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Getting Around
Getting around Victoria Vancouver Island, and the Gulf Islands is as easy as getting here. Victoria is truly a walking city and the picturesque Inner Harbour and downtown core are best explored on foot, but to discover the rest of the Island and the Gulf Islands, numerous options are available. By sea, air or land, getting around is a breeze.
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For a bird’s-eye view of Victoria and Vancouver Island, take to the sky. Several airlines get you from place to place, and numerous companies offer sightseeing tours. Commercial airlines, float planes and helicopters whisk you up for aerial tours of Victoria and the Island’s unparalleled natural beauty. Float planes are also the only way to access many remote areas for excellent fishing and outdoor adventure in pristine wilderness.
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Airporter / Taxi Service
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Akal Airport Shuttle Bus (Airporter)
Daily half-hour service to and from Victoria International Airport to all hotels and motels, University of Victoria and CFB Esquimalt, from 4:30 am until midnight.
Akal Airport Shuttle Bus (Airporter) Contact Information
Blue Bird Cabs Ltd.
54 years of serving the travelling public in Greater Victoria.
Blue Bird Cabs Ltd.Empress Taxi Contact Information
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British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.
Not only is ferry service one of the most popular means of getting to Victoria and Vancouver Island, but once on the Island, it is also one of the best and, in some cases, only way of exploring the many Gulf Islands. BC Ferries run daily and frequent sailings between Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the mainland.
The Mill Bay ferry, which crosses the Saanich Inlet, runs between Brentwood Bay and Mill Bay. This small but beloved ferry transports passengers from just north of Victoria to the southern outskirts of the Cowichan Valley. This trip saves drivers and cyclists from going over the Malahat Mountains.
From Victoria, the Gulf Islands are a favourite day trip or extended vacation. The southern Gulf Islands (Salt Spring, Pender, Saturna, Mayne and Galiano) are serviced from the Swartz Bay ferry terminal, 30 minutes north of Victoria. Salt Spring is also accessible from the terminal at Crofton and Thetis and Kuper Islands are reached from the Chemainus terminal. Gabriola Island is accessed from Nanaimo Harbour.
Heading farther up island, popular Denman and Hornby islands receive ferry service from Buckley Bay. Sointula and Alert Bay are accessed from Port McNeill. Quadra and Cortes Islands are serviced from Campbell River. Swartz Bay, Departure Bay and Duke Point (at Nanaimo) and Comox handle direct sailings to and from the mainland. Port Hardy, at the north end of Vancouver Island, has sailings to the mid and north coast of the BC mainland.
BC Ferries Contact Information
Ferry Schedule and Route Information
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Inner Harbour Ferry Service
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Victoria Harbour Ferry Co.
Hop on one of our passenger ferries and discover Victoria's waterfront. Our 45 minute harbour tour or the 50 minute Gorge tour will entertain and inform visitors of all ages. Tours depart every 12 to 30 minutes March to October everyday. Welcome aboard Victoria's friendliest tour.
Victoria Harbour Ferry Contact Information
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If you arrive in Victoria without a car and wish to rent one, numerous rental companies are available. Located at Victoria International Airport, downtown and throughout the city, Victoria’s car and truck rentals offer visitors convenience and service. Rent a car for a few hours or a few days, pick up a map and hit the road to discover Victoria and Vancouver Island’s natural beauty and charm.
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Whether you are travelling alone or with a large group, motorcoach service is available around Vancouver Island and to and from the mainland. Convenient coach service is offered between downtown Victoria and downtown Vancouver, Vancouver International Airport and, during the summer, the Vancouver cruise ship piers. Coaches are always first in line to board the ferry and first to disembark. On Vancouver Island, passengers can travel from one end of the Island to the other by motorcoach. Several coach companies are available in Victoria and on Vancouver Island which charter buses and specialty buses to Mount Washington Ski Resort and the West Coast Trail also exist.
For Motorcoach Driving and Parking information for the City of Victoria, please visit our Online Motorcoach Guide.
