Vancouver Travel Forum

I want to go to Victoria B.C.. I can fly there but I would like to cross over on the ferry for at least one leg of the trip. It will costs $300.00 more to rent a car on the main land (Vancouver) and leave it on the island (Victoria airport).

Does anyone have any information about how difficult it is in getting a bus from the Vancouver airport to Victoria B.C.. I know it will have to catch the ferry across. Does it only take you to the ferry and you ride as a passenger or does it take you all the way into downtown Victoria or to the airport for a rental car.

It is possible, I have done it.
You ride on the ferry as a foot passenger and catch a bus at the other side.
Go on the top deck of the ferry as you approach Vancouver Island, the views are stunning!

You can get a bus directly from the Vancouver International airport. Pacific Coach lines has direct service to Victoria, check out their web site. Also you can take a public bus from the Vancouver Airport and walk on to the ferry. You would take the bus from the Airport #424 to Airport Station less than 10 minutes away, a bus from there to the Ferry Terminal #620, walk on the Ferry, and then take a public bus from the Ferry Terminal to downtown Victoria #70 is an express bus and #72 or 73 stop along the way. This would be the most cost effective method but will certainly take you more time. For public bus information see www.translink.com and for the Victoria side see www.transitbc.com and click on Victoria and click on Ferries (Shawartz Bay)

It sounds like you are planning to rent a car once you are in Victoria. Depending on your itinerary a car may not be required. You can easily see all the sites downtown on foot and the few other things you want to do are probably readily accessible by public transit.

mcgarrg&j are correct. The public transport buses are ecellent value. They run quite frequently (as I remember) and cover the island as far North as Tofino.
Last time I was there we used the bus to Tofino where we stopped for a few days. When there you can walk around it in twenty minutes. That is with a stop at every shop :-)
The whale watch there at Tofino is marvellous. The town used to be a whale catching centre, now they have developed into a whale watching and conservation centre.
There are some very knowledgable people there.