Driving to Canada, what to expect...

Alex wrote:

Hi folks,

My girlfriend and I want to spend a week in Toronto next month for our
vacation, but neither of us has ever been to Canada. We live in
Texas, and to save on flight costs, we hope to fly to Buffalo, NY and
drive the 100 miles to Toronto. I guess the issue is we aren't sure
what to expect.

I know a passport isn't needed (or is it?), and I assume there's some
sort of checkpoint when passing between the US and Canada.. but what
do we need other then standard ID? Also, is there any fee to cross
into Canada?

Oh... and should we get Canadian currency before entering? The flight
we hope to take is on Sunday (cheapest), so would it be a good idea to
get a couple of hundred Canadian dollars before hand?

Thanks for any info and assistance... oh, and one more question. Any
suggestions on a nice B&B in the Toronto area?

Take care,

Alex


Hi
No problem fling into Buffalo and crossing over just make sure they
write "Permission granted to enter Canada" on car contract or you will
find your self without insurance.
Here are some web sites for you.

http://www.ontariotravel.net/TcisCtr...mers&key1=home
http://discoverniagara.com/nf_tourism/?page=body.php

B and B do not use them here so
http://www.bbcanada.com/on.cfm this is the B&B site

conside on either start or end taking a B&B in Niagara Falls area a see
the fall at sun set under the search lights all so until some time in
Jan there is the festival of lights going on in Niagara Falls

For money bring a little US cash and use your bank cards at ATM best
practice
enjoy your trip

--
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In article , Smiley wrote:
No problem fling into Buffalo and crossing over just make sure they
write "Permission granted to enter Canada" on car contract or you will
find your self without insurance.

.... and just as importantly, before leaving home, have your normal auto
insurance agent issue to the driver (both should do this if both plans on
driving, IIRC?) a little card that's officially known as the Canadian
Non-Resident Inter-Provincial Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card. Just
make sure your normal auto insurance policy also covers rental cars.

Canadian law enforcement does not recognize U.S.-issued insurance cards, so
it is best to have this card handy in the rare chance you get in an
accident. You'll probably never use it ever, but on the *rare* chance you
do, it'll save you a lot of immediate grief, as I understand it. No cost to
obtain it from your insurance agency -- at least, the major ones I know of
don't charge for providing it.

Since I live near the border, I get mine from my insurance agent on the
spot; for others who calls, they usually get it in the mail in a few days.
No big deal.

Also, if the original poster is planning on staying mostly downtown, I
would *highly* recommend a TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) all-day pass or
maybe the family pass (two adults and up to five kids... or one adult and
up to six kids; you're not required to have kids to qualify thanks to the
'up to' clause) for CDN $7.75 with unlimited use of all TTC-managed forms
of public transit -- buses, street cars, subway. You start saving with your
second completed round-trip ride in a single day! ($2.25 cash per ride
otherwise.)

http://www.ttc.ca/

(or http://www.toronto.ca/ttc/ if it's easier to remember)

It's easy using the pass -- just hold it up to the driver or station agent
and then get on without fumbling for exact change.

Public transportation also runs 24 hours a day (although the runs are about
30 minutes apart late at night like after 1am or so) as well. Excellent
stuff, accessible, and easy to use.

-Dan

In article , Jim Battista wrote:

Also check with flying to Detroit or Lansing and entering through
Detroit/Windsor or Port Huron/Sarnia. Port Huron might be quicker even
flying into Detroit -- you spend more miles in MI where the speed limit
is much higher.

Well.... the driving time from Detroit to downtown Toronto is about four
hours, whereas from Buffalo's airport to downtown Toronto is two hours on
the dot. (Neither time factors in border crossing delays.)

-Dan

Alex wrote:

Hi folks,

My girlfriend and I want to spend a week in Toronto next month for our
vacation, but neither of us has ever been to Canada. We live in
Texas, and to save on flight costs, we hope to fly to Buffalo, NY and
drive the 100 miles to Toronto. I guess the issue is we aren't sure
what to expect.

I assume you've made sure with the rental car company that it is okay to
travel to Canada, and also made sure you're covered insurance-wise.

I know a passport isn't needed (or is it?), and I assume there's some
sort of checkpoint when passing between the US and Canada.. but what
do we need other then standard ID? Also, is there any fee to cross
into Canada?

As someone else noted, you need proof of citizenship, so either a birth
certificate or passport. A driver's license is not enough. *If* your
state issues voter ID cards, that might work in conjunction with a
picture ID.

Oh... and should we get Canadian currency before entering? The flight
we hope to take is on Sunday (cheapest), so would it be a good idea to
get a couple of hundred Canadian dollars before hand?

