If you are planning a vacation on Prince Edward Island without a car, it is possible to discover beaches, small towns, food stops and local culture beyond Charlottetown. Here's an itinerary for an unforgettable day that allows you to explore what locals refer to as "up east" to St. Peter's or further to Souris using both public transit and bicycle rentals (with e-bike options). Please note that rural transit operates Monday to Friday only and does not operate on statutory holidays. Learn more about TransitPEI.ca

Choose your ride: Souris I Montague I Georgetown or St. Peters (see below).

Charlottetown to St. Peters

Start here: Take transit from Charlottetown at 7:45 am or 11:45 am

Plan for an early or mid-day departure using Transit PEI from downtown Charlottetown. Meet your bus in front of the box office entrance of the Confederation Centre of the Arts on Queen Street. Enjoy a scenic ride to St. Peter's using the EASTERN PEI, Charlottetown to Souris route.

Arrive in St. Peter's

The bus will drop you off at St. Peter's Landing at either 8:50 AM or 12:50 pm depending on your departure time. Walk a short distance to Confederation Trail Bike Rentals, which opens at 9:00 am. Be sure to make a reservation in advance for your bike rental. Here, you will be outfitted with a fitted bike helmet, souvenir trail map and a bike lock. 

Choose your cycling adventure

From St. Peter's, here are several routes to consider:

Ride to PEI National Park, Greenwich (20.4 km return)

Difficulty: Easy
Surface: Paved road and dedicated active transportation path 
Approximate cycling time: 1 hour

• Start with a short ride along Route 16. At Route 313, turn left onto a dedicated active transportation path for a scenic, winding ride overlooking St. Peters Bay as you make your way to  PEI National Park, Greenwich.
• Take time to explore the trails or enjoy a swim before returning to St. Peters along the same route.

Ride to St. Peters Harbour Lighthouse (36.6 km return)

Difficulty: Moderate
Surface: Confederation Trail, paved road, short unpaved section
Approximate cycling time: 2 hours

• Follow the Confederation Trail west from St. Peters, continuing past Morell. At Settlement Road, exit the trail and head to Route 2. Turn right, then left onto St. Peter’s Harbour Road (650 m).
• Continue straight past the “No Exit” sign until you reach a dirt track on your left marked Lot 40. This public trail leads to St Peter's Lake Beach, an ideal stop to stretch your legs or enjoy the shoreline.
• After your beach visit, retrace your route back to St. Peters.

Ride to Shipwreck Point (45 km return)

Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Surface: Confederation Trail and paved road
Approximate cycling time: 2 hours

The destination for this scenic looped route is Naufrage fishing village, home to Shipwreck Point and the Naufrage Harbour Lighthouse. Here, you can also enjoy lunch at the Naufrage Snack Shack, swim in the gulf, hunt for sea glass and take a selfie at one PEI's few remaining wooden bridges. 

• Follow the Confederation Trail west toward Morell. Exit the trail and connect with local roads leading north toward Naufrage.
• At Route 16, go east into Naufrage.
• To return, loop back along Route 16 until you reach the Confederation Trail. Continue to St. Peters to complete the loop. 

Leave for Charlottetown at 12:52 pm or 4:16 pm

Return your bike and walk to St. Peter's Landing for your return to Charlottetown by bus. Approximate travel time: 1 hour

Charlottetown to Souris

Start here: Take transit from Charlottetown at 7:45 am

Plan for an early or mid-day departure using Transit PEI from downtown Charlottetown. Meet your bus in front of the box office entrance of the Confederation Centre of the Arts on Queen Street. Enjoy a scenic ride to Souris using the EASTERN PEI, Charlottetown to Souris route. Travel time: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

Arrive in Souris

The bus will drop you off at the Eastern Kings Sportsplex at 9:16 am. Be sure to make a reservation in advance for an e-bike rental with ebikeseastpei.com. Here, you will be met by a Town of Souris employee, who will outfit you with a bike helmet and a bike lock.

Choose your cycling adventure

From Souris, there are a couple of routes along the Confederation Trail to consider:

Ride to Souris Lighthouse to Souris Beach Gateway Park (5 km return)

Difficulty: Easy
Surface: Paved road and Confederation Trail
Approximate cycling time: 20 minutes

• From the rink, cross Route #2 and follow MacPhee Ave. to Breakwater St. Turn left to go up to the Souris Historic Lighthouse & Gift Shop. Continue along Breakwater St. to connect with the Confederation Trail on your right. 
• Follow the trail for 1.4 km, then turn left onto Chapel Ave.and right onto Main St. (Route #2). At the crosswalk, the Souris Beach Gateway Park is directly across the street.
• Return to your starting point along the same route.

Ride to Elmira (48 km return)

Difficulty: Moderate
Surface: Confederation Trail
Approximate cycling time:  3 hours 25 minutes. 

• Follow the Confederation Trail to Elmira, once the end of the line for Prince Edward Island's railway. 
• Return through a quieter stretch of trail known for its scenic views and opportunities for birdwatching.

Leave for Charlottetown at 2:17 pm

Return your bike to the Eastern Sportsplex and wait for the bus to Charlottetown. Approximate travel time: 1 hour 53 minutes.

Charlottetown to Montague

Start here: Take transit from Charlottetown at 6:15 am or 7:45 am

Plan for an early departure using Transit PEI from downtown Charlottetown. Meet your bus in front of the box office entrance of the Confederation Centre of the Arts on Queen Street. Enjoy a scenic ride to Montague using the EASTERN PEI, Charlottetown to Montague route. Travel time: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes.

Arrive in Montague 

In Montague, the bus will drop you near Bogside Brewing at either 7:09 or 8:55 am depending on your departure time. Walk three minutes to pick up your bike at the old train station on Station Street. Be sure to make a reservation in advance for an e-bike rental with ebikeseastpei.com. You will be outfitted with a bike helmet and a bike lock.

Choose your cycling adventure

From Montague, there are a couple of routes along the Confederation Trail to consider:

Ride to Georgetown (34.6 km return)

Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Surface:  Confederation Trail
Approximate cycling time: 1 hour 6 minutes

From the Montague waterfront area, head east on the Confederation Trail. As you cycle along, you will cross the Brudenell River, a Canadian Heritage River, before reaching Georgetown. 

For an optional side trip, turn right onto Roma Point Road and follow it to the end for 2.5 km to Roma at Three Rivers National Historic Site. Return to Montague along the same route. (Cycling time: 1 hour 25 minutes)

Leave for Charlottetown at 4:09 pm

Return your bike, then walk to the bus stop near Bogside Brewing to take the bus back to Charlottetown.  Approximate travel time: 1 hour 6 minutes.