If you want to truly visit the Island and see what it has to offer you will need a car whether you take yours or rent a car when you arrive. Although we are car people, Victoria has amazing transportation services for visitors. There is transportation from Victoria’s inner harbor to all of the local tourist attractions.

Getting to the Island

From:

British Columbia

Washington State

Getting onto Vancouver Island from Washington State

From Washington State there are two car ferry routes and three passenger ferry routes that will take you to Vancouver Island. There is also an airline that will take you from Seattle’s Lake Union to Victoria’s inner harbor.

Washington

State Ferries

Anacortes, WA to Sidney, BC (Victoria)

First car ferry, Washington State Ferries from Anacortes (90 miles north of Seattle), through the San Juan islands to Sidney on Vancouver island. There are morning and afternoon sailings during the summer season and we highly suggest you make a reservation for both directions as these ferries almost always sail at capacity. You must reserve at least two days in advance of the sailing and arrive 90 minutes early, the reservation cost (fare not included) is $30.00. You can reserve online by clicking “Washington State Ferries” above to the left.

Ferry Coho

Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, BC

Second car ferry, The Coho leaves from Port Angeles (on Highway 101 on the Olympic Peninsula) and crosses the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Victoria. There are three sailings a day from June through mid September and one or two sailings in the off-season. This ferry accepts advance reservations for a $10.00 fee and takes bank cards.

http://www.cohoferry.com

Victoria Express

Victoria Express – This passenger ferry offers a fast 55 minute crossing from Port Angeles, WA to the inner harbor of Victoria, BC. This ferry has the right idea, they offer reservations for no additional charge. http://www.victoriaexpress.com/

Victoria San Juan Cruises

Bellingham, WA to Victoria, BC

Victoria San Juan Cruises – They offer daily service between Bellingham, WA and Victoria, BC. This passenger only ferry runs from mid-May through September and includes a stop in Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island in Washington’s San Juan Islands. On the trip back to Bellingham they offer an all you can eat baked salmon and chicken dinner aboard the boat. Victoria San Juan Cruises

Victoria Clipper

Kenmore Air

Seattle, WA to Victoria, BC

Victoria Clipper – This passenger ferry offers fast ferry service from Seattle to Victoria’s inner harbor year round. They have high speed catamarans that carry from 239 to 330 passengers on a 2 hour and 45 minute trip to Victoria.

http://www.victoriaclipper.com/victoria_clipper_ferry_service

Kenmore Air – Kenmore Air flies seaplanes from Kenmore, WA (north end of Lake Washington in Seattle) and Lake Union in downtown Seattle, WA to Victoria’s inner harbor five times a day.

http://www.kenmoreair.com/

Getting to the Island

From:

British Columbia

Washington State

Getting to Vancouver Island from British Columbia

BC Ferries

In British Columbia there are basically two locations which offer car ferries to Vancouver Island and both are run by BC Ferries.

Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay

Tsawwassen to Nanaimo

The terminal furthest south and closest to the US Border is at Tsawwassen (South Vancouver, BC) which is at the west end of BC Highway-17. BC Highway-17 exits Highway 99 (Canada’s extension of Interstate-5) approximately 29 Km north of the Canadian/US border or 31 Km south of Vancouver. The roads to the ferries are well signed from both the Trans-Canada Highway-1 and BC Highway 99.

There are around 14 sailings per day from Tsawwassen to Victoria (Swartz Bay) in prime season and 8 sailings in the winter. Crossing time is about 1½ hours.

There are 8 sailings a day from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo and the crossing time from here is 2 hours.

Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, BC

The Horseshoe Bay ferry at the west end of Trans-Canada Highway 1 on the mainland travels from Horseshoe Bay (North Vancouver, BC) to Nanaimo, BC on Vancouver Island.

There are 8 sailings a day from here to Nanaimo. Average passage time is 1 hour 35 minutes. From Nanaimo Highway 1 runs from the Departure Bay ferry terminal south to Victoria.

BC Ferries has a reservation system that charges $ 17.50 (Canadian Funds) to reserve a spot on a ferry. In peak season we suggest reservations or you may have a two or three ferry wait. Reservations require you to arrive from one hour to 30 minutes early or lose your reservation. You can make a reservation online on the BC Ferries web site, just click on the button below.

West Coast Air

Harbour Air

Vancouver, BC Harbor to Victoria Inner Harbor

West Coast Air – This airline flies seaplanes from Vancouver’s harbor directly to Victoria’s inner harbor. They have many scheduled flights each day. You can watch these planes land and take-off from the inner harbor.

http://www.westcoastair.com/

Harbour Air – This airline flies seaplanes from Vancouver’s harbor directly to Victoria’s inner harbor. They have many scheduled flights each day. You can watch these planes land and take-off from the inner harbor.

http://www.harbour-air.com/

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