Around or across the Island

A few hours by car, a day by train, a few days by boat. Newfoundland transportation has followed these three timelines for 40 years, 70 years, and 400 years in turn. These two tables are taken from an 1892 handbook. Interestingly they show it was about the same distance between St. John's and Bonne Bay regardless of the route (626 miles on the Northern route vs. 651 on the Western). In 1892 the Northern route included stops at three mining towns in Notre Dame Day.

The Northern route
 (in miles)

St John's to
47   Old Perlican
68 21   Trinity
87 40 19   Catalina
107 60 39 20   Bonavista
116 69 48 29 9   King's Cove
148 101 80 61 41 32   Greenspond
214 167 146 127 107 98 66   Fogo
232 185 164 145 125 116 84 18   Twillingate
249 202 181 162 142 133 101 35 17   Exploits
284 237 216 197 177 168 136 70 52 35   Little Bay Island
293 246 225 206 186 177 145 79 61 44 9   Little Bay
306 259 238 219 199 190 158 92 74 57 22 13   Nipper's Harbour
309 262 241 222 202 193 161 95 77 60 25 16 3   Bett's Cove
317 270 249 230 210 201 169 103 85 68 33 24 11 8   Tilt Cove
349 302 281 262 242 233 201 135 117 100 65 56 43 40 32   Coachman's Cove
399 352 331 312 292 283 251 185 167 150 115 106 93 90 82 50   Conche
435 388 367 348 328 319 287 221 203 186 151 142 129 126 118 86 36   St. Anthony
450 406 382 363 343 334 302 236 218 201 166 157 144 141 133 101 51 15   Griquet
456 409 388 369 349 340 308 242 224 207 172 163 150 147 139 107 57 21 6   Great Quirpon
474 427 406 387 367 358 326 260 242 225 190 181 168 165 154 125 75 39 24 18   St. Anthony
511 464 443 424 404 395 363 297 279 262 227 218 205 202 197 162 112 76 61 55 37   Flower's Cove
556 509 448 469 449 440 408 342 324 307 272 263 250 247 239 207 157 121 10 100 82 45   Point Rich
626 579 558 539 519 510 478 412 394 377 342 333 320 317 309 277 227 191 17 170 150 115 70  Bonne Bay

The Western route
 (in miles)

St John's to
33   Ferryland
75 42   Trepassey
140 107 65   Placentia
190 157 115 50   Burin
201 168 126 61 11   St. Lawrence
235 202 160 95 45 34   St. Pierre
260 227 185 120 70 59 25   Fortune
283 250 208 143 93 82 48 23   Harbour Briton
308 275 233 168 118 107 73 48 25   Great Jervois
370 337 295 230 180 169 135 110 87 62   Burgeo
405 372 330 265 215 204 170 145 122 97 35   La Poile
419 386 344 279 229 218 184 159 136 111 49 14   Rose Blanche
446 402 361 296 246 235 201 178 153 128 66 31 17   Channel
516 483 441 376 326 315 281 256 233 208 146 111 97 80   Bay St. George
610 577 536 470 420 409 375 350 327 302 240 205 191 174 94   Bay of Islands
651 618 577 511 461 450 416 391 368 343 281 246 232 215 135 41   Bonne Bay