How to Get Here
By Air
Happy Valley - Goose Bay is the air transportation hub for Labrador. As home to one of the largest airports in Eastern Canada, Happy Valley - Goose Bay hosts a number of air carriers who operate regularly scheduled flights to and from the island of Newfoundland, the provinces of Nova Scotia, Quebec and all other Labrador communities. There are also a number of charter services that use Happy Valley-Goose Bay as a base to access the numerous outfitter camps in Labrador.
Following is a list and contact phone numbers for air carriers operating out of Happy Valley-Goose Bay:
Following is a list and contact phone numbers for air carriers operating out of Happy Valley-Goose Bay:
- Air Labrador, 1-800-563-3042 (local reservations - 896-3387)
- Air Canada Jazz, 1-888-247-2262
- Canadian Helicopters, 1-709-896-5259
- Provincial Airlines Ltd. 1-800-563-2800
- Innu Mikun Airlines operated by Provincial Airlines Ltd.
- Universal Helicopters, 1-709-896-2444
Trans Labrador Highway
(larger version)
By Road
You can drive EAST from Quebec to Labrador via routes 389/500 starting at Baie Comeau, Quebec (Via 389), traveling north east to Route 500 (we call it the Trans
Labrador Highway) to Labrador City and Wabush and then east past Churchill Falls
towards Goose Bay and North West River. The new road link (Route 510) is now
complete between Goose Bay and Cartwright and on to the Labrador Straits. Travelers can continue their road trip directly to Newfoundland by the ferry crossing of the Strait of Belle Isle from Blanc Sablon, Quebec to the Island of Newfoundland year round.
Or if you are starting in Newfoundland, you can drive NORTH up the Northern Peninsula to St. Barbe, crossing the Strait of Belle Isle on the ferry, the Apollo, porting at Blanc Sablon Quebec - then you can drive the scenic Labrador Coastal Drive (Route 510) and visit all of the communities in the Labrador Straits and south coast, west into Happy Valley- Goose Bay, Churchill Falls and further on to Labrador City and south to Quebec.
This is mainly a gravel road, with paving and maintenance underway daily, so please drive carefully. Slow down when you see large vehicles or transport trucks approaching as gravel may spray and crack a windshield. Please ensure you have emergency supplies and a spare tire on board as the gravel can be sharp. We recommend heavier vehicles and 10 ply tires for travel on the Trans Labrador highway, but motorcycles and small cars have made the trip safely!
Beware of wildlife on the road including bears, moose, caribou, wolves, foxes, rabbits and birds. Do not feed the wildlife, and stay in your vehicle if you see wildlife - they can be unpredictable.
When you travel in either direction, services are limited. Be sure to gas up on Route 389 at Manic 5, in Labrador City, in Churchill Falls, in Goose Bay, and in Port Hope Simpson. There are rest stops, accommodations, and, food at these locations too. Be sure to pack water, garbage con-tainer, snacks, toilet paper and BUG SPRAY for the drive!
*SAFETY NEWS* - There is NO cell phone service on this long route, but the Provincial Government has a program for you to "borrow" a satellite phone for use between Labrador City, Goose Bay and L'Anse au Clair. There is NO FEE for this service. Pick up and drop off points are at the hotels in each town listed.
Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador must provide a drivers license or credit card. Non residents must provide a credit card number. The phones are only for emergency use and are programmed to enable direct calls to the police. Make sure to give the po-lice your approximate coordinates (closest community). If you are calling to request roadside assistance, insist they tell the garage or tow company that you have credit card to pay for the costs of service. Satellite phones can be picked up/dropped off at the following establishments:
• Wabush Hotel in Wabush
• Midway Travel Inn in Churchill Falls
• Hotel North Two and Royal Inn and Suites in Happy Valley-Goose Bay
• Alexis Hotel in Port Hope Simpson
• Town Office in Charlottetown
• Riverlodge Hotel in Mary's Harbour
• Northern Light Inn in L'Anse au Clair
Labrador Highway) to Labrador City and Wabush and then east past Churchill Falls
towards Goose Bay and North West River. The new road link (Route 510) is now
complete between Goose Bay and Cartwright and on to the Labrador Straits. Travelers can continue their road trip directly to Newfoundland by the ferry crossing of the Strait of Belle Isle from Blanc Sablon, Quebec to the Island of Newfoundland year round.
Or if you are starting in Newfoundland, you can drive NORTH up the Northern Peninsula to St. Barbe, crossing the Strait of Belle Isle on the ferry, the Apollo, porting at Blanc Sablon Quebec - then you can drive the scenic Labrador Coastal Drive (Route 510) and visit all of the communities in the Labrador Straits and south coast, west into Happy Valley- Goose Bay, Churchill Falls and further on to Labrador City and south to Quebec.
