Fast Facts

American Express -- There are several American Express offices in Toronto, but the most central is at Millenium Travel Canada Inc. at 77 Bloor St. W. (tel. 416/962-2200).

Area Code -- Toronto's area codes are 416 and 647; outside the city, the code is 905 or 289. You must dial all 10 digits for all local phone numbers.

Babysitting -- Hotel concierges can suggest reliable sitters if there aren't child-care facilities on site. In a pinch, call Care-on-Call (tel. 416/975-1313; www.careoncall.ca), a 24-hour service, or Christopher Robin (tel. 416/483-4744; www.christopherrobin.ca).

Business Hours -- Banks are generally open Monday through Thursday from 10am to 3pm, Friday 10am to 6pm. Most stores are open Monday through Wednesday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm, with extended hours (until 8 or 9:30pm) on Thursday and usually Friday.

Customs -- What You Can Bring into Canada Generally speaking, Canadian Customs regulations are generous, but they get complicated when it comes to firearms, plants, meat, and pets. Visitors can bring rifles into Canada during hunting season; handguns and automatic rifles are not permitted. Fishing tackle poses no problem (provided the lures are not made of restricted materials -- specific feathers, for example), but the bearer must possess a nonresident license for the province or territory where he or she plans to use it. You can bring in free of duty up to 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes, and 200 grams of tobacco, provided you're at least 18 years of age. You are also allowed 40 ounces (1.14 liters) of liquor or 1.5 liters of wine as long as you're of age in the province you're visiting (19 in Ontario). There are no restrictions on what you can take out (but if you're thinking of bringing Cuban cigars back to the United States, beware -- they can be confiscated, and you could face a fine). In terms of pets, visitors from the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand can bring a cat or dog without quarantine. For more information (and for updates on these policies), check with the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 204/983-3500 or 506/636-5064; www.cbsa.gc.ca).

What You Can Take Home from Canada

U.S. Citizens: For specifics on what you can bring back and the corresponding fees, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go online at www.cbp.gov. (Click on "Travel," and then click on "Know Before You Go.") Or contact the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/287-8667) and request the pamphlet.

U.K. Citizens: For information, contact HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152), or consult their website at www.hmce.gov.uk.

Australian Citizens: A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

New Zealand Citizens: Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).

Dentists -- For emergency services from 8am till midnight, call the Dental Emergency Service (tel. 416/485-7121). After midnight, your best bet is the University Health Network, which manages three downtown hospitals (tel. 416/340-3111). Otherwise, ask the front-desk staff or concierge at your hotel.

Doctors -- The staff or concierge at your hotel should be able to help you locate a doctor. You can also call the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, 80 College St. (tel. 416/967-2626), for a referral from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday.

Electricity -- It's the same as in the United States -- 110 volts, 50 cycles, AC.

Embassies & Consulates -- All embassies are in Ottawa, the national capital. They include the Australian High Commission, 50 O'Connor St., Suite 710, Ottawa, ON K1P 6L2 (tel. 613/236-0841); the British High Commission, 80 Elgin St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5K7 (tel. 613/237-1530); the Embassy of Ireland, 130 Albert St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4 (tel. 613/233-6281); the New Zealand High Commission, 727-99 Bank St., Ottawa, ON K1P 6G3 (tel. 613/238-5991); the South African High Commission, 15 Sussex Dr., Ottawa, ON K1M 1M8 (tel. 613/744-0330); and the Embassy of the United States of America, 490 Sussex Dr., Ottawa, ON K1N 1G8 (tel. 613/238-5335). Consulates in Toronto include Australian Consulate-General, 175 Bloor St. E., Suite 314, at Church Street (tel. 416/323-1155); British Consulate-General, 777 Bay St., Suite 2800, at College (tel. 416/593-1290); and the U.S. Consulate, 360 University Ave. (tel. 416/595-1700).

Emergencies -- Call tel. 911 for fire, police, or ambulance.

Holidays -- Toronto celebrates the following holidays: New Year's Day (Jan 1), Good Friday and Easter Monday (Mar or Apr), Victoria Day (Mon following the third weekend in May), Canada Day (July 1), Simcoe Day (first Mon in Aug), Labour Day (first Mon in Sept), Thanksgiving (second Mon in Oct), Remembrance Day (Nov 11), Christmas Day (Dec 25), and Boxing Day (Dec 26).

