Upcoming Newfoundland Trip

[deathtopumpkins]

So it turns out that I actually can do a trip to Newfoundland next summer. All these trips to Canada I've been dreaming up are not just pipe dreams after all it seems!

So I have a few random not entirely road-related questions about driving up there, I'm hoping some of you guys can answer them since I know there are people here who have done similar.

• Do US cell phones work in Canada? Even just for emergency calls?
• How do fares for the Marine Atlantic ferries from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland work? Their website lists passenger fares, vehicle fares, and the cost of a room for the night. Do you have to pay all three, or does your vehicle fare include passengers? And/or does the room fare include passenger fares? If not, it seems like an incredibly expensive ferry, since it would cost just over $300 each way for 2 people.
• Has anyone driven the entire length of NL 430? Is it entirely paved (4WD but I'd still like to know)? Are there easily accessible services? Is it possible to drive up the TCH 1 from Port-aux-Basques and then all the way up NL 430 in one day and still stop and see stuff?
• Do motorist services in NB, NS, and NL accept American credit cards, or should I bother with currency conversion?

My plan is as follows: Massachusetts to somewhere in either New Brunswick of Nova Scotia in one day (via I-95 to ME 9 to NB 1 to to TCH 2), then from there to the ferry in North Sydney the second day (via TCH 104 to TCH 105), then the Marine Atlantic ferry overnight, then driving up TCH 1 and NL 430 the next day. After that I may stay a day in Newfoundland to explore, then head back the next day the same way, take the ferry overnight, drive back through NS the next day, stay overnight somewhere probably in NB again, then head back to Mass (via NB 2 to I-95).

I'd really like some advice on whether or not this is doable. At this point I still have plenty of time to change my plans and I want to make the most out of this trip. I'll probably have a lot more questions as the trip approaches, as it is still a long way off.

[agentsteel53]

Do US cell phones work in Canada? Even just for emergency calls?

yes.  you either get charged extra, or can buy an international plan before you leave.

Do motorist services in NB, NS, and NL accept American credit cards, or should I bother with currency conversion?

also yes, but sometimes Mastercard and not Visa. 

[deathtopumpkins]

Do US cell phones work in Canada? Even just for emergency calls?

yes.  you either get charged extra, or can buy an international plan before you leave.

Alright thanks, I don't plan on using it except in the event of an emergency, so I probably won't bother buying an international plan, but I'll check with my carrier just to make sure.

Do motorist services in NB, NS, and NL accept American credit cards, or should I bother with currency conversion?

also yes, but sometimes Mastercard and not Visa.

I have a Mastercard bank card and a Discover credit card, so as long as one of those works I'm fine. Thanks.

[Alps]

* They have an 800 or 888 number you can call to confirm, but my recollection is that vehicle fare includes the driver as well, but room fares are separate.
* I have not driven NL 430 but I believe it is paved the whole way. Most settlements lack services - get a full tank and belly in Corner Brook.
* Try some different roads on the way back, really. There's not much you can do with 430, but you can drive the Corner Brook Ring Road and go past Stephenville Crossing (should be some old signs out that way, too). In other words, look for a few alternatives to the TCH just so that you can see something a little more local. These roads do tend to be paved, certainly the two I mentioned.

[1995hoo]

I used my US-based phone in Nova Scotia a few times and was charged roaming rates, but nothing so outrageous as to pose a problem. I was just judicious in how much I used it (primarily just to call ahead for a motel or dinner reservation for the night).

Your MasterCard should be accepted pretty much everywhere. Discover, less so.

The vehicle rate to Newfoundland does not include the driver nor any passengers (their website confirms this). We didn't get a room in either direction. I remember sleeping on the floor and my dad waking me up at around 4:30 AM to go out on deck and watch the sun rise in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Very cool. But I believe the room is charged separately from the passengers. I just went to their website and put in two passengers in a two-berth cabin plus a car for next February and it listed the two passengers and the two-berth cabin as separate line items on the reservation (which I didn't complete, obviously).

As far as Newfoundland goes....last time I was there was August 1982, so I can't give the greatest comments. But I'd say you should spend more than just a day or two, especially in summertime. It's about 430 miles from Port-aux-Basques up to L'Anse aux Meadows where the Viking settlement was. During the summer the sun stays up pretty late compared to most of the United States since you're at a latitude more comparable to Paris and London. We didn't make it all the way up to the Viking settlement; I think the farthest we got was Parsons Pond. We spent three or four days at Gros Morne National Park (stayed at the campground near Berry Hill) and it was a really nice stop. One day we made the walk in to Western Brook Pond and we very much enjoyed that and the scenery was spectacular. It's a must-do in my opinion; I think the walk was only around 2 miles each way but it seemed longer since we were kids at the time.

Another consideration since you'd be in the area: Have you driven the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia? If not, pencil that in as a "must-do" on your way home (when you aren't constrained by the ferry schedule). Well worth it for the road and the scenery. If you're a whisky drinker, then instead of following the southern end of the loop back to the Trans-Canada Highway near Baddeck take the Ceilidh Trail down to Inverness. The Glenora Distillery is located on Route 19 in Glenville. You can tour the distillery; they also have a nice inn with a very good restaurant. We stayed overnight on our 2008 trip to Nova Scotia and quite enjoyed it. Then just follow the Ceilidh Trail down the rest of the way back to the Canso Causeway.


