Ferries from Vancouver: the SeaBus, and BC Ferries to Victoria and Nanaimo

The SeaBus Burrard Otter crossing Burrard Inlet in front of the Vancouver skyline — Photo: Alasdair McLellan, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped (Wikimedia Commons)

Vancouver's ferries split into two kinds: the SeaBus, a short public-transit crossing from downtown to North Vancouver, and the BC Ferries ships to Vancouver Island, which leave from terminals outside the city. Each card gives the figures as the operator's page states them and says when we last checked.

How it works

The SeaBus leaves from Waterfront Station downtown, which is also where the cruise terminal at Canada Place is; it is part of TransLink's transit network.
The BC Ferries terminals are not downtown: Tsawwassen is about 36 km from downtown Vancouver, as BC Ferries states, and Horseshoe Bay is north-west of the city in West Vancouver.
BC Ferries publishes seasonal schedules; the ones we read run from mid-October to mid-November and mid-December 2026 respectively. Check the current period before you plan.
BC Ferries says foot passengers with a booking should check in 30 to 60 minutes before departure on the Victoria and Nanaimo routes, and that ticket sales for foot passengers close 10 minutes before the sailing.
A ticket is not a guaranteed sailing in bad weather; the operators post service notices.

Ferries

Waterfront Station (downtown Vancouver) Lonsdale Quay (North Vancouver)

Operators: TransLink (SeaBus)

Journey time: TransLink says it takes 12 minutes to cross the inlet.

When it runs: TransLink says the SeaBus departs every 15 minutes during the day; its timetable shows 10- and 15-minute gaps at different times of day and 30 minutes in the evening.

Schedule checked 25 October 2026. Sources: TransLink: SeaBus schedule

See the SeaBus schedule

Vancouver (Tsawwassen) Victoria (Swartz Bay)

Operators: BC Ferries

Journey time: 1 hour 35 minutes, non-stop, on every sailing in the schedule we read.

When it runs: The schedule for 14 October to 11 November 2026 lists about ten sailings a day each way, the first at 7:00 AM and the last at 9:00 PM (10:00 PM on Sundays).

Schedule checked 25 October 2026. Sources: BC Ferries: Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay schedule

See the operator schedule

Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) Nanaimo (Departure Bay)

Operators: BC Ferries

Journey time: 1 hour 40 to 1 hour 42 minutes, depending on the sailing, in the schedule we read.

When it runs: The schedule for 13 October to 16 December 2026 lists seven Monday departures from Horseshoe Bay, from 6:15 AM to 10:40 PM.

Schedule checked 25 October 2026. Sources: BC Ferries: Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay schedule

See the operator schedule

More on Voyageworthy

Washington State Ferries from Seattle and Edmonds

Timetables and journey times change by season and operator, and a ticket is not a guaranteed seat. Every card says when we last checked and links the page we read; confirm on the operator's own page before you plan around a departure. We list operators' own pages and do not earn commission on these links.

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