How to get to Ucluelet: By car, bus and plane (2026 guide)

Located on Vancouver Island’s rugged west coast, Ucluelet (pronounced “you-clue-let”) is one of my favourite places on Vancouver Island. Here you’ll find rocky coastlines, old-growth rainforests and an abundance of wildlife. Of course, being so remote makes getting there quite the adventure! I’ve been four times over the past six years, so I’ve put together this guide to explain exactly how to get Ucluelet by car, bus or plane.

This blog post explains the best ways to get to Ucluelet – whether you’re driving, using public transport, or flying from major hubs like Vancouver, Victoria, or Seattle. I’ve also added info on how to get to Ucluelet without a car for those of you who don’t drive or have your own vehicle.

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Getting to Ucluelet: By car, bus or plane

Ucluelet is a small coastal town located on the outer west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, it’s a 4-hour drive north-west from Victoria, the provincial capital, and about 3 hours west of Nanaimo. Port Alberni is the closest city to the east of Ucluelet (approximately 100 km), and Tofino is about 40 km northwest. Whereas Tofino has stretches of pristine sandy beaches, Ucluelet’s coastline is rocky and dramatic, with secluded beaches nestled along the shore.

How to get to Ucluelet by car

Whether you’re starting from Vancouver, Victoria or Seatle, the journey to Ucluelet is absolutely beautiful. I’ve done the drive from Vancouver to Ucluelet 6 times, and it never gets old. That’s why it’s one of my favourite road trips in British Columbia.

Best option if:

You have a car and want to do a road trip across Vancouver Island.

Travel times:

From Vancouver: 196 km (2.5 hours driving and 2.5 hours by ferry)
From Nanaimo: 182 km (2.5 hours driving)
From Victoria: 290 km (4 hours driving)
From Seattle: 483 km (6 hours driving + 2.5 hours by ferry)

Vancouver to Ucluelet by car (via Nanaimo)

The most common way to get to Ucluelet from Vancouver is to take the ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and drive. There are two different ferry routes depending on where you’re coming from in Vancouver:

Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo Departure Bay Terminal: If you’re coming from Downtown, West Vancouver or North Vancouver, Horseshoe Bay is the best option. The ferry sailing time is about 1h 40 minutes.
Tsawwassen to Nanaimo Duke Point Terminal: Tsawwassen is located 45 minutes south of downtown Vancouver. If you’re coming from Richmond, Burnaby or Surrey, I’d recommend opting for this ferry route. The crossing is around 2 hours.

From Nanaimo, it’s about a 2.5-to-3-hour drive to Ucluelet. But I personally recommend factoring in a LOT more time than that because it is such a gorgeous drive!

I’ve listed out my favourite spots in my Victoria to Ucluelet and Tofino road trip guide.

You’ll head north on Highway 19 before turning west onto Highway 4. After about an hour, you’ll reach Port Alberni where Highway 4 turns into the Pacific Rim Highway. Continue along this road for another hour or so until you reach the T-junction next to the Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (Tourism Ucluelet). The turnoff for Ucluelet is on the left; the one for Tofino is on the right. From here, it’s a 10-minute drive to Ucluelet town.

Update for 2026:

As of April 8, 2026, you must book your vehicle in advance if you travel on the Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo Departure Bay route. You won’t be able to show up without a booking. This only applies to this route.

2026 Ferry costs:

Prices vary depending on the sailing and how far in advance you book. The standard rate is $75 one way per vehicle (increasing to $89 as of April 8, 2026) plus $20 per adult or $10 per child aged 5 – 11. Check prices >

Victoria to Ucluelet by car

From Victoria, you’ll drive up Highway 1 before joining Highway 19 at Nanaimo and then turning onto Highway 4. Once you reach Port Alberni, Highway 4 turns into the Pacific Rim Highway. You’ll continue along this road for another hour or so until you reach the T-junction next to the Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (Tourism Ucluelet). The turnoff for Ucluelet is on the left; the one for Tofino is on the right. From here, it’s a 10-minute drive to Ucluelet town.

Travel tip: If you’re coming from Vancouver and are planning to visit Victoria or Sooke as part of the same trip, take the ferry from Tsawwassen to Victoria Swartz Bay Terminal. The ferry sailing time is about 1h 30 minutes. The standard rate is $75 one way per vehicle (increasing to $89 as of April 8, 2026) plus $20 per adult or $10 per child aged 5 – 11.

