Directions to Victoria British Columbia
Getting to Victoria:
Maps & Directions- By Car:
- Service Notices and Current Conditions for BC Ferries
- Need a map
- Need a rental car? Give us a call to discuss the options, depending on where you are staying you might not need one.
Click on the links below to jump to the corresponding information on this page:
- Seattle to Victoria Via the Anacortes WA Ferry
- Seattle to Victoria Via the Tsawwassen BC Ferry
- Vancouver to Victoria
- Winter Driving
- Highway Regulations
- Metric Equivalents
Seattle to Victoria Via Anacortes WA
Travel Time: approximately 5.5 – 6 hours
There are two ways of arriving in Victoria from Seattle. You can either drive to Vancouver BC and take a ferry to Vancouver Island or you can drive to Anacortes WA and take a ferry to Vancouver Island from there. The trip to from Seattle to Vancouver takes about 3 hours. The Vancouver-Victoria trip includes a ferry ride of 1 hour and 45 minutes and a 25 minute drive into Victoria from the Swartz Bay Ferry terminal. The trip from Seattle WA to Anacortes WA takes about 1 and a half hours. The ferry ride to Sidney BC on Vancouver Island then takes approximately 2 hours. Be aware that there are only 2 ferry departures per day for this ferry.
For more information on travelling from Seattle to Victoria Via the Anacortes ferry route you can visit the Wasington State Ferries web site for more information on the Anacortes Washington to Sidney British Columbia Ferry service.
Directions to Anacortes Terminal
Equally distanced between Seattle to the south and Vancouver, B.C. to the north (approximately 85 miles from each), Anacortes rests on the waters of the Pacific Ocean on beautiful Fidalgo Island.
From the North
Take I-5 South
Take exit 230
Merge right onto Peterson Rd.
At first light take a left onto Highway 20
Follow Highway 20 to Anacortes
Once you reach Anacortes merge right onto Commercial Avenue to reach the central business district.
Take a left at 12th St and follow signs to the ferry terminal.
From the South
Take I-5 North
Take exit 230
At first light take a left onto Highway 20
Follow Highway 20 to Anacortes
Once you reach Anacortes merge right onto Commercial Avenue to reach the central business district.
Take a left at 12th St and follow signs to the ferry terminal.
Once you have left the Anacortes Ferry on Vancouver Island, follow the signs to Hwy 17 and Victoria. When you reach the intersection with Hwy 17, turn left and follow it until you reach Victoria BC.
Seattle to Victoria Via Vancouver
Travel Time: approximately 5.5 – 6 hours
Directions:
Travel on I-5 North to the Canadian border. Once in Canada, after going through the Douglas Border crossing, I-5 becomes Highway 99 which travels north into Vancouver. Take Highway 99 North till you reach Highway 10. Go West on Hwy 10 to Hwy 17. Travel Southwest on Hwy 17 till you reach the Tsawwassen ferry terminal.
You will need to board a BC Ferries ship to travel the 1 hour and 45 minutes trip across to Vancouver Island. You can check the schedule of these ferry sailings by clicking this link.
Once you have left the BC Ferry on Vancouver Island you will be travelling South into Victoria on Hwy 17 from Sidney BC. Continue on this Hwy until you reach Victoria.
Vancouver to Victoria
Travel Time: approximately 3 – 3 1/2 hours
Directions from Vancouver:
While in Vancouver travel South on Oak Street till it intersects with Highway 99. Take Highway 99 South to Highway 17. Travel Southwest on Highway 17 to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. The total estimated driving time: about 40 minutes depending on traffic conditions.
Directions from Vancouver International Airport: Look for traffic signs leaving the airport terminal and follow the signs to Highway 99 South. Take Highway 99 South to Highway 17. Travel Southwest on Highway 17 to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. The total estimated driving time: about 25 minutes depending on traffic conditions.
Winter Driving
As the weather conditions for Southern Vancouver Island and the Vancouver mainland are mild and temperate, be prepared for heavy rain and wind in winter to cause poor driving conditions. In a very rare case will there possibly be snow, though it does not snow every winter.
Highway Regulations
Use of seat belts in BC by drivers and passengers is mandatory. Use of headlights during daylight on all vehicles is highly recommended. The maximum speed limit on Highway 99 is 80 km per hour with many slower areas along the way.
Metric Equivalents
All highway signs are posted in metric (kilometres per hour).
30 mph = 50 km/h, 50 mph = 80 km/h.
Gasoline is sold in litres: 1 US gallon = 3.78 litres
1 kilometre = 5/8 or .621 miles; 1 mile = 1 2/3 or 1.6 kilometres.
Traveling Information – By Bus:
From Vancouver International Airport and Vancouver Bus Depot
Pacific Coach Lines
- Reservations and info available at the following numbers
- Vancouver local (604) 662-7575
- Toll Free 1 (800) 661-1725 (USA & CANADA)
- Scheduled service of motor coaches from the Vancouver International Airport and Vancouver Bus Depot to Victoria BC.
- Shuttle drops passengers directly at many stops on the way to Victoria as well as the main bus terminal in downtown Victoria.
- round-trip service provided
- website: Pacific Coach Lines – airport schedule
- website:Pacific Coach Lines – Vancouver Bus Depot schedule
Traveling Information – By Plane:
Air Canada – Air BC
- reservations required
- call 1-888-247-2262
- Flights to and from all major local, national and interational desinations
- website: Air Canada
Alaska & Horizon Airlines
- reservations required
- Phone: 1-(800) 547-9308
- Flights from Vancouver, Victoria, and Seattle with connections to other regular domestic and International flights.
- website: Alaska Air
Air Speed Aviation
- Flights to Victoria from Abbotsford BC
- call Vancouver 1-(604) 852-9245 Victoria 1-(250) 655-4300
- website: Air Speed Aviation
Harbour Air
- Daily scheduled Float Plane service from Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Gulf Islands, and Queen Charlotte Islands.
- Phone: 1-(250) 384-2215 Toll-free 1-(800) 665-0212
- website: Harbour Air
Kenmore Air
- As the largest seaplane based airline in the world, they feature scheduled flights, charter service and packaged excursions. Daily schedyuled flights from Vancouver, Seattle and many other smaller locations.
- Phone: 1-(800) 543-9595 or 1-(206) 486-1257
- website: Kenmore Air
Traveling Information – By Helijet:
Helijet Airways
- Helijet offers daily scheduled service in British Columbia between Vancouver, Abbotsford and Victoria BC
- Phone: 1-(800) 665-4354 Vancouver 1-(604) 273-1414 Victoria 1-(250) 382-6222
- website: Helijet Airways
Contact
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