From downtown Duncan to Cowichan District Hospital the easiest choice is a short drive or taxi ride, with local BC Transit buses as the cheaper option. Which bus serves the hospital and when it runs is best checked in the BC Transit trip planner for the Cowichan Valley.
Riding the Cowichan Valley bus
BC Transit operates the Cowichan Valley regional system. Its website lists local routes numbered 2 through 9, plus 20, 21, 31, 34 and 36, along with the longer commuter links to Victoria and Nanaimo. That is a lot of routes for a small city, so do not rely on memory or an old timetable.
Open the trip planner, enter your starting stop in downtown Duncan and the hospital as the destination, and it will name the route, the boarding stop, the travel time and the next departures. The same page carries service alerts, fare options such as the DayPASS and the 30 Day Pass, and contactless payment through the Umo app.
Weekend and evening service is usually thinner than weekday daytime service on small systems like this one. If you have a morning appointment or a late visit, look at the actual departure times rather than assuming a bus every half hour.
Driving from Duncan
Set a map app to Cowichan District Hospital in Duncan and follow it. Local streets in the centre of town are easy to read, and the Trans-Canada Highway runs through the area, so signs for the hospital appear well before you arrive. Allow a little extra time at the afternoon peak.
Parking rules and fees at hospitals change from time to time. The Island Health website is the place to confirm current parking information for this site. Arrive a few minutes early so the search for a space does not make you late.
Taxi and arrivals from further away
A taxi removes the parking and timetable questions. Book one through Cowichan taxi, particularly for early appointments, for visitors with mobility needs or for the trip home after treatment.
If you are coming from Victoria or Nanaimo, the BC Transit Cowichan Valley site lists the regional routes that connect to Duncan. Check the schedule for your travel day, then continue to the hospital by local bus or taxi.