Seattle to Ucluelet by car

If you decide to drive from Seattle to Ucluelet, your best option is to take a ferry from Seattle to Victoria or Vancouver and then drive from there. Depending on where you’re coming from in Seattle, there are two options:

Port Angeles (Washington) to Victoria (Inner Harbour): If you’re coming from Washington or Oregon, you can hop over to Vancouver Island from Port Angeles via the Black Ball Ferry. You’ll arrive in Victoria’s Inner Harbour in 90 minutes. There are 4 different daily departures from Port Angeles – 8:20am, 12:45pm, 5:51pm and 9:30pm. The return ferries depart at 6:10am, 10:30am, 3pm and 7:30pm each day. Once you arrive, follow the same directions as above on how to get to Ucluelet from Victoria. The drive takes about 4.5 hours.
Tsawwassen to Nanaimo Duke Point Terminal: The other option is to drive from Seattle to Vancouver and take the ferry from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo. The crossing is around 2 hours. From Nanaimo, it’s about a 2.5-to-3-hour drive to Ucluelet. Once you arrive at Nanaimo, follow the instructions above to get to Ucluelet.

2026 Ferry costs:

Prices vary depending on the sailing and how far in advance you book but the standard rate for the Vancouver ferry is $75 one way per vehicle ($89 as of April 6, 2026) plus $20 per adult or $10 per child aged 5 – 11. Black Ball Ferry costs $78 USD one way for a vehicle and driver. Check prices here >

How to get to Ucluelet without a car

One of the most common questions I get is ‘how do I get to Ucluelet without a car?’. While having a car definitely makes things easier, with a bit of careful planning you can get there without one. I’ve done it twice now – here are your options:

Best option if:

You don’t have a car or don’t want to drive and are happy to use public transport to get around once you arrive.

Travel times:

From Vancouver: 6 hours
From Nanaimo: 2.5 hours
From Victoria: 6 hours
From Seattle: 8+ hours

Tofino Express Bus

The Tofino Express Bus is a great, reliable service that runs daily, all-year round making it easy to get to Ucluelet without a car. The direct bus starts from Nanaimo and goes all the way to the Pacific Rim Visitor Centre at Ucluelet Junction. You can book in advance, and it costs $75 per person each way.

If you’re coming from Vancouver:

You have two options:

Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo Departure Bay: You can take the #257 bus (operated by Translink) from downtown Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal and take the ferry as a foot passenger to Nanaimo Departure Bay. Once you get to Nanaimo, you can get the Tofino Express Bus to Ucluelet. You’ll need to catch the early ferry from Horseshoe Bay (8:35am) as the bus departs from Nanaimo Departure Bay ferry terminal at 10:40am.

Downtown Vancouver to downtown Nanaimo: Hullo now offers a fast and convenient foot passenger ferry between downtown Vancouver and downtown Nanaimo. Ferry prices vary depending on the level of service you choose but range from $39.99 for Comfort to $59.99 for Business (2026 prices). You’ll then need to get a taxi to Departure Bay ferry terminal to get the bus.

If you’re coming from Victoria:

You can jump on the Tofino Express Bus to Nanaimo (the 8:05am departure) and change onto the Nanaimo 10:40am service to Ucluelet. The total price is $110 per person each way.

Coming from Seattle? You can travel as a foot passenger on the Victoria Clipper from downtown Seattle to Victoria’s Inner Harbour. The ferry departs from downtown Seattle and arrives at the Belleville Terminal in Victoria’s Inner Harbour in less than 3 hours. There is one daily departure at 8am from Seattle so you’ll need to stay overnight in Victoria and then get the bus the following morning. The return ferry departs at 5pm each day from Victoria Harbour. Prices vary depending on how far in advance you book but the standard rate is $225 USD return per adult (2026 prices). Check prices >

From Nanaimo, the trip takes about 2.5 hours so you’ll arrive at Ucluelet Junction around 1:15pm. This is about 8 kms from the town of Ucluelet so you’ll need to get a taxi or wait for the local BC Transit bus.

The Tofino Express Bus is a great way to get to Ucluelet if you don’t have a car. Each seat has USB charging points and there is also free Wi-Fi.

BC Transit West Coast

BC Transit’s West Coast bus service runs daily between Tofino and Ucluelet and is a great way to get around without a car. It runs weekdays between 7am and 11pm and on weekends from 7am to 9pm. Here’s a map of the route – you can find the schedule with all the times on their website.

A single ride costs $5 for adults and a day pass costs $10. You can either pay in cash (make sure you have the exact amount as they don’t give change) or through the Umo Mobility app. As someone who doesn’t usually carry cash, I found the Umo app really helpful on my last trip as I used this bus service a few times.

