BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (Nanaimo)
Ferry1 h 40 min
BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay crossing takes 1 hour 40 minutes from West Van to Nanaimo, and 8 sailings ran each way on Friday 16 October 2026. Anyone driving from Horseshoe Bay has to book and pay in advance, because BC Ferries has dropped the drive-up vehicle fare on that leg.
Photo Kam Abbott · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Services
| Service | Time | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay | 100 min | 8 sailings from Horseshoe Bay on Friday 16 October 20266:15 am to 10:40 pm from Horseshoe Bay on Friday 16 October 2026 | That day's sailings left Horseshoe Bay at 6:15, 8:35 and 11:05 am, then 1:25, 4:00, 7:05, 8:30 and 10:40 pm. The Queen of Oak Bay and the Queen of Cowichan sailed most of them, and the Queen of Surrey took the 7:05 pm. |
| Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay | 100 min | 8 sailings from Departure Bay on Friday 16 October 20266:15 am to 10:40 pm from Departure Bay on Friday 16 October 2026 | That day's sailings left Departure Bay at 6:15, 8:40 and 10:55 am, then 1:20, 4:00, 6:20, 9:25 and 10:40 pm. BC Ferries lists the crossing at 1 hour 40 minutes. |
Fares
- Adult one way (12 and over)Posted $21.00 at the terminal or prepaid in the fare guide effective 16 June 2026, taxes included, plus BC Ferries' 5% fuel surcharge and the Nanaimo Port Authority's $0.50 fee.$22.55 (2026)
- Adult Saver one way (12 and over)Posted $15.00, paid in full when booking, plus the 5% fuel surcharge and the $0.50 port fee.$16.25 (2026)
- Child one way (5 to 11)Posted $10.50 plus the 5% fuel surcharge and the Nanaimo Port Authority's $0.30 child fee; under 5 travel free.$11.33 (2026)
- Standard vehicle up to 20 ft, prepaid, driver extraPosted $89.00 plus the 5% fuel surcharge; from Horseshoe Bay it must be booked in advance. Saver vehicle fares run $34.00 to $84.00 posted.$93.45 (2026)
- BicycleBikes ride free; the rider pays the passenger fare.Free
Weather and cancellations
BC Ferries posts delays and cancellations on its current conditions page for the route, on X at @BCFerries and on 1-888-223-3779.
On Friday 16 October 2026 each terminal sent off eight sailings. The first left at 6:15 am and the last at 10:40 pm from both sides, and the Queen of Oak Bay and the Queen of Cowichan carried most of them. An adult pays $22.55 one way on the fares in effect from 16 June 2026, counting BC Ferries' 5% fuel surcharge and the Nanaimo Port Authority's 50-cent fee. Saver fares paid when you book start at $16.25 for a passenger and $35.70 for a car with the surcharge in.
Drive-up vehicle fares ended on the Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo leg on 15 October 2025. BC Ferries ties the rule to construction that has taken a quarter of the vehicle space at Horseshoe Bay. Check-in opens two hours before the sailing and closes 30 minutes before, and drivers who arrive earlier get asked to come back inside that window. The trip home from Departure Bay still sells at the booth.
Foot passengers and cyclists can turn up at Horseshoe Bay without a booking, and TransLink's route 257 runs straight to the terminal. Bikes ride free. Read the lane number on your ticket if you drive, because every staging lane at Horseshoe Bay has changed with the works.
Worth knowing
- If you wait out the check-in window in Horseshoe Bay village, be back at the car 30 minutes before the sailing.
- Book the Saver fare early for the cheapest car crossing: with the fuel surcharge it starts at $35.70 for the vehicle and $16.25 for each passenger, port fee included.
Quick answers about BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (Nanaimo)
Do you need a reservation for the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo?
Yes. Vehicles sailing from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay must book and pay in advance. Foot passengers and cyclists can still sail without a booking.
How long is the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo?
BC Ferries lists 1 hour 40 minutes for the crossing to Departure Bay. On Friday 16 October 2026 sailings left Horseshoe Bay at 6:15, 8:35 and 11:05 am, then 1:25, 4:00, 7:05, 8:30 and 10:40 pm.
How much is the Nanaimo ferry from Horseshoe Bay?
An adult pays $22.55 one way on the fares in effect from 16 June 2026, counting BC Ferries' 5% fuel surcharge and the Nanaimo Port Authority's 50-cent fee. With the surcharge, a standard vehicle up to 20 feet costs $93.45 prepaid or from $35.70 on a Saver fare.
Do you need a booking for the ferry from Nanaimo back to Horseshoe Bay?
No. The booking rule covers only Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay, and BC Ferries recommends a return booking without requiring one.
In the journal
