August 7, 2025
Horseshoe Bay booking changes to include customer improvements
VICTORIA, BC - Starting October 15, all customers travelling by vehicle, including motorcycles, from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) will be required to book and pay in advance, before arriving at the terminal. This is only required for travel in this direction. This change will help keep customers moving and maintain safety through the multi-year construction program at the terminal, where vehicle staging space will be reduced by 25%.
“We understand this is a big change, and for a terminal that already has limited space, it may feel frustrating at first,” said Melanie Lucia, Vice President of Customer Experience at BC Ferries. “No one wants to be turned away when they’ve made the trip to the terminal. By requiring advance bookings, we’re giving customers more certainty and a better chance of securing their spot, especially as space becomes even tighter during construction. It also helps our crews manage the terminal more smoothly and safely, so they can focus on getting everyone where they need to go.”
Once these changes take effect, Drive-up (at-terminal) and Reservation-only fares will no longer be available in this direction. Customers will be able to choose between Prepaid and Saver fares for their travel. Commercial vehicles will also need to reserve in advance, but their fare structure and payment process will remain unchanged.
BC Ferries gathered insight from over 3,000 customers about how best to support them through this change. As a result, the following actions are being taken:
- Saver fare availability will double to make up 40% of all fares for travel from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (Nanaimo) and be available on sailings between Oct. 15 and Mar. 31, 2026. Saver fares for a vehicle and driver start at $49 on select off-peak sailings and $89 on peak sailings, making early booking more affordable.
- Waiving change fees (coming this fall) for travel from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay between October 15 and November 30, making it easier for customers to adjust plans during this transition.
- Two new digital tools will launch this fall to reduce stress and improve planning during peak travel times. The Sailing Space Alert functionality will allow customers to subscribe to email notifications when space becomes available on previously sold-out sailings. Waitlist capability will also be introduced, giving customers a better chance of securing a spot when their preferred sailing is full. These digital tools will be available on the Horseshoe Bay–Departure Bay route in both directions.
“This isn’t just a change in how you book – it’s part of a bigger effort to keep people safely moving during a major terminal upgrade,” added Lucia. “We’re asking customers to plan ahead, and we’re doing everything we can to make that planning easier.”
If customers’ preferred sailings are full, alternate travel options are available, including travel via Tsawwassen–Duke Point, where Drive-up and Reservation-only fares and Assured Loading Tickets remain available. A new 4:30 pm sailing from Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) was added this summer and will operate until September 1. This sailing will also be available for travel during peak periods over Christmas and the Easter break.
To further support smooth operations during construction, BC Ferries is adjusting select sailing schedules this fall. Beginning in October and during shoulder seasons, a new 6:10 pm sailing from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Sunshine Coast (Langdale) will replace the current 5:30 pm departure to help reduce terminal congestion and improve on-time performance. Minor schedule adjustments will also be made to Sechelt (Earls Cove) to Powell River (Saltery Bay) and Gambier (New Brighton) - Keats (Keats Landing) - Sunshine Coast (Langdale) to align with this change. No schedule changes are planned for Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Bowen Island (Snug Cove).
Horseshoe Bay terminal has been in continuous operation for 65 years, serving 7.1 million passengers and 3 million vehicles in 2024 alone. This construction is a necessary step to upgrade the terminal and ensure it continues to meet the needs of British Columbians well into the future. Throughout the construction program, BC Ferries is committed to delivering safe, reliable service – with frontline crews playing a key role in helping customers navigate the changes and keeping people moving every day.
For more information and travel planning resources, visit bcferryiess.top/hsb-travel
- 30 -