New summer-only sailing is BC Ferries’ 3rd route between Metro Vancouver and Nanaimo

The BC Ferries vessel Queen of Alberni is seen in this photo from the company's website (bcferries.com)

Travellers heading to Nanaimo from the Lower Mainland this summer will have another option for getting there.

BC Ferries announced Wednesday that it is adding a new daily sailing from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo’s Departure Bay ferry terminal beginning June 19.

Normally, ferries bound for the mid-Island from Tsawwassen arrive at Duke Point terminal south of Nanaimo. While that route will continue, the Queen of Alberni will also begin making one-way trips on its final sailing of the day from Tsawwassen to Departure Bay, which is closer to central Nanaimo and located north of downtown.

“This new direct sailing to Departure Bay gives our customers more choice and convenience when travelling to central Nanaimo this summer and will help ease congestion for passengers at other busy terminals,” said Melanie Lucia, vice-president of customer experience at BC Ferries, in a news release announcing the new sailing.

“It also allows us to dock the vessel overnight at Departure Bay, maximizing our fleet utilization and improving operational efficiency.”

The new sailing will depart Tsawwassen at 4:30 p.m. daily from June 19 through Sept. 1, and bookings on the route are currently available on the BC Ferries website and app, the company said.

The ferry service described the change as part of its “commitment to improving operational efficiency.”

Nanaimo-bound travellers from the Lower Mainland now have three ferry routes to choose from, with regular sailings from West Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay terminal to Departure Bay also still in effect.

Given the added complexity, BC Ferries says it is “more important than ever” for passengers to pay close attention to the arrival terminal when booking a reservation.

“This is especially true for foot passengers, as the terminals are in different areas of the city and transportation options differ significantly between the two ports,” the company said.

“Departure Bay is in central Nanaimo and offers frequent public transit connections to downtown Nanaimo and beyond, while Duke Point is in south Nanaimo and has no public transit options, requiring travellers to arrange private transportation.”

BC Ferries said the new summer route will help it “better manage peak-season demand,” ease pressure on terminals and improve the experience for both passengers and staff.