Nanaimo Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Bus

Greyhound Canada (800-661-8747; www.greyhound.ca) buses arrive from Victoria ($18.75, 2½ hours, six daily), Campbell River ($24.95, three hours, three daily), Port Alberni ($16.65, 90 minutes, three daily) and Tofino ($35.85, 3½ hours, twice a day).

Train

The daily VIA Rail (888-842-7245; www.viarail.com) Malahat train arrives from Victoria ($26.50, 2½ hours), Parksville ($16, 35 minutes) and Courtenay ($26.50, two hours), among other stops.

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Boat

BC Ferries (250-386-3431, 888-223-3779; www.bcfer ries.com) from Tsawwassen (passenger/vehicle $10.55/$35, two hours) arrive at Duke Point, 14km south of Nanaimo. Services from West Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay (passenger/vehicle $10.55/$35, 95 minutes) arrive at Departure Bay, 3km north of the city center via Hwy 1.

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Air

Nanaimo Airport (250-245-2147; www.nanaimoairport.com) is 18km south of town via Hwy 1. Air Canada Jazz (514-393-3333, 888-247-2262; www.aircanada.com) flights arrive here from Vancouver (from $91, 25 minutes, up to seven times a day).

Frequent West Coast Air (604-606-6888, 800-347-2222; www.westcoastair.com) floatplane services arrive at the inner harbor’s Seaplane Terminal from downtown Vancouver ($67.50, 25 minutes) and Vancouver International Airport ($55, 20 minutes), while similar services (at almost identical prices) are provided by Harbour Air Seaplanes (604-274-1277, 800-665-0212; www.harbour-air.com).

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