Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Tickets for flights departing Canada should include departure taxes. Some airports also charge departing passengers an 'airport improvement tax', usually 10.00 or15.00.

Visitors entering the country from major continental US cities can choose to arrive by plane, train, bus or car. There are four main rail routes from the USA: New York-Montreal, New York-Toronto, Buffalo-Depew to Toronto, and Seattle-Vancouver. Greyhound US and Greyhound Canada form a huge bus network that connects with most major cities within and between either country. Drivers can choose from numerous road border crossings. Note that popular crossing points (such as Niagara Falls) can have lengthy queues on weekends.

Queues won't be a problem if you enter by road from Alaska along the Top-of-the-World Highway into the Yukon. Several ferries run from the USA to Canada on the east coast, and from Washington State to Vancouver Island.

Getting around

Land travel is generally cheaper and, if you don't mind long travel times, much more interesting than flying. The bus network is the most extensive public transportation system and is generally less expensive than the limited train service. The country's most famous cross-country train is the Canadian, a classic 1950s-style beauty that travels from Toronto to Vancouver (Canada's longest continuous train route), complete with a two-storyed windowed 'dome car' for sightseeing.

Air travel is faster, more convenient and not necessarily more expensive, especially if you snag a special fare or buy a ticket with one of the low-cost, low-frills carriers such as Westjet. The national carrier Air Canada is the major domestic airline.

If you confine yourself to one region, the best way to experience the country is by car or Recreational Vehicle (RV). Canadians drive on the right side of the road, as in the USA. A valid driver's license from any country is good in Canada for three months.

Canada is so large, cyclists find it hard to cover much ground; most people use other forms of transport to move from region to region and keep their bikes for recreational cycling once they're there. With so much water around, don't be surprised to find yourself in a boat at some point.

Visa information

Most Western visitors don't need a visa to visit Canada for up to 180 days. Travellers from about 150 nations, including South Africa, China, North Korea, Taiwan, Eastern European and developing countries, however, do need to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) with the Canadian consulate in their home country. TRVs good for a single entry cost 75.00 and are valid for up to six months. For the latest details check the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada at (www.cic.gc.ca).