This picture is from the west side of the Cabot Trail north of Cheticamp:




Unfortunately, I can't post pictures from my Newfoundland trip because, obviously, they were all on film and I have no idea whether I have any of the negatives anywhere (I highly doubt it) and I don't have a negative scanner anyway. But look up information on Western Brook Pond if you're looking for worthwhile stops along the road.

[AsphaltPlanet]

Discover doesn't exist in Canada, so I'd stick with your mastercard.  I use my Canadian MasterCard frequently in the US and have never had a problem.  On a previous trip to the US, I had trouble withdrawing cash using my Canadian debit card, I haven't had that problem before or since, but having a little bit of emergency cash isn't much of a problem.  Also, most stores in Canada will accept US currency, but will ding you with a terrible exchange rate.  Be careful with data on your cell phone.  As a Canadian traveling abroad, it is very expensive to use US data.  I can't say if the reverse is true, but I'd be careful.

[oscar]

Do US cell phones work in Canada? Even just for emergency calls?

Yes, unless you're in some really remote area (like some parts of far western Alaska) where you need to do a SIM card swap and set up an account with a local cellphone company that doesn't allow roaming.  I doubt you'll have that issue.  There might be a few places where you can't get a signal at all, even with a Canadian cellphone.  Roaming charges are extra, but probably manageable if you keep your calls few and short -- the only time they really stung me was on a half-hour long call in southwestern Nova Scotia.

How do fares for the Marine Atlantic ferries from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland work? Their website lists passenger fares, vehicle fares, and the cost of a room for the night. Do you have to pay all three, or does your vehicle fare include passengers? And/or does the room fare include passenger fares? If not, it seems like an incredibly expensive ferry, since it would cost just over $300 each way for 2 people.

All three are separate items,  IIRC (as Steve suggests, call to check whether the vehicle fare includes fare for the driver).  Only if you're taking a super-long overnight ferry to Argentia would you need a room, or a bunk bed in a common sleeping area (which is how I did it, using my own sleeping bag and pillow).  To Port-aux-Basques is only about six hours, so the easiest way to not pay for a room is to not take a red-eye.  There's ample unreserved seating for those who haven't booked a berth.

Has anyone driven the entire length of NL 430? Is it entirely paved (4WD but I'd still like to know)? Are there easily accessible services? Is it possible to drive up the TCH 1 from Port-aux-Basques and then all the way up NL 430 in one day and still stop and see stuff?

I've driven almost all of the route, except maybe a few km at the northern end.  NL 430 is fully paved, and has reasonably spaced services.  If your vehicle needs premium fuel, that's not always available (neither of the gas stations in Rocky Harbour had premium both times I drove the route, but they did sell bottles of octane booster; not an issue anywhere else on the route).

Even without stops, Port-aux-Basques to the north end of NL 430 in one day seems super-aggressive, and might also require night driving where service availability and moose on the loose could be issues.  Do not underestimate how long it can take to get from one corner of Newfoundland island to another!  Newfoundland highways are generally posted at 10 km/h lower than similar roads in other provinces (i.e., the maximum non-freeway limit in NL is 90 km/h, or 55mph), in part because the roads aren't maintained to quite the same standards.  Especially around Gros Morne National Park, the curves and moose will also throw you off schedule, and of course there are ample scenic stops and side trips along the way.  And it would be silly to go all the way to the northern tip of Newfoundland, without spending at least a good part of one day at the Viking historic sites. 

Just for one data point, on my August 2011 trip I started from the south end of NL 430 mid-morning, and it was dark when I limped into St. Barbe (to catch the ferry to Labrador) at the end of the day, after only a moderate amount of tooling around the Gros Morne area.

Do motorist services in NB, NS, and NL accept American credit cards, or should I bother with currency conversion?

They all take U.S.-issued Mastercard and/or Visa (Discover is rarely accepted anywhere in Canada; don't know about American Express since I don't use that).  Usually pay-at-the-pump can't be done with a U.S.-issued card, so you'll need to pay inside, and sometimes have to pre-pay inside as well (some stations don't require pre-payment).  Your credit card company will handle the currency conversion, though most will tack on a conversion fee.  My Mastercard issuer has several species of card, one of which doesn't charge foreign exchange fees, though I'm not completely sure they didn't nick me some other way on all the Canadian charges I've run up lately.

I suggest carrying some Canadian cash -- if U.S. cash is accepted at all (decreasingly likely the further you are from the U.S. border), it will likely be at an unfavorable exchange rate.  I just get mine from a Canadian ATM, though the bank charges make that unattractive for small withdrawals -- maybe currency exchange at the border will gouge you less. 

My plan is as follows: Massachusetts to somewhere in either New Brunswick of Nova Scotia in one day (via I-95 to ME 9 to NB 1 to to TCH 2), then from there to the ferry in North Sydney the second day (via TCH 104 to TCH 105), then the Marine Atlantic ferry overnight, then driving up TCH 1 and NL 430 the next day. After that I may stay a day in Newfoundland to explore, then head back the next day the same way, take the ferry overnight, drive back through NS the next day, stay overnight somewhere probably in NB again, then head back to Mass (via NB 2 to I-95).

Gawd, that really sounds like no fun!  If you have only a week to work with, I'd strongly suggest removing Newfoundland from the itinerary, and perhaps adding in its place the incredibly scenic Cabot Trail in eastern Nova Scotia, Halifax, and/or a side trip to Prince Edward Island province. 

