Deer Lake Regional Airport (YDF) → Portugal Cove ferry terminal
Deer Lake Airport (YDF) to Bell Island
The drive from every airport and ferry ↓
- Distance
- 641.1 km
- Drive time
- In your maps app ↗
Use another map app
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Then a ferry to Bell Island
The mapped ferry route runs across Conception Bay between Portugal Cove and Bell Island, drawn in both directions and tagged as carrying motor vehicles, cyclists and foot passengers. The province runs it and publishes more than one timetable, depending on which vessels are working. Open the current schedule before you go.
Operated by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Current schedule →Faded lines are other drives from Deer Lake Regional into this area: St. John's (638 km), Signal Hill (Cabot Tower) (641 km), Cape Spear (649 km), Harbour Grace (601 km), Brigus (583 km), Clarke's Beach (583 km), Witless Bay (619 km), Heart's Content (612 km). Each splits off where its line leaves this one.
Stop 1: Indian River
A green space mapped essentially on the driven line. OpenStreetMap records it as a nature reserve but not who runs it, and it is not on ParksNL's list. Treat it as a place to pull over, not somewhere with facilities.
Stopping here adds 0.1 km to the drive.
Directions →Show on map: Indian River ↑Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · WazeStop 2: Loggers' Life Provincial MuseumDetour
A reconstructed 1920s logging camp on the west side of Grand Falls-Windsor, mapped right beside the driven line. Central Newfoundland ran on the woods for a century, and the museum shows that work.
Stopping here adds 4.6 km to the drive.
Directions →Show on map: Loggers' Life Provincial Museum ↑Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · WazeStop 3: Upper Falls Lookout
One of three viewpoints mapped together beside the Trans-Canada at the Norris Arm junction. It is the upper waterfall lookout on the Eel Brook Trail, a short walk past Eel Brook's falls: AllTrails lists it at about 1.3 miles out and back, with Lower Falls Lookout as the other viewpoint.
Stopping here adds 2 km to the drive.
Directions →Show on map: Upper Falls Lookout ↑Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · WazeStop 4: North Atlantic Aviation Museum
On the Trans-Canada at 135, per the museum's own page: Gander's story from 1935 to 2001, the Second World War, the transatlantic crossroads years and 9/11. Hours are linked below.
Stopping here adds 0.1 km to the drive.
Directions →Show on map: North Atlantic Aviation Museum ↑Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · WazeStop 5: Square Pond
A pond-side stop beside the Trans-Canada. OpenStreetMap still uses its old provincial-park name; the province no longer lists it. A place to stretch your legs.
Stopping here adds 0.7 km to the drive.
Directions →Show on map: Square Pond ↑Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · WazeStop 6: Joey's Lookout
A mapped viewpoint on the Trans-Canada east of Gander, effectively on the road. OpenStreetMap records only the name and that it is a viewpoint. It is easy to miss at highway speed.
Stopping here adds 0.1 km to the drive.
Directions →Show on map: Joey's Lookout ↑Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze
Scan with your phone to open this page there. Then tap Keep for offline before you lose signal.
Drive measured Oct 19, 2026, Deer Lake Regional Airport (YDF) to Portugal Cove ferry terminal. Your maps app gives the time on the day. The ferry after it is not included. How we measure
Then the ferry to Bell Island — sailings & schedule →
Add to a trip →Staying here? Days out ↓Keep for offline ↓Airport info: Deer Lake Regional Airport →
641.1 km. From Deer Lake airport to Portugal Cove ferry terminal, on Routes 1, 50 and 41.
When you get to Portugal Cove
- Where to eat near Portugal Cove → — 10 places the open map records, alphabetically, with addresses and phone numbers.
Sunrise and sunset at Portugal Cove, by month
| Month (the 15th) | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| January | 7:44 am | 4:35 pm |
| February | 7:08 am | 5:23 pm |
| March | 7:15 am | 7:06 pm |
| April | 6:13 am | 7:49 pm |
| May | 5:24 am | 8:30 pm |
| June | 5:02 am | 9:00 pm |
| July | 5:18 am | 8:56 pm |
| August | 5:56 am | 8:15 pm |
| September | 6:37 am | 7:15 pm |
| October | 7:19 am | 6:14 pm |
| November | 7:06 am | 4:26 pm |
| December | 7:43 am | 4:10 pm |
Worked out for the 15th of each month at this spot, in local time. The weather line at the top has today's.
Places to eat on the way
3 near the start: where to eat in Deer Lake →
5 near Portugal Cove ferry terminal: where to eat near Portugal Cove →
106 places to eat within 2 km of this drive, in the order you pass them.
The longest stretch with nothing mapped on it is 127.2 km — after Tim Horton, until Eddies Restaurant.
