Hullo Ferries: Traveling Between Vancouver and Nanaimo
Beginning operations in 2023, Hullo is a passenger ferry service offering daily sailings with an advertised sailing time of 70 minutes.
Departing right from downtown Vancouver, Hullo Ferries is a convenient way to get from central Vancouver to downtown Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
Previously, the only option to get from Vancouver to Nanaimo is through BC Ferries, which requires a bit of extra commuting to get to the ferry terminal that is located outside of each city. Preferring to avoid the commute all the way to the Vancouver terminal (Horseshoe Bay), I was excited to try Hullo.
Tickets and Seating
In terms of ticket classes, Hullo offers three different types: Comfort, Premium, and Business. Comfort seating is on the main deck, meanwhile Premium and Business seating are on the top deck.
I chose the Comfort ticket. During the booking process, there is an option to pay a small fee (currently $3) to select a specific seat, otherwise a seat will be assigned to you. I opted to pay for seat selection as I wanted to reserve a seat by the window. If you purchase Premium or Business tickets, the seat selection is included with the fare.
The seating on the sides of the vessel have a configuration consisting mostly of rows of 3 seats facing forward like on an airplane. The seats in the middle of the vessel are groups of 4 seats with a table in between them.
Hullo offers multiple sailings a day, although their exact schedule and frequency of sailings does vary depending on the season. Visit their website to see the updated sailing schedule.
Vancouver Ferry Terminal
The Vancouver terminal is quite centrally-located, being right downtown by the waterfront. Another bonus is that it is also walking distance to the Waterfront Skytrain station.
Hullo recommends arriving 20-30 minutes before your sailing. I did arrive a bit early to give myself enough time as it took a bit of extra walking around to find the exact location.
The one thing to note is that the waiting + boarding area is outdoors and not sheltered. This becomes more important on days where it is raining or extra cold.
On Board Experience
The boarding process was quick and efficient. With a quick scan of the QR code on the ticket, I was inside. Since the vessel is smaller, the boarding and disembarking process is faster compared to BC Ferries.
The interior of the vessel is kept clean, with several washrooms available. As you enter, there is also a section to store your carry-on luggage. There is free Wi-Fi on board, with light snacks and drinks (non-alcoholic) available for purchase.
The ride on Hullo Ferries was uneventful and overall quite pleasant. Although unlike BC Ferries, most of your time is spent sitting in your seat; there isn’t the option to head outside to get a look at the view.
However, you can still get some wonderful views of the coastline from looking out the various windows of the Hullo Ferries vessel.
Nanaimo Ferry Terminal
While the Hullo ferry terminal in Nanaimo is located in the downtown area, it is sort of in an industrial area off the side of the downtown core. You can certainly walk, however this might not be ideal with luggage. Unlike the Vancouver terminal, the Nanaimo terminal does have an indoor and sheltered waiting area.
Hullo does offer a shuttle service operating between the Hullo ferry terminal and downtown Nanaimo. However, the shuttle service is not offered daily. Up-to-date schedules can be found on their website.
When I exited the ferry terminal in Nanaimo, it seemed that many people lived either in the city or on the island and parked their vehicle at the paid parking lot. If you are a resident of the island planning to head to Vancouver for a short trip, this might be a good option.
The shuttle was not running the day that I arrived, so I opted to walk to the downtown core. Along the way I noticed several other people that also chose to walk. There is a sidewalk and most of the walk consists of just exiting the area so it was rather quiet.
Is Hullo Ferries Worth It?
Currently, the price of a one-way fare with Hullo Ferries is just about double the price of a one-way fare with BC Ferries. While that is a sizeable difference, one has to consider the convenience of departing and arriving right in the heart of the city, rather than commuting or taking a taxi to the BC Ferries terminal.
As someone that would normally take an Uber or the Express bus to the BC Ferries terminal by Horseshoe Bay, I found departing from downtown Vancouver to be much easier. The Hullo Ferries Nanaimo terminal was not as conveniently located, but it’s still closer to the downtown core than the BC Ferries terminal (Departure Bay).
For people that are traveling for leisure, especially to Vancouver Island for the first time, they may prefer taking BC Ferries if they would like the experience of being on a large ship, having the ability to walk around while it is sailing and the opportunity to go outside on the deck to get more of a panoramic view.
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