The Butchart Gardens Express Shuttle from Downtown Victoria
Victoria, Canada
- 3 to 5 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Butchart Gardens is one of Victoria's most popular attractions—but if you don't have your own transit, getting there from the city center can be tricky. Instead, make logistics simple with this round-trip shuttle service. With multiple daily departure times and transit from a central meeting point, you can leave the logistics to someone else—and save more time for a self-led, sweet-smelling stroll through the 55-acre (22.2-hectare) garden (admission own expense).
- Travel in comfort and ease aboard a spacious shuttle bus
- Leave all the logistics and navigation to someone else
- This transit service is a great option for independent-minded travelers
- A number of departure times are available to fit your schedule
What's Included
- Only Transportation
- Air-conditioned vehicle
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Gray Line Sightseeing Victoria721 Government St, Victoria, BC V8W 1W5, Canada
Please proceed to the Sightseeing Victoria Kiosk, on the sidewalk in front of the Fairmont Empress hotel. Please check in 15 minutes prior to your tour start time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
This Butchart Gardens express shuttle offers convenient transport to and from the attraction.
At your chosen time, meet your shuttle bus in the city center, right near the Fairmont Empress hotel. Once you board your vehicle, settle in for the ride, which takes about 35 minutes from downtown Victoria without major traffic delays. You also have the option of pre-booking admission tickets when you board for an even smoother visiting experience.
Alternatively, once at Butchart Gardens, pay for your admission tickets and head inside. You'll have ample time to explore at your own pace, and admire the wide range of plantings and attractions on view, before it’s time for your ride back to downtown Victoria.
Drop-off is at the same spot you were picked up from originally.
At your chosen time, meet your shuttle bus in the city center, right near the Fairmont Empress hotel. Once you board your vehicle, settle in for the ride, which takes about 35 minutes from downtown Victoria without major traffic delays. You also have the option of pre-booking admission tickets when you board for an even smoother visiting experience.
Alternatively, once at Butchart Gardens, pay for your admission tickets and head inside. You'll have ample time to explore at your own pace, and admire the wide range of plantings and attractions on view, before it’s time for your ride back to downtown Victoria.
Drop-off is at the same spot you were picked up from originally.
1
The Butchart Gardens
3 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Butchart Gardens offers wheelchair hire for a fully refundable $10 deposit. If a passenger is in their own collapsible wheelchair, but not completely confined to it and are able to board the bus unassisted, the chair can be stored as luggage. If a passenger is confined to a wheelchair, please advise at time of booking and wheelchair access will be requested.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 640 reviews
Laurie_K, Jun 2026
I chose this because I didn't want to go on a tour that they limit you to two hours at the gardens. we could travel at our own pace and there were return buses every hour until 5:00 pm when we were ready to leave. This worked out great, as my mom who is 85 years old didn't feel rushed. The buses are beautiful and comfortable, and we had narration the whole way there and back. They even offered to sell you the entrance tickets, which would save time in line.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review! We appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again soon!
bianca_h, Jun 2026
The shuttle was easy to find .The driver was entertaining and very informative on the ride out and back.Definitely an easy and inexpensive way to get to the Garden.
Virginia_B, Jun 2026
The ad on the Viator website was misleading, it looked like the "tour" included tickets to the garden, but it did not.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hello, thank you for your feedback. The title for the tour is "Express Shuttle" for this very reason! Additionally, it is posted in various places on the listing about how it does not include the admission ticket. We do however sell the admission tickets right at our kiosk that you can purchase when you check in. Thank you!
Shelley_W, Jun 2026
This was an absolutely wonderful experience with the bus shuttle to the Butchart Gardens from our Alaskan cruise ship. The gentleman driver was absolutely delightful and we loved his presentation as he drove and described various historical and interesting facts about Victoria. The double decker bus was comfortable and centrally located right in front of the Empress Hotel. The round-trip price was very reasonable and I would highly recommend this service.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your review! Hope to see you again soon.
Stacy_W, Jun 2026
Our tour guide was a nut! Loved her. She had some great stories & was a natural born storyteller. Fantastic!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for the wonderful feedback! We're so glad you enjoyed your tour. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words!
Deborah_L, May 2026
It was absolutely beautiful as always. I love the Butchart Gardens and have visited several times before.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your review! Hope to see you again soon.
Peter_G, May 2026
Informative bus driver, he really knows Victoria. Peter is also a great driver.
Butchart Gardens is wonderful, a don't miss experience.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your kind review were glad you enjoyed the tour!
Toma_A, May 2026
This was a shuttle to the gardens. We purchased tickets separately. The driver was very enthusiastic and entertaining and td us lots of facts on our way there and back.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your review! We hope you had a wonderful visit to The Butchart Gardens!
Kenton_C, May 2026
Convienent, on time.
Bus was clean. Easy to hear bus driver.
Peter, our driver, was informative, enjoyable and a very good driver.
Mary_J, May 2026
It's further than I thought from Victoria to Butchart Gardens. It was a lovely interesting trip because of our driver. The bus was nice, too
Response from Host, May 2026
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. We hope to see you again soon!
Sharon_C, May 2026
It was great. Bus drivers are very friendly and knowledgeable. We had a wonderful day at Butchart Gardens. Such a great alternative to cruise ship excursions which are so much more expensive.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. We hope to see you again soon!
Andy_A, May 2026
This excursion exceeded my expectations. The tour operator helped get us to the garden, since there was a mixup with getting on the bus. The gardens were beautiful and we really enjoyed exploring them. The bus driver made the ride back very enjoyable with lots of information on places we were driving past. We highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. We hope to see you again soon!
Brandy_G, May 2026
It’s magnificent and motivated me to think seriously about making a small flower garden in my backyard
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your review! We hope to see you next time!
