Book in advance
Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Sunshine Coast (Langdale) is one of our busiest routes. We strongly recommend booking in advance. If bookings are sold out, we recommend travelling during less busy days and times. These include:
- Mid-week days
- Early morning or late evening sailings
Arriving at Horseshoe Bay in a vehicle
During busy travel times, look out for traffic flaggers as you approach the ticket booths at Horseshoe Bay. Let our staff know if you have a booking and they will direct you to the correct lane. Once at the terminal, listen to announcements and follow the direction of our staff who will guide you during boarding.
Arriving at Horseshoe Bay as a foot passenger
TransLink offers service between Vancouver and Horseshoe Bay via the 257 Horseshoe Bay Express or 250 Horseshoe Bay routes. Self-serve kiosks are available at the entrance to the departures building to purchase or your ticket or redeem your booking. Cyclists should buy their tickets at the foot passenger ticket office.
During peak travel times the pre-ticketing area can be busy, so arrive expecting a wait. Washrooms facilities are available but long lines can form quickly. Public washrooms are also available at Horseshoe Bay park from 7am to 10pm, a two-minute walk away.
Access to the village at Horseshoe Bay
If you arrive at Horseshoe Bay terminal with enough time to spare, you can leave your vehicle in your parking lane and walk into the village. Just remember to wait until your vehicle has been directed to its assigned lane and take your ticket with you.
Staying in your vehicle during the sailing
Passengers travelling between Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Sunshine Coast (Langdale) can stay in their vehicle for the duration of the sailing regardless of which deck they're on.
Travel assistance
Inform the ticket agent when you arrive at the ticket booth if you are travelling with a Travel Assistance Program (TAP) form, or if you have accessibility requirements like a wheelchair or mobility aid access.
View details on Medical Assured Loading (MAL)
Learn more about accessibility options
Snug Cove Berth Project Update
Starting January 8, we will be refreshing aging infrastructure at Snug Cove terminal on Bowen Island to maintain safe and reliable operations. The project is expected to be completed by the end of March 2024. We are asking customers to plan ahead for their travel during this time and we will be supporting customers during cancellations and closures with water taxis, shuttle bus service on Bowen Island, and discounted/ complimentary parking at Horseshoe Bay.
During the three month construction phase, most work will take place at night to minimize disruption of service. Modified schedules will be in place for sailings on Tuesday to Sunday which can be viewed here.
Travel to the upper Sunshine Coast
The distance from Langdale terminal to Earls Cove terminal is approximately 90 minutes driving time and the duration of the sailing from Earls Cove to Saltery Bay is 50 minutes.
From Saltery Bay, it’s about a 25 minute drive to Powell River and Westview terminal with service to Comox and Texada Island.
View transit options available from your departure and arrival terminal
Travelling northbound (Horseshoe Bay – Langdale and Earls Cove – Saltery Bay)
We schedule departure and arrival times at Earls Cove to provide enough time to drive between the Langdale and Earls Cove terminals.
Captains on the Saltery Bay – Earls Cove ferry (Malaspina Sky) regularly monitor the Horseshoe Bay – Langdale route to keep track of departure and arrival times, weather delays, traffic volumes and road conditions. They decide how long to hold the ferry for delayed traffic coming from another route based on:
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An expected 2 hour and 20 minute travel window between Horseshoe Bay and Earls Cove in normal conditions. Captains may extend this window due to poor weather, highway conditions, etc.
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Captains may delay departure from Earls Cove by up to 20 minutes. They balance the option to delay with the ability to make up time on their sailing and get back to the regular schedule. They also consider traffic volumes at Saltery Bay.
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During peak traffic in the summer, the Malaspina Sky’s Captain may not be able to delay the sailing for traffic. Accumulated delays can affect southbound customers planning to proceed to a sailing at Langdale.
If the ferry on the Horseshoe Bay – Langdale route is running behind schedule, the Malaspina Sky Captain will revise the departure time from Earls Cove.
Once confirmed, onboard staff will announce the new Earls Cove departure time on the ferry travelling from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale to ensure customers proceeding to Powell River are informed.
Northbound customers travelling on departures from Horseshoe Bay:
If the ferry departs 45 minutes late or more: