 Driving in Cumberland, Boomer Jerritt photo
Car Travel The Hwy 19 drive from Victoria to Cumberland (214km/133mi) is just under three hours. From Nanaimo, the drive (104km/65mi) is about 75 minutes. Cumberland town centre is approximately 2km/1.2mi off Highway 19, exit 117.
Oceanside Route When travelling between Nanaimo and Cumberland, Highway 19A or the Oceanside Route is the slower but more scenic approach recommended for leisurely travellers. There are frequent accesses to the Oceanside Route between Parksville and Campbell River, each well-marked by distinctive blue starfish signs. Highway 19 continues north to link the Comox Valley with Campbell River.
Rental Cars Comox Valley scenery is a stunning palette of mountains, ocean, rainforest, lakes and farmland. It lends itself easily to exploration. Secondary highways and roads are well-marked and well-maintained. Local maps and driving guides are excellent. Budget and National rental cars operate kiosks out of Comox Valley Airport.
Rail Travel "The Malahat" operated by Via Rail is a 4.5 hour rail route between Victoria and Courtenay, 8.4km/5.2mi north-east of Cumberland. The relaxed and scenic journey cherished by train buffs runs along the Strait of Georgia via Chemainus, Nanaimo, Parksville and Qualicum Beach. Train service is round trip daily. It makes additional stops on request. Talk about easy.
Air Travel The Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) (18.8km/11.7mi north-east of Cumberland) is a comfortable, efficient airport operating year round. Numerous direct flights from Vancouver International Airport, Calgary International Airport and Edmonton International Airport arrive daily. Pacific Coastal Airlines and Central Mountain Air offer convenient service to and from Vancouver. WestJet Airlines operates flights from Comox to Calgary with connections to Edmonton and points east. West Coast Air offers harbour-to-harbour flights between downtown Vancouver and the Comox Bay Marina. The Courtenay Airpark 8km/5mi from Cumberland has a 548.6m/1800ft runway designed for light aircraft and also accommodates floatplanes. Local bus and private shuttles service the airport. Ferry Travel BC Ferries operates one of the most sophisticated ferryboat systems in the world, serving almost 50 ports along the rugged BC coastline. Ferries operate several times daily between nearby Comox and Powell River on the mainland.
Bus Travel and Public Transportation Daily coach lines connect all points of Vancouver Island with the Mainland. Greyhound Coach Lines make several runs daily between Nanaimo/Victoria and Courtenay. The local Comox Valley Transit System provides bus service for Cumberland and the Comox Valley. Island Link Bus Service offers express bus passenger service between Cumberland and BC Ferries at Nanaimo-Departure Bay and also connects to other Island communities.
Maps The excellent Comox Valley Visitor's Guide comes complete with maps and detailed information about contemporary valley-life. The Heritage Experience Driving Tour of the Comox Valley is a 16-stop self-guided tour of the valley with GPS markings to ensure seamless exploration. Three Comox Valley Heritage Experience brochures feature walking and driving tours of the region. All are available at the Comox Valley Visitor Centre at 2040 Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay and the Cumberland Visitor Centre at 2680 Dunsmuir Avenue in Cumberland.
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