FWIW, each of my two visits included a full week on Newfoundland island, before heading back to Nova Scotia (2003) or continuing to Labrador (2011).  Between those two visits, I got decent coverage of the entire island, though I still missed out on some stuff like a side trip to St. Pierre-et-Miquelon (French possession off the southern coast).

[1995hoo]

Regarding ATMs: Find out if your bank has a fee-free arrangement with a Canadian bank–for example, last time I was in Canada I made a point of using Scotiabank ATMs to get money because they had a deal with Bank of America where neither bank charged the other's customers any ATM fees. Worth looking into.

I haven't had any problem using American Express in Canada except at some smaller merchants (basically, same as in the USA).

[ghYHZ]

Fares on Marine Atlantic are individually priced:  vehicle + driver/passengers + accommodations and I wouldn't consider the fares incredibly expensive. Remember you are transporting a car + passengers over 160 KMs. And the $117 add-on for a 4 berth cabin is about what you would pay for a hotel room anyway.

Cell Phones: Just buy an add-on plan for Canada before leaving home and your cell phone will work just fine but be aware that unless your provider has a reciprocal plan with Bell in Canada......service along the west coast of Newfoundland can be spotty. Canadians with Rogers have the same problem getting service here too.

Yes I've driven NL430 all the way. It's entirely paved and 4WD is not required. You might find some rough spots but generally wide and straight. A couple of NL430 views:







And along TCH1:



Sure you can drive TCH1 and NL430 all the way in a day but don't do it! Just too much to see, you could spend a couple of days in Gros Morne National Park alone and several hours at the 1000 year old Viking Settlement in L'anse aux Meadows. And if you're come that far.......make a quick trip over to Labrador on the ferry: 1 1\2 hr each way.

[SP Cook]

• Do US cell phones work in Canada? Even just for emergency calls?
• Do motorist services in NB, NS, and NL accept American credit cards, or should I bother with currency conversion?

First, cell phones will work most anywhere, but you are often charged a confiscatory "international roaming" fee.  However, all you have to do is call you cell phone company and add the "international package" (some will even have a lower priced "Canada package") which is just a couple of dollars a month.  Add it to the package for the month, then drop it.  Far less cost.

Second, credit card brands (Visa, Master Card, American Express) are worldwide and accepted everywhere.  (Discover isn't).  Not the issue.  The individual issuer of your particular credit card will have, burried somewhere in the fine print, its policy on currency conversion.  Some are quite fair.  Some are free (AMEX generally is, if you have a real AMEX card and not one of those affinity cards).  Some are rediculiously expensive.  If you cannot find out from the paperwork or on-line, call your bank (or whatever) and see what they tell you.   I use AMEX exclusivly.  Some banks will turn you onto a different card they issue that has a better international policy than yours.  Some places will ask to see an ID, but other than that its just the same as in the USA.

Some other tips, IMHO:

- US car insurance is good in Canada (unlike Mexico), but there is a think called a "Canadian Interprovential Insurance Form" which you insurance company will give you for free, that is just like your standard proof of insurance card, but good for Canada.  I have only been asked for it once, but I had it.  If not, who knows?

- Take advantage of the duty free, going and coming.

- I never use US money outside the US (other than in Panama).  Its insulting and ugly.   You can generally get money from an ATM to do you.

- Alcohol is more tightly regulated in Canada than in the US, if you are a drinker.   Think Pennsylvania, or more so.

- Cross the border going north full and going south as empty as possible.  Gasoline is really expensive.  Pretty much everything is really expensive.

-

[deathtopumpkins]

* I have not driven NL 430 but I believe it is paved the whole way. Most settlements lack services - get a full tank and belly in Corner Brook.

I anticipate topping up before that stretch because it's pretty remote, and I think the plan is to pack as much food as we can into a cooler since we won't have the same dining options we're used to down here.

* Try some different roads on the way back, really. There's not much you can do with 430, but you can drive the Corner Brook Ring Road and go past Stephenville Crossing (should be some old signs out that way, too). In other words, look for a few alternatives to the TCH just so that you can see something a little more local. These roads do tend to be paved, certainly the two I mentioned.

Exploring other routes is definitely something I'd like to do, because I'm actually not particularly fond of freeway driving (much prefer minor back roads) but my budget would like me to try and not draw the trip out too much, which is why I had planned on sticking to the freeways. I will probably end up taking the freeway one way and a parallel highway the other (like taking Trunk 4 instead of TCH 104). It all depends on time.

I used my US-based phone in Nova Scotia a few times and was charged roaming rates, but nothing so outrageous as to pose a problem. I was just judicious in how much I used it (primarily just to call ahead for a motel or dinner reservation for the night).

Alright, so there shouldn't be any problems with using it. I anticipate roaming.

Your MasterCard should be accepted pretty much everywhere. Discover, less so.

Good. I'll just have to try and make sure I have enough on hand in my bank account to cover the trip.

The vehicle rate to Newfoundland does not include the driver nor any passengers (their website confirms this). We didn't get a room in either direction. I remember sleeping on the floor and my dad waking me up at around 4:30 AM to go out on deck and watch the sun rise in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Very cool. But I believe the room is charged separately from the passengers. I just went to their website and put in two passengers in a two-berth cabin plus a car for next February and it listed the two passengers and the two-berth cabin as separate line items on the reservation (which I didn't complete, obviously).

