Victoria to Butchart Gardens: private car vs shuttle vs bus vs driving yourself

Victoria to Butchart Gardens is about 22 km (13.5 mi), and the gardens' own directions put the drive from downtown at 35 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. You can get there by private car, by the sightseeing shuttle that leaves from in front of the Fairmont Empress, on BC Transit's No. 75 bus, by taxi or rideshare, or by driving yourself and parking for free.

Each option works; they differ in cost, flexibility and what happens at the end of the visit. An Elly8.net private car on the 4-hour Butchart package costs from US$405 in a Business Sedan, with the chauffeur waiting while you walk the gardens. The bus costs C$3 a ride. Below is how to choose, with the timing advice the gardens themselves give.

How far is Butchart Gardens from Victoria, and how do you get there?

The gardens are also close to Victoria's other arrival points: about 13 km (8 mi) from Victoria International Airport (YYJ) and about 14.5 km (9 mi) from the Swartz Bay ferry terminal, according to the Butchart Gardens travel page. That is why so many visitors build the gardens into an arrival or departure day rather than a separate trip.

Taxi and transit figures are in Canadian dollars; Elly8.net prices are in US dollars, fixed and per vehicle, including the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes and standard gratuity. Garden admission is not included in any of the transport options.

See Victoria prices and reserve

The private car: how the 4-hour package works

The Butchart Gardens package is the signature day trip on the Victoria price list: US$405 in a Business Sedan, US$520 in a Business SUV, US$610 in a First Class SUV, US$665 in a First Class Sedan and US$810 in an Executive Sprinter. Four hours fits the visit comfortably:

• Pickup at your hotel, home or the cruise terminal.
• About 35 to 45 minutes up the Patricia Bay Highway and across to Brentwood Bay.
• Two hours or more in the gardens. The gardens say a leisurely walk on the main paths takes 1.5 to 2 hours and covers about 1.5 km (1 mi); allow extra for the Seed and Gift Store, a coffee or lunch.
• The chauffeur waits, so there is no queue for a cab at the end and no deciding which bus to catch.
• Drop-off back downtown, at the airport or at the ferry.

The private car earns its price when you are four or more, when someone in the party walks slowly or uses a wheelchair, when you have children and car seats, or when the visit is one stop in a longer day. The gardens offer complimentary push wheelchairs with a refundable C$10 deposit and complimentary strollers, first come, first served, and close parking is available on request for visitors with disabilities. A chauffeur can drop you at the entrance and wait nearby, which is easier than walking from the main lot.

For a party of eight to twelve, an Executive Sprinter carries everyone together. Split between ten people, US$810 is about US$81 each; that is arithmetic for comparison only, because every Elly8.net price is per vehicle. Wedding parties and bigger groups should read our Victoria limo bus guide for vehicle choices beyond the Sprinter.

The sightseeing shuttle

A commercial sightseeing shuttle departs from in front of the Fairmont Empress at Humboldt and Government Streets, and the gardens' travel page says reservations are not required and tours operate daily. Several Vancouver and Seattle tour companies also sell packages that include the gardens, listed on the same page.

The shuttle is a sensible choice for one or two travellers who are happy with a fixed timetable and a per-person ticket. The trade-offs are the schedule, a coach full of other visitors, and a set amount of time at the gardens. If you want to stay for the Saturday fireworks or leave early because it is raining, a timetable does not bend.

The No. 75 bus

BC Transit's No. 75 leaves from Belleville Street at Government, beside the Fairmont Empress, and serves stops along Douglas Street on its way to the gardens. The gardens put the trip at 50 minutes to 1 hour, and the fare is C$3 a ride or C$6 for a DayPASS on BC Transit; the gardens note that drivers accept Canadian and US bills and coins but give no change or exchange.

One detail matters: not every No. 75 trip during the afternoon commute goes into the gardens, so check the destination sign or ask the driver. For a solo traveller or a couple without bags and in no hurry, the bus is excellent value. It is less pleasant with small children, in heavy rain, or on the way back when the bus is full.

