Which Ferry to Vancouver
 

Which ferry should I use when traveling from Victoria to Vancouver to access Highway 1 East? Thanks.

Just take the ferry at Schwartz Bay to Tsawwassen. Its a simple matter to get on Highway 1. BC ferries has a good site to help you out:www.bcferries.com

From a time point of view the Swartz bay - Tsawassen route will be fastest although a little more complicated. On exiting the ferry you go up Hwy 17 to its intersection with #99. Take the southbound, (US border) exit on 99 to the Highway #10 exit which is a rather slow route about 20 Klicks, (12 miles) to it's intersection with Hwy #1 East.<BR><BR>A less complicated but about an hour longer route would be to take the Island Hwy #1/#19 to Nanaimo, take the ferry from there to Horseshoe Bay and when you get off the Ferry you're on #1 East. From a scenic viewpoint and if time is not a great issue this is the route I would take.

Gary:<BR>Your number 2 route is at least 3.5 hr longer.Are you forgetting the drive from Victoria to Nanaimo?

No way it takes 3 hours to drive from Victoria to Nanaimo. Subtract the half hour it takes to drive from Victoria to Swartz Bay and the roughly 20 minutes saved compared to Tsawassen-Langley Junction as compared to Horseshoe Bay to Langley Junction and you're talking roughly one hour more travel time on option 2. But even if it's more than that what we are talking about is a more scenic and less complicated route as compared to a traffic cloged complicated and not especially interesting route.

Gary:<BR>I didn't say it took 3 hr to drive from Victoria to Nanaimo, I said your total route would be about 3 hr longer ( Ok, perhaps 2hr )<BR><BR>Victoria - Nanaimo 2hr<BR>Nan-Horseshoe Bay 1:40 ( ferry )<BR>Horseshoe Bay - Langley ( 1 hr )<BR>Total 4hr 40 min ( probably closer to 5 )<BR><BR>Victoria - Swartz Bay 30min<BR>Swartz Bay - Tsawwassen 1:40min<BR>Tsawwassen - Langley 40 min<BR>Total 2hr 50 min<BR><BR>However, the ferries from Nan-H Bay are smaller than the odd hour ferries fron Swartz Bay and there is a far greater chance of have a one or two sailing wait from Nanaimo than there is from Swartz Bay. Also, the route through H Bay means having to go over three major bridges that can cause heavy delays.<BR><BR>I guess on any given day, depending on traffic and time of day, the nanaimo route could be faster but generally not so.<BR><BR>Whatever way the person wants to chose, it would be advisable to have a reservation --see www.bcferries.com.

It is summertime. Time to tear up the highway now that everybody wants to use it.<BR>My neighbour said three hours to Naniamo last Thursday. One half hour without moving and it was almost 30 degrees without any wind.

OK, good, fine. Take the Swartz Bay route. I respectfully yield to more powerful arguments. However I was only trying to provide a viable if lengthier alternative.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions. I've never before taken a ferry and the trip from Anacortes to Sidney will be my first. You all seem to recommend having a reservation. How early does one need to arrive if you have a reservation?

Gary.<BR>No offense meant man.<BR>When I take my scoot to the interior, my favorite road is to Naniamo, Horseshoe Bay, Whistler, Lilloette and on.<BR>The downside is if you are in a car there are no overtaking possibilities.<BR><BR>On a mobike, well there is the opposing lane, the shoulder etc.