Getting Around

By Car

Canada has scores of rental-car companies, including Hertz (tel. 800/654-3001 in the U.S., or 800/263-0600 in Canada; www.hertz.com), Avis (tel. 800/331-1212 in the U.S and Canada; www.avis.com), Dollar (tel. 800/800-4000; www.dollar.com), Thrifty (tel. 800/THRIFTY; www.thrifty.com), Budget (tel. 800/527-0700 in the U.S., or 800/472-3325 in Canada; www.budget.com), Enterprise (tel. 800/261-7331; www.enterprise.com), and National Car Rental (tel. 800/CAR-RENT; 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 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 -- As in the United States, the trend in Canada is toward self-service stations, and in some areas you may have difficulty finding the full-service kind. 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¢-US75¢) 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 1.2 U.S. gal.) 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 but Québec, 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

Canada is undergoing a renaissance in regional air travel. If you're fans of Southwest, JetBlue, or Ryanair, you're in for a treat. It's actually cheaper now to fly between Canadian cities than take the bus or train, as deregulation has resulted in a number of excellent new airlines that offer no-frills but perfectly comfortable air travel. These airlines rely on the Internet to create savings in booking flights and other information gathering, so you'll want Internet access to learn about these flights. WestJet (tel. 888/937-8538; www.westjet.com) offers the largest service area, with flights spanning the country from Victoria to St. John's.

By Train

Most of Canada's passenger rail traffic is carried by the government-owned VIA Rail (tel. 888/VIARAIL in Canada, 800/561-3949 in the U.S., or 416/236-2029; www.viarail.ca). You can traverse the continent very comfortably in sleeping cars, parlor coaches, bedrooms, and roomettes. Virtually all of Canada's major cities (save Calgary and Regina) are connected by rail, though service is less frequent than it used to be. Some luxury trains, such as The Canadian, boast dome cars with panoramic picture windows, hot showers, and elegant dining cars. Reduced regular fares are available for students, seniors, and children traveling with adults.

The problem with traveling on VIA Rail, particularly 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 Saskatchewan with a train journey, you may be out of luck unless your schedule is very flexible. Also, if sightseeing, and not just transport, is part of your vacation agenda, then you may also find that your train journey takes place overnight. Because of the way the train is scheduled in many parts of rural Canada, there's just one schedule per train, so the leg between Winnipeg and Edmonton, for instance, will always be overnight, no matter which train you take.

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. A similar, but less expensive package is available for 10 days of unlimited travel on the Québec-Windsor corridor, serving Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Montréal, and Québec City.

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 than does 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 Canada due to the relatively minimal coverage by VIA Rail.