a 2-zone ticket from the
platform ticket machine (cash/card)
Mon-Fri daytime
$8.75 adult, $7.50 concession
Evening/weekend
$7.50 adult, $6.75 concession
(see note ** below)
Valid for 90 minutes from time of issue

Take the escalator down from the
platform to the bus bays below.
Bus 620 to Tsawwassen Ferry
departs from Bay #3
BRIDGEPORT INTERCHANGE to
TSAWWASSEN FERRY
journey time about 40 minutes

your 2-zone ticket is valid
providing you board the bus
within 90 minutes of buying your ticket.

On the bus, validate your ticket in
the ticket machine by the driver.

Alight at Tsawwassen
(outside BC Ferries Terminal)
purchase ticket to Swartz Bay.
Wait in terminal for boarding
TSAWWASSEN to SWARTZ BAY
crossing time 1 hour 35 minutes

Purchase a walk-on fare at the
ferry terminal before boarding.
Adult $14.25 + 5% fuel surcharge
Child $7.25 + 5% fuel surcharge

Outside the main ferry terminal
board the Victoria Regional Transit
bus to Downtown Victoria
(Swartz Bay Express route 70)
SWARTZ BAY to
DOWNTOWN VICTORIA
travel time about 1 hour

Correct fare required

$2.50 Adult, $1.65 concession

Day passes are available

$7.75 adult, $5.50 concession

** Fare includes a $5.00 supplement for any journey starting from YVR Airport. The supplement does not apply on the return journey.

Travelling from YVR to Nanaimo by transit and ferry

Outside the main terminal,
take the escalator up to the
Canada Line Station.
Trains every 8 minutes approx
YVR AIRPORT to
VANCOUVER CITY CENTRE
travel time about 25 minutes

Purchase a 2-zone ticket from the
platform ticket machine (cash/card)
Mon-Fri daytime
$8.75 adult, $7.50 concession
Evening/weekend
$7.50 adult, $6.75 concession
(see note ** below)
Valid for 90 minutes from time of issue

From the station, cross over
West Georgia Street to the bus stop
outside Hudson Bay Company store.
Bus 257 (Horseshoe Bay Express)
WEST GEORGIA STREET
to HORSESHOE BAY
travel time about 45 minutes

your 2-zone ticket is valid
providing you board the bus
within 90 minutes of buying your ticket.

On the bus, validate your ticket in
the ticket machine by the driver.

Alight at Horseshoe Bay
(outside BC Ferries Terminal)
purchase ticket to Nanaimo.
Wait in terminal for boarding
HORSESHOE BAY to
NANAIMO (Departure Bay)
crossing time 1 hour 40 minutes

Purchase a walk-on fare at the
ferry terminal before boarding.
Adult $14.25 + 5% fuel surcharge
Child $7.25 + 5% fuel surcharge

Outside the main ferry terminal
board the Nanaimo Regional Transit
bus to Downtown Nanaimo
(Route 2 or 2A)
DEPARTURE BAY to
DOWNTOWN NANAIMO
travel time about 10 minutes

Correct fare required
$2.25 Adult, $2.00 concession

Connections also available at
Departure Bay with
Tofino Bus Services and
Greyhound Canada

** Fare includes a $5.00 supplement for any journey starting from YVR Airport. The supplement does not apply on the return journey.

Car and Passenger Ferries to Southern Vancouver Island

Ferry services between Tsawwassen and Nanaimo (Duke Point) are currently operating to and from the Departure Bay terminal in Nanaimo, while damage to the dock is repaired. There are no sailings to or from Duke Point until further notice.

Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) - Nanaimo (Departure Bay)

Tsawwassen - Nanaimo (Departure Bay)

Tsawwassen - Victoria (Swartz Bay)

Port Angeles (WA) - Victoria (Inner Harbour) - MV Coho

Seattle (Pier 69) - Victoria (Inner Harbour)
Victoria Clipper - fast passenger ferry (no cars)

Anacortes (WA) - San Juan Islands - Victoria (Sidney, BC)

Service resumes March 25, 2012.

Vancouver Island train services

Passenger services between Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo and Courtenay are suspended until further notice owing to the deterioration of the track. Alternative services are available by Greyhound Coach.

intercity coach lines serving Southern Vancouver Island

Victoria - Nanaimo - Campbell River - Port Hardy

Vancouver (Downtown) - Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay - Victoria

Reservations required
for en-route stops

Vancouver Airport - Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay - Victoria

Reservations required
for en-route stops

Tofino - Ucluelet - Port Alberni - Nanaimo
(with connections to Vancouver and Victoria)

Tofino - Ucluelet - Port Alberni - Victoria

Connector services to Southern Vancouver Island

Vancouver - Nanaimo
Connecting with BC Ferries at Horseshoe Bay & Departure Bay

Nanaimo (Departure Bay) - Victoria
Connecting with BC Ferries at Departure Bay

getting around by local public transit

Nanaimo Regional Transit serving the Nanaimo area
Cowichan Valley Regional Transit serving the Duncan and Chemainus area
Cowichan Valley Commuter runs commuter buses each weekday between Duncan, Cobble Hill, Shawnigan Lake, Mill Bay and Victoria
Victoria Regional Transit serving the Victoria area
click on a Rider's Guide below for details of transit services in each area.

Southern Vancouver Island map

View Location Map

where to find more information about Southern Vancouver Island

official BC tourism site

local tourism guides

local accommodation guides