There are three options by which road travellers may reach Labrador. Two of these options provide entry to coastal Labrador via ferry services from the Island of Newfoundland. The third option provides road access to Labrador West through the neighbouring Province of Quebec.

An alternate way of reaching Labrador is via the rail link to Labrador City. You can jump to the Rail Travel section at the bottom this page.

Option 1: From Newfoundland via the MV Apollo

Newfoundland and Labrador are separated by a body of water called the Strait of Belle Isle. A ferry service operates across this strait from St. Barbe, Newfoundland to Blanc Sablon, Quebec. Blanc Sablon is located just a few minutes drive from Quebec-Labrador border. This auto/passenger ferry service is operated by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Accordingly, road travellers may:

1. Drive the paved highway in northern Newfoundland (the Viking Trail) to St. Barbe;
2. Embark on the MV Apollo for the 90-minute crossing of the Strait of Belle Isle;
3. Disembark at Blanc Sablon and follow Route 510 through the Labrador Coastal Drive region as far as north Cartwright.
4. At Cartwright, embark on the MV Sir Robert Bond ferry service (described in the next section) for the 13-hour journey to Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
5. Disembark at Happy Valley-Goose Bay and follow route 500 west to Labrador City. From Labrador City a road connection is available to continental North America.

Option 2: From Newfoundland via the MV Sir Robert Bond

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador operates an auto/passenger ferry service from Lewisporte, Newfoundland to Cartwright and Happy Valley-Goose Bay in Labrador.

Roading travellers wishes to use this service may:

1. Drive the paved highway in Newfoundland to the town of Lewisporte;
2. Embark on the MV Sir Robert Bond for the 23-hour journey to Cartwright;
3. Disembark at Cartwright and follow Route 510 through the Labrador Coastal Drive region as far south as L'Anse au Clair (which is just minutes from Blanc Sablon, the terminus for the MV Apollo ferry service described above).
4. Or, remain aboard the Bond and continue to Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
5. Disembark at Happy Valley-Goose Bay and follow Route 500 west to Labrador City. From Labrador City a road connection is available to continental North America.

Option 3: From Quebec by Road to Labrador City

Labrador City is linked by 581 km of road (Route 138) to Baie Comeau, Quebec. Approximately one-half of this distance is paved, while the remainder is gravel. Baie Comeau is connected by paved road to major centres.

Road travellers arriving at Labrador City by road may then:

1. Follow Route 500 east to Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
2. Embark on the Sir Robert Bond to Cartwright
3. Follow Route 510 south through the Labrador Coastal Drive region.

Mix Your Routes!

Given these separate routes for getting into (and out of) Labrador, it is possible to combined them to avoid lengthy backtracking. You can, for example, enter Labrador through the west by road and depart in the south by ferry. Or reverse it to enter Labrador by ferry from the south and depart by the western road link.

Here are some website links to help in planning your road travel:

• MV Apollo Ferry Service
• MV Sir Robert Bond Ferry Service
• Labrador Marine Inc., the company which operates these vessels under contract to government
• Labrador City to Baie Comeau road information

A rail link connects Labrador City (in western Labrador) to Sept Iles in Quebec. The eight-hour trip takes you through unspoiled, breathtaking, wilderness areas of Quebec and Labrador. Passenger service on the Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railway (QNS&L), is operated by Tshiuetin Rail Transportation Inc. (TRT). TRT operates two return trips per week between Sept-Iles, Quebec and Emeril Junction, on the Trans Labrador Highway, 63 km from Labrador West.

For further information please see:

• This information page for further description and contact information.
• This website, which presents a good travelogue complete with photos.