Terminals
Travellers Section
Travellers Section

port aux basques terminal

Welcome to Newfoundland and Labrador's rugged southwest coast, your gateway to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Four toll booths mark the entrance to Marine Atlantic's Port aux Basques terminal, where the MV Caribou, the MV Joseph and Clara Smallwood and the MV Leif Ericson sail for North Sydney, Nova Scotia. Commercial and passenger customers purchase their tickets at this point and are then queued into appropriate lanes in the compound marshalling area to await sailing. There are 19 vehicle lanes, each holding 30 automobiles, in the marshaling area. Wait list customers are also queued in this area.

Passengers sailing from Port aux Basques are reminded that plant material or produce such as potatoes may not be transported from Newfoundland. The Department of Agriculture will inspect vehicles prior to boarding and all plant material will be confiscated. The department may also wash vehicles prior to boarding to prevent transport of soil.

Marine Atlantic's two-story passenger service building is located on the south side of the Port aux Basques compound. The ticket counter and office, main lobby, security office, arcade, public washrooms, cafeteria, a TV room/waiting room lobby, gift shop and the Southwest Coast Information Center are all located on the main floor.

A bar lounge, TV waiting room and a patio are located on the second floor of the passenger service building, as well as Marine Atlantic's Port aux Basques reservations office and administration area. The company's financial and information technology departments are located in downtown Port aux Basques at 10 Marine Drive.

A service lane for taxis and walk-on passengers is located parallel to the passenger service building. Buses access the building from the east side, where the baggage area is also located.

A children's activity center is also located on the main floor of the building. Customer service assistants coordinate activities for children from mid-June to Labour Day.

You'll receive more than just good service at the Port aux Basques terminal. A group of musically inclined Marine Atlantic employees provides entertainment for travelers at the bandstand on the south side of the compound, performing traditional Newfoundland music on fine days from July 1 to Labour Day.

The two-level Gulf Dock is located on the water-side of the compound. Two lanes of vehicles may be loaded on to the ferry simultaneously. Renovations at the Carter Dock are currently in the design stage. A 700-foot coastal dock is also located at the compound.

On the east side of the compound is the maintenance building for Marine Atlantic's Port aux Basques operations, and the life raft center, where staff maintain and repair all life-saving equipment aboard Marine Atlantic's vessels.

argentia terminal

The Argentia - North Sydney ferry route is operated annually from mid-June to late September. The MV Joseph and Clara Smallwood travels across the gulf in approximately 14 hours, one way.

The entrance to the Argentia compound is marked by five Marine Atlantic ticket booths. Upon check-in and receipt of full payment, customers receive their boarding passes and proceed to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency car wash, where the bottom of their vehicle is washed of any ground material in preparation for leaving the province. Customers then proceed, in order of check-in, to one of the 14 available traffic lanes to await boarding.

The buildings located within the compound include the terminal building and the old terminal building, which now functions as the Maintenance Shop and the office of the Stevedores. An unsupervised outdoor play area is available for customers with children.

The two-story terminal building was officially opened on June 9, 1990. It is wheelchair accessible and for customers requiring the use of a wheelchair, they are available, upon request, for use while on Marine Atlantic property.

Located on the first floor of the terminal building is the ticket counter and baggage-handling area, wheelchair accessible public washrooms with showers, cafeteria, gift shop, children's play area, arcade and general waiting area. Payphones, a hearing-impaired phone service, and a direct line to Marine Atlantic's reservations office are also available on this floor.

The second floor is accessible by way of the stairs, elevator, or wheelchair lift. Amenities on the second floor include a television room, lounge, payphones and access to the outside patio area overlooking the harbour.

Marine Atlantic provides a shuttle bus service for walk-on passengers to and from the vessel. A bus for persons with disabilities is also available for customers requiring the service.

north sydney terminal

Experience the warmth and hospitality of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia at Marine Atlantic's North Sydney terminal as you make your ferry connection to Newfoundland.

Five toll booths mark the entrance to the North Sydney terminal, where the MV Caribou and the MV Joseph and Clara Smallwood and the MV Leif Ericson sail for Port aux Basques and Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador. Commercial and passenger customers purchase their tickets at this point, and are then queued into appropriate lanes in the compound marshaling area to await the sailing. There are 19 vehicle lanes in this marshaling area, which hold 30 automobiles each.

A fenced playground is located on the north side of the compound near the toll booths, giving children a safe place to play while awaiting the ship's departure.

Adjacent to the marshaling compound is the four-story terminal building. The ground floor of this unique building, which from the outside resembles a series of graduated steps, houses the North Sydney ticket counter and office, main lobby, security office, arcade, public washrooms, Newfoundland Information Center, cafeteria and a TV room/waiting room lobby. Outside this section is a public patio area with a view of the dock, compound and harbour.

A service lane for taxis, buses and walk-on passengers runs parallel to the terminal building. A baggage handling area is located in the terminal. There is no vehicular access from this lane to the marshaling compound.

A passenger rest area, TV lounge, and bar lounge are located on the second floor for passengers with time to spare while awaiting the ferry.

The third floor of the terminal building is the site of the port office, including the office of the terminal manager, the general clerk, traffic clerk and time keeper. A conference room is also located on this floor, as well as a staff patio.

The fourth story of the terminal building is a mechanical area, which is off limits to the public. An observation deck and patio are located on this floor for public use, accessible only from the outside of the building.

During the summer a "Dockside Ceilidh" is held to the south of the terminal building. The Northside Highland Dancers have been providing family entertainment at the ferry terminal for the past 15 years, giving travellers a taste of traditional Cape Breton music and dance. A children's activity center is also located in this area.

The Gulf Dock is located on the water-side of the compound. This two-level loading dock allows two lanes of vehicles to be loaded simultaneously.

Marine Atlantic's administration building is located to the right of the Gulf Dock. This building houses the company's departments of Gulf Service operations, Marketing and Reservation Services, Passenger Services, Training and Human Resources Development, and Safety. The stevedore's waiting room is also located in the building, as well as Purchasing & Materials Management.

The "Carter Dock" is located behind the administration building. This dock replaced an older structure and is used as a single-level back-up dock.

Marine Atlantic's North Sydney maintenance department is located on the southwest corner of the lot. From here the maintenance department deals with problems occurring on the vessels, in the buildings, and even offers assistance to customers experiencing minor problems with their vehicles.

The staff at Marine Atlantic's North Sydney terminal looks forward to serving you on your journey to Newfoundland.