What to expect on the Vancouver to Victoria Ferry

Your guide to prices, onboard services, and how to enjoy the trip

I finally had a reason to take the Vancouver to Victoria ferry: to visit some wonderful spas on the island. On all my previous trips to British Columbia I’d never taken any boat, never mind the iconic ferry from the city of Vancouver to the island of Vancouver. (Yes, I used to find that confusing, too. Victoria is on Vancouver Island.) For a moment my BC friend and I contemplated taking the seaplane or helicopter! But for budget reasons it was an easy choice: let’s make it a road/boat trip, and take the waterways so I could enjoy beautiful scenery and maybe even spot some wildlife.

The voyage would be part of the adventure.

I found this ferry experience to be a very pleasant, but also that there was a lot to learn about getting around this part of the country.

In this post I share my honest experience on the Vancouver to Victoria ferry (and reverse) and give a no-fuss run-down of the prices, services on board, whether or not to pay for the lounge upgrade, and what I think is the best part of the trip.

Note that this information all applies to Victoria to Vancouver ferry to return also.

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How to get from Vancouver to Victoria via ferry

BC Ferries is the only game in town for public boat transport between Vancouver and Victoria.

The Vancouver to Victoria ferry runs year-round, several times per day (sometimes hourly in peak season), and serves walk-on passengers, folks on bikes, small and large vehicles.

(Don’t believe Chatgpt—there is no longer a fast ferry by V2V Vacations, they went out of business in 2020.)

If you don’t have a car, you can take a bus coach transfer from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria.

Can you go to Vancouver to Victoria on a day trip? Spoiler: I really thought it was closer!

Sure, it’s possible. But you’ll spend most of your time in transit.

The first thing I learned is that Vancouver to Victoria ferry does not leave from Vancouver, nor arrive in Victoria. So the hour-and-a-half ferry ride actually takes a lot longer.

From Vancouver, you have to get to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal in Delta BC. That’s about 35km from downtown Vancouver. Depending on traffic this could take 40 minutes, or 90 minutes. And you’ll want to arrive at the ferry between 45 minutes and one hour in advance of departure.

After about 90 minutes the ferry drops you on Vancouver Island at Swartz Bay. It’s another 31km to Victoria. Again, depending on traffic that takes 30 minutes to an hour.

Total travel time: Minimum 3.5 hours, up to five hours one way.

I’m very happy we spent the night in Victoria. We were on a tight timeline, or I would say for the travel time, it’s more worthwhile to spend at least two nights.

What does the Vancouver to Victoria ferry cost?

To be honest, this was also more than I expected. In my defence I live in Toronto, where our one ferry is a 15-minute ride over to the Islands, that costs about $10. This is like a mini cruise on a large ferry that fits over 350 cars.

There are different tiers of pricing. Let’s start with people in cars – as that’s most passengers. Note that these fares are all for one way only.

The cheapest fare is the “Super Saver” – which starts at $49 for one car and one driver. Those are only on select off-peak sailings, like the first or last one of the day.

It’s more likely you’ll pay between $80 to $115. This depends on the date/time of your sailing, the size of your vehicle, whether you make a reservation in advance, whether you pre-pay, etc.

The cheapest fare (other than Super Saver) is to show up at the terminal and take your chances there’s space once all the reservation cars have got on. That’s $95. To me, if you’re on a tight travel schedule the savings aren’t worth the risk to have to wait around another hour for the next available boat.

Extra passengers cost $20 per person. ($15 on the Super Saver fares.)

For reference, my friend and I paid $125 for one small car and two people for the Vancouver to Victoria ferry on a Tuesday at 9am.

What it like on the ferry?

My first BC ferry onboard experience was pretty cool. I found it fun just driving onto the boat then leaving our car below while we explored before the ferry took off.

There seemed to be a rush to grab seats inside at the front near the big windows—so with a good view but no weather. I spent my time instead wandering around the outdoor decks  (which they called “Sun deck” which I think is pretty optimistic in BC) thinking about how much I used to watch the Love Boat as a kid. But I digress…

Inside the ferry they had:

• A gift shop with clothing and touristy merch
• A cafeteria with basic food and drink
• Snack and soda vending machine
• Pet zones
• Kids’ zones
• Spaces to work

There is supposed to be free Wi-Fi. It was not working on my trip and the gift shop ladies said that’s pretty normal, so I wouldn’t count on a connection.

Most passengers seemed to locals, or at least regulars who weren’t too excited to be there, just getting from A to B. Not me! I walked up and down checking out every spot and looking at the scenery.

A scenic journey

My favourite part of taking the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria was the views. This is one of the prettiest waterways in all of Canada.

Leaving the Tsawwassen terminal we head out in the Salish Sea towards the Gulf Islands. It’s partly cloudy but that also means a little bit sunny, and I’ll take it. I’ve read that several wonderful mammals live in this area—including whales! It is not the right time of year for whale watching but, hey, you never know? Sadly, no humpbacks or orcas or even sea lions appeared on my trip, but it was still beautiful without any wildlife sightings.

The ferry glides through calm, glassy water, arriving at narrow channels that take us through a chain of small islands.  To the left and right are rocky shorelines, some with steep sandstone cliffs, and the glorious green of the Central Pacific coastal forests. I spot a red-and-white lighthouse: The Georgina Point Lighthouse, according to a map on board. Dating back to the late 1800s, according to the internet once I got back to wi-fi.

If you’re from the West Coast, this might seem ordinary and every day. For me, it was a real treat. I only went inside when I got hungry—but we were already arriving at Swartz Bay. Time to drive to Victoria!

The Seawest Lounge Upgrade: Is it worth it?

On the Vancouver to Victoria ferry ride I noticed a private lounge. So on the return trip, I decided to pay for the upgrade and see if it increased my enjoyment.

The Seawest Lounge charges $14.00 to to access, which gets you unlimited coffee, tea, juice, and pastries, plus a selection of newspapers and magazine. But what you’re really paying for is quiet.

When I said most passengers on the ferry didn’t seem excited, I meant adults. The kids, well, of course they are excited. And noisy. In the lounge, they are serious about providing a different environment. They will shush you.

Between the snacks and the noise-free atmosphere I think it was a good value. I would recommend adding some power outlets. (There aren’t many on board and my phone batter was often low from taking pics and videos of all the scenery.)

That said, I still wanted to be outside so didn’t spend that much time in the lounge. If the weather was really bad, I feel it would definitely be the place to be.

Final Ferry thoughts

If you want to visit Victoria from Vancouver, and you don’t have the budget to fly, you don’t have much choice but to take the ferry. I feel like BC Ferries could take advantage of that and do the minimum. They don’t.

The boat was perfectly comfortable and ran on time. Do I wish there was better food on board? Sure. Mostly I wish there was a ferry from the city of Vancouver to the city of Victoria, without the extra driving time. But that is what it is.

My tips for a smooth sailing? Reserve ahead, especially on weekends or holidays. Some sailings do sell out. Arrive an hour early. Bring layers so you can enjoy being outside, in any weather. Then relax and enjoy beautiful British Columbia.

Looking for things to do in Victoria? Check out my unique and unusual Victoria picks, or reviews of Oak Bay Beach and Ritual spas.