Campbell River is perfectly situated to enjoy all the delights of Vancouver Island’s ocean-to-alpine scenery and the activities it provides. Our coastal locale means you can go from a morning beach walk with the potential of spotting whales and other marine wildlife to hiking, mountain biking, and trail running in our extensive forest trail systems in the afternoon. Our rivers and coastal waters are renowned for recreational fishing opportunities—we’re not known as the Salmon Capital of Canada for nothing!
Travelers can reach Campbell River via direct flights to Campbell River Airport, connections through Comox Valley Airport, seasonal floatplanes, ferries from the mainland, or by bus and bike along scenic coastal routes.
How To Get to Campbell River by Plane
There are three ways to arrive in Campbell River by airplane. Campbell River Airport is a fifteen-minute drive from the heart of Campbell River’s downtown, with an airport shuttle and taxis available. Car rentals are available at the airport from National Car Rental with pre-booking recommended. Further south, the Comox Valley Airport is a popular choice for connecting flights and is a scenic 45-minute coastal drive, with ride shares, taxis, airport shuttles, and even bus transit available. Car rentals are available at the Comox Valley Airport from Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Budget Car Rental, and National Car Rental.
Seasonal floatplane flights are also available with Harbour Air from Vancouver Harbour to the Comox Valley Marina—a 50-minute drive along the Old Island 19A Highway to Campbell River, with buses also available. Private seaplane charters can also place you right in the heart of Campbell River at Tyee Spit with CorilAir Charters—seasonal scheduled flights from Vancouver are also usually available between June and September.
How To Get to Campbell River by Car and Ferry
There are several ferry gateways to Vancouver Island from the North American mainland. From Vancouver, visitors can take the ferry from the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal just north of the city to Departure Bay in Nanaimo. The drive from Departure Bay to Campbell River is about an hour and forty-five minutes, although most travellers allow for two hours.
Ferries from Tsawwassen, south of Vancouver, arrive at Duke Point in Nanaimo. This route adds ten to fifteen minutes to your drive time to Campbell River. From Tsawwassen, BC Ferries also travels to Swartz Bay just north of Victoria on the Saanich Peninsula. Visitors might spend a few days exploring BC’s capital city before enjoying the three-hour scenic drive to Campbell River. Those travelling from the US can also take the historic M.V. Coho ferry with the Black Ball Ferry Line from Port Angeles to Victoria. Those travelling without a car can also arrive in Victoria via the Victoria Clipper passenger vessel from Seattle with Clipper Vacations.
BC Ferries also has a route from Powell River on the Sunshine Coast to Little River in Comox, which is then a 45-minute drive from Campbell River.
How To Get to Campbell River by Bus
One primary private bus company services Vancouver Island from Victoria up to Port Hardy: Island Link. The best places to get on to connect with ferries and flights are at the Departure Bay ferry terminal in Nanaimo, the Little River ferry terminal in Comox, or from the Driftwood Mall in Courtenay (you’ll need to get a bus or taxi from the Comox Valley Airport to here). BC Transit public buses also connect the Comox Valley to Campbell River—visitors can take the number 12 or number 5 bus from Courtenay to Oyster River where they change onto the number 6 bus to Campbell River.
Bikepacking to Campbell River
Bikepacking along the Inland Island Highway 19 and the Old Island Highway 19A is also a popular way to travel from the Comox Valley to Campbell River. Cyclists should be mindful that there are minimal or no bike lanes on either stretch of road. The Inland Island Highway 19 is straighter but with more incline. The Old Island Highway 19A is particularly picturesque as you travel through rolling farmland with mountain views, and right along the oceanfront as the road winds its way north.