Hospitals -- In the downtown core, the University Health Network manages three hospitals: Toronto General at 200 Elizabeth St., Princess Margaret at 610 University Ave., and Toronto Western at 399 Bathurst St. The UHN has a central switchboard for all three (tel. 416/340-3111). Other hospitals include St. Michael's, 30 Bond St. (tel. 416/360-4000), and Mount Sinai, 600 University Ave. (tel. 416/596-4200). Also downtown is the Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave. (tel. 416/813-1500). Uptown, there's Sunnybrook Hospital, 2075 Bayview Ave., north of Eglinton (tel. 416/480-6100). In the eastern part of the city, go to Toronto East General Hospital, 825 Coxwell Ave. (tel. 416/461-8272).

Hot Lines -- Poison Information Centre (tel. 800/267-1373); Distress Centre suicide-prevention line (tel. 416/408-4357); Toronto Rape Crisis Centre (tel. 416/597-8808); Assaulted Women's Helpline (tel. 416/863-0511); and AIDS & Sexual Health InfoLine (tel. 416/392-2437). For kids or teens in distress, there's Kids Help Phone (tel. 800/668-6868).

Internet Access -- Increasingly, Toronto hotels provide dataports and even Wi-Fi access. If you don't have a computer with you, there's Insomnia, 563 Bloor St. W. (tel. 416/588-3907). Another option is FedEx Kinko's. There are several in the city, but one sure bet is the location at 505 University Ave., at Dundas (tel. 416/970-8447).

Laundry & Dry Cleaning -- Bloor Laundromat, 598 Bloor St. W., at Bathurst Street (tel. 416/588-6600), and Laundry Lounge, 527 Yonge St., at Wellesley Street (tel. 416/975-4747), are both conveniently located. Careful Hand Laundry & Dry Cleaners Ltd. has outlets at 206 Dupont St. (tel. 416/923-1200) and 1844 Avenue Rd. (tel. 416/787-6006); for pickup and delivery, call tel. 416/787-9119.

Liquor Laws -- The minimum drinking age is 19. Drinking hours are daily from 11am to 2am. The government is the only retail vendor. Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) stores sell liquor, wine, and some beers. They're open Monday through Saturday. Most are open from 10am to 6pm; some stay open evenings, and a few are open Sunday from noon to 5pm. The nicest shop is the LCBO Summerhill, 10 Scrivener Sq. (tel. 416/922-0403; subway: Summerhill). Built out of a former train station, this outpost hosts cooking classes, wine and spirit tastings, and party-planning seminars. Another good branch is at the Manulife Centre, 55 Bloor St. W. (tel. 416/925-5266). Visit www.lcbo.com for information about products and special in-store events.

The Wine Rack has several locations, including 77 Wellesley St. E., at Church (tel. 416/923-9393), and sells only Ontario wines. Most branches of the Beer Store (also part of the LCBO) are open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 8pm; there's a downtown location at 614 Queen St. W. (tel. 416/504-4665), near Bathurst.

Lost & Found -- If you leave something on a bus, a streetcar, or the subway, call the TTC Lost Articles Office (tel. 416/393-4100), at the Bay Street subway station. It's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.

If you lose your credit cards, Visa's U.S. emergency number is tel. 800/847-2911 or 410/581-9994. American Express cardholders and traveler's check holders should call tel. 800/221-7282. MasterCard holders should call tel. 800/307-7309 or 636/722-7111. For other credit cards, call the toll-free number directory at tel. 800/555-1212. If you need emergency cash over the weekend when all banks and American Express offices are closed, you can have money wired to you via Western Union (tel. 800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com).

Identity theft and fraud are potential complications of losing your wallet, especially if you've lost your driver's license along with your cash and credit cards. Notify the major credit-reporting bureaus immediately; placing a fraud alert on your records may protect you against liability for criminal activity. The three major U.S. credit-reporting agencies are Equifax (tel. 800/766-0008; www.equifax.com), Experian (tel. 888/397-3742; www.experian.com), and TransUnion (tel. 800/680-7289; www.transunion.com). Finally, if you've lost all forms of photo ID, call your airline and explain the situation; they might allow you to board the plane if you have a copy of your passport or birth certificate and a copy of the police report you've filed.

Mail -- Postage for letter mail (up to 30 g/about 1 oz.) to the United States costs C93¢; overseas, C$1.55. Mailing letters within Canada costs C52¢. Note that there is no discounted rate for mailing postcards.

Postal services are available at convenience stores and drugstores. Almost all sell stamps, and many have a separate counter where you can ship packages from 8:30am to 5pm. Look for the sign in the window indicating such services. There are also post-office windows in Atrium on Bay (tel. 416/506-0911), in Commerce Court (tel. 416/956-7452), and at the TD Centre (tel. 416/360-7105).