I can't believe I didn't think of starting a reservation and not finishing it!    Yup, you have to pay for yourselves, your vehicle, and a room. Rather disappointing. Looks like the ferry's going to cost us C$644. That's by far the most expensive part of the trip.

As far as Newfoundland goes....last time I was there was August 1982, so I can't give the greatest comments. But I'd say you should spend more than just a day or two, especially in summertime. It's about 430 miles from Port-aux-Basques up to L'Anse aux Meadows where the Viking settlement was. During the summer the sun stays up pretty late compared to most of the United States since you're at a latitude more comparable to Paris and London. We didn't make it all the way up to the Viking settlement; I think the farthest we got was Parsons Pond. We spent three or four days at Gros Morne National Park (stayed at the campground near Berry Hill) and it was a really nice stop. One day we made the walk in to Western Brook Pond and we very much enjoyed that and the scenery was spectacular. It's a must-do in my opinion; I think the walk was only around 2 miles each way but it seemed longer since we were kids at the time.

Again, I'd love to spend more time, but budget concerns. I currently have 3 days scheduled to get from Port-aux-Basques to L'Anse aux Meadows and back, and anticipate spending some time on at least one day in Gros Morne. Not sure if we'll be able to but I'd even be up for camping there for one night. The scenery there looks absolutely stunning.
Also, valid point about it staying light out later. We can probably stay out much later than we would on a trip somewhere in the states so we should be able to fit more into a day.

Another consideration since you'd be in the area: Have you driven the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia? If not, pencil that in as a "must-do" on your way home (when you aren't constrained by the ferry schedule). Well worth it for the road and the scenery. If you're a whisky drinker, then instead of following the southern end of the loop back to the Trans-Canada Highway near Baddeck take the Ceilidh Trail down to Inverness. The Glenora Distillery is located on Route 19 in Glenville. You can tour the distillery; they also have a nice inn with a very good restaurant. We stayed overnight on our 2008 trip to Nova Scotia and quite enjoyed it. Then just follow the Ceilidh Trail down the rest of the way back to the Canso Causeway.

Nope, this will actually be my first foray outside of the United States! I'll definitely consider the Cabot Trail on the way home though. We're doing the ferry overnight, so we'll be on the road in the morning as soon as we're off the ferry. Should be early enough that we can manage to squeeze it in if it's a must-do. And from that picture it looks like it is!

Thank you very much!

Discover doesn't exist in Canada, so I'd stick with your mastercard.  I use my Canadian MasterCard frequently in the US and have never had a problem.  On a previous trip to the US, I had trouble withdrawing cash using my Canadian debit card, I haven't had that problem before or since, but having a little bit of emergency cash isn't much of a problem.  Also, most stores in Canada will accept US currency, but will ding you with a terrible exchange rate.  Be careful with data on your cell phone.  As a Canadian traveling abroad, it is very expensive to use US data.  I can't say if the reverse is true, but I'd be careful.

Well that's good to know. I think my passenger will have a Visa credit card, so if I can't use my Discover card anywhere but I make sure I have cash/money on my Mastercard I should be fine.
And I don't plan on using data on my phone. It's expensive enough here, so I can only imagine how much it costs in another country! I do use the GPS app on my phone, but it allows you to save chunks of the map for offline access, and still transmits GPS without a data connection, so if I save the majority of my route beforehand I think that should work.
I plan on trying to pick up a map of Maritime Canada on my way though to have as a backup, which brings up a new question: Can anyone tell me if any of the maritime provinces give out official road maps, or of any relatively cheap and good commercial maps?

Do US cell phones work in Canada? Even just for emergency calls?

Yes, unless you're in some really remote area (like some parts of far western Alaska) where you need to do a SIM card swap and set up an account with a local cellphone company that doesn't allow roaming.  I doubt you'll have that issue.  There might be a few places where you can't get a signal at all, even with a Canadian cellphone.  Roaming charges are extra, but probably manageable if you keep your calls few and short -- the only time they really stung me was on a half-hour long call in southwestern Nova Scotia.

Good to know.

How do fares for the Marine Atlantic ferries from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland work? Their website lists passenger fares, vehicle fares, and the cost of a room for the night. Do you have to pay all three, or does your vehicle fare include passengers? And/or does the room fare include passenger fares? If not, it seems like an incredibly expensive ferry, since it would cost just over $300 each way for 2 people.

All three are separate items,  IIRC (as Steve suggests, call to check whether the vehicle fare includes fare for the driver).  Only if you're taking a super-long overnight ferry to Argentia would you need a room, or a bunk bed in a common sleeping area (which is how I did it, using my own sleeping bag and pillow).  To Port-aux-Basques is only about six hours, so the easiest way to not pay for a room is to not take a red-eye.  There's ample unreserved seating for those who haven't booked a berth.

Yeah I just wanted to do it overnight to maximize the amount of daylight we have to explore in. But if we do it overnight I have no problem paying for a room, since, as someone pointed out, it's no more expensive than a hotel room. If it were just myself I might be tempted to not book a room and just sleep in a chair, but my passenger isn't as young and adventurous as I am and needs a bed.

Has anyone driven the entire length of NL 430? Is it entirely paved (4WD but I'd still like to know)? Are there easily accessible services? Is it possible to drive up the TCH 1 from Port-aux-Basques and then all the way up NL 430 in one day and still stop and see stuff?

