Ferry Schedule from North Sydney to Port aux Basques | Times

Marine Atlantic runs the North Sydney–Port aux Basques ferry daily, usually with day and overnight sailings.

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The ferry schedule from North Sydney to Port aux Basques is built around Marine Atlantic’s year-round crossing between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. In the current summer schedule block, most days have an 11:45am daytime sailing and a late-night sailing, with extra departures on Wednesday.

The crossing takes about 7 hours, but the time-zone shift matters. North Sydney, Nova Scotia, uses Atlantic Time, while Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, is 30 minutes ahead, so a listed 11:45am departure lands around 7:15pm Newfoundland time when sailing conditions stay on plan.

After you pick a sailing, compare route options and availability here:

North Sydney To Port Aux Basques Ferry Times: What Changes By Day

Marine Atlantic’s North Sydney to Port aux Basques ferry times are not identical every day. The steady pattern is a late-morning sailing, plus an overnight sailing on most dates.

For the June 19–October 3, 2026 schedule block, the North Sydney terminal lists the following departures to Port aux Basques. Times are shown as North Sydney local time.

Time check: arrival estimates above add the 7-hour crossing and Newfoundland’s 30-minute time difference. Your ticket and sailing advisory are the final source for the day you travel.

How Long Is The Crossing?

The North Sydney to Port aux Basques crossing takes about 7 hours on Marine Atlantic’s posted route information. Weather, marine traffic, loading, and operational changes can move the real arrival time.

The route covers 178 kilometers, or 96 nautical miles, between Cape Breton and southwest Newfoundland. Marine Atlantic runs it year-round, which makes Port aux Basques the main ferry entry point for most road trips to Newfoundland outside the Argentia summer season.

Marine Atlantic says the route operates daily and lists the current passenger schedule through September 30, 2027 on its official passenger ferry schedule. Because the page is date-based, select your exact travel window before relying on a printed time.

Day Sailing Or Overnight Sailing

The daytime sailing is easier if you want to drive into western Newfoundland the same evening. The overnight sailing is better if you want to sleep through most of the crossing and start driving after breakfast.

The 11:45am sailing usually reaches Port aux Basques around early evening Newfoundland time. That works well if your first night is in Port aux Basques, Channel-Port aux Basques, or nearby Codroy Valley, but it can feel late if you plan to drive much farther toward Corner Brook.

The overnight sailing usually reaches Newfoundland early the next morning. A cabin, reserved seat, or passenger pod can make that plan much easier, since regular lounge seating is not the same as a real night’s sleep.

• Choose the daytime ferry if you dislike sleeping on boats or want daylight views during the crossing.
• Choose the overnight ferry if you are bringing a car and want a full driving day in Newfoundland after arrival.
• Choose Wednesday if you need the most schedule choice in the current summer block.

What Does The Ferry Cost?

Marine Atlantic prices passengers, vehicles, and onboard accommodations separately. A solo adult without a vehicle is cheap; a car, cabin, pet kennel, or reserved seat raises the total.

Current posted rates for the Port aux Basques route show an adult passenger fare of CA$21.92 one way, including surcharge and security fee. At roughly CA$1 = US$0.70, that is about $15 USD. A car or pickup up to 21 feet adds CA$57.12, or about $40 USD, so one adult with a standard car is about $56 USD before a cabin or seat.

Rates can change, and the fare page is in Canadian dollars. Use the USD figures as planning math, not as a final charge.

North Sydney Terminal Timing And Check-In

North Sydney ferry check-in needs more time than a normal parking-lot arrival. Marine Atlantic says passengers must be checked in at least 2 hours before sailing, and vehicle reservations should be made at least 3 hours before departure when space is still available.

For an 11:45am sailing, treat 9:45am as the latest passenger check-in target. For the 11:45pm sailing, aim to be at the terminal by 9:45pm, earlier in summer or when you need food, fuel, or pet time before boarding.

The North Sydney terminal is at 149 Prince Street in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. Vehicle traffic enters through marked ticket booths off the Trans-Canada Highway, while pedestrian access and passenger pickup are handled from Prince Street.

Where To Sleep After Arriving In Port Aux Basques

Port aux Basques is the practical first-night stop after the evening ferry. Staying near the terminal is easier than pushing far into Newfoundland after a 7-hour crossing.

Hotel inventory in Port aux Basques is limited, and summer ferry arrivals can fill rooms early. If your sailing lands after dinner, choose a place before you board, not after you roll off the vessel.

Use the map below to compare places near the Port aux Basques ferry terminal and nearby road-trip stops:

Which Sailing Should You Choose?

The 11:45am sailing is the cleanest choice for most first-time travelers because it lands in Port aux Basques in the evening. The overnight sailing is the stronger pick when you want to save daylight for driving in Newfoundland.

Use this simple split:

• Best for easy timing: the 11:45am sailing, especially if you have a room near Port aux Basques.
• Best for a long Newfoundland driving day: the overnight sailing, paired with a cabin or reserved seat.
• Best for schedule flexibility: Wednesday in the current summer block, because it lists three North Sydney departures.
• Best for nervous planners: book early, arrive well before check-in closes, and recheck sailing advisories on travel day.

The ferry is the right move if you are bringing a car, RV, motorcycle, or road-trip gear into Newfoundland. Flying can be faster for a city break, but the North Sydney to Port aux Basques ferry is the route that keeps your vehicle with you from Nova Scotia onto the island.