The way across is the BC Ferries sailing from downtown Campbell River to Quathiaski Cove on Quadra Island. The crossing takes about 10 minutes, so most of your planning goes into the wait at the terminal, not the water.
The crossing from downtown Campbell River
The Campbell River terminal sits in the downtown area, and the ferry lands at the Quathiaski Cove terminal on Quadra Island. The route covers 1.8 nautical miles of Discovery Passage. Both vehicles and walk on passengers are carried.
Sailing frequency has changed in recent years, because BC Ferries added capacity on this route and moved to two vessels at times. Any number quoted from memory goes stale quickly. The BC Ferries schedule page for the Campbell River and Quadra Island route lists the sailings for the exact day you travel, so check it before you leave.
Cutoff times and busy sailings
Ticket sales and loading for vehicles end 3 minutes before the scheduled departure. Walk on passengers need to be aboard 5 minutes before. Those are hard cutoffs, not suggestions, so arriving with only a few minutes to spare is risky.
The 9 am sailing from Quadra to Campbell River is popular with commuters and often fills up. If you are heading back to the mainland side of the passage on a weekday morning, pick an earlier or later sailing, or plan to wait for the next one.
- Foot passengers can usually board with less margin than drivers, but still follow the 5 minute rule.
- Drivers should line up early on busy days and in summer.
- Fares and any reservation options are listed on the BC Ferries website, so confirm them there.
Getting to the dock and onward on Quadra
Because the terminal is downtown, it is an easy trip from most Campbell River addresses. A local taxi will take you straight to the dock, and the Campbell River taxi page has the local options. For bus connections to the terminal, use the BC Transit trip planner for Campbell River and check what stops nearest to you.
Once you are on Quadra Island, distances are longer than they look on the map and public transport is limited. If you have not arranged a ride or a rental, sort that out before you cross, especially for late sailings. Weather can delay or cancel sailings, so check service notices on the BC Ferries site on the day.
Walk on passengers with bikes or bulky gear should ask crew where to line up when they reach the terminal. The layout can change with the season and with how busy the sailing is.