Making travel connections in Nanaimo
Many connecting services are within walking distance of the Gabriola Island Ferry at Nanaimo Harbour:
Walking distances from the Gabriola Ferry to:
- Protection Island Ferry – 250 metres (about 3 minutes)
- Downtown Nanaimo Transit Exchange – 300 metres (about 5 minutes)
- Sunshine Coast Air Check-in – 550 metres (about 8 minutes)
- Harbour Air Check-in – 600 metres (about 9 minutes)
- Helijet Terminal – 1.2 kilometres (about 18 minutes)
- Hullo Passenger Ferry Terminal – 1.2 kilometres (about 18 minutes)
The following connections are 4 km away at Departure Bay (about 55 minutes walk). Transit connections are available from the Downtown Transit Exchange to Departure Bay Ferry Terminal (Routes 20, 20A or 25).
- Seair Seaplanes Terminal
- Kenmore Air (Summer only)
- BC Ferries (Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay)
- Island Express Bus and Tofino Express Bus
- Tofino Bus / VI Connector (Summer only)
Nanaimo Airport (YCD) is about 14km from Nanaimo Harbour by road (approximately 14 minutes by car). Duke Point Ferry Terminal is about 15km from Nanaimo Harbour (approximately 15 minutes by car)
The following details are provided using the most up-to-date information available to us. Times of connecting services may be subject to change at short notice, so we do recommend that you check with the operator concerned in case any alterations have been made. The FAC does not guarantee the accuracy of this information, nor do the various operators guarantee that connections will be held in the event of service delays.
Ferry routes to and from Nanaimo
Vehicle and Passenger Ferries – operated by BC Ferries
- Gabriola Island – Nanaimo Harbour
- Horseshoe Bay – Nanaimo (Departure Bay)
- Tsawwassen – Nanaimo (Duke Point)
Fast Passenger Ferries – operated by Hullo (Vancouver Island Ferry Company)
Protection Island Ferry – operated by the Dinghy Dock Pub
Saysutshun (Newcastle Island) Ferry – operated by Snuneymuxw First Nation
- Nanaimo (Maffeo Sutton Park) to Saysutshun (Newcastle Island) – (seasonal service. No service until 30 April 2025)
Local Public Transit
Gabriola Community Bus Services – operated by GERTIE
Nanaimo Transit Services – operated by Nanaimo Regional Transit
Inter-city buses from Nanaimo
Island Link Bus
- Nanaimo (Departure Bay) – Duncan, Mill Bay and Victoria (Island Express Bus)
- Daily departures up to 4 times a day to and from Victoria
- Nanaimo (Departure Bay) – Buckley Bay, Courtenay and Campbell River (Island Express Bus)
- Daily departures up to 4 times a day to and from Courtenay. and Campbell River. Passengers for Campbell River may be required to change buses in Courtenay on some departures.
- Nanaimo (Departure Bay) – Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino (Tofino Express Bus)
- Daily departures, once a day to and from Ucluelet and Tofino (twice a day to and from Port Alberni)
- Campbell River – Port McNeill – Port Hardy (Port Hardy Express Bus)
- Daily connections, once a day, to and from Sayward Junction, Woss, Port McNeill, Port Alice Junction and Port Hardy. Passengers may be required to change buses in Courtenay and Campbell River.
Tofino Bus / Vancouver Island Connector
Services between Victoria, Nanaimo and Tofino will operate on three days a week between April abd October, operating to Tofino on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and returning on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Tofino Bus & the VI Connector are currently closed for the Autumn/Winter season. Please check back in March 2025 for updates about Spring service.
Flight connections (by seaplane or helicopter)
Connecting to and from Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
Seaplane flights serving Richmond (YVR) operate to/from the Floatplane Docks adjacent to the Vancouver Airport South Terminal. Passengers wishing to transfer to or from the Main Terminal may use the free Courtesy Shuttle Bus which connects both the Domestic and International Terminals at YVR with the South Terminal and Floatplane Dock on a continuous circuit. The schedule for the Courtesy Shuttle can be found below:
- South Terminal Shuttle Winter Schedule (October 1 to April 30)
- South Terminal Shuttle Summer Schedule (May 1 to September 30)
Seaplane flights direct to/from Gabriola – operated by Gulf Island Seaplanes
- Silva Bay – Richmond (YVR)
- A seasonal service may also be available to and from Vancouver Harbour
Seaplane flights from Nanaimo Harbour – operated by Harbour Air
Seaplane flights from Nanaimo Harbour – operated by Sunshine Coast Air
Seaplane flights from Departure Bay – operated by Seair Seaplanes
Helicopter flights from Nanaimo Waterfront Heliport – operated by Helijet
Seasonal seaplane flights from Departure Bay – operated by Kenmore Air
- Nanaimo (Departure Bay) – Seattle (Lake Washington) – flights operate daily between May 18 and September 17. Flight time to/from Nanaimo – 1hr 15m. Passport required.
Flights serving Nanaimo Airport (YCD)
The following airlines currently serve Nanaimo Airport each day:
- Air Canada – daily flights to and from Vancouver
- Westjet – daily flights to and from Vancouver and Calgary
- Pacific Coastal Air – daily flights to and from Vancouver and Kelowna
Getting to and from Nanaimo Airport
BC Transit Route 70 (Nanaimo-Cowichan Express) operates 7-8 times daily between Downtown Nanaimo Exchange and Nanaimo Airport. No service on Sundays.
Nanaimo Airporter
- Nanaimo Airporter services provide a 24/7 door to door service to and from Departure Bay, Gabriola and Duke Point Ferry Terminals as well as the Nanaimo airport.
- Rates are inexpensive and very competitive. We guarantee on time service in clean and safe vehicles driven by professional drivers trained to meet your needs.
- Check out our Booking on-line feature which allows you to book us from your desktop, laptop, mobile device or from anywhere that you can access the net.
- Service to the Victoria Airport and Comox Airport available. Call for rates.