Wondering how to get around Newfoundland and Labrador? It’s a fair question. This eastern Canadian province is deceptively large, yet sparsely populated. Still, it’s a popular spot for tourism.
So, what’s the deal? How do you get around?
I’m a Canadian who knows Newfoundland quite well. In this article, I dish the 7 best ways to get around. And be sure to bookmark my guide to best places to stay in St. John’s to read next.
But first, perhaps the most popular question…
Can you get around Newfoundland without a car?
The short answer is yes, you can get around Newfoundland without a car. However, your experience will be very limited. The province has shuttles, buses, and ferries to get around, or you can take tours.
Further, if you want to fly from Newfoundland (south island) to Labrador you can fly. Labrador City has the Wabush-Labrador airport.
Now, let’s get into exactly how to get around Newfoundland…
How to Get Around Newfoundland & Labrador
Rental Car
By far, the easiest way to get around Newfoundland is by car. I personally rented a car and was able to see all the sites I had on my list.
Honestly, it’s the only real way to see the sights outside St. John’s. Yes, there are other ways to generally get around, but if you want to go hiking, head to the coast, and see small towns, you need a car.
I recommend browsing your rental car options with Discover Cars. They stack up all the rental options so you can choose the best car for your needs.
👉 Exploring the province? Check out my list of epic places to visit in Newfoundland after this article!
Guided Day Tours
Another great way to get around Newfoundland is by taking day tours. Taking guided trips to the hotspots takes the pressure out of planning.
Here are three day tours from St. John’s that are worth taking:
🏙️ St. John’s: Cape Spear and City Tour with Local Guide – A 3.5-hour tour that includes pickup from your hotel. This tour includes stops at Cape Spear, Quidi Vidi, Signal Hill, & more. (it has a 5/5 star rating!)
🚢 St. John’s: Small Group Tour with Iceberg Quest Boat Cruise – A 6-hour tour that also picks you up from your hotel. It includes a city tour, an iceberg tour, and stops at Jellybean Row, Quidi Vidi, Signal Hill & more.
🥾 St. John’s Coastal Hike with Top Local Guide – A 4-hour tour by a local that will take you to parts of the East Coast Trail. It includes breakfast!
The Bus
Newfoundland is also relatively connected by bus. You can reasonably get around by bus in St. John’s and it’s the cheapest mode of transportation. However, it will take you drastically longer to get around by bus than by car.
The bus service in St. John’s is Metrobus. You can view the bus schedule here.
Newfoundland also has smaller bus routes and on-demand buses in smaller destinations. You can browse these on this page.
Still, the bus options in Newfoundland are not comprehensive, and you’ll be quite limited in your movement. I’d recommend them only if you’re on a budget and are okay with sticking to their routes.
Shuttles
Because Newfoundland doesn’t have a comprehensive bus system, it compensates with private shuttles.
If you’re wondering whether or not you can get to your desired destination with a shuttle, I recommend googling your route. Or, you can check out some popular shuttle websites like Ride in Style NL and Gatherall’s Puffin & Whale Watch Shuttle.
Ferries
Another great way to get around Newfoundland & Labrador, especially between Newfoundland and Labrador, is by ferry.
The main ferry service is Labrador Marine Inc. They have a Strait of Belle Isle route and a Labrador Coastal route.
Uber & Taxi’s
Besides driving, the primary way I got around St. John’s was by Uber. Because St. John’s isn’t a big place and I was with my two friends, splitting Ubers was pretty cheap.
It came in extra handy when we spent a couple of nights on the town pub hopping and getting Screeched In.
There are also taxis in St. John’s, including Jiffy Cabs, City Wide Taxi, and Red & Yellow Cabs. However, there aren’t enough taxis to hail one off the street – you’ll have to save the numbers to your phone and call them. Red & Yellow Cabs has an app.
Uber doesn’t exist in Newfoundland and Labrador outside of St. John’s, although there are some smaller, more local taxi services.
Airplane
Obviously, the easiest way to get to Newfoundland and Labrador is to fly into St. John’s International Airport. Or, if you want to fly between Newfoundland and Labrador, you can take a flight from St. John’s International to Wabush-Labrador Airport.
There are also smaller airports in Gander and Deer Lake.
This is an easy way to get around, although it’s certainly the most expensive. If possible, I’d recommend shuttles, driving, and buses as better ways.
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Thanks for reading my guide to how to get around Newfoundland and Labrador! Up next, check out my guide to where to stay in St. John’s.
Any questions? Pop them in the comments!
