By air, ferry, or on land, getting to and travelling around Victoria is relaxing, easy, and enjoyable…
Greater Victoria is located on Vancouver Island, a massive island of 32,261 square kilometres just off the west coast of Canada, and is very easily accessed from anywhere in the world.
Options for getting here include dozens of daily direct and connecting commercial flights from major centres, including Vancouver, Seattle, Calgary, San Francisco, and Toronto. These flights arrive at Victoria International Airport, which is located in Sidney, a 30-minute drive north from downtown Victoria.
Floatplane service from downtown Vancouver and Seattle to downtown Victoria is also available. These fast, frequent harbour-to-harbour flights are a favourite among business travellers, favoured not only for convenience and frequency of flights, but also for scenery. Helicopter service is also available.
All flights, regardless of type, between Victoria and the Mainland are quick: 30 minutes from Vancouver and 45 minutes from Seattle.
Ferry service between Vancouver and Greater Victoria is an option if you are travelling by vehicle, on foot, or by coach. There are at least eight round-trip sailings daily between Vancouver and Victoria’s Swartz Bay terminal 30 minutes north of Victoria by car. Sailing time is approximately one hour and 35 minutes one way and on-board ferry facilities include dining, newsstands, and meeting rooms.
Ferry service to Victoria is also available from several points in Washington State: Seattle (passengers only), Port Angeles (vehicles and passenger), Anacortes (vehicles and passengers), and Bellingham (seasonal/passengers only).
Once you’re here, your travel choices include airporter and taxi services, public transit, and car rentals, as well as motorcycle, scooter, and bicycle rentals. If you want to explore Vancouver Island, car and RV rentals, train service, and bus service are available.
