Picture choosen by: Mr.David Birch Getting around Canada Getting Around by Air
Destinations throughout Canada are served by Air Canada (website: www.aircanada.com), with main hubs at Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. It operates mostly on longer routes. Shorter, regional feeder routes are served by partner airline Air Canada Jazz.

Calgary-based low-cost airline WestJet (website: www.westjet.com) is Canada's third-largest airline and serves more than 20 points in Canada from its main hubs of Calgary and Toronto and secondary hubs. Other regional carriers include Yukon-based Air North (website: www.flyairnorth.com) and a host of small outfits serving remote communities and wilderness areas.

Getting Around by Water
Canada has many thousands of miles of navigable rivers and canals, a vast number of lakes and an extensive coastline. The whole country is well served by all manner of boats and ships, particularly the east and west coasts, where the ferries are fast, frequent and good value. The St Lawrence Seaway provides passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. For further details, see individual regional entries or contact the Visit Canada Centre.

The main ferry operator is BC Ferries. It runs a number of services linking British Columbia's mainland with Vancouver Island as well as a route to the Queen Charlotte Islands and another through the Inside Passage.

Getting Around by Rail

Rail Passes
Canrailpass: allows unlimited journeys anywhere on the VIA network for 12 days (up to three extra days can be added to the pass at any time) within a 30-day period, and is only valid on VIA Rail trains. There is also a Student Canrailpass available to holders of International Student Cards (ISIC) and a Senior Canrailpass available to those aged 60 and over. There is a reduced fare for children.
Corridorpass: gives 10 days of unlimited rail travel in southern Quebec and southern Ontario.
Alaska Pass: offers 8, 12, 15 or 21 days' travel within Alaska and British Columbia, including travel on Alaska Ferry, Alaska Railroad, one-way car hire and White Pass & Yukon Railroad (website: www.alaskapass.com).

Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the right. The Canadian road network covers vast distances as the country is over 7,600km (4,800 miles) from west to east and 4,800km (3,000 miles) from north to south. The longest road is the Trans-Canada Highway (website: www.transcanadahighway.com), running west to east for 8,000km (5,000 miles) from Victoria, British Columbia to St John's, Newfoundland. On country roads, visitors should be mindful of wild animals that may be roaming, such as deer or moose.
Coach:
One of the cheapest and most convenient ways of travelling the country apart from private motoring is by coach.
Besides long-distance travel, all these companies operate a range of services, such as regional tours and escorted sightseeing for groups. RoutPass (www.routpass.com) runs between May and December. It offers seven-, 14- and 18-day passes for unlimited bus travel in Ontario and Québec, the 18-day pass also allowing travel to New York with the option of buying an extra three days' travel. Contact individual operators for details.
Car hire: Available in all cities and from airports to full licence holders over 21 years of age. For some car hire companies drivers may need to be at least 25 years old. Major international companies offer cars in locations throughout Canada.
Regulations: Road signs are international. Right turns on red lights are not permitted in some parts of Québec. Speed limits are 100kph (60mph) on motorways, 80kph (55mph) on rural highways and 50kph (30mph) in cities. Seat belts are compulsory for all passengers and child car seats must be used by small children. Radar detection devices are strictly prohibited in many states and may not be carried in automobiles. Studded tyres are illegal in Ontario, but are permitted, without seasonal limitations, in the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan and Yukon, and are allowed only in winter in other provinces. Many provinces require drivers to keep headlights on during the day.

Note: The official date on which winter begins varies from province to province.
Documentation: It is advised to apply for an International Driving Permit. Visitors may drive on their national driving licences for up to three months in all provinces, with the following exceptions: Yukon - one month; Prince Edward Island - four months; British Columbia, New Brunswick and Québec - six