Maps -- Free maps of Toronto are available in every terminal at Pearson International Airport (look for the Transport Canada Information Centre signs), the Metropolitan Toronto Convention & Visitors Association at Harbourfront, and the Visitor Information Centre in the Eaton Centre. BlogTO produces local maps that you can pick up for free at shops and restaurants around town. At press time, they have produced maps for West Queen West, Leslieville, Parkdale, and Little Italy. Convenience stores and bookstores sell a greater variety of maps. Or try Open Air Books and Maps, 25 Toronto St., near Yonge and Adelaide streets (tel. 416/363-0719).

Newspapers & Magazines -- The four daily newspapers are the Globe and Mail, the National Post, the Toronto Star, and the Toronto Sun. Eye and Now are free arts-and-entertainment weeklies. Xtra! is a free weekly targeted at the gay and lesbian community. In addition, many English-language ethnic newspapers serve Toronto's Portuguese, Hungarian, Italian, East Indian, Korean, Chinese, and Caribbean communities. Toronto Life is the major monthly city magazine; its sister publication is Toronto Life Fashion. Where Toronto is usually free at hotels and some Theater District restaurants.

Passports -- Allow plenty of time before your trip to apply for a passport; processing normally takes 3 weeks but can take longer during busy periods (especially spring). And keep in mind that if you need a passport in a hurry, you'll pay a higher processing fee.

For Residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) or at most main post offices.

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-yr. passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency; or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410, or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free number (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Pharmacies -- One big chain is Pharma Plus, which has a store at 63 Wellesley St., at Church Street (tel. 416/924-7760). It's open daily from 8am to midnight. Other Pharma Plus branches are in College Park, Manulife Centre, Commerce Court, and First Canadian Place. The only 24-hour drugstore near downtown is Shopper's Drug Mart at 700 Bay St., at Gerrard Street West (tel. 416/979-2424).

Police -- In a life-threatening emergency, call tel. 911. For all other matters, contact the Metro police, 40 College St. (tel. 416/808-2222).

Radio -- The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation offers a great mix of intelligent discussion and commentary as well as drama and music. In Toronto, the CBC broadcasts on 99.1FM and 94.1FM. CHIN (1540AM and 100.7FM) will get you in touch with the ethnic and multicultural scene in the city; it broadcasts in more than 30 languages.

Restrooms -- Finding a public restroom is usually not difficult. Most tourist attractions have them, as do hotels, department stores, and public buildings. There are also restrooms throughout the underground PATH system near the various food courts. There are restrooms at major subway stations such as Yonge-Bloor, but they are best avoided.

Safety -- As large cities go, Toronto is generally safe, but be alert and use common sense, particularly at night. The Yonge-Bloor, Dundas, and Union subway stations are favorites with pickpockets. In the downtown area, Moss Park is considered one of the toughest areas to police. Avoid Allan Gardens and other parks at night.

Smoking -- The Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which came into effect in 2006, is one of the most stringent in North America. It bans smoking in all workplaces and in all enclosed public spaces. It's all but impossible to smoke at Ontario restaurants, because the law banned designated smoking areas; even patios that have any sort of covering have also had to go smoke-free.

Taxes -- The provincial retail sales tax is 8%; on accommodations, it's 5%. There is an additional 6% national goods-and-services tax (GST). The GST dropped from 7% to 6% on July 1, 2006; the federal government has promised to reduce the tax to 5%, but there is no timeline for this change at press time. The Canadian government suspended the GST Visitors' Rebate Program in 2007.

Telephone -- A local call from a telephone booth costs C25¢. Watch out for hotel surcharges on local and long-distance calls; often, a local call will cost at least C$1 (US95¢/ 45p) from a hotel room. The United States and Canada are on the same long-distance system. To make a long-distance call between the United States and Canada, use the area codes as you would at home. Canada's international prefix is 1.

Time -- Toronto is on Eastern Standard Time. Daylight saving time is in effect from April to October.

Tipping -- Basically, it's the same as in major U.S. cities: 15% in restaurants (up to 20% in the finer spots), 10% to 15% for taxis, C$1 (US95¢/45p) per bag for porters, and C$1 to C$2 (US95¢-US$1.90/45p-90p) per day for hotel housekeepers (more if you're traveling with messy kids and/or pets).

Transit Information -- For information on the subway, bus, streetcar, and light rapid transit (LRT) system, call the TTC at tel. 416/393-4636 or check www.toronto.ca/ttc.

Weather -- Call the talking Yellow Pages (tel. 416/292-1010) for a current weather report and lots of other information. Or check the Toronto Star's website, www.thestar.com.