I've driven almost all of the route, except maybe a few km at the northern end.  NL 430 is fully paved, and has reasonably spaced services.  If your vehicle needs premium fuel, that's not always available (neither of the gas stations in Rocky Harbour had premium both times I drove the route, but they did sell bottles of octane booster; not an issue anywhere else on the route).

Regular gas is fine, my car's too old and worn to bother putting premium in it anyway.

Even without stops, Port-aux-Basques to the north end of NL 430 in one day seems super-aggressive, and might also require night driving where service availability and moose on the loose could be issues.  Do not underestimate how long it can take to get from one corner of Newfoundland island to another!  Newfoundland highways are generally posted at 10 km/h lower than similar roads in other provinces (i.e., the maximum non-freeway limit in NL is 90 km/h, or 55mph), in part because the roads aren't maintained to quite the same standards.  Especially around Gros Morne National Park, the curves and moose will also throw you off schedule, and of course there are ample scenic stops and side trips along the way.  And it would be silly to go all the way to the northern tip of Newfoundland, without spending at least a good part of one day at the Viking historic sites. 

The Viking sites are why I'm going up there.  I am currently budgeting 3 days for the island, one to drive up (and probably spend some time in Gros Morne), one to explore L'Anse aux Meadows and other points of interest up there, and one to drive back down (and also potentially stop at Gros Morne or elsewhere). Google says the drive from the ferry terminal to the end of the road is 699 km / 434 mi or 8 hours and 52 minutes. With slightly longer days than I'm used to, I think this would be doable and still allow for some time to explore. Though based on these posts I am considering maybe staying at Gros Morne for one night or even adding an extra day on.

Just for one data point, on my August 2011 trip I started from the south end of NL 430 mid-morning, and it was dark when I limped into St. Barbe (to catch the ferry to Labrador) at the end of the day, after only a moderate amount of tooling around the Gros Morne area.

That's only 182 miles! That seriously took from mid-morning to after dark? It definitely looks like I should budget an extra day or two for Newfoundland...

Do motorist services in NB, NS, and NL accept American credit cards, or should I bother with currency conversion?

They all take U.S.-issued Mastercard and/or Visa (Discover is rarely accepted anywhere in Canada; don't know about American Express since I don't use that).  Usually pay-at-the-pump can't be done with a U.S.-issued card, so you'll need to pay inside, and sometimes have to pre-pay inside as well (some stations don't require pre-payment).  Your credit card company will handle the currency conversion, though most will tack on a conversion fee.  My Mastercard issuer has several species of card, one of which doesn't charge foreign exchange fees, though I'm not completely sure they didn't nick me some other way on all the Canadian charges I've run up lately.

I suggest carrying some Canadian cash -- if U.S. cash is accepted at all (decreasingly likely the further you are from the U.S. border), it will likely be at an unfavorable exchange rate.  I just get mine from a Canadian ATM, though the bank charges make that unattractive for small withdrawals -- maybe currency exchange at the border will gouge you less.[/quote]

I'm just trying to figure out a way to minimize the fees I pay - i.e. whether it is cheaper to use a bank card and potentially pay a conversion fee, take money out of an ATM and pay that fee, or convert my money at the border and pay that fee.
Would it possibly be cheaper to convert my money somewhere in the states, like at my local bank? 

My plan is as follows: Massachusetts to somewhere in either New Brunswick of Nova Scotia in one day (via I-95 to ME 9 to NB 1 to to TCH 2), then from there to the ferry in North Sydney the second day (via TCH 104 to TCH 105), then the Marine Atlantic ferry overnight, then driving up TCH 1 and NL 430 the next day. After that I may stay a day in Newfoundland to explore, then head back the next day the same way, take the ferry overnight, drive back through NS the next day, stay overnight somewhere probably in NB again, then head back to Mass (via NB 2 to I-95).

Gawd, that really sounds like no fun!  If you have only a week to work with, I'd strongly suggest removing Newfoundland from the itinerary, and perhaps adding in its place the incredibly scenic Cabot Trail in eastern Nova Scotia, Halifax, and/or a side trip to Prince Edward Island province. 

FWIW, each of my two visits included a full week on Newfoundland island, before heading back to Nova Scotia (2003) or continuing to Labrador (2011).  Between those two visits, I got decent coverage of the entire island, though I still missed out on some stuff like a side trip to St. Pierre-et-Miquelon (French possession off the southern coast).

I have a very limited budget for the trip, and specifically wanted to hit Newfoundland (particularly Viking stuff and Gros Morne National Park), so I'm definitely still doing it. And I'm not specifically limited to a week, my plan just came out to taking 7 days. I can add more, I just don't want to increase the cost too much by adding more overnight stays. Unless I can manage to pull off camping which I'm sure is significantly cheaper... I'm not worried about covering the entire island of Newfoundland though. In fact I'm specifically sticking to the western coast/northern peninsula so as to focus on one area, thereby saving other areas for future trips and not trying to overwhelm myself.

[TO BE CONTINUED IN AN HOUR]

[Alps]

* I have not driven NL 430 but I believe it is paved the whole way. Most settlements lack services - get a full tank and belly in Corner Brook.

I anticipate topping up before that stretch because it's pretty remote, and I think the plan is to pack as much food as we can into a cooler since we won't have the same dining options we're used to down here.

* Try some different roads on the way back, really. There's not much you can do with 430, but you can drive the Corner Brook Ring Road and go past Stephenville Crossing (should be some old signs out that way, too). In other words, look for a few alternatives to the TCH just so that you can see something a little more local. These roads do tend to be paved, certainly the two I mentioned.

