Horseshoe Bay Terminal
Preparing for our future
Changes to travel for vehicles
All customers travelling by vehicle from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) need to book and pay in advance.
Drive-up fares are no longer available. This includes motorcycles, commercial vehicles, and tour operators. This change is only one-way, from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo (Departure Bay). Book your Prepaid and Saver fares now to secure your spot.
The booking window for sailings departing Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay have changed from two hours to one hour. This adjustment applies only at Horseshoe Bay during ongoing construction, giving customers more flexibility. These changes apply to Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay only and are not applied to any other routes serving the Horseshoe Bay terminal.
After you check in, check your lane assignment number on your ticket carefully, it may differ from what you're used to.
New features when booking online
Booking alerts
Booking alerts are now available when booking travel between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo (Departure Bay), which will allow you to subscribe to email notifications when space becomes available on previously sold out sailings.
Waitlist
We're introducing a waitlist feature for sailings in both directions between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo (Departure Bay), giving you a better chance of securing a spot when your preferred sailing is full.
Standard & oversized vehicles
- All vehicle travel from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (Nanaimo) must be booked and paid in advance.
- Drive-up fares and Reservation only fares are no longer available.
- Book your Prepaid and Saver fare early to secure your spot.
- This change applies one-way only for Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay. Bookings are recommended but not required for the return trip from Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to Horseshoe Bay.
- You will have two fare options:
- Prepaid Fares - book and pay in full at time of booking.
- Saver Fares - discounted fares on select sailings, book and pay in full at time of booking.
- Deck space continues to be available for emergency responders and Medical Assured Loading (MAL) customers.
- Check-in opens 120 minutes before sailing and closes 30 minutes prior. Early arrivals will be asked to return within this check-in window.
- If visiting Horseshoe Bay Village, ensure you're back at your vehicle 30 minutes before departure.
- For flexible plans, consider walking on. TransLink provides direct bus service to the terminal: view schedule here.
- There are no changes to fare options for travel between Horseshoe Bay and the Sunshine Coast (Langdale).
- Schedule adjustments have been made to create more time between peak sailings.
- The 5:30 pm Horseshoe Bay to Langdale sailing is moving to 6:05 pm in the shoulder season and 6:10 pm in off-peak season.
- Schedule changes on the Earls Cove to Saltery Bay, and Langdale - Gambier - Keats routes will align the updated Langdale schedule.
- Vehicle staging lanes at Horseshoe Bay will change. Check your lane number on your ticket before proceeding.
- There are no changes to fare options for travel between Horseshoe Bay and Bowen Island.
- The Queen of Capilano's passenger capacity has increased to 600, an increase of approximately 150 people.
- Vehicle staging lanes at Horseshoe Bay will change. Please check your lane number on your ticket before proceeding.
- If visiting Horseshoe Bay Village, return to your vehicle 30 minutes before departure.
Commercial
For travel from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo (Departure Bay)
- Commercial vehicle travel must be booked in advance.
- Commercial vehicles need to book in advance using the "Prepaid" fare type, but the fare structure and payment process remains unchanged.
- Drive-up fares are no longer be available.
Foot passenger or cyclist
- Foot passengers and cyclists can continue to sail from Horseshoe Bay terminal with or without a booking.
Foot passengers loading from the Main Car Deck (Cyclists and customers with pets) do not have access to the lower-level Bowen Island waiting room during the construction - access to washrooms and amenities is available via stairwell / elevator access to the upper level, waiting rooms A and B.
Tour operators
For travel from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo (Departure Bay)
- Tour operator travel must be booked in advance.
- Travelling with Open Tickets is no longer available.
- You can make bookings on your Master Business Account, or by emailing group.travel@bcferries.com.
Supporting your travel
Double the Saver fares
We're doubling the amount of Saver fare (from $49 - $89 for a car and driver) availability for all Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) sailings between Oct 15 and Mar 31, 2026.
60 min booking window
We’ve updated the booking window for Route 2 sailings departing Horseshoe Bay, shortening the cutoff for creating a new booking from two hours to one hour before departure. This refinement gives customers more flexibility to adjust their plans closer to travel while supporting smoother operations during construction.
Step-by-step journey plan
Get travel tips and resources to help you prepare for your trip from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) with this step-by-step journey plan.
Let's Connect: Horseshoe Bay
For full project details and to learn about community engagement we've done to date, visit our project engagement page.
Essential upgrades at Horseshoe Bay terminal
This fall, critical infrastructure upgrades have begun at Horseshoe Bay terminal, reducing available vehicle space by 25%. As a result, all customers travelling by vehicle from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (Nanaimo) need to book and pay in advance. This change is necessary to manage terminal capacity, prevent highway congestion and protect access for those who need to travel. We recognize this is a significant shift and are committed to supporting customers every step of the way. These changes are about keeping people moving safely while we upgrade one of our busiest and most space-constrained terminals.
Watch these short videos to learn more about the project and what to expect during construction.