Sidney is on the Saanich Peninsula, north of Victoria, and the simplest way to reach it from Victoria is by road along Highway 17, the Pat Bay Highway. No ferry or flight is needed, since both towns are on Vancouver Island. A BC Transit route to Swartz Bay is listed for the Victoria region, and a car or cab works when the timetable does not.
Driving up the Pat Bay Highway
Highway 17 runs north and south through the middle of Sidney, so you can follow it out of Greater Victoria and come off at the Sidney exits. The same highway carries on to the Swartz Bay ferry terminal, about 6 kilometres north of the town. Traffic gets heavier around ferry sailing times and at commuter hours, so leave extra time if you have a connection. DriveBC lists current incidents and closures.
By bus
The Victoria Regional Transit System lists a route 70 named Swartz Bay and Downtown. Stop locations, how often it runs and whether a different route suits your start point all depend on the current timetable. Put your address and Sidney into the BC Transit trip planner, choose your day and time, and note the stop and any transfer it shows. Fares and day passes are on the same website.
Sidney by air or ferry connections
Sidney sits just east of Victoria International Airport, which makes it the closest town to arrivals on that side of the peninsula. A short ride from the terminal gets you into town, so there is rarely any reason to go through downtown Victoria first.
The town is also a port for Washington State Ferries, which sail to the San Juan Islands and Anacortes. Those sailings are separate from BC Ferries, so check the operator you plan to use for times and booking rules, along with documents for crossing the border.
If you are arriving from the mainland by BC Ferries, you will land at Swartz Bay and Sidney is a short way south. A taxi from the terminal or the airport suits late arrivals and anyone with bags. See the Victoria taxi page for rides in the region, and use the fare estimator for a rough idea of cost.