This is mainly a gravel road, with paving and maintenance underway daily, so please drive carefully. Slow down when you see large vehicles or transport trucks approaching as gravel may spray and crack a windshield. Please ensure you have emergency supplies and a spare tire on board as the gravel can be sharp. We recommend heavier vehicles and 10 ply tires for travel on the Trans Labrador highway, but motorcycles and small cars have made the trip safely!
Beware of wildlife on the road including bears, moose, caribou, wolves, foxes, rabbits and birds. Do not feed the wildlife, and stay in your vehicle if you see wildlife - they can be unpredictable.
When you travel in either direction, services are limited. Be sure to gas up on Route 389 at Manic 5, in Labrador City, in Churchill Falls, in Goose Bay, and in Port Hope Simpson. There are rest stops, accommodations, and, food at these locations too. Be sure to pack water, garbage con-tainer, snacks, toilet paper and BUG SPRAY for the drive!
*SAFETY NEWS* - There is NO cell phone service on this long route, but the Provincial Government has a program for you to "borrow" a satellite phone for use between Labrador City, Goose Bay and L'Anse au Clair. There is NO FEE for this service. Pick up and drop off points are at the hotels in each town listed.
Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador must provide a drivers license or credit card. Non residents must provide a credit card number. The phones are only for emergency use and are programmed to enable direct calls to the police. Make sure to give the po-lice your approximate coordinates (closest community). If you are calling to request roadside assistance, insist they tell the garage or tow company that you have credit card to pay for the costs of service. Satellite phones can be picked up/dropped off at the following establishments:
• Wabush Hotel in Wabush
• Midway Travel Inn in Churchill Falls
• Hotel North Two and Royal Inn and Suites in Happy Valley-Goose Bay
• Alexis Hotel in Port Hope Simpson
• Town Office in Charlottetown
• Riverlodge Hotel in Mary's Harbour
• Northern Light Inn in L'Anse au Clair
Sir Robert Bond docked at Happy Valley-Goose Bay
(larger version)
By Boat
The communities along the coast of Labrador, including Happy Valley - Goose Bay are serviced by a regularly scheduled marine ferry and coastal supply boats. This is a seasonal service and generally runs from June to November.
Reservations on the Apollo (ferry across the Labrador Straits to the Island of Newfoundland) should be made in advance at:
http://www.tw.gov.nl.ca/ferryservices/schedules/j_pollo.html
Labrador Marine Inc - 1-866-535-2567 1 709-535-0810
$10.00Non-refundable deposit for passenger reservations.
$50.00 for commercial vehicle reservations.
All other traffic is on a first come, first serve basis.
All traffic to check in at dockside one hour prior to departure.
Disabled travellers requiring boarding assistance and/or information on
facilities available are asked to please notify Ticket Agent.
You must request confirmation numbers for both yourself and your car.
Please be aware that the schedule of departures days and times
changes over the summer
Ferry service is also available to the North Coast and portions of the South Coast of Labrador. For more information please go to:
www.labradorferry.ca
Reservations on the Apollo (ferry across the Labrador Straits to the Island of Newfoundland) should be made in advance at:
http://www.tw.gov.nl.ca/ferryservices/schedules/j_pollo.html
Labrador Marine Inc - 1-866-535-2567 1 709-535-0810
$10.00Non-refundable deposit for passenger reservations.
$50.00 for commercial vehicle reservations.
All other traffic is on a first come, first serve basis.
All traffic to check in at dockside one hour prior to departure.
Disabled travellers requiring boarding assistance and/or information on
facilities available are asked to please notify Ticket Agent.
You must request confirmation numbers for both yourself and your car.
Please be aware that the schedule of departures days and times
changes over the summer
Ferry service is also available to the North Coast and portions of the South Coast of Labrador. For more information please go to:
www.labradorferry.ca
Snowmobiling in Labrador
(larger version)
By Snowmobile
Labrador's winter offers the snowmobile enthusiast one of the greatest possible experiences. For people that live in this northern environment, snowmobiles are like cars in the south. As a result, there is an increasing number of high quality groomed trails in Labrador. In the Upper Lake Melville region (of which Happy Valley - Goose Bay sits in the middle), groomed trails will shortly be linking up the coastal areas and Labrador west. Once completed, there will be hundreds of kilometres of trails linking up the Labrador communities and linking Labrador to the Province of Quebec's trail system. Travel from central Canada to Happy Valley - Goose Bay and beyond by snowmobile will be a reality as these trails are developed. If you are interested in this exciting new way to see Labrador, or the opportunities it presents, send us a note on our Contact Us page.