Port Alberni is an easy hour-long drive from Vancouver Island's southcentral east coast along the scenic Pacific Rim Highway (aka Hwy #4).
Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, is 193km/120mi to the south. Transportation options include car travel, ferry service, public transportation, and flights to Port Alberni Airport and other locations.
Traffic from Nanaimo (82km/51mi distant) and other eastern Vancouver Island towns exit off the multi-lane Highway 19 at Parksville onto Highway #4A (aka the Old Alberni Highway). The ribbon of tarmac rolls smoothly past Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, Cameron Lake, and the old-growth giants of Cathedral Grove before climbing high on a vertical ascent past Mount Arrowsmith and then down into the Alberni Valley.
Hang a left when heading for downtown Port Alberni and the Harbour Quay area via the Port Alberni Highway/Redford Road route. Or stay on Highway 4 (now known as Johnston Road) as it passes by a series of major shopping malls before continuing onwards (as the Pacific Rim Highway) towards Tofino and Ucluelet. Car rentals are available in Port Alberni.
Ferry Travel
BC Ferries provides automobile and foot passenger service on a frequent basis year-round to terminals in Nanaimo and Swartz 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 Port Alberni/Clayoquot Transit System operates four routes throughout town, three of which start their runs at the Alberni Mall/Pacific Rim Centre on Johnston Road. Take the #2 Gertrude line to the Harbour Quay area of shops, restaurants and waterfront walkabouts. The #1 (Ian Avenue) and #3 (River Road) lines also skirt this downtown area along Third Avenue. There's no bus service on Sundays and statutory holidays.
The Tofino Bus and Greyhound buses make regular stops in Port Alberni. The bus terminal is at 4541 Margaret Avenue, one block north of the waterfront a half block south of Johnston Road (aka Highway 4).
Air Travel
KD Air offers four daily scheduled flights year-round from Port Alberni Airport (YPB) to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) aboard single-engine Cessna and Piper airplanes. The airport is a short drive northwest of town. The closest major departure point is Nanaimo Airport, an hour's drive east of Port Alberni. Air Canada offers a schedule of daily flights to and from Vancouver International Airport.
Sea-to-Sky Air, meanwhile, flies from Nanaimo to Whistler, 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.
Maps
The Visitor Centre is located at the fork in the road on the eastern outskirts of town; an area map and tide guide to the Alberni Valley is available here.
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