Again, as people said, use ATMs. The bank ATMs don't charge fees.

Thanks for any info and assistance... oh, and one more question. Any
suggestions on a nice B&B in the Toronto area?

We've stayed at the Linden House for five years now for the Toronto Film
Festival. It's about ten minutes' walk from Bloor and Yonge, near the
Sherbourne Metro station, 416-966-9986, and is about C$110 for a double.

--
Evelyn C. Leeper
http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper
If you won't be better tomorrow than you are today, what
need have you for tomorrow? --Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav

Dan Foster writes:
Also, if the original poster is planning on staying mostly downtown, I
would *highly* recommend a TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) all-day pass or
maybe the family pass (two adults and up to five kids... or one adult and
up to six kids; you're not required to have kids to qualify thanks to the
'up to' clause) for CDN $7.75 with unlimited use of all TTC-managed forms
of public transit -- buses, street cars, subway.

The day pass and family/group pass are the same pass; the difference is
what day you use it on.

* Monday to Friday - one person, valid after 9:30 am.
* Saturday - one person, valid all day.
* Sunday or holiday - "family" pass, valid all day. Maximum 6 people
total (not 7), maximum 2 adults over 19. The people don't have to be
an actual family.

The original poster is coming "next month", but for those who will be
here around Christmas, the TTC is treating all days from December 21 to
January 4 inclusive as holidays, so you can do the "family pass" thing
on any day in that period. And they're also offering a holiday one-week
pass for one person, valid Monday to Sunday, either December 22-28 or
Dec.29-Jan.4, for $28.50. This pass is transferable, too; you can lend
it to someone else when you're not using it.

You start saving with your second completed round-trip ride in a
single day! ($2.25 cash per ride otherwise.)

It's 5 rides for $9.50 if you buy tokens (or tickets, equivalent) at
a store or subway station, so two round trips in a day by pass or
tokens is almost exactly the same. If you're only using the subway,
tokens are simpler (you can use the automatic secondary entrances to
stations); if you're using buses and streetcars as well, passes are
simpler (you don't need to bother with transfers).

http://www.ttc.ca/

(or http://www.toronto.ca/ttc/ if it's easier to remember)
...
Public transportation also runs 24 hours a day (although the runs are
about 30 minutes apart late at night like after 1am or so) as well.

On a limited network of "blue night" routes, that is. The subway does
shut down overnight for 4-5 hours (longer on Sunday morning). By the
way, the TTC day ends at 5 am, so you can use a day pass on the "blue
night" routes too.

I normally use the TTC myself, but to be fair, driving in Toronto isn't
so bad that there aren't lots of people doing it. If the original poster
prefers to drive, he or she will still be able to get around.
--
Mark Brader "You have a truly warped mind.
Toronto I admire that in a person."
-- Bill Davidsen

My text in this article is in the public domain.

Alex wrote:

My girlfriend and I want to spend a week in Toronto next month for our
vacation, but neither of us has ever been to Canada. We live in
Texas, and to save on flight costs, we hope to fly to Buffalo, NY and
drive the 100 miles to Toronto. I guess the issue is we aren't sure
what to expect.

You might want to compare the savings on the flight with the cost of a car
rental, gas, parking etc. Then you have the extra time for picking up the
rental, dropping it off, dealing with traffic etc. IMO, I think that you
would be better off with the direct flight. Bear in mind that Buffalo is
notorious for heavy snow. There is a strip along the southeast end of
Lake Erie that gets snowed dumped on it regularly, causing all sorts of
driving problems. That belt extends only a few miles into southern
Ontario. Buffalo can be shut down with snow and roads just five miles
north of the border will be clear and dry.

I know a passport isn't needed (or is it?), and I assume there's some
sort of checkpoint when passing between the US and Canada.. but what
do we need other then standard ID? Also, is there any fee to cross
into Canada?

Picture ID is required. If you have a passport bring it along. Otherwise,
a TX licence and birth certificate would suffice.

Oh... and should we get Canadian currency before entering? The flight
we hope to take is on Sunday (cheapest), so would it be a good idea to
get a couple of hundred Canadian dollars before hand?

It wouldn't hurt to get $100 Cdn before arrival, though US dollars are
usually acceptable. Just don't expect to get a decent exchange rate when
you use American money. There are lots of ATMs in Toronto and you will get
a better deal from them.

On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 10:26:17 -0800, "TheNewsGuy(Mike)"
wrote:

On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 14:12:12 -0000, Jim Battista
wrote:
...
Also check with flying to Detroit or Lansing and entering through
Detroit/Windsor or Port Huron/Sarnia. Port Huron might be quicker even
flying into Detroit -- you spend more miles in MI where the speed limit
is much higher.