Exploring other routes is definitely something I'd like to do, because I'm actually not particularly fond of freeway driving (much prefer minor back roads) but my budget would like me to try and not draw the trip out too much, which is why I had planned on sticking to the freeways. I will probably end up taking the freeway one way and a parallel highway the other (like taking Trunk 4 instead of TCH 104). It all depends on time.

Yeah, in terms of your NL driving, it'll be up to when your ferries are - see what you can do otherwise.

[oscar]

Just for one data point, on my August 2011 trip I started from the south end of NL 430 mid-morning, and it was dark when I limped into St. Barbe (to catch the ferry to Labrador) at the end of the day, after only a moderate amount of tooling around the Gros Morne area.

That's only 182 miles! That seriously took from mid-morning to after dark? It definitely looks like I should budget an extra day or two for Newfoundland...

Of course, that 182 miles included all of my touring around the Gros Morne area on that trip.  If I'd just driven straight through Gros Morne, maybe four-five hours, six hours tops.  And that's the slowest stretch of NL 430. 

[deathtopumpkins]

[CONTINUED FROM ABOVE]

Regarding ATMs: Find out if your bank has a fee-free arrangement with a Canadian bank–for example, last time I was in Canada I made a point of using Scotiabank ATMs to get money because they had a deal with Bank of America where neither bank charged the other's customers any ATM fees. Worth looking into.

I haven't had any problem using American Express in Canada except at some smaller merchants (basically, same as in the USA).

I doubt that will be the case, because I switched from BofA to a small local credit union recently (got tired of BofA screwing me over - the branch manager actually told me to "take my money elsewhere" when I complained about something, so I did). I can't see my bank having any arrangement but I guess it couldn't hurt to look.

Fares on Marine Atlantic are individually priced:  vehicle + driver/passengers + accommodations and I wouldn't consider the fares incredibly expensive. Remember you are transporting a car + passengers over 160 KMs. And the $117 add-on for a 4 berth cabin is about what you would pay for a hotel room anyway.

Yeah I know it seems like a lot, but you're correct that that is fairly good considering the distance and the fact that it includes a room for the night.

Yes I've driven NL430 all the way. It's entirely paved and 4WD is not required. You might find some rough spots but generally wide and straight.
Sure you can drive TCH1 and NL430 all the way in a day but don't do it! Just too much to see, you could spend a couple of days in Gros Morne National Park alone and several hours at the 1000 year old Viking Settlement in L'anse aux Meadows. And if you're come that far.......make a quick trip over to Labrador on the ferry: 1 1\2 hr each way.

Yeah I still plan on seeing those places, I just wanted to make it to the end of NL 430 (or at least St. Anthony or wherever we decide to spend the night) in one day. Based on previous responses though I think I might, at least for the first night, camp in Gros Morne instead. And maybe add another day or two on to the itenerary.
I'll not be popping over to Labrador though. I have other future trips planned around the Trans-Labrador Highway (specifically driving it and the disconnected segment of PQ-138), so I'll save Labrador for then.

• Do US cell phones work in Canada? Even just for emergency calls?
• Do motorist services in NB, NS, and NL accept American credit cards, or should I bother with currency conversion?

First, cell phones will work most anywhere, but you are often charged a confiscatory "international roaming" fee.  However, all you have to do is call you cell phone company and add the "international package" (some will even have a lower priced "Canada package") which is just a couple of dollars a month.  Add it to the package for the month, then drop it.  Far less cost.

That's a good idea. I should look into whether or not T-Mobile offers it.

Second, credit card brands (Visa, Master Card, American Express) are worldwide and accepted everywhere.  (Discover isn't).  Not the issue.  The individual issuer of your particular credit card will have, burried somewhere in the fine print, its policy on currency conversion.  Some are quite fair.  Some are free (AMEX generally is, if you have a real AMEX card and not one of those affinity cards).  Some are rediculiously expensive.  If you cannot find out from the paperwork or on-line, call your bank (or whatever) and see what they tell you.   I use AMEX exclusivly.  Some banks will turn you onto a different card they issue that has a better international policy than yours.  Some places will ask to see an ID, but other than that its just the same as in the USA.

Okay, thanks for the info. I'll look at my bank's policy. I need to go by there tomorrow anyway so maybe I'll talk to them.

- US car insurance is good in Canada (unlike Mexico), but there is a think called a "Canadian Interprovential Insurance Form" which you insurance company will give you for free, that is just like your standard proof of insurance card, but good for Canada.  I have only been asked for it once, but I had it.  If not, who knows?

Thanks a lot, that was another thing I had forgotten to look into - car insurance.

- I never use US money outside the US (other than in Panama).  Its insulting and ugly.   You can generally get money from an ATM to do you.

I'm not as concerned with that as with what's cheapest for me, but thanks for the advice.

- Alcohol is more tightly regulated in Canada than in the US, if you are a drinker.   Think Pennsylvania, or more so.

Not a concern here.

- Cross the border going north full and going south as empty as possible.  Gasoline is really expensive.  Pretty much everything is really expensive.

Will try.

[/list]

[1995hoo]

....

- US car insurance is good in Canada (unlike Mexico), but there is a think called a "Canadian Interprovential Insurance Form" which you insurance company will give you for free, that is just like your standard proof of insurance card, but good for Canada.  I have only been asked for it once, but I had it.  If not, who knows?

