Getting to Port Alberni

• Your mission is to get to Port Alberni on Vancouver Island for the evening of March 27, 2019. The next day at 8am we travel together by boat on the Frances Barkley to Bamfield.
• Flying to Nanaimo is the closest airport but Victoria and Vancouver are also options. Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your final day in Canada.
• While in Bamfield, vehicles can be left in Port Alberni either at the Best Western Barclay or near the boat dock.
• See below for information about the return trip by coach on March 31.  
• Beth and Sally can advise on transportation. There may be opportunities to car pool. 
  

Nanaimo to Port Alberni by bus

See Tofino Bus schedule to confirm schedule and fares, and to book tickets online.

Schedule 1:

Dep Nanaimo Cassidy Airport at 9:30am (approx. 40 CAD - make sure to reserve)

Dep Nanaimo Departure Bay Ferry Terminal at 10:30am (approx. 33 CAD)

Arr Port Alberni at noon

Schedule 2:

Dep Nanaimo Cassidy Airport at 4:25pm (approx. 40 CAD - make sure to reserve)

Dep Nanaimo Departure Bay Ferry Terminal at 5:45pm (approx. 33 CAD)

Arr Port Alberni at 7:20pm

Victoria to Port Alberni by bus

See Tofino Bus schedule to confirm schedule and fares, and to book tickets online.

Note: if you overnight in Victoria, try to pop into the Royal BC Museum entrance to see the welcoming figures which originally came from the Huu-ay-aht community of Kiix̣in near Bamfield.

Schedule 1:

Dep Victoria bus depot at 8:00am (approx. 60 CAD)

Arr Port Alberni at noon

Schedule 2:

Dep Victoria bus depot at 2:55pm (approx. 60 CAD)

Arr Port Alberni at 7:20pm

Vancouver to Port Alberni by ferry and car/bus

See BC Ferries schedule

With a car:

Drive from the Vancouver airport to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal
Ferry from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo Duke Point ferry terminal (60 CAD for vehicle, 18 CAD per passenger)
Drive to Port Alberni (with a stop in the beautiful Cathedral Grove)

Without a car:

Public transit from Vancouver airport to Tsawwassen ferry terminal (Canada Line skytrain and #620 bus)
Ferry from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo Duke Point terminal (18 CAD per passenger)

Taxi from Duke Point to Departure Bay ferry terminal
Tofino Bus from Nanaimo Departure Bay ferry terminal to Port Alberni (departs 10:30am or 5:45pm)

Returning home from Bamfield

Coach to Port Alberni, Nanaimo and Victoria

For the return trip by coach on March 31, we'll leave Bamfield by 8:30am (at the latest) and make the following stops based on attendees' travel plans.

Important! Arrival times are estimates. While we've built slack into the schedule, road conditions are variable so you may wish to give yourself extra time to catch a flight/ferry.

• Port Alberni 10:30am
  
• Nanaimo Departure Bay ferry terminal 12:00pm
  
• Nanaimo Duke Point ferry terminal 12:30pm
• Nanaimo airport 1:00pm
  
• Victoria airport 4:00pm
  
• Victoria downtown 5:00pm