Travel advisory: Busy weekend expected View ×

Posted: Thursday, July 30, 2026

Busy weekend expected

BC Day long weekend is the busiest weekend of the year for ferry travel on the coast. Our major routes between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island are expected to be at or near capacity for vehicles during peak times.

Be prepared for sailing waits if a booking has not been made in advance of travel. Depending on when you arrive, there may be limited or no space available for drive-up vehicles. Check Current Conditions before leaving for the terminal for the latest sailing and capacity information, and check Service Notices for operational updates.

If your plans are flexible, consider taking transit and travel as a foot passenger. Walk-on bookings are available on our major routes at no additional cost and are recommended to help secure your preferred sailing. BC Day long weekend travel tips can be found here.

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Service notice - Sailing Delay

Posted:   Thursday, July 30, 2026

Issued: 7:56 pm

Our 7:00 pm sailing from Swartz Bay (Victoria) to Otter Bay (Pender Island) departed 33 minutes behind schedule due to crew taking time to get extra vehicles loaded where possible given today’s heavy volume of traffic.

We expect the 8:00 pm departing Otter Bay, the 9:00 pm departing Swartz Bay, and the 9:50 pm sailing departing Otter Bay to Swartz Bay to also be delayed.

For up-to-date sailing and departure information, check Current Conditions, follow @BCFerries on X or phone 1-888-223-3779 for further assistance.

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Subscribers receive updates on sailing cancellations, and delays of 60 minutes or more on major routes between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island or the Sunshine Coast, and 30 minutes or more on minor routes. To see all updates and check the status of your sailing on your day of travel, visit Current Conditions.

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