All 106, in the order you pass them — open the list
- Eddies Restaurantrestaurantkm 129.8
- Red Hawk Dinerrestaurantkm 180.6
- Badger Diner & Motelrestaurantkm 180.8
- Mary Brown'sfast foodkm 209.4 · 858 m off the road
- Burger Kingfast foodkm 209.6 · 731 m off the road
- Tai Sun Restaurantrestaurantkm 209.6 · 415 m off the road
- Donnini's Pizza & Donairrestaurantkm 209.6 · 434 m off the road
- Dairy Queenfast foodkm 209.6 · 278 m off the road
- McDonald'sfast foodkm 209.7 · 420 m off the road
- Tim Hortonscafékm 209.7 · 531 m off the road
- Wing'n Itrestaurantkm 209.7 · 1257 m off the road
- War Wick'srestaurantkm 209.7 · 1349 m off the road
- Subwayfast foodkm 209.7 · 389 m off the road
- A&Wfast foodkm 209.9 · 978 m off the road
- Sarah's Dinerrestaurantkm 210.3 · 1158 m off the road
- KFCfast foodkm 210.5 · 474 m off the road
- Greco Pizzafast foodkm 210.5 · 369 m off the road
- Taiwanrestaurantkm 210.5 · 1229 m off the road
- Juniper Kitchen and Bistrorestaurantkm 210.5 · 1247 m off the road
- Furey's Trailway Take-Outfast foodkm 223.6 · 425 m off the road
- Irvingrestaurantkm 223.7
- Tim Hortonscafékm 223.7
- Riverside Dinerfast foodkm 282.1 · 600 m off the road
- A&Wfast foodkm 303.5
- Subwayfast foodkm 303.5
- Mary Brown'sfast foodkm 303.8
- Jumping Bean Coffee Companycafékm 303.9 · 974 m off the road
- Tim Hortonscafékm 303.9
- Louis Geesfast foodkm 303.9 · 809 m off the road
- New Highlight Restaurantrestaurantkm 303.9 · 906 m off the road
- Pizza Housefast foodkm 303.9 · 954 m off the road
- East Ocean Restaurantfast foodkm 303.9 · 949 m off the road
- Lilly's Landing Family Restaurantrestaurantkm 304 · 986 m off the road
- Jade Garden Restaurantrestaurantkm 304 · 869 m off the road
- Grecofast foodkm 304 · 883 m off the road
- Ches's Fish & Chipsrestaurantkm 304.2 · 956 m off the road
- DQ Grill & Chillfast foodkm 304.2
- Little Caesarsfast foodkm 304.3 · 1866 m off the road
- The Shawarma Stationrestaurantkm 304.3 · 1143 m off the road
- KFCfast foodkm 304.5 · 1104 m off the road
- Mystic Roomrestaurantkm 304.5 · 800 m off the road
- Tim Hortonscafékm 304.5 · 1480 m off the road
- Tim Hortonscafékm 304.5 · 1110 m off the road
- Pizza Delightrestaurantkm 304.7 · 816 m off the road
- Subwayfast foodkm 304.7 · 1036 m off the road
- McDonald'sfast foodkm 304.7 · 1045 m off the road
- Wing 'n Itrestaurantkm 304.7 · 1795 m off the road
- Swiss Chaletrestaurantkm 304.8 · 869 m off the road
- Robin's Donutsfast foodkm 304.8 · 845 m off the road
- The Newfoundland Tea Co. Restaurant & Shoprestaurantkm 305 · 1906 m off the road
- Copper Kettle Restaurantrestaurantkm 333.9
- Family Pizzarestaurantkm 340.7 · 1870 m off the road
- Mary Brown'srestaurantkm 370.4
- Happy Adventure Cafecafékm 378.4 · 1229 m off the road
- Snack shack.fast foodkm 417 · 624 m off the road
- Robin's Donutsfast foodkm 446.1 · 1142 m off the road
- Rod's Restaurantrestaurantkm 446.3 · 508 m off the road
- A&Wfast foodkm 446.3 · 585 m off the road
- A&Wfast foodkm 446.3 · 585 m off the road
- Don Cherry's Sports Bar & Grillrestaurantkm 446.3 · 200 m off the road
- Tim Hortonscafékm 446.6 · 593 m off the road
- KFCfast foodkm 446.6 · 773 m off the road
- McDonald'sfast foodkm 446.6 · 539 m off the road
- Jungle Jim'srestaurantkm 446.6 · 488 m off the road
- Jungle Jim'srestaurantkm 446.6 · 488 m off the road
- Mary Brown'sfast foodkm 446.7 · 676 m off the road
- Pizza Delightrestaurantkm 448.1 · 1264 m off the road
- Brownings Pubpubkm 448.3 · 1212 m off the road
- Flannigans Pubpubkm 448.3 · 1229 m off the road
- Tim Hortonscafékm 449.9
- Tim Hortonscafékm 449.9
- Breen'srestaurantkm 476.4
- Robin's Donutscafékm 476.7
- Meghan's Restaurantrestaurantkm 501
- A&Wfast foodkm 548.2
- Tim Hortonscafékm 548.3
- Subwayfast foodkm 548.3
- Mary Brown'srestaurantkm 548.9
- Costco Food Courtfast foodkm 620.1 · 1443 m off the road
- Starbuckscafékm 620.5 · 1626 m off the road
- Canteenrestaurantkm 620.5 · 1777 m off the road
- Pizza Hutrestaurantkm 620.5 · 1757 m off the road
- Five Guysrestaurantkm 620.5 · 1660 m off the road
- Tim Hortonscafékm 620.5 · 1923 m off the road
- A&Wfast foodkm 620.5 · 1866 m off the road
- A&Wfast foodkm 621.2 · 1700 m off the road
- A&Wfast foodkm 621.2 · 1698 m off the road
- Donovan's Irvingrestaurantkm 621.6 · 605 m off the road
