last edited Dec 11, 2019
Getting to British Columbia by Land or Sea
Location Map of British Columbia
British Columbia
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By Land
Public Transport
By Sea
Ferries
To/From the United States (Washington State)
The Puget Sound is that inlet of sea that extends to Seattle (USA) before heading back up toward British Columbia. Several ferry companies (BC Ferries, Black Ball Ferry Line, Clipper Vacations, Washington State Ferries) operate routes between the two countries, specifically linking the southern part of Vancouver Island (Victoria, Sidney, etc.) from the Seattle area or, more directly, Port Angeles. These services, some with a tourist focus, run year-round or seasonally depending on the company.
To/From Alaska
In addition to routes from the Seattle area, there is also a line to/from Alaska. It is operated by Alaska Marine Highway System, the main ferry company in Alaska, with an extensive network of over 30 ports spanning 8,000 miles. This network actually starts in Washington State (Bellingham) and British Columbia (Prince Rupert) before continuing along the southern coast of the peninsula to Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. For those with time (and some means), arriving in Alaska by sea is a great experience, if only because it allows you to discover the Inside Passage, the stunning Inside Passage that runs along the U.S.-Canadian border north of Seattle up to Alaska.