Railways in

Vancouver Island

Seapan ferry barge loaded with rail vehicles next to the docking point in Nanaimo

The railway network of Vancouver Island is physically separated from that of mainland Canada. The main line from Victoria to Courtenay is in poor condition, with particular concerns expressed for the structural integrity of some of the bridges. As a result, passenger services were suspended in 2011 and freight services in 2014. Freight services resumed in 2015, but at the present time are limited to a roughly 7 mile (11km) section in the Nanaimo area, connecting with a barge ferry to Tilbury on the Canadian mainland. Despite extensive lobbying and a number of feasibility studies, there appears to be no immediate prospect of the resumption of passenger services.

Freight Services

• Island Corridor Foundation owner and maintainer of the rail infrastructure from Victoria to Courtenay with branch from Stockett Junction to Wellcox and from Parksville to Port Alberni.
• Southern Railway of Vancouver Island operator of trains on the Island Corridor Foundation tracks.

Train Ferry

• Seaspan train ferry services between Nanaimo and Tilbury.

Tourist Services

• Alberni Pacific Railway steam hauled train on the Southern Railway of Vancouver Island line from the station in Port Alberni. Regular summer trips serve McLean Mill, about 5 miles (8km) from Port Alberni, with an intermediate stop at the Chase & Warren Estate Winery. Out of season various specials operate, some of them short journeys to the winery only.
• BC Forest Discovery Centre situated a few miles north of Duncan, has a working reconstruction of a typical logging railway, mainly using original material. Passenger trains run in the Discovery centre throughout the year, steam hauled in summer.