- Robin's Donutsfast foodkm 621.7 · 466 m off the road
- Pizza Housefast foodkm 622.2 · 1873 m off the road
- Subwayfast foodkm 622.2 · 517 m off the road
- Domino'sfast foodkm 622.3 · 1114 m off the road
- Subwayfast foodkm 622.3 · 1190 m off the road
- Cojonesrestaurantkm 622.3 · 1086 m off the road
- Coffee Matters Paradisecafékm 622.5 · 743 m off the road
- Ye's Wokrestaurantkm 622.5 · 676 m off the road
- A&Wfast foodkm 622.6 · 745 m off the road
- McDonald'sfast foodkm 622.7 · 523 m off the road
- Dairy Queenfast foodkm 622.8 · 271 m off the road
- Kozy Kitchenrestaurantkm 622.8
- Mary Brown'sfast foodkm 622.8 · 189 m off the road
- Mr. G's Loungepubkm 622.8 · 321 m off the road
- Ocean Sushirestaurantkm 622.8 · 314 m off the road
- Peter's Pizzafast foodkm 622.8 · 328 m off the road
- Tim Hortonscafékm 622.8 · 266 m off the road
- Tiny's Bar and Grillrestaurantkm 622.8 · 342 m off the road
Not ranked or complete, and nobody pays to be here. No opening hours: phone ahead. Open map data, swept 2026-10-18. How we measure · Add a missing place
New place to eat, or one that's missing? This list comes from OpenStreetMap, so nobody can pay to be on it. Add it to the map yourself (about twenty minutes on a phone), or email us the details and we'll put it on the map.
Short drives from Portugal Cove
Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · WazeOr any of these: nearest first, measured by road from Portugal Cove.
- Piccos Ridge Pathtrail · 14.5 km point to point, one way · strenuous3.2 kmDirections →
Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Torbay Beachstop12 km
Start of the Father Troy Trail along the shore, past fields of farm animals and wildflowers, per the province's tourism site.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Father Troy's Pathtrail · 8.9 km point to point, one way · easy14 kmDirections →
Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Middle Cove Beachstop15 km
A beach on the shore road between Torbay and Logy Bay.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - White Horse Pathtrail · 18.2 km point to point, one way · strenuous16 kmDirections →
Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Colonial Buildingstop16 km
On Military Road as the drive comes down into town.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze A few hundred metres along Military Road: Parks Canada's register describes a massive stone cathedral built in the mid 19th century in the Lombard Romanesque Revival style, a national historic site since 1983.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze- Topsail Beachstop17 km
A beach on Route 60 where people picnic, gather round beach fires and watch boats sail to and from the Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze
More, up to 19 km (10)
- St. John'stown17 kmDirections →
Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - The Batterystop17 km
On the harbour side of Signal Hill Road.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Trans-Canada Highway Zero Kmstop17 km
OpenStreetMap records a highway milestone here reading distance zero, named for the Trans-Canada Highway.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Quidi Vidistop17 km
A small village on its own harbour, north of Signal Hill.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Signal Hill Visitor Centrestop17 km
Halfway up Signal Hill Road.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - North Head Trailtrail · 1.6 km point to point, one way · easy18 kmDirections →
Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Flatrockstop18 km
One of the settled coves along this rugged shore, with another view of the coast round each bend, per the province's tourism site.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Marine Parkstop18 km
On screen: the fish farm where a fisherman first sees something wrong in the water.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze - Railway Coastal Museumstop18 km
The drive passes it at 495 Water Street: St. John's old railway station, now the Railway Coastal Museum, about the Newfoundland Railway and the coastal boats.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze On screen: the marine research lab where Calvin tries to sell the iceberg fragment he caught, in the first episode.
