Victoria Transit Journey: Route 11 Tillicum/UVIC

Your BC Transit journey doesn’t just have to get you from point A to point B, and the route 11 Tillicum Centre/UVIC in Victoria is a prime example of that. On a typical fall weekday, this route provides approximately 3,000 kilometres of service and carries more than 7,000 passengers. While one of its primary purposes is to transport thousands of students to and from UVic during the school year, it’s also a convenient pathway to some pretty amazing shops, services and experiences along the way! 

After leaving Tillicum Centre where you can pop into Winners or any of the shops there, the route 11 winds its way from Tillicum, to Admirals, and onto Gorge Road.  If you haven’t walked the pathway along the Gorge Waterway, you’re surely missing out!  The walk is made that much better in the fall with a warm drink and a pastry, which you can grab from Bakeology at the corner of Admirals and Gorge.  

If you bypass a stroll this time, the route takes a right on Douglas off of Gorge Road and takes you through the downtown core. Hop off in Downtown Victoria and you can grab brunch or treats at one of many stellar options like Crust Bakery or the Blue Fox Café, check out the cool shops in Chinatown’s Fan Tan Alley or walk the aisles at the shiny new Russell Books on Fort Street.  

The route 11 Tillicum/UVIC heads up Fort Street past the Art Gallery and into Oak Bay. If the time is right, you can stop for a pint at Christie’s Carriage House Pub or for a slice at Pizzeria Prima Strada, named Best Pizza in the City in 2019! 

It sure seems like we’re talking a lot about food, doesn’t it? If you’re feeling the need to burn off some calories, you can do it with a skate, swim, or workout at Oak Bay Recreation Centre. Of course, this bus also carries on into beautiful Cadboro Bay and Gyro Park beach, with an unblemished view of the Pacific and a long stretch of beach to walk.  

For UVic students cramming for mid-terms, the 100% locally-owned Peppers Food’s by Gyro Park has all your study snacks (including many gluten-free and diet sensitive products) to get you through the late nights, or stop at JUSU to grab an organic cold pressed juice or coffee to really get you focused. 

This 20 kilometre end-to-end trip is jammed with great things to see and do. Plus, these are just some of the options on one of the 53 routes you can use to explore everything Greater Victoria has to offer, from East Sooke to Sidney. You can also take your transit trip to the next level with one of our B.C. themed Spotify playlists along the way. Just don’t forget to mask up!

Explore Route 11