 Driving in Duncan, Jeff Bateman photo
Car Travel To reach Duncan's historic old town centre, northbound traffic from Victoria can take a left at Trunk Road (the first stoplight after crossing the Cowichan River bridge). Southbound traffic from up-island can utilize Canada Avenue after turning right off the highway at Beverly Street (site of Thrifty Foods). From Victoria and the south, the earliest access point to the eastern half of the Cowichan Valley is at Kilmalu Road north of Mill Bay. The road winds past wineries, farmgate stands, lakes and sheltered ocean bays as it links Cherry Point, Cowichan Bay, Maple Bay, Crofton, and Chemainus. Exits onto Cowichan Bay Road and Herd Road (south and north of Duncan respectively) also merge into this warm lands scenic route. Car rentals are available in Victoria and Nanaimo. Ferry Travel BC Ferries provides vehicle and foot passenger service on a frequent basis year-round to terminals in Nanaimo and Schwartz Bay (near Victoria). 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..
Public Transportation The Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System offers a dozen bus routes linking Duncan with surrounding communities. Village Green Mall and the old-town Duncan train station are common points of depature/arrival for most of these routes. Buses travel on regular schedules to Mount Prevost, Quamichan, Maple Bay, Shawnigan Lake (via either Mill Bay or Cobble Hill), Crofton-Chemainus, Cowichan Lake, and Gordon Bay. Greyhound Canada departs at least a half-dozen times daily from its downtown depot (180 Central Way at the west end of the shopping plaza at the junction of Trunk Road and the Trans-Canada). Trains The Malahat (train 198 in the VIA Rail passenger fleet) stops in Duncan twice daily: in the morning on its way north to Courtney; and then again in the afternoon while returning south to Victoria. It's ideal for a daytrip of shopping, lunch, and a tour of the totem poles.
Air Travel Float planes fly into Maple Bay and small aircraft can land at the Duncan Airport southwest of town. The closest major departure point is Nanaimo Airport, less than a half-hour north of Duncan. Air Canada offers a schedule of daily flights to and from Vancouver International Airport. Sea-to-Sky Air flies from Nanaimo to Whistler (site of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games) as well as other spots on Vancouver Island and coastal BC. Harbour Air, the largest all-seaplane company in the world with a fleet of 30 aircraft, offers daily service from Vancouver to Nanaimo's inner harbour. Victoria International Airport is just more than an hour from Duncan. Air Canada, Pacific Coastal Airlines, WestJet, United Express, and Horizon Air, among other airlines, provide direct domestic and international service to many North American destinations. Pick up area maps at the Duncan Visitor Centre.
|