Directions →Other map apps
Apple · Google · Organic Maps · OsmAnd (both work offline, no tracking) · Waze
Distances by road, measured on OpenStreetMap October 16, 2026, from where this route ends. Your maps app gives the time on the day. How we measure
Doing it electric
- Fast chargers on this drive
- Deer Lake km 3, South Brook km 130, Bishop’s Falls km 222, Gander km 305, Glowertown km 371, Port Blandford km 418, Goobies km 477, St. John’s km 622, Paradise km 623
- Longest stretch without one
- 145 km
- Goobies → St. John’s, of 640 km driven
- Nearest fast charger to Portugal Cove ferry terminal
- 17.9 km
- by road, at Paradise
Coming in 2026 (NL Hydro, 2026-10-22): Deer Lake (km 0) and Gander (km 305) and Clarenville (km 451) and Whitbourne (km 550) and St. John’s (km 622). Not counted until it opens.
NL Hydro fast chargers within 3 km of the drive. Check the app for one that's working. Exported 2026-10-22. How we measure
Paved or not, per the map
- Mapped as unpaved
- none
- Not proof it is all paved: 71% has no surface tag.
- Mapped as paved
- 29%
- 170.4 km of 641.1 km driven
- No surface tag on the map
- 71%
- 413.6 km: surface not recorded
In a rental car: Hertz Canada’s terms say “use off paved roads or on roads which are not regularly maintained” voids the damage waiver. Check your own agreement. Hertz’s terms ↗. Source for these figures: OSRM driving profile, stored route query, with node annotations; OpenStreetMap surface tags via Overpass, checked 2026-10-19. Today's road conditions: 511.
Before you go
These change, so we link to the people who keep them up to date.
MooseYear round, worst between dusk and dawn
The province says the likelihood of injury in a moose collision is twice as high between dusk and dawn as in daytime. This is 641.1 km, much of it unlit two-lane highway; plan the drive for daylight where you can.
gov.nl.ca →Road conditionsYear round, matters most November–April
Conditions at one end of the island say little about the other. Check before you set off.
511nl.ca →
Renting a car? Book the car when you book the flight.
Summer rentals sell out, says NL Tourism, and in June 2026 BNN Bloomberg reported St. John's airport agencies booked for nearly all of summer.
Both checked October 7, 2026.
Rental counters at Deer Lake, with numbers →Arriving without a car
Not renting? Here's who Deer Lake Regional Airport lists at the terminal.
No rideshare here.
The airport's ground-transportation page lists no rideshare service, only three taxi firms, a shuttle and seven charter operators (checked 2026-09-15).
Taxi
Star Taxi, which the airport calls its primary ground transportation provider, serving the whole region with wheelchair-accessible vans and accommodating service dogs. The airport advises contacting them 24 to 48 hours before you arrive.
Taxi
Deer Lake Taxi, listed as operating around the clock across the province with no pre-booking required.
Shuttle
Star Taxi runs a shuttle between Corner Brook and the airport, serving named hotels, with a private-car option. It must be booked ahead. The airport publishes the fares.
Coach
DRL Coachlines' once-a-day coach each way between St. John's and Port aux Basques stops in Deer Lake town (the Circle K), not at the airport terminal. It reaches no island and no national park. Tickets are bought on the bus, cash only. Times and fares are DRL's: drl-lr.com.
Source: Deer Lake Regional Airport,2026-09-15. Check there for fares and times.
Questions
How far is Portugal Cove ferry terminal from Deer Lake airport?＋
641.1 km from the terminal to Portugal Cove ferry terminal.
What route do I take?＋
Routes 1, 50 and 41. Your maps app has the turns.
Do I need a car?＋
Plan on one. Buses between these towns are few, and the drive is the way most people make it.
No recorded track yet.Drove it? Send yours →
Put this map on your site
Run a place to stay, a tour or a town page on this drive? Add this map to your site. It shows your guests the drive and its distance. It is free, needs no account, and we keep the figures current.
<iframe src="https://fromtheairport.xyz/embed/ydf-bell-island"
width="100%" height="420" style="border:0" loading="lazy"
title="Driving route: Deer Lake Regional Airport (YDF) to Portugal Cove ferry terminal"></iframe>?lat=&lon=&label= to the URL to pin your own property on the map.Every distance and coordinate on this page was checked against its source on October 19, 2026. Origin: OpenStreetMap way/180061286. Destination: OpenStreetMap node/1556565861 — Portugal Cove.