Driving from Ottawa to Niagara Falls

Hello...

I am contemplating a road trip through Ontario, part of which could
entail driving from Ottawa to Niagara Falls, Ontario. I am wondering
about the best way around Toronto: Is it better to take the 401 to the
427 and pick up the Queensway? Or take the 401 to the 407 toll road
(about which I know nothing) and then take that either to another
interchange with the Queensway (if there is one) or all the way to
Hamilton and pick up the Queensway there?

Thanks for the help.

Mike


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Michael Gallagher wrote:

Hello...

I am contemplating a road trip through Ontario, part of which could
entail driving from Ottawa to Niagara Falls, Ontario. I am wondering
about the best way around Toronto: Is it better to take the 401 to the
427 and pick up the Queensway? Or take the 401 to the 407 toll road
(about which I know nothing) and then take that either to another
interchange with the Queensway (if there is one) or all the way to
Hamilton and pick up the Queensway there?

First of all, it is the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) that you want, not Queensway.
Queensway is a city street that interests with 427 just before QEW so be careful not to
get off 427 prematurely if you come that way.

There is a third option there, Hwy 403 from 401 to QEW. The best route to take from 401
to QEW depends on the time of day and day of the week. Weekdays from 2:30- 6:00 pm is
rush hour all the way through Toronto and for another 50 km or so in every direction.
Heading toward Niagara the worst slow downs seem to be Mississauga, Oakville where the
403 joins onto QEW and along the QEW through Oakville and Burlington. Once you get to
Hamilton it is clear sailing even at rush hour.


Hwy. 407 is an electronic toll road. A picture of your licence plate is is snapped when
you access and exit the toll road. They read your plate digitally, track down the
owner of the car and send a bill, charging for the access feel, cost per mile, billing
fee and out of province identification. It's not cheap, but if you are going to take
it you might as well get on it as soon as possible and stay on it right through Toronto
to Burlington. It can easily shave a half hour off the trip even when traffic is
light, and save an hour or two during rush hour. It's also a little more scenic.

In article ,
Dave Smith wrote:

Hwy. 407 is an electronic toll road. A picture of your licence plate is is snapped when
you access and exit the toll road. They read your plate digitally, track down the
owner of the car and send a bill, charging for the access feel, cost per mile, billing
fee and out of province identification.

That's an interesting system. What happens if your car is registered
in the U.S.? Do they have agreements with nearby states to search their
vehicle registration databases, too?


Patty

Patty Winter wrote:
In article ,
Dave Smith wrote:

Hwy. 407 is an electronic toll road. A picture of your licence plate
is is snapped when you access and exit the toll road. They read
your plate digitally, track down the owner of the car and send a
bill, charging for the access feel, cost per mile, billing fee and
out of province identification.

That's an interesting system. What happens if your car is registered
in the U.S.? Do they have agreements with nearby states to search
their
vehicle registration databases, too?


Patty

http://www.travelcanada.ca/tc_redesi...r_407-Toll.pdf

Q. What if my licence plate is not Canadian?

A. The electronic licence-plate reading system can identify owners of
vehicles registered in Canada, the United States or Mexico.

Patty Winter wrote:
In article ,
Dave Smith wrote:

Hwy. 407 is an electronic toll road. A picture of your licence plate
is is snapped when you access and exit the toll road. They read
your plate digitally, track down the owner of the car and send a
bill, charging for the access feel, cost per mile, billing fee and
out of province identification.

That's an interesting system. What happens if your car is registered
in the U.S.? Do they have agreements with nearby states to search
their
vehicle registration databases, too?


Patty

http://www.travelcanada.ca/tc_redesi...r_407-Toll.pdf

Q. What if my licence plate is not Canadian?

A. The electronic licence-plate reading system can identify owners of
vehicles registered in Canada, the United States or Mexico.

Patty Winter wrote:


Hwy. 407 is an electronic toll road. A picture of your licence plate is is snapped when
you access and exit the toll road. They read your plate digitally, track down the
owner of the car and send a bill, charging for the access feel, cost per mile, billing
fee and out of province identification.

That's an interesting system. What happens if your car is registered
in the U.S.? Do they have agreements with nearby states to search their
vehicle registration databases, too?

They buy the information from the states. They charge you the cost of obtaining that
information. A friend from Texas used it last year. She got the bill about 4 months later.
She said it was $5 for the out of province plate check.

