Getting Around, Victoria Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Victoria, British Columbia - BC, Canada)

There are many way for tourists choose to travel around downtown Victoria, with walking often being preferable to public transport, particularly on a sunny day. Travelling around Victoria simply on foot is a great way to properly explore the city and walking around the city's beautiful harbourfront on a sunny afternoon is a real treat for most.

Others find that bus transport is generally very convenient, linking Victoria with its suburbs and outlying destinations. Public transport in the city is operated by the BC Transit's Victoria Regional Transit System. Local buses have adopted a logical 'travel zone' system, with the second zone including the outlying suburbs of both Sidney and Colwood. The city is also very bicycle friendly, or alternatively, for longer distances, float planes fly out of the Inner Harbour, taking off right next to the Fairmont Empress Hotel and Parliament Buildings.

Victoria International Airport (YYJ) / Arriving by Air

Address: Saanich Peninsula, Victoria, British Columbia (BC), Canada, CA
Tel: +1 250 953 7500
Sited on the Saanich Peninsula and conveniently just over 12 miles / 20 km to the north of the city centre, Victoria International Airport connects both international and domestic destinations, such as Calgary, Cancun, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Puerto Vallarta, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and also Vancouver. The main airlines include Air Canada, Air Transat, United Airlines and WestJet. Ground transportation at the airport includes shuttle buses, the BC Transit bus service, and official taxis operated by Yellow Cab, meaning that you can travel into Victoria city centre with relative ease.

Car Rental

Renting a car is a very popular way to travel outside of Victoria and will allow you to fully explore Vancouver Island at your own pace. Since there are no bridges connecting Vancouver Island with mainland Canada, those intending to drive further afield will need to rely upon car ferries, which are in plentiful supply and quite inexpensive. Places of interest on the island itself include Courtenay, Nanaimo, Port Alberni and Port Hardy, amongst others. Major car hire companies operate at the airport and also within downtown Victoria, being located along roads such as Douglas Street, Francis Avenue and Government Street.

Book your Victoria Car Rental here.

Buses and Coaches

Double-decker bus transport is one of the most popular and convenient ways to travel around Victoria and beyond. Discounted bus tickets are available in booklets of ten. Day bus passes are also on hand if you are intended to travel on buses extensively. Bus no. 7 is particularly popular and connects the busy Washington State Ferry Harbour in Sidney.

Trains

Railway transport in Victoria is operated by VIA Rail Canada and trains regularly travel along the easterly coastline of Vancouver Island, stopping en-route as destinations such as Courtenay, Malahat and Nanaimo. Each day there is one complete round trip, which originates from Victoria in the morning, and then returns from Courtenay later on in the day.

Boats and Ferries

Being sited on the Canadian island of Vancouver and next to the Saanich Peninsula, ferry transport is the main way to travel across the Strait of Georgia and reach mainland British Columbia. Just over 25 km / 16 miles to the north of Victoria, the BC Ferries Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal features regular ferry services to the Tsawwassen port at Vancouver. In Victoria itself, the Inner Harbour is home to a busy international ferry terminal, where car ferries and high-speed catamarans depart for Bellingham, Port Angelese and also Seattle, Washington State. Around the city itself, the Victoria Harbour Ferry travels to leading attractions, such as the Fairmont Empress Hotel, Fisherman's Wharf, the Ocean Point Resort and the Spinnakers Brewpub, amongst other stops surrounding the Inner Harbour.