ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A trip across aboard Marine Atlantic ferries between Newfoundland and Cape Breton will cost passengers and commercial drivers a little more this year.
Effective April 1, commercial fares for the Port Aux Basques to North Sydney route will increase 2 per cent. There's no increase to passenger fares or passenger vehicle fares.
On the Argentia to North Sydney route, however, passenger and commercial fares are set to go up 2.5 per cent.
In addition, Marine Atlantic will increase the drop trailer management fee by 3.4 per cent on both routes.
When the COVID-19 pandemic first erupted, the ferry provider went to a rolling schedule for its vessels — four-month schedules with set crossing dates and times for each vessel — allowing travellers to make reservations at least 13 months prior to travelling and only pay the rates posted at the time of booking. Customers will only be subject to new fares if adjustments are made to an existing reservation after the new rate structure has been implemented on April 1.
"With the possibility of differing rate structures in effect based upon the time of booking, annual rate adjustments will no longer be tied to the release of the schedule," reads a press release.