The joys of privatizing roads. The highway was built by the province and sold to a private
consortium base din Europe. The province has spent a fortune in court trying to control the
fees it charges.

Patty Winter wrote:


Hwy. 407 is an electronic toll road. A picture of your licence plate is is snapped when
you access and exit the toll road. They read your plate digitally, track down the
owner of the car and send a bill, charging for the access feel, cost per mile, billing
fee and out of province identification.

That's an interesting system. What happens if your car is registered
in the U.S.? Do they have agreements with nearby states to search their
vehicle registration databases, too?

They buy the information from the states. They charge you the cost of obtaining that
information. A friend from Texas used it last year. She got the bill about 4 months later.
She said it was $5 for the out of province plate check.

The joys of privatizing roads. The highway was built by the province and sold to a private
consortium base din Europe. The province has spent a fortune in court trying to control the
fees it charges.

On 3/31/05 10:22 AM, Michael Gallagher wrote:

Hello...

I am contemplating a road trip through Ontario, part of which could
entail driving from Ottawa to Niagara Falls, Ontario. I am wondering
about the best way around Toronto: Is it better to take the 401 to the
427 and pick up the Queensway? Or take the 401 to the 407 toll road
(about which I know nothing) and then take that either to another
interchange with the Queensway (if there is one) or all the way to
Hamilton and pick up the Queensway there?

Thanks for the help.

Mike

I guess the question is what do you mean by "best"? If you are trying to avoid
the Toronto traffic, then the 407 can make some sense. Just understand that if
you are entering Toronto via 401, you will need to take the 404 north to get
onto the 407 (ie. you are heading north for a little before proceeding west and
then heading back down south later on).

Normally, I take the 401 to the 403 (as someone else mentioned) and take that
south to the QEW. I find this to be the quickest, in general, without taking
the 407 as long traffic is ok. If you actually want to drive through Toronto
and get a view of the city, then you can consider taking 401 to Don Valley
Parkway (DVP) to the Gardiner Expressway which later becomes the QEW. However,
this is really the "scenic route" and it is insane if there is any sort of
traffic on the roads (ie. rush hour or during the work day). But if the roads
are clear, it can be a nice drive.

BTW, I find the 407 to be the biggest ripoff in the world. I don't mind paying
a toll, but all the "extra administrative fees" are ridiculous.

On 3/31/05 10:22 AM, Michael Gallagher wrote:

Hello...

I am contemplating a road trip through Ontario, part of which could
entail driving from Ottawa to Niagara Falls, Ontario. I am wondering
about the best way around Toronto: Is it better to take the 401 to the
427 and pick up the Queensway? Or take the 401 to the 407 toll road
(about which I know nothing) and then take that either to another
interchange with the Queensway (if there is one) or all the way to
Hamilton and pick up the Queensway there?

Thanks for the help.

Mike

I guess the question is what do you mean by "best"? If you are trying to avoid
the Toronto traffic, then the 407 can make some sense. Just understand that if
you are entering Toronto via 401, you will need to take the 404 north to get
onto the 407 (ie. you are heading north for a little before proceeding west and
then heading back down south later on).

Normally, I take the 401 to the 403 (as someone else mentioned) and take that
south to the QEW. I find this to be the quickest, in general, without taking
the 407 as long traffic is ok. If you actually want to drive through Toronto
and get a view of the city, then you can consider taking 401 to Don Valley
Parkway (DVP) to the Gardiner Expressway which later becomes the QEW. However,
this is really the "scenic route" and it is insane if there is any sort of
traffic on the roads (ie. rush hour or during the work day). But if the roads
are clear, it can be a nice drive.

BTW, I find the 407 to be the biggest ripoff in the world. I don't mind paying
a toll, but all the "extra administrative fees" are ridiculous.

Hi Michael

If you are not shopping in Toronto stay on 401 till just past the
airport to the 403
it joins the QEW in Oakville and fallow it all the way to the falls
best to pass through Toronto between 10am and 2:30pm or after 6:30pm

best to see the falls at sun down under the search lights

enjoy

Michael Gallagher wrote:

Hello...

I am contemplating a road trip through Ontario, part of which could
entail driving from Ottawa to Niagara Falls, Ontario. I am wondering
about the best way around Toronto: Is it better to take the 401 to the
427 and pick up the Queensway? Or take the 401 to the 407 toll road
(about which I know nothing) and then take that either to another
interchange with the Queensway (if there is one) or all the way to
Hamilton and pick up the Queensway there?

Thanks for the help.

Mike


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