Route Services
- BC Ferries operates a scheduled ferry service between Nanaimo (Duke Point Ferry Terminal) and Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, south of Vancouver.
- Duke Point Ferry Terminal is located 12 km south of downtown Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
- Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal is located 39 km south of downtown Vancouver on the BC mainland.
- Vehicles and Passengers
- Distance: 38 nautical miles
- Sailing Time: 2 hours
- Sailings: 8 daily round trip sailings between Nanaimo and Tsawwassen
- Ticket sales will end five minutes before the scheduled sailing time for vehicles and ten minutes before for walk-on passengers.
Two additional scheduled ferry services connecting Vancouver with Vancouver Island operate between Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver and Nanaimo (Departure Bay) and between Tsawwassen (South of Vancouver) and Swartz Bay (north of Victoria). To reduce travelling time, travellers visiting points in Central and North Vancouver Island from Vancouver should cross from the mainland to one of the two Nanaimo terminals (Departure Bay and Duke Point) in preference to arriving on Vancouver Island at the Swartz Bay Terminal.
Community Information
Click on the map to view a large scale map of the Pacific Northwest Ferry Routes, or view BC Ferries’ map of Ferry Routes in BC (PDF format). Make vehicle reservations and check current ferry schedules, ferry fares, capacity conditions at major ferry terminals, and the departure and arrival status of current sailings directly on the BC Ferries website.
BC Ferries Schedule for this Route
Island Hopping
Travelling between the Southern Gulf Islands and Northern Gulf Islands can be accomplished in small hops. Each of these islands is a world unto itself, each with its own history, culture and colourful characters – each island deserves at least a day or two for exploring.