A BC Ferries schedule is essential reading for the vast majority of visitors to Denman Island.
Charter floatplane and water taxi service is also available. There are no buses or taxis on the island, but Denmanites routinely offer lifts to hitchhikers and other footloose visitors.
BC Ferries
Reaching Denman Island by car, bike, or on foot requires a 10-minute trip from the BC Ferries terminal at Buckley Bay, an hour's drive north of Nanaimo on the road to Courtenay (via either the multi-lane Highway 19 or the scenic Oceanside Route through Parksville and Qualicum Beach).
Ships operate at hourly intervals, daily, year-round, with bonus sailings running during the summer peak schedule.
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Important note for those transferring onward to Hornby Island: The last sailing from Denman's Gravelly Bay dock is in the early evening six days a week (except Fridays, when service is available until the late evening).
BC Ferries provides regular service to Nanaimo and Swartz Bay (near Victoria) from its terminals at Horseshoe Bay and Tsawwassen on the BC mainland. Island visitors from the US often arrive via the Black Ball Ferry (Port Angeles, WA to Victoria) or Washington State Ferries (Anacortes, WA to Sidney, BC).
Bus and Train Service
IslandLink's shuttle bus to Vancouver Island's major airports, ferry terminals, and east-coast population centres makes regular daily stops at the Buckley Bay terminal. So too does Greyhound. Comox Valley Transit's Route #10 hugs the coastal Island Highway (#19A) on runs from downtown Courtenay to Buckley Bay. Island Rideshare facilitates travel for strangers-turned-friends in the Comox Valley region.
VIA Rail offers daily service between Victoria and Courtenay. The Buckley Bay stop is directly across the road from the ferry terminal.
Air Travel
Domestic and some international flights via Air Canada, WestJet, Transat, Pacific Coastal Airlines, and Central Mountain Air fly regularly into the Comox Valley Airport (1250 Knight Road, Comox; use exit #117 off Highway 19). This modern facility is about 40 minutes north of the Buckley Bay ferry terminal. Rental cars are available at the airport.
Those looking for a fast, direct route to the island can charter flights with Harbour Air or Saltspring Air from Vancouver International Airport's (YVR) south terminal.
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Transportation Service Providers