Many of Northern BC's island and coastal towns and cities rely on ferries to get around. Travelling by ferry has other advantages for travellers – this is a prime area for spotting whales, sea lions and birds.
Scheduled sailings onboard BC Ferries take you through the Inside Passage from Port Hardy on Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert. They also run from Prince Rupert across to the Queen Charlotte Islands.
The BC Ministry of Transportation runs a small fleet of inland ferries as part of the highway system where there are no bridges spanning lakes and rivers. This service is free of charge. There are no terminals; just drive right onto the ferry.
Coastal Ferry Services
BC Ferries
Between mid May and late September, BC Ferries offers non-stop vehicle/passenger services along the Inside Passage between Port Hardy, on the northern tip of Vancouver Island, and Prince Rupert. This spectacularly scenic route is sheltered from the Pacific Ocean's turbulent waters by an archipelago of islands along BC's coast. The 15 hour, 507km (315mi) journey takes travellers past rocky shoreline, temperate rainforest, waterfalls that plummet into the ocean, abandoned fish canneries and lighthouses.
Vehicle/passenger services also connect Prince Rupert with Skidegate on the Queen Charlotte Islands. The 172km (107mi) journey across Hecate Strait takes 6.5 hours. Reservations are required for both routes so book well in advance. This journey can be done as part of the Heritage Discovery Circle Route.
Alaska Marine Highway System
The Alaska Marine Highway System provides scheduled services from communities in southeast Alaska to Prince Rupert.
Inland Ferries
Ferries shuttle passengers and vehicles across the region's rivers and lakes. There are no ferry terminals, just drive up and load free-of-charge.
Francois Lake Ferry: Crosses Francois Lake between the towns of Francois Lake and Southbank.
Usk Ferry: Crosses the Skeena River between south and north Usk.
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