Tofino is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. Most Congress participants will fly in to Vancouver International Airport (YVR), on the British Columbia mainland. YVR is located in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver approximate 30 minutes south of downtown Vancouver.
To get to Tofino from the Vancouver International Airport, you must cross the Strait of Georgia by ferry or air to Nanaimo, then travel by vehicle (bus or car) across Vancouver Island to Tofino on the west coast of the Island.
You can also book a flight into the Nanaimo Regional Airport (30 minutes south of downtown Nanaimo; you will connect in Vancouver) or take a float plane to downtown Nanaimo..
We strongly advise that you make travel arrangements from Vancouver to Tofino in advance of your arrival.
We may arrange a charter bus to transport congress participants from Vancouver Airport to Tofino, with pick-ups at the airport and downtown Vancouver in the early morning Sunday May 9th and arriving in Tofino at 4 pm. If you are interested in this option (cost will be approximately $75 per person each way) please contact us at xxxx.
This table will help you approximate your travel costs and times. All prices are provided in Canadian dollars and are current as of May 2009. Prices will be updated as new information becomes available.
|
|
|
|
|
From Vancouver International Airport to downtown Vancouver
|
|
$13.75 via YVR Airporter
~$40 via taxi
|
|
If you stay in a hotel near the airport, they likely have a free shuttle service.
|
Via bus from downtown Vancouver to Tofino
|
|
$75 one-way, includes price of ferry
|
|
Does not include travel time or cost from airport to downtown Vancouver bus terminal.
|
Via rental car from Vancouver International Airport to Tofino
|
|
For May 2009, one week rental of economy sized car is ~$300 on expedia.ca
|
|
Price given does not include extra insurance or gas. Gasoline varies between $0.80 and $1.00 per litre as of April 2009, with cost of gas to Tofino
~$30 for economy car.
|
Via float plane to Nanaimo then bus to Tofino
|
|
Float plane $75 one-way
Bus $40 one-way
|
|
Float plane has a maximum 23 kg / 50 lbs luggage allowance. this is STRICTLY adhered to.
|
Via plane from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Tofino Airport (YAZ).
|
1 hour flight plus terminal transfer time
|
|
|
Flights are occasionally cancelled due to fog or rain, in which case you are transported by bus. One flight daily. Does not inclue trnasport from
Tofino Airport to downtown Tofino (approx 20 minutes).
|
On the Road - DRIVING TO TOFINO
To reach Tofino by car from the British Columbia mainland, you'll first need to take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay, or Tsawwassen, to Nanaimo. The Horseshoe Bay terminal is north of Vancouver and this ferry route takes just under 2 hours while the Tsawwassen terminal is south of the city, closer to the USA border and it takes just a little over 2 hours. The Horseshoe Bay ferry arrives at the Departure Bay terminal in Nanaimo while the Tsawwassen ferry arrives at the Duke Point terminal just about 15 minutes south of the city.
Once in Nanaimo:
Travel north on Highway 19 for 43 km (26 miles),
Take Exit 60 onto Highway 4 ( also known as the Pacific Rim Highway ) heading west for 156 km (97 miles). You will drive through spectacular Cathedral Grove, historic Port Alberni (drive straight downhill and turn right at the junction), and on the winding road around Sproat and Kennedy Lakes. Travel westward until you come to the junction between Tofino and Ucluelet.
Turn right at the Tofino/Ucluelet junction and drive north towards Tofino for 28 km (17 miles).
Your overall travel time from Nanaimo to Tofino will range between 2.5 and 3 hours.