Aaron_F, May 2026
Everything was extremely punctual. Our driver unfortunately wasn’t driving very smoothly, making the drive really uncomfortable to and from the gardens. He also talked on the microphone about his frustrations with other vehicles and pedestrians on the road.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hello! Thank you for your feedback. We pride ourselves on safety first and driver commentary second. We hope you had a wonderful visit at the Butchart Gardens and hope to see you again soon!
PatriciaAnne_B, May 2026
It's a 45-60 minute drive so it's nice to go by bus. The driver gives you interesting commentary along the way (and you come back on a different route so no repeats). We took the 9:30 (first trip) which made it less crowded and you have 3 return choices at 2,4 or 6 hours later. Just be at the bus stop on time.
You get your ticket (or verification if you do it online) right in front of the Empress (red umbrellas) and you can buy BG entry tickets online or at the bus
You can have a full tea at the restaurant!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your kind review!
Shari_G, May 2026
This was a great way to get to the gardens. My only disappointment was the pick up time. Their latest time was 4:30 and we didn't get dropped off until 2:40, so we didn't have enough time in the gardens. We ran late getting there because they let a dozen people buy their tickets late (after our scheduled departure time), so that took away precious time in the gardens.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your review. In the summer months (June to September) we run our shuttles hourly until late. We hope to see you next time!
Jean_K, May 2026
Very informative and fun driver. He was full of history and funny. I didn’t expect a tour, just thought it was a bus to get us to and back from gardens
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your review! We hope to see you next time!
Anita_H, Apr 2026
Our driver was extremely prompt and very interesting. It was a very comfortable way to learn about Victoria and also a easy way to get to Buchart Gardens.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your kind review! Hope to see you again soon!
John_B, Apr 2026
The pick up, on the street in front of the Fairmont Empress and drop off at the Garden entrance was very convenient. We were able to purchase tickets to the gardens at the kiosk where we checked in for the shuttle. Our driver (Cleon) was very nice and shared lots of fun facts both to and from the Gardens. Sit on the top at the front for the best views.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your kind review! Hope to see you again soon!
Dawn_A, Apr 2026
This shouldn't be called the "garden experience" if it doesn't include garden admission. The garden was lovely but there's no point in taking the shuttle if you're not going to go into the gardens so why would the garden experience not include the shuttle AND entry? Very misleading.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
On a third party operator such as Viator we cannot include the admission ticket. This is why we have it available for you to purchase at our kiosk upon check-in or on our own website or you can purchase it once you get to the gardens. Thank you!
Pam_H, Mar 2026
Beautiful gardens!! The grounds are immaculate and the staff are quite friendly. I’m looking at the gardens for a private group event in July and I think this would be a lovely venue
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for your review! Please let us know about any group wanting to come out with us :)
Lys_F, Oct 2025
Waiting in the rain was no fun! Could shelter in Empress and use washroom, hoping bus didn’t come too soon. Bus was 15 to 20 mins late and the other 3 passengers and myself got soaked. Narrative from driver fears interesting.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello, thank you for your feedback. We were unlucky with the weather this October and it is a shame you had to wait in the rain.
Kathleen_P, Oct 2025
Bus left on time both going to and returning from the garden. Driver (Sarah) was wonderful, full of enthusiasm and gave lots of information about the city and the garden en route
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. Hope to see you again soon!
MaryAnn_A, Oct 2025
The “office” where you redeem your voucher is actually a little umbrella stand in front of the bus.
Go on the 9:30 am bus. The gardens are the least busy at opening. It rained the day we went and it was great because a lot of people don’t go when it rains! Rain was intermittent. Don’t bring an umbrella. They have plenty of free see through umbrellas for you to use. Taking photos on cloudy day is also good. You don’t need to worry about shadows or sun in your wrong direction for photos. We were amazed at the number of flowers in bloom- dahlias, begonias. Impatiens, mums , amazing varieties of coleus, trees turning gold and orange, penstemons, blue salvia and lots of exotic plants. The bus is just a shuttle but the local driver Sarah gives an amazing tour and narration. Everyone tipped her because she was so good. Hot dogs in coffee shop are good! We were done touring and were ready go back at 12:30 . If you want to see the Japanese garden the most, walk there first because the paths are narrow and not enjoyable later when too many people show up at once. Great place to visit !
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. Hope to see you again soon!
Lisa_M, Oct 2025
Sarah, the driver was amazing. Gave the history of the garden and the family as well as other Victoria history. Enjoyed the trip and the gardens.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. Hope to see you again soon!
Douglas_B, Oct 2025
Expensive but worth the drive aste driver was excellent and like a tour guide. I would recommend it to other people
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. Hope to see you again soon!
Donald_B, Oct 2025
Take the stress out of driving in town. We stayed downtown Victoria and didn't want to drive while there so we took the shuttle and are glad we did! Informative ride to the gardens with prompt pickup and delivery. Once we figured out where the "kiosk" was it was stress free travel, always appreciated.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. Hope to see you again soon!
HELEN_G, Oct 2025
It was an easy walk. Well laid out and easy to navigate. Fountains and flowers were beautiful Combination of plants was well thought out. However, be aware of your timing so you don't miss your bus.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. Hope to see you again soon!
Susan_S, Oct 2025
Very efficient, great driver w/ lovely narration.
Liked the double-deck option, too.
Was a bit unsure if ticket price included return, though
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello! Thank you so much for your review. Hope to see you again soon!
James_K, Sep 2025
Both Rob and Emily gave awesome information on our ride to the Gardens. They were friendly and fun! Super convenient to meet up in front of the Empress Hotel
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Hello! Thank you so much for your review! I will pass it along to both Emily and Rob. Hope to see you again soon!
From $45.42
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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