Yes, you can get around Vancouver Island without a car, though you need to plan more than in a city. The practical mix is BC Ferries as a foot passenger, an intercity bus between the main towns, local buses in the bigger centres and taxis for the last few kilometres. It works best along the main corridor from Victoria up to Campbell River.
Getting there
BC Ferries runs routes from the mainland as well as the Gulf Islands. Foot passengers can ride without a vehicle, and on some routes reservations are available, so check the sailing for your day. Our guide to getting from Vancouver to Nanaimo without a car walks through the most common crossing.
Between towns
Island Link is the intercity bus. It connects the ferry terminals at Departure Bay, Little River, Buckley Bay and Campbell River with a network that includes Victoria, Mill Bay, Duncan, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Ucluelet, Tofino, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Cumberland, Courtenay, Comox and Campbell River. There is a separate route between Nanaimo and Tofino through Port Alberni. Timetables are limited, so look up departure times before you plan your day.
Inside a town
Local buses cover the larger centres such as Victoria, Nanaimo and the Comox Valley, though service is thinner in the evenings and on Sundays. In smaller towns you may rely on a taxi, and that is where the phone numbers matter. Start with the page for the area you are visiting:
- Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula
- Nanaimo and Parksville and Qualicum
- Cowichan Valley
- Comox Valley and Campbell River
- Port Alberni and the West Coast
Taxi or rideshare
Uber and Lyft are licensed by zone, but cars can be few or none in small towns, so do not count on one for an early flight. A taxi booked ahead is more dependable. For a rough idea of the cost, try the taxi fare estimator or the Uber estimate calculator.
A sample day
Take the ferry to Nanaimo, a bus up to Parksville, a taxi to your hotel, and a morning bus on to Tofino the next day. It takes longer than driving, but nothing in it needs a car. Book the long legs early in summer, when seats and rooms go fast.
Schedules change, so confirm times with each service before you go.
Bike rentals and guided tours are covered in travelling Vancouver Island without a car.