The long drive from Detroit to Toronto in the dead of winter can be
VERY dangerous on the 401 highway. Not recommended if there is any
blowing snow or ice on the road.

If they're from northern Texas they should be able to handle it.
If from southern Texas, though...


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

In article , Mark Brader wrote:

* Sunday or holiday - "family" pass, valid all day. Maximum 6 people
total (not 7)

Whoops, goofed with that off-by-one error. Serves me right for not
re-checking after having used said day pass only two weekends ago

The original poster is coming "next month", but for those who will be
here around Christmas, the TTC is treating all days from December 21 to
January 4 inclusive as holidays, so you can do the "family pass" thing

Ah! That's pretty nice.

I normally use the TTC myself, but to be fair, driving in Toronto isn't
so bad that there aren't lots of people doing it. If the original poster
prefers to drive, he or she will still be able to get around.

Yup, I'd second that. I've had no problems driving smack dab into downtown,
even on Yonge St. or any other road. Parking can be iffy in some areas but
can usually find one, *somewhere*, even at lunch hour downtown on a major
street or a nearby block.

All told, I just usually find it a lot easier to not worry about hassle of
finding parking (it's not as bad as NYC or anything) or driving; usually
stay in an area of Toronto that is well covered by public transportation.

For other parts of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) or on the outerskirts,
definitely need a car such as driving to Great Khan Monogolian Grill in
Markham.

So I guess it'd depend on how one was planning on getting around, where
going, what comfort level there was with driving/parking, etc.

I wouldn't sweat public transportation or driving, either.

If they choose to drive around, they'll probably want to know that a
flashing green traffic light is equivalent to a protected left arrow (if
desired) OR driving straight (or right if appropriate) normally. Also if
they see flashing yellow light near the lighted 'X' signs above the street,
they'll need to stop before the crosswalk to let the pedestrian(s) cross...
and to never pass a TTC streetcar on the right lane while it's picking up
or discharging passengers.

The little things that non-residents may not be aware of, basically.

-Dan

"TheNewsGuy(Mike)" wrote:

On 1 Dec 2003 20:31:20 -0800, (Alex) wrote:

to save on flight costs, we hope to fly to Buffalo, NY and
drive the 100 miles to Toronto.

Are you sure this will save you enough money to make it worthwhile?
If you add the total cost of the car rental for a week, gas, and a
week's parking in Toronto...plus the inconvenience of the drive to and
from Toronto...and is there any problem renting the car and driving
across the border with it? I am not sure of the answers but perhaps
others here would know if it makes sense to do that.

It sounds like this fellow is looking at life from a strict economic
rational perspective. He should know that walking out of the house does
not make any sense at all - you can slip on a banana peel, get hit while
crossing the street, get hit on the speedway (aka road) by a truck, car,
Army tank etc). Even if you get back you your yard untarnished, a stray
meteorite can still hit you!

As for economics, this fellow also realizes that food is expensive
everywhere- especially when you have someone prepare it and present it to
you in fine dining area. Local foods make various locals "famous". I
wonder if this fellow just eats gruel/oatmeal because it is so economical?

Forget the economics and rationale. Budget what you can and enjoy the
experience. There are B&Bs in the T.O. area. Travel by the subway system
is fast and inexpensive as compared to driving (and parking) a car. Use
the car for longer trips - like to the McMichael gallery to see Group of 7
artwork. Within the city you can get by without a can and parking tickets.

Photo ID and a Brith certificate. Carry traveler's checks and banks will
give you best rate. For the best rate of all just use your debit card -
mind you there could be a $2 or so service charge for each withdrawal, but
the rate will be up-to-the-monent.

Forget bringing a firearm for personal protection. While firearms are
generally not prohibited (they must be registered and the person must have
a possession license), carrying firearms for protection is limited to the
local and federal police. Even the Canadian Military has to do paperwork
to carry loaded firearms. US CCWs mean squat in Canada. Big fines and
jail time if you are caught carrying for self defense and are
convicted....... Unless you are a drug dealer (another fact of life
here).

On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 14:12:12 -0000, Jim Battista
wrote:
....
Also check with flying to Detroit or Lansing and entering through
Detroit/Windsor or Port Huron/Sarnia. Port Huron might be quicker even
flying into Detroit -- you spend more miles in MI where the speed limit
is much higher.


The long drive from Detroit to Toronto in the dead of winter can be
VERY dangerous on the 401 highway. Not recommended if there is any
blowing snow or ice on the road.




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