Getting There

Getting There By Plane

Vancouver, Toronto, and Montréal serve as the dominant hubs for international flights, and are served by most international carriers including British Air, Air France, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS, and many U.S. airlines. Smaller airports such as Calgary and Winnipeg also have some international flights, particularly in summer.

Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262; www.aircanada.com) is by far the largest carrier in Canada; in 1999, it subsumed Canadian Airlines, giving it and its subsidiary companies dominance over internal Canadian air travel.

A number of national and regional carriers compete strongly with Air Canada, including the excellent WestJet (www.westjet.com), which offers quite inexpensive flights across Canada.

Most airlines flying into Canada are served by the Internet travel sites such as Travelocity and Expedia. However, WestJet books its flights only through its own website.

Getting There by Car

Because Canada has the longest open border on Earth, it makes sense that many U.S. travelers will consider taking their own car to Canada as a road trip destination. There are scores of border crossings between Canada and the U.S. (the U.S. freeway system enters at 13 different locations). However, not all border crossings keep the same hours and many are closed at night. Before you set off to cross the border at a remote location, ascertain if it will be open when you arrive there.

In addition to having the proper ID to cross into Canada, drivers may also be asked to provide proof of car insurance and show the car registration. If you're driving a rental car, you may be asked to show the rental agreement. It's always a good idea to clean your car of perishable foodstuff before crossing the border; fruit, vegetables, and meat products may be confiscated and may lead to a full search of the car. Remember that firearms are allowed across the border only in special circumstances; handguns are almost completely outlawed.

Once in Canada, you'll find that roads are generally in good condition. There are two major highway routes that cross Canada east to west. Highway 1 -- the Trans-Canada Highway -- which is largely four-lane, travels from Victoria on the Pacific to St. John's in Newfoundland a total of 8,000km (5,000 miles) -- with some ferries along the way. The Yellowhead Highway (Hwy. 16) links Winnipeg to Prince Rupert in B.C. along a more northerly route.

Sample Driving Distances between Major Cities--Here are some sample driving distances between major Canadian cities. The distances are calculated based on a particular route, possibly the fastest, but not necessarily the shortest: Montréal to Vancouver, 4,910km (3,041 miles); Vancouver to Halifax, 6,295km (3,897 miles); Toronto to Victoria, 4,700km (2,911 miles); Winnipeg to St. John's, 5,100km (3,159 miles); Calgary to Montréal, 3,710km (2,299 miles); St. John's to Vancouver, 7,625km (4,723 miles); Ottawa to Victoria, 4,810km (2,979 miles). To get driving directions online, check MapQuest (www.mapquest.ca) or Yahoo! Canada Maps (http://ca.maps.yahoo.com) and select driving directions.

Getting There by Train

Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL; www.amtrak.com) can get you into Canada at a few border points, where you can connect up with Canada's VIA Rail (tel. 888/VIARAIL; www.viarail.ca) system. On the East Coast, Amtrak's Adirondack starts at New York City's Pennsylvania Station and travels daily via Albany and upstate New York to Montréal. The Maple Leaf links New York City and Toronto via Albany, Rochester, Buffalo, and Niagara Falls, departing daily from Penn Station. On the West Coast, the Cascades runs from Eugene, Oregon, to Vancouver, British Columbia, with stops in Portland and Seattle. Amtrak-operated buses may also connect segments of these routes.

Amtrak and VIA Rail both offer a North American Railpass, which gives you 30 days of unlimited economy-class travel in the U.S. and Canada. Remember that the Railpass doesn't include meals; you can buy meals on the train or carry your own food.

Getting There by Bus

Greyhound Canada (tel. 800/661-8747 in Canada; www.greyhound.ca) operates the major intercity bus system in Canada, with frequent cross-border links to cities in the U.S. northern tier (many more than what's offered by Amtrak). In general, Greyhound offers cross-border service along routes where the U.S. freeway system enters Canada.

Getting There by Ferry

Ocean ferries operate from Maine to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and from Seattle, Anacortes, and Port Angeles, Washington, to Victoria, British Columbia.