....

This is correct; call your insurance agent about a week or so before you go (two weeks if you want to be careful) and tell him you need the "Canada card" for a trip you're making. He'll almost certainly know exactly what you mean. It's a yellow slip of paper and it simply certifies that your insurance policy satisfies the statutory minimum in all the provinces and territories. They'll probably ask you for the dates of your trip because that info is supposed to be on the card–basically it says that on those particular dates, your insurance is satisfactory. If you think you might take an extra day somewhere, just give them a long time period.

The official name is "Canadian Inter-Provincial Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card" or something like that. When I've asked for one my agent has mailed it the same day and I received it the next day, but then my agent is located in Fairfax City about half an hour from my house.

BTW, remember that the laws on crossing the border have changed and you now need either a passport or a passport card.

[Dr Frankenstein]

A few points here:

Some prepaid cellphones do not have roaming, as is the case with mine. In my particular case, I basically have no phone number and it works like a pay phone; I can do collect calls, or buy time with a credit card (in which case I have to enter a PIN before each call), but I cannot receive calls or SMSes.

Before each U.S. trip, I change a few hundred dollars at home (that's convenient for me since I work in the same building as my credit union's HQ, and there are several change offices in the area anyway). You never know when you'll stop at a small restaurant that only accepts cash. I usually keep my leftovers for future trips.

It is good practice to call your credit card company ahead to tell them you're going out of the country, so they don't mistakenly block your card because they think it's been compromised in Canada (still, I forget that part all the time and never got any trouble).

[agentsteel53]

It is good practice to call your credit card company ahead to tell them you're going out of the country, so they don't mistakenly block your card because they think it's been compromised in Canada (still, I forget that part all the time and never got any trouble).

try paying your bill in full for 13 years and having a 2% cash back policy.  your bank will find a way to fuck with you.  "we've lost over 8000 dollars on this asshole over the years ... let's change his card number while he's in Sweden!"

[webfil]

• Do US cell phones work in Canada? Even just for emergency calls?
• Do motorist services in NB, NS, and NL accept American credit cards, or should I bother with currency conversion?

First, cell phones will work most anywhere, but you are often charged a confiscatory "international roaming" fee.  However, all you have to do is call you cell phone company and add the "international package" (some will even have a lower priced "Canada package") which is just a couple of dollars a month.  Add it to the package for the month, then drop it.  Far less cost.

That's a good idea. I should look into whether or not T-Mobile offers it.

T-Mobile has partnerships with 8 different carriers in Canada, depending on the frequency used by your phone. Just pray that your phone works on AWS/3G at 1700/2100 MHz. Else, get a prepaid, anything that works with CDMA 800 MHz should be fine with Telus and Bell antennas down there. 1900 MHz (band used by Rogers) coverage is nonexistent in NL, except on Avalon peninsula.

T-Mobile charges 60¢ per minute (plus long-distance fees) and 10,240$ every gigabyte of data in Canada (10$/MB). That is a Must-Know. (Sprint charges roughly 3,000$ for the same amount of data).

If you have an unlocked phone, my advice would be to get a free Virgin Mobile Canada "prepaid" SIM card and save a lot. Virgin works on Bell and Telus networks, which covers most of the Newfound(Is)land and remote areas in Canada, such as sparse service on Trans-Labrador and Baie James routes. Virgin charges no fees for long-distance calls in Canada. You can also get these Virgin SIM in most Canadian shopping centres.

[agentsteel53]

10,240$ every gigabyte of data in Canada (10$/MB).

yeah, you need to get an international plan.

I get 100MB for $25 a month (with Verizon, but I'm betting all the service providers are similar), which I use in Mexico.  I believe a Canada-only addition is even less.

[oscar]

This is correct; call your insurance agent about a week or so before you go (two weeks if you want to be careful) and tell him you need the "Canada card" for a trip you're making. He'll almost certainly know exactly what you mean. It's a yellow slip of paper and it simply certifies that your insurance policy satisfies the statutory minimum in all the provinces and territories. They'll probably ask you for the dates of your trip because that info is supposed to be on the card–basically it says that on those particular dates, your insurance is satisfactory. If you think you might take an extra day somewhere, just give them a long time period.

The official name is "Canadian Inter-Provincial Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card" or something like that. When I've asked for one my agent has mailed it the same day and I received it the next day, but then my agent is located in Fairfax City about half an hour from my house.

My insurance agent's staff sometimes get confused about inter-provincial insurance cards, so it helps to spell out the exact name on the form -- Canada Non-Resident Inter-Province Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card.

Depending on your policy limits, issuing you the card might temporarily bump up your limits to meet the most stringent limits anywhere in Canada.  That's why the agent needs to know when you'll be in Canada, and why you need to include a fudge factor to make sure the card will be valid for your entire stay even if you leave a little early or return a little late.  Or, if you have really high policy limits that already meet every Canadian requirement, you can ask the agent to issue you a card valid until your policy comes up for renewal (so repeat visits don't require a new card for every visit) -- but you might need to educate your agent about why it doesn't cost the company any more to issue a more open-ended card. 

[deathtopumpkins]

Okay based on some responses here, I'm now looking into either extending the trip to spend several days in Newfoundland (and seriously considering camping in Gros Morne) or postponing a trip to Newfoundland and instead focusing on Nova Scotia. The latter might be my best bet considering that it would allow me to cut out the $645 for the ferry, allowing me to easily stay a few extra nights and allowing my schedule a little bit more flexibility.

