Vancouver Island is served by a network of well-maintained multi-lane highways. Qualicum Beach's town centre is approximately 3km/2mi off Highway 19 (exit 60).
The more scenic road into town – the aptly named Oceanside Route (aka Highway 19A or the West Island Highway) – begins a short distance east of Parksville (exit 46 off Highway 19). Parksville is also located along several unique driving routes.
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).
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Public Transportation
The Nanaimo Regional Transit System provides regularly scheduled morning, afternoon and early evening service linking the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre with Parksville's Wembley Mall (route 89) and Nanaimo's Woodgrove Centre (route 90).
Bus
Greyhound buses deliver passengers to Qualicum Beach twice daily from points north and south. Buses arrive and depart from the Visitor Centre.
Air Travel
Orca Airways and KD Air's single-engine planes fly to Qualicum Beach from Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The breathtaking 30-minute flights arrive a few times daily in the winter (November to April) and several times per day in the summer. Qualicum Beach Airport, a small facility with a single asphalt runway, is located on the southeastern edge of town. Regional flights, mostly from Vancouver, also land at airports in Campbell River, Nanaimo and Comox.
Maps
The Oceanside Tourism Association's Pocket Guide, a free publication produced annually, features nine maps that thoroughly cover a region that includes Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Nanoose, Coombs and Errington. A full street index for these areas is included with the detailed maps. The Pocket Guide can be picked up at the Visitor Centre, along with a handy, large-format town map courtesy of the Chamber of Commerce.
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Transportation Service Providers
Transportation & Maps
Qualicum Beach