| Canada is large - the
second largest country in the world after Russia. This means that you will
need several days to appreciate even a part of the country. St. John's,
Newfoundland is geographically closer to London, England than it is to
Vancouver.
By plane
The best way to get around the country is by air. Air Canada is the main
national carrier, and has by far the largest network and most frequent
schedules. For travel between major centres, no frills carrier WestJet
offers competitive fares. In general, airports are poorly connected to
public transportation and railway transportation; expect to leave airports
by road on a rental car, taxi or a privately operated bus.
By bus
You can also travel between most cities in Canada, small and large, by
bus. Greyhound Canada provides much of the service, with smaller operators
covering local routes. For some popular tourist routes, guided bus tours
are also available.
GO Transit has more frequent and convenient stops in the Greater Toronto
area. Its main station of operations, Union Station, lies metres away from
many of Toronto's main attractions (such as the Air Canada Centre,
Hummingbird Centre, Royal York Hotel) and provides bus and train access to
many rural towns and larger suburbs surrounding Toronto and Hamilton.
By car
Of course, many people choose to rent a car. Although somewhat expensive
if you are travelling alone, this can be an economically reasonable
alternative if you are sharing the costs with others. However, beware of
the high surcharges associated with dropping off the car at a different
location than where it was picked up. In Montreal Toronto and Vancouver,
public transit is a strongly recommended alternative to driving.
Compared to the United States, Canadian gas prices are very high (albeit
much cheaper than Europe), ranging from $4.50-$5.50 per gallon
($1.19-$1.45 per litre).
By RV
If you are set on a road trip, an alternative to car rental is to hire an
RV (motorhome or campervan). This gives you the flexibility to explore
Canada at your own pace and is ideal if your trip is geared around an
appreciation of Canada's natural environment. Costs can also be lower than
combining car rental with hotels.
Traffic rules to be aware of
Canadians use the metric system for measurments (hence speed is quoted in
kilometres per hour, and distances in kilometres.)
Canadians drive on the right-hand side of the road.
In many areas of Canada (with the exception of Montreal island) it is
legal to turn right (after stopping) on a red light, so be careful when
crossing the street on foot.
Many secondary (less busy) intersections that are four (or three) way
stops have no traffic lights, but have stop signs instead. You have to
bring your car to a complete stop and let everyone that stopped before you
go first. If two cars arrive at the intersection at the same time, the car
to the right has precedence.
In Canada, you must always yield to a police car, fire truck, or ambulance
when their emergency lights are flashing -- if they are approaching from
behind, you must pull to the right and stop. In many jurisdictions,
motorists are also required to slow down and move into a non-adjacent lane
when passing a stopped emergency vehicle. In rural Ontario, private
vehicles displaying flashing green lights are being operated by volunteer
firefighters and medical first responders on their way to calls. While
there is no legal requirement to pull to the right and stop, as with
emergency vehicles, doing so for those displaying green flashers is
considered to be both courteous and 'common sense'.
It is illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant.
In many cities across Canada, laws against jaywalking are often more
strictly enforced by police and bylaw officers.
Beware, in British Columbia, a (slow) flashing green light means the
traffic light is green (you can go) but it is controlled by the
pedestrian. The light will remain flashing green until a pedestrian pushes
the button to cross the street. When you see a flashing green light,
traffic coming towards you will also see a flashing green light. In
Ontario, Québec and Nova Scotia, a (fast) flashing green light indicates
advanced turn, signaling the driver can make a left hand turn across
oncoming traffic because oncoming traffic has a red light.
At crosswalks and corners, the pedestrian has the right of way. If you are
a driver, there are often hefty fines for not giving them this right of
way. If you are a pedestrian, though, don't always expect people to stop
for you. This law is not as widely respected or enforced in Toronto,
Quebec, and Windsor (Canadian city bordering Detroit) as it is in other
regions of Canada.
Some provinces have drink-drive limits of 0.05%. The national Criminal
Code limit is 0.08% - a foreign national exceeding this can expect to be
deported.
During winter, a flashing blue light usually identifies a snow removal
vehicle (e.g. snowplow) and drivers should stay far back when following.
While it is legal to pass one of these vehicles, it may be safer to stay
behind and travel on the cleared road.
By train
Passenger rail service in Canada, although very safe and comfortable, is
often an expensive and inconvenient alternative to other types of
transport. The corridor between Windsor and Quebec City is a bit of an
exception to this generalization. Also, if natural beauty is your thing,
the approximately three-day train ride between Toronto and Vancouver
passes through the splendour of the Canadian prairies and the Rocky
Mountains, with domed observation cars to allow passengers to take in the
magnificent views.
Make arrangements ahead of time to get lower fares. VIA Rail is the main
Canadian passenger rail company
Source : http://wikitravel.org/en/Canada |