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Tofino Bus:
Our commercially licensed drivers are experienced, open to questions and friendly. Enjoy a stress free, comfortable ride in our 12 passenger bus equipped with kayak racks and surfboard racks. We are an adventure bus offering bookings and discounts on surfing rentals & lessons and whale watching.
Regular scheduled pick ups in Victoria, Nanaimo and Tofino. Those travelling from Vancouver, please take BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay Vancouver direct to Departure Bay in Nanaimo for pick up service. Please see schedule for exact times.
Tofino Bus Contact Information
Tofino Bus Schedule Information
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West Coast Trail Express
Providing daily scheduled shuttle bus service between Victoria and all trailheads of the Juan de Fuca Trail and the West Coast Trail; from Nanaimo and Port Alberni to trailheads of the West Coast Trail; between Port Renfrew, Nitinat Village, and Bamfield. Charter bus service is available for trips to these trails or for anywhere on Vancouver Island.
West Coast Trail Express Contact Information
West Coast Trail Express Schedule Information |
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Public Bus Transit — BC Transit
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Victoria and Vancouver Island have an excellent public transportation system that will take you just about anywhere you want to go. Buses run frequently and, if you don’t have a car, are a great way to venture out of the downtown core and into the surrounding areas and suburbs. BC Transit buses include handicap-friendly features and bicycle racks. Strap your bike on the front of a bus and head out to the country to cycle.
BC Transit Contact Information
BC Transit - Victoria Schedule Information
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Rail Service
On Vancouver Island, rail travel is still available on the E & N Railway between Victoria and Courtenay.
From Victoria, wind your way over the Malahat Mountains, pass through a tunnel bored out of the rock of the mountain, cross two 300-foot-high trestles and experience spectacular mountain, water and forest views. On a clear day, you can see majestic Mount Baker in Washington State. Viewing wildlife along the way is also a possibility.
E&N Rail Service Contact Information
E&N Rail Schedule Information
More information on rail travel and history on the island
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Sightseeing Tour Operators
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Leave the navigation to the experts, sit back and enjoy the sights and the scenery. Whether by horse-drawn carriage, limousine, or classic car, getting around Victoria and the Islands is made easy by local tour operators and guides. Victoria’s tours capture all the highlights you wish to see and your local guide offers the benefit of historical facts and personal stories of the attractions and areas you visit.
For a complete list of the tour operators and tours available in and around Victoria, please visit our Tours & Itineraries section on our Things To Do area of our site.
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The Islands are surrounded by water, so what better way to get around them than by boat? The archipelago of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands provides boaters and sailors with some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world. A network of marinas and marine parks make getting ashore easy. Bring your own boat, rent from numerous charter companies or take a guided cruise. Getting out on the water is recommended to visitors to truly experience life in Victoria and on Vancouver Island.
For more information about boating services, please visit our section in the Things To Do area featuring Boating & Sailing.
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Car Tours & Limousine Companies
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Bicycles are a very popular way of getting around Victoria and Vancouver Island. In fact, Victoria is the Cycling Capital of Canada. With the mildest climate in Canada and an extensive trail and road network, Victoria is easily travelled on bicycle year-round. Bring your own bicycle; all ferries that service Vancouver Island allow passengers to bring bicycles aboard for a small fee, or rent from a bike shop or touring company once on the Island. Bike lanes on many of Victoria’s downtown streets and bike racks on several city buses that travel to the suburban communities support cycling. Visitors can explore the entire city or the entire Island by bicycle.
For more information about cycling in and around Victoria, please visit our section in the Things To Do area featuring Cycling & Mountain Biking.
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What better way to absorb the atmosphere of days gone by and learn a bit of local history than in a horse-drawn tour through some of Victoria’s most picturesque neighbourhoods? Whether you choose a romantic carriage ride with your sweetheart or climb aboard a group wagon tour through downtown, the gentle pace of the horses and the clip-clopping of hooves on pavement are sure to lull you into a bygone era when this was the mode of transport for all Victorians.
For more information about carriage tours in and around Victoria, please visit our section in the Things To Do area featuring Horse-drawn Carriages.
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