Canada Transport Options

Transport Options

Canada has 22 international airports, the largest of which include Lester B Pearson (Toronto) International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport, which each service approximately 31 million and 17 million passengers annually, respectively.

Canada's major airline is Air Canada, providing air transportation nationally and internationally to more than 150 destinations. WestJet offers scheduled service to 33 cities in Canada and the United States, as well as charter operations to more than 20 cities in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Air Transat offers scheduled and chartered service to over 90 destinations in 25 countries.

Smaller airlines such as CanJet, First Air and Air North also connect passengers to destinations across the country.

Direct flights connect the major cities of the globe with the larger Canadian airports, and frequent connecting flights transport passengers to any Canadian destination efficiently.

Direct flights from the US or Mexico whisk you from most major air terminals to many Canadian cities including Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, London, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, Québec City, St. John's and Halifax.

Touring Canada by train is one of the best and most leisurely ways to enjoy the country. Nearly all of Canada's major cities are connected by rail and passenger rail travel is enjoying renewed surge popularity. The Rocky Mountaineer is a popular way to capture the magnificence of the Rocky Mountains.

VIA Rail, Canada's national passenger rail service, travels between the major Canadian cities in comfort. There are sleeping cars, comfort class, bedrooms and roomettes. They also offer special passes and holiday packages.

Whether you rent or drive your own vehicle, Canada's vast network of well-maintained roads and highways will take you anywhere you want to go.

Canadian traffic rules are similar to American rules. Canadians drive on the right side of the road. But most safety laws are determined on a provincial and territorial level, so make sure you know the particular rules for the province you will be visiting.

Canada's highway system includes the Trans-Canada Highway, which will take you from coast to coast. The world's longest national road is a highway system that joins all 10 provinces of Canada.

For information on highway and road conditions by province and territory, visit the Transport Canada website www.tc.gc.ca. Visit the Weather Network website www.theweathernetwork.com for highway road condition updates on most Canadian cities.

Canada has several car rental companies found at airports and in major towns and cities, including Budget, Discount, Hertz, National, Enterprise and Thrifty, among others. The minimum age to rent a vehicle ranges from 21-25 years old. You must also possess a major credit card.

Camper and motor-home rentals are also widely available. Many provincial and national parks, private campgrounds and other conservation areas in Canada allow you to camp with your RV.

For great advice on RV rental in Canada, visit the Go RVing website www.gorving.ca. You'll find travel advice and resources including links to RV parks and campgrounds as well as tips to help you enjoy the journey.

---