Travel tip: If you fly into Tofino Harbour terminal, walk up past the Tofino Resort & Marina and you’ll find the bus stop to Ucluelet on the opposite side of the road. It’s very convenient!

Ucluelet Taxi

If you need a taxi to pick you up from the airport or from the Visitor Centre/ Ucluelet Junction, Ucluelet Taxi is a local company you can use. I recommend calling them and booking in advance.

Coastal Rides

You won’t find Uber or Lyft on the West Coast but they do have their own ride-hailing service, Coastal Rides. Just download their app and you can enter your pickup and drop off location to get an estimated price and pickup time. You can even book your ride up to 7 days in advance. They have limited drivers so I do recommend booking in advance where you can to guarantee your ride.

Flying to Ucluelet

If you’re planning to visit Ucluelet for the weekend, you could skip the drive and fly. Some places are easier to fly from than others. Here’s an overview:

Best option if:

You only have a weekend and want to make the most of your time in Ucluelet.

Travel times:

From Vancouver: 2 hours
From Victoria: 3.5 hours
From Seattle: 4.5 hours

Vancouver to Ucluelet by air

You can fly from Vancouver to the Tofino-Long Beach Airport (YAZ) with Pacific Coastal Airlines. It’s a quick 45-minute flight followed by a 30-minute drive to Ucluelet. This is definitely the fastest option, but it is more expensive as you’ll need to factor in car hire or taxi costs.

Another option is to book a seaplane flight with Harbour Air. The views from the plane are absolutely breathtaking and it only takes an hour – so you’ll have a lot more time in Ucluelet! It is on the pricier side, but you’re getting a scenic sightseeing tour at the same time! This is probably the most convenient option if you’re travelling to Ucluelet from Vancouver as the seaplanes go from downtown Vancouver. Ucluelet doesn’t have its own terminal so this option will actually take you to Tofino harbour terminal, so you’ll need to add on car hire or taxi costs.

Flight costs:

Prices fluctuate throughout the year but typically you’re looking at around $500 round trip with Pacific Coastal Airlines or $600 return with Harbour Air.

Victoria to Ucluelet by air

Currently, there aren’t any commercial airlines that fly directly from Victoria to Tofino. If you wanted to fly with Pacific Coastal Airlines, you’d actually need to fly to Vancouver first and then onwards to Tofino-Long Beach Airport (YAZ).

If you want to fly from Victoria to Ucluelet, you’ll need to book a seaplane with Harbour Air. The flight duration is just under 3 hours and costs around $300 per person one way. You’ll arrive at Tofino Harbour Terminal, so you’ll need to hire a car or book a taxi to get to Ucluelet.

Flight costs:

Prices fluctuate throughout the year but it usually costs around $300 per person per direction with Harbour Air.

Seattle to Ucluelet by air

If you’re planning to visit Ucluelet for the weekend, you could skip the drive and fly. The quickest route is to fly from Seattle to Vancouver with Air Canada or Delta and then connect to Tofino Long Beach Airport (YAZ). This will still take about 4.5 hours depending on your layover times but it’s definitely quicker than driving.

Alternatively, you can charter a flight from Ucluelet to Tofino with NW Seaplanes or Kenmore Air which would get you there in around 2 hours.

Flight costs:

Prices fluctuate throughout the year but typically you’re looking at around $800 – $1,000 round trip.

Car hire

You can hire a car through Budget Car Rental which is located at both YAZ and Tofino Harbour. If you book with Harbour Air, you’ll get a special rate – all you have to do is fill in the form and a Budget associate will contact you. Bear in mind though that they are closed seasonally from October to April.

Travel tips

Here are a few things you need to know before you set off on your Ucluelet adventure:

Book your ferries in advance

Book your tickets in advance via BC Ferries, especially if you’re travelling on a long weekend. You can pay in full at the time of booking or just paying the $20 reservation fee with the balance due at the terminal. Make sure you arrive at least 30 minutes prior to departure otherwise your reservation will be released.

Highway 4 roadworks

There are ongoing roadwork projects on Highway 4 which will cause travel delays between Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino from July to December 2025. There will be single lane alternating traffic so make sure you factor this into your journey time and check Drive BC for up-to-date and real-time information.

Winter tires

If you’re driving to Ucluelet from October 1^st to March 31^st, all season or winter tires are required along Highway 4.

Final thoughts

And there you have it, how to get to Ucluelet! I hope this helps answer any questions you had about travelling to Ucluelet – whether you’re planning to drive, fly or go without your car! If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments below and I’ll be happy to answer them!