Taxi or rideshare

The gardens estimate a taxi from downtown Victoria at about C$55 and note that most taxis carry four passengers. That figure lines up with the regional meter rate, explained in our Victoria taxi guide. From Swartz Bay the gardens estimate about C$50, from YYJ about C$45 and from the Ogden Point cruise terminal C$60 to C$65.

The outbound trip is easy. The return is the part to plan: the gardens are on a quiet peninsula road, and at closing time on a busy summer evening many visitors want a ride at once. Booking a cab back in advance, or keeping one car for the whole visit, avoids the wait. Rideshare is available to and from the gardens; the price is shown in the app and moves with demand. See chauffeur vs taxi for the general comparison.

Driving yourself

If you have a car, driving is simple. From downtown, head north on Blanshard Street, which becomes Highway 17, the Patricia Bay Highway, then take the Keating Cross Road exit, which becomes Benvenuto Avenue. The gardens say parking is free, with spaces for cars, bicycles and RVs and accessible parking, though overnight parking is not permitted.

Self-drive suits visitors who already have a rental for the island. It makes less sense if you hired a car only for this trip: rental, fuel and the hassle of driving an unfamiliar road usually cost more than the bus and give you less than a chauffeur. Our chauffeur vs car rental comparison covers the maths.

When to go: seasons and quiet hours

The gardens publish clear guidance on timing, and it is worth planning the car around it.

Quieter hours. The gardens say the quieter times are generally from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and after 3:30 p.m., and that later evenings are also quieter once summer hours begin. A morning pickup at about 8:30 a.m. downtown gets you in at the calm start.

Seasons. Spring blooms are usually at their best from mid-April to the first week of May, with tulips and cherry blossoms around mid-April. The Rose Garden usually peaks in early July. The full summer display runs from July through the end of September, with evening entertainment and Saturday night fireworks in July and August. Autumn colour is generally best from mid-October to the first week of November. All of these shift with the weather.

Busy evenings. Fireworks Saturdays, special event days and the Victoria Symphony performance night are the busiest summer evenings, and same-day readmission is not allowed on those days.

November hours. The gardens say that from November 1, 2026, because of British Columbia's move to permanent year-round daylight saving time, admission gates open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through November.

Christmas. The Magic of Christmas season runs from December 1 to January 6 and has its own ticketing; Christmas tickets went on sale on October 14, 2026. Check the gardens' FAQ before you book.

Tickets. Online daily tickets are not required in advance outside the Christmas season, are not tied to a time slot and do not guarantee admission. They are non-refundable but do not expire.

Combining Butchart with the airport, the ferry or a cruise call

Because the gardens sit between downtown, the airport and the ferry terminal, the most efficient visits are often on travel days.

• Arriving by ferry: Swartz Bay to the gardens is about 14.5 km (9 mi). Walk off the ferry, visit the gardens, then continue to your hotel. Our guide to Vancouver to Victoria by private car explains how the sailing and the car fit together.
• Flying out of YYJ: the gardens are about 13 km (8 mi) from the airport. A late-morning visit before an afternoon flight works well, and the gardens hold luggage free of charge at the Visitor Information Centre.
• Cruise days: from Ogden Point, a car booked to your ship's arrival and all-aboard times turns a short call into a calm visit. The gardens open outside regular hours for some cruise excursions in May. See cruise port transfers.

These combined trips are priced in the web booker or on an hourly chauffeur booking, from US$110 an hour in a Business Sedan with a 3-hour minimum. Tell the desk the plan and the chauffeur builds the timing around it.

How to book

1. Choose the Butchart package on the Victoria page, or enter your own pickup, stop and drop-off in the web booker.
2. Choose the vehicle: a sedan for up to 3 passengers and 2 bags, an SUV for up to 6 and 6, an Executive Sprinter for up to 12 and 12. Ask for child seats when you book.
3. Reserve now and receive confirmation by email, with the chauffeur's details before pickup.

Rides in Victoria are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show. All prices are on all prices and packages.

Book any address

Travelling on? Vancouver, Seattle and Whistler are the nearest Elly8.net cities, and the private city tours page covers the rest of Victoria, and Tourism Victoria lists what is on while you are in town.