Horseshoe Bay Terminal Infrastructure Program FAQ

• Customers travelling by vehicle (including motorcycles and commercial vehicles) from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) are required to book in advance.
• This requirement supports a multi-year construction program at our Horseshoe Bay terminal, where vehicle staging space is reduced by nearly 25 per cent, depending on the stage of construction. Advance booking is only required for travel from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay).
• This advance booking requirement is needed to prevent highway congestion and protects access for those who need to travel. A portion of vessel deck space will continue to be reserved for emergency vehicles and Medical Assured Loading (MAL) passengers.

• Advance booking for vehicles from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) will be in place during this multi-year construction program. The requirement will be revisited following project completion.
• On the Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Duke Point) and Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay) routes and from Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay), customers can still travel by paying at the terminal or booking a reservation-only fare.

• While foot passengers can book in advance, they are not required to for travel from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay).
• Customers can purchase foot passenger tickets at the terminal up to 10 minutes before the scheduled sailing time.

• If your preferred sailing from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) is sold out, alternative routes are available, including travel from Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Duke Point).
• A scheduled service between Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) is also available during the summer months, the shoulder season (just before and just after summer) and during busy peak periods such as Christmas and Easter. This service was introduced in 2025 to give customers more options and increase system-wide capacity. Find the schedule here.

• This tool allows you to subscribe to email notifications when space becomes available on previously sold-out sailings. Find out more about advance booking alerts and waitlists here.
• Check out this short video to learn more.

• For information on what to expect in the event of a cancellation, please see our page on the BC Ferries website about service disruptions from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay).

• If you miss the check-in time for your sailing, terminal staff will advise you on how to re-book for the next available sailing.
• You can rebook either online or through our Customer Service team at 1-888-223-3779.

• Yes, you can change or cancel your booking to Nanaimo (Departure Bay).
• Find out about our flexible change and cancellation policies here.

• Vehicles that arrive at the terminal early will be turned away and asked to return 120 minutes before their confirmed departure time.
• Customers can log into their BC Ferries account to change their booking to an earlier sailing, based on vehicle space availability.

• The check-in window on the Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) route is 30 minutes prior to the sailing but no earlier than 120 minutes before the sailing.

• All vehicles travelling from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) are required to make a booking and pay in advance of their arrival at the terminal.
• We do not accept any drive-up traffic in the terminal. Vehicles arriving without a booking will be directed out of the terminal into Horseshoe Bay Village, where there will be a safe area to park and make a booking.

• Customers can book travel between Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) and Nanaimo (Departure Bay), up to 30-minutes before a scheduled sailing, subject to space availability.
• Customers can make changes to their booking 30 minutes prior to their scheduled departure time. A booking fee of $5 will apply for all changes.

• Customers with a gift certificate, Save on Foods voucher or other paper vouchers will need to call the Customer Service Centre at 1-888-223-3779 to make a booking in advance of travel from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay).
• The Customer Service Centre agent will take down the gift certificate/voucher number during the booking process, and the payment of fares will be deferred to the terminal, using your credit card to hold the booking. You will be required to provide the gift certificate/voucher to the ticket agent at check-in for any fares covered by the voucher or gift certificate. Any no show fees will be applied to the credit card used to hold the booking.
• Customers can still book a Reservation Only fare if travelling from Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) with a voucher or gift certificate.

• Customers can pre-pay for their vehicle travel in cash at select terminals, including Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay), at the foot passenger ticketing area.
• Customers can also purchase a pre-paid Visa or Mastercard which they can use to make a booking online. We also accept Visa Debit and Mastercard Debit for online bookings.

• Yes. Customers who are not able to make a free TAP booking when travelling to or from a medical specialist appointment, treatment or surgery will still be able to use their Medical Assured Loading letter when they present it with their completed TAP form at the ticket booth.
• Customers travelling with a MAL and TAP form must arrive a minimum of 30 minutes prior to a scheduled sailing.

• There are currently no impacts or changes for travel to the Sunshine Coast (Langdale).
• During the Langdale Berth 1 Life Extension work, due to begin in late 2026, an alternate service plan will be in effect between February 3-23, 2027. Find out more here.

• There are no impacts or changes for travel from Sunshine Coast (Earls Cove) to Powell River (Saltery Bay) during this phase of the program.
• During the Langdale Berth 1 Life Extension work, due to begin in late 2026, an alternate service plan will be in effect between February 3-23, 2027.
• Find out more here as there will be some connectivity constraints for those wishing to travel from the Lower Mainland up to Powell River.

• There are no impacts or changes for travel from the Sunshine Coast (Langdale) to Gambier (New Brighton) & Keats (Keats Landing) during this phase of the program or during the Langdale Berth 1 Life Extension work.

• At this time, there is no requirement to book in advance for travel from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to the Sunshine Coast (Langdale). If the construction at Horseshoe Bay or Langdale terminals necessitates a change in booking requirements, it will be communicated in advance.
• Reservations have increased on this route, and allocation fluctuates between sailings based on demand. Any un-sold reservation allocation becomes available for standby traffic.

• This tool allows you to subscribe to email notifications when space becomes available on previously sold-out sailings. Find out more about advance booking alerts and waitlists here.
• Check out this short video to learn more.

• Over the next several years, Horseshoe Bay terminal will undergo a series of infrastructure upgrades to improve overall safety and operational efficiency.
• Early work at Horseshoe Bay is now complete. Future work is being planned, and additional information will be shared once available.

• We are investing in necessary upgrades to aging infrastructure at Langdale terminal. These improvements will keep ferries running safely and efficiently to support the future needs of the communities we serve.
• Find out about the Berth 1 Life Extension Project here.
• Additional work at Langdale will be undertaken in the following years.

• The planning is underway to develop a phasing and sequencing strategy to package work in a way that minimizes disruption to operations. The work will take several years to complete, beginning in 2025 at Horseshoe Bay and extending out to 2030 and beyond.

• Langdale and Horseshoe Bay terminals are two of BC Ferries’ oldest and busiest terminals.
• Like other long-serving infrastructure that has supported communities for decades, many of the terminal components are nearing the ends of their operational lives. In addition, work is required on the berths at both terminals to maintain their functionality.

• Under our new engagement framework Let’s Connect, BC Ferries is engaging with the community and interested parties about Horseshoe Bay / Langdale Infrastructure Program as part of an ongoing project feedback group.
• As planning progresses on future work, direct engagement with interest holders will be undertaken to assess impacts and identify additional mitigation needs or requirements.

• Both terminals will remain operational throughout construction.
• We will provide notice in advance of any anticipated changes or disruptions. Please ensure you regularly review our Service Notices.

• Safety is our top priority, including for those with accessibility needs. Terminals will be accessible for all passengers while work is underway.

• To minimize disruptions during the day and help keep terminals operating at capacity, some nighttime construction activity is anticipated.
• The program team will endeavor to minimize disruption for nearby residents.

• The program team will assess potential dust, noise and light impacts and will develop mitigation measures. We’ll have more information as the program progresses.

• A section of the surface parking lot adjacent to Horseshoe Bay terminal was used as a construction laydown area and site office during the early works. This has now returned to parking.
• During future construction work, parking may be impacted and information will be provided here.
• Additional parking space is available in the BC Ferries parkade located to the south of the terminal.

• Horseshoe Bay is serviced by TransLink. Transit will not be impacted by construction.
• Find out more and plan your trip on translink.ca.

Parking is not anticipated to be impacted at Langdale.