Newfoundland And Labrador Getting There

Getting There by Air

Air Canada (AC) (www.aircanada.com) operates regular services to Newfoundland and Labrador. Other airlines also serve the province. 

Main Airports

Gander (YQX) (www.ganderairport.com) is 3km (2 miles) from the city centre. To/from the airport: A 24-hour taxi service is available from the domestic arrivals area and DRL Coachlines Ltd (tel: (709) 263 2171 or 1 888 263 1854; www.drlgroup.com) operates a daily scheduled passenger coach service across Newfoundland. Facilities: Car parking, restaurant, gift shop, car hire and ATM.

St John's (YYT) (www.stjohnsairport.com) is 8km (5 miles) from the city centre (journey time - 15 minutes). To/from the airport: A taxi service is available. Facilities: Gift shop, duty-free shop, restaurants, ATM and car hire.

Other major airports are at Deer Lake (YDF), St Anthony (YAY), and Wabush (YWK).

Getting There by Water

A year-round daily passenger and vehicle ferry service runs between North Sydney, Nova Scotia, and Port aux Basques on Newfoundland's southwest coast. Summer services run three times a week between North Sydney and Argentia on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula, mid June to late September. You can make reservations with Marine Atlantic (tel: (709) 695 4200 or 1 800 341 7981; www.marine-atlantic.ca).

SPM Express (tel: (709) 832-2006 or 1 800 563 2006; www.spmexpress.net) runs a year-round ferry to the French islands of St Pierre and Miquelon from Fortune on Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula; frequency varies with the season, from daily service in the summer to weekly service in the winter. 

Intra-provincial ferries connect island communities with larger towns. A seasonal ferry (tel: 1 866 535 2567) connects Blanc Sablon, Québec (on the border with Labrador) and St Barbe on Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula with an 80-minute crossing from April to January. Remote communities on the Labrador coast and Newfoundland's south coast are also served by coastal boats. All intra-provincial ferry services can be checked online (www.gov.nl.ca/ferryservices). Also available on this website are details of a summer car ferry service between Lewisporte on Newfoundland's north coast and Happy Valley-Goose Bay in Labrador.

Getting There by Rail

Tshiuetin Rail Transportation Inc. (tel: (418) 960 0982; www.tshiuetin.net) provides a passenger service between Sept-Iles in Québec and Emeril Junction in western Labrador.

Getting There by Road

A modern paved highway (Route 1, the Trans-Canada Highway) crosses Newfoundland from Port aux Basques in the southwest to the capital of St John's in the east. The distance is 928km (580 miles). Paved secondary roads connect most communities to the main highway.

Visitors can reach western Labrador along a partially paved route from Baie Comeau, Québec. Just north of Baie Comeau, pick up Quebec Highway 389. It connects to the Trans-Labrador Highway (Highway 500) at the Québec-Labrador boundary. Dubbed the ‘Freedom Road' by residents, the Trans-Labrador Highway crosses Labrador from Labrador City (with a spur road to Wabush) to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. There are limited services along this 555km (345-mile) road; be sure to fill your petrol tank in Labrador City, Churchill Falls and Goose Bay. 

Highway 510 connects communities along Labrador's southeast coast, but is usually closed for a couple of months after the Christmas period due to snow conditions. The road is paved for the first 86km (53 miles), from the Québec border to Red Bay, and is Class A gravel from there to Cartwright, a distance of 323km (201 miles).

Coach: DRL Coachlines (tel: (709) 263 2171 or 1 888 263 1854; www.drlgroup.com) operates a daily scheduled bus service between St John's and Port aux Basques (Route 1). Stops along the route include Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor (journey time - 14 hours).
Need some holiday inspiration?
Tired of the same holiday destination?
Fresh ideas are just one click away...
Sign up for our newsletter
Be the first to hear about the coolest destinations and the latest travel trends. Plus, competitions, holiday inspiration and amusing facts, delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter
Advertisement

Travel Deals

Advertising features
Travel Partners
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Spot the holiday killer - Protect yourself from malaria. Before you travel, find out if your holiday destination is in a malaria zone.

Quick links