Money

It's always advisable to bring money in a variety of forms on a vacation: a mix of cash, credit cards, and traveler's checks. Before you leave home, you should also exchange enough petty cash to cover airport incidentals, tipping, and transportation to your hotel -- or be sure to withdraw money upon arrival at an airport ATM.

Avoid exchanging money at commercial exchange bureaus and hotels, which often have the highest transaction fees.

Currency

Canadian money comes in graduated denominations of dollars and cents. Aside from the $2 coin, Canadian coins are similar to their U.S. counterparts: 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢. Bills -- $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 -- are all the same size but are different colors, depending on the denomination. The gold-colored $1 coin (called a "loonie" by Canadians because of the depiction of a loon on one side) has replaced the $1 bill. French speakers sometimes refer to a dollar as a piastre. A $2 coin, with a bronze center surrounded by a nickel disk, has replaced the $2 bill. The $2 coin is sometimes called a "twonie," a reference to the next-smaller coin.

Prices in this guide, unless otherwise indicated, are given in Canadian dollars and British pounds.

The Canadian dollar has gathered significant strength in recent years and at the time of this writing was on par with U.S. currency, give or take a couple of points' daily variation.

This guide uses an exchange rate of one Canadian dollar to 50p in British currency.

Currency Exchange -- Main branch banks and caisses populaires (credit unions) will exchange most foreign currencies. Tourism offices can often exchange money or point you to a place that will.

ATMs

The easiest way to get cash away from home is from an ATM (automated teller machine), sometimes referred to as a "cash machine" or "cashpoint." As ubiquitous in the Québec province and the rest of Canada as they are in the U.S. or the U.K., ATMs in French are called GABs, or guichet automatique bancaire. They are found in most of the same places, too -- especially outside or inside bank branches. Look for signs reading GUICHET AUTOMATIQUE or SERVICES AUTOMATISES. Be sure you know your daily withdrawal limit before arriving in Canada.

Note about PINs: PINs (personal identification numbers) can only be four digits at many Canadian ATMs. If your PIN has more numbers, change it before departing; your card may not work otherwise.

Note about bank fees: Many banks impose a fee each time you use a card at another bank's ATM, and that fee can be higher for international transactions (up to $5 or more). In addition, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee. Ask your bank about its international withdrawal fees.

Credit Cards

Credit cards are another safe way to travel. They provide a convenient record of all your expenses and generally offer relatively decent exchange rates. You can withdraw cash advances from your credit cards at banks or ATMs, though high fees make credit card cash advances a pricey way to get cash. Keep in mind that you'll pay interest from the moment of your withdrawal, even if you pay your monthly bill on time. Also, note that many credit card companies now assess a "transaction fee" of 1% to 3% on all charges you incur abroad (whether you're using the local currency or your native currency).

MasterCard and Visa are most commonly accepted at hotels, restaurants, and shops in the province. American Express, Diners Club, and Discover are taken less often.

Traveler's Checks

Traveler's checks are accepted throughout the Québec province.