The Vancouver Island region includes Vancouver Island itself, as well as the Gulf Islands and a portion of British Columbia’s mainland coast. At 32,261 square
kilometers (19,356 square miles), Vancouver Island is the largest land mass in the region. The distance by car between Victoria in the south and Port Hardy in the north is 502
kilometers (301 miles). The Gulf Islands are located between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland. The Vancouver Island region is well served by a variety of transportation services, allowing for ease in reaching this vacation paradise and for traveling around within it: BC Ferries, Rail and Bus Service, Car Rental, and Air Service. There's two popular routes that cross Vancouver Island: The Oceanside Route and The North Island Route.
BC FERRIES
BC Ferries provides vehicle and passenger ferry service between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, as well as to the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast, and the Queen Charlotte Islands. BC Ferries serves 46 ports of call on 25 routes throughout coastal British Columbia, including the world-renowned voyages through the dramatic beauty of the Inside Passage and the Discovery Coast Passage. Journeys on BC Ferries are always spectacularly scenic, and orcas and porpoises are often spotted along the way.
The BC Ferries vessels that provide service between Vancouver and Vancouver Island feature: vehicle transportation, including cars, RVs, trucks, buses, and bikes; cafeteria and snack bar services; buffet dining on the Spirit Class vessels (Vancouver-Victoria); on-board gift shops and news-stands; ship-to-shore telephones; video arcades; children’s play areas; and elevators.
MAJOR BC FERRIES ROUTES
• Vancouver to Victoria (Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay) Vehicle and passenger service with hourly sailings during the summer and a minimum of eight sailings per day during the fall, winter, and spring. Crossing time is one hour and 35 minutes.
• Vancouver to Nanaimo (Tsawwassen to Duke Point) — Vehicle and passenger service, with eight round trips daily. Crossing time is two hours.
• Vancouver to Nanaimo (Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay) Vehicle and passenger service every two hours, with extra sailings during the summer and on holidays. Crossing time is one hour and 35 minutes.
Note: VEHICLE RESERVATIONS are optional and available for
the above routes up to 90 minutes in advance.
|
Plan a Trip 
