Getting Around

By Car

Canada has scores of rental-car companies, including Hertz (tel. 800/263-0600 in Canada, 800/654-3131 in the U.S.; www.hertz.com), Avis (tel. 800/272-5871 in Canada, 800/230-4898 in the U.S.; www.avis.com), Dollar (tel. 800/800-4000; www.dollar.com), Thrifty (tel. 800/THRIFTY; www.thrifty.com), Budget (tel. 800/268-8900 in Canada, 800/527-0700 in the U.S.; www.budget.com), Enterprise (tel. 800/268-8900 in Canada, 800/RENTACAR in the U.S.; www.enterprise.com), and National Car Rental (tel. 800/CAR-RENT in Canada and the U.S.; www.nationalcar.com). Nevertheless, rental vehicles tend to get tight during the tourist season, from around mid-May to summer. It's a good idea to reserve a car as soon as you decide on your vacation.

Several rental-car agencies offer roadside assistance programs in Canada. In case of an accident, a breakdown, a dead battery, a flat tire, a dry gas tank, getting stuck, or locking yourself out of your car, call your agency's 24-hour number. For Hertz call tel. 800/654-5060, for Avis call tel. 800/354-2847, for Dollar call tel. 800/800-4000, for Budget call tel. 800/858-5377, for National call tel. 800/268-9711 or 800/227-7368, and for Enterprise call tel. 800/307-6666.

Members of the American Automobile Association (AAA) should remember to take their membership cards since the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA; tel. 800/222-4357; www.caa.ca) extends privileges to them in Canada.

Gasoline -- Though Canada (specifically Alberta) is a major oil producer, gasoline isn't particularly cheap. Gas sells by the liter and pumps for anywhere from about C75¢ to C95¢ (US60¢-US76¢) per liter, or about C$3.15 to C$4 (about US$2.50-US$3.20) per U.S. gallon. (Note that the term "gallon" in Canada usually refers to the imperial gallon, which amounts to about 1 1/4 U.S. gallons.) Gasoline prices will vary from region to region.

Driving Rules -- Canadian driving rules are similar to regulations in the United States. Wearing seat belts is compulsory (and enforced) in all provinces, for all passengers. Children under 5 must be in child restraints. Motorcyclists must wear helmets. Throughout the country, pedestrians have the right-of-way and crosswalks are sacrosanct. The speed limit on the autoroutes (limited-access highways) is usually 100kmph (62 mph). In all provinces, right turns on red are permitted after a full stop, unless another rule is posted. Drivers must carry proof of insurance in Canada at all times.

By Plane

Deregulation has resulted in a number of excellent new airlines in Canada that offer no-frills but perfectly comfortable air travel. These airlines rely on the Internet to create savings in booking flights, so you'll need Internet access to learn about them. WestJet (tel. 888/937-8538; www.westjet.com) offers the most flights in western Canada.

By Train

Most of Canada's passenger rail traffic is carried by the government-owned VIA Rail (tel. 888/VIA-RAIL within Canada or 416/236-2029; www.viarail.ca). Virtually all of Canada's major cities (save Calgary) are connected by rail.

The problem with traveling on VIA Rail in western Canada is that the train only runs 3 days a week. If you want to link your visit between destinations in Alberta and British Columbia with a train journey, you may be out of luck unless your schedule is very flexible. Also, most trains in rural Canada run overnight -- the leg between Vancouver and Kamloops, for instance -- negating the sightseeing value of the ride.

You can buy a Canrailpass, C$778 (US$622) in high season and C$486 (US$389) in low season, giving you 12 days of unlimited economy-class travel in one 30-day period throughout the VIA Rail national network. Seniors 60 and over, students, and youths 17 or under receive a 10% discount on all fares. Class upgrades are available for a fee each time you ride.

By Bus

While many Americans may not relish the option of traveling by bus while in Canada, in fact Greyhound Canada (tel. 800/661-8747; www.greyhound.ca) offers far superior service and coverage to Greyhound in the U.S. Not only are the buses newer and cleaner, and the bus stations better kept up than in the U.S., Greyhound is often the only option for land transport in many parts of British Columbia due to the relatively minimal coverage by VIA Rail.