Thanks again for all the responses, you guys have been super helpful. I know I'll have a hard time deciding where to go now, and I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions when I do.



Regarding insurance, will it matter to Canada that I have the most basic coverage legally possible, i.e. liability and nothing else?

BTW, remember that the laws on crossing the border have changed and you now need either a passport or a passport card.

No worry there, I have a passport.

T-Mobile has partnerships with 8 different carriers in Canada, depending on the frequency used by your phone. Just pray that your phone works on AWS/3G at 1700/2100 MHz. Else, get a prepaid, anything that works with CDMA 800 MHz should be fine with Telus and Bell antennas down there. 1900 MHz (band used by Rogers) coverage is nonexistent in NL, except on Avalon peninsula.

T-Mobile charges 60¢ per minute (plus long-distance fees) and 10,240$ every gigabyte of data in Canada (10$/MB). That is a Must-Know. (Sprint charges roughly 3,000$ for the same amount of data).

If you have an unlocked phone, my advice would be to get a free Virgin Mobile Canada "prepaid" SIM card and save a lot. Virgin works on Bell and Telus networks, which covers most of the Newfound(Is)land and remote areas in Canada, such as sparse service on Trans-Labrador and Baie James routes. Virgin charges no fees for long-distance calls in Canada. You can also get these Virgin SIM in most Canadian shopping centres.

I don't know that information about my phone off the top of my head, but I have a Samsung Galaxy S III, so if anyone else does...

It doesn't look like using my phone without any Canadian service is an attractive option, but that Virgin Mobile SIM card looks like my best bet (if it would work in my phone - I'm trying to check my IMEI number but the site seems to perpetually just say it's checking it). Plus I plan on driving the Trans-Labrador and James Bay on future trips, so I could just hang on to this card and use it in the future too if it works in remote areas.

[oscar]

Regarding insurance, will it matter to Canada that I have the most basic coverage legally possible, i.e. liability and nothing else?

It could matter a lot.  Many provinces require coverage limits much higher than typical minimum requirements in the U.S.  See http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/laws/liability-laws/ Getting an inter-provincial insurance card will take care of that issue.  It will also come in handy as proof of adequate insurance, if you're pulled over and the police ask you for such proof (as has happened to me).

[1995hoo]

....

BTW, remember that the laws on crossing the border have changed and you now need either a passport or a passport card.

No worry there, I have a passport.

....

Just wanted to make sure you knew about the current law. I know a fellow who grew up in Buffalo and has a passport but did not have it with him when he drove to Toronto two years ago. The Canadian border authorities didn't care, but it took him several hours to get back into the United States (probably not helped by what he described as his reaction of "What the hell are you talking about? I grew up in Buffalo and everybody knows you don't need a passport!"). Just wanted to make sure you didn't cause yourself unnecessary trouble.

[kphoger]

It is good practice to call your credit card company ahead to tell them you're going out of the country, so they don't mistakenly block your card because they think it's been compromised in Canada (still, I forget that part all the time and never got any trouble).

When we go to México, I never bother calling ahead, and haven't had any trouble.  But this past June, our youth pastor tried using his work credit card for importing his vehicle, and it was rejected and then blocked.  It's a good thing he had his personal credit card with him!  I suspect the alert system was higher for his since it was not just a personal card.

[ghYHZ]

Okay based on some responses here, I'm now looking into either extending the trip to spend several days in Newfoundland (and seriously considering camping in Gros Morne) or postponing a trip to Newfoundland and instead focusing on Nova Scotia............

Thanks again for all the responses, you guys have been super helpful. I know I'll have a hard time deciding where to go now, and I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions when I do.

Sounds like you really want to go to Newfoundland so go for it!

I'm two hours from the boat at North Sydney and over at least 3 > 4 times a year. Can't get enough of the place, it's just different......the scenery, the people. When you get off the boat, stop for a coffee and let the ferry traffic clear out and you basically have the Trans Canada to yourself. Three and four lanes wide in places.....not a car in sight ahead.....or behind!





Even in winter when we're going skiing in Corner Brook...... and those crossings can be interesting! Breaking ice all night but the view of the Long Range Mountains as you dock in Port-aux-Basques the next morning is really something to see. Then returning to the boat on Sunday evening you might get caught in a one-way convoy with a plow leading on the Trans Canada at Wreak House. Winds here coming down out of the mountains can whip up blizzards that have been known to blow 18 wheelers over and trains of the track. And then there was one Friday night winter crossing when we were scheduled to dock Saturday at 7am but didn't until Sunday at 7am due to high winds. We just sat off-shore.....meals and cabin courteous of Marine Atlantic! (don't worry......summer crossings can be as smooth as glass) 





 
   

If you just make it as far as Nova Scotia, you'll enjoy the Cabot Trail but really not the remoteness you would experience in Newfoundland.
The drive up thru New Brunswick on NB1 to TCH2 will be just like driving any Interstate and you'll be passing thru the cities of Saint John and Moncton and onto Nova Scotia and metro Halifax (pop 400,000).....just not the remote like Newfoundland. No need to be watching the gas guage......if there's not a station at one interchange.....there probably will be one at the next. And a pretty good chance it will be an Irving (think you have those in Mass too)

So go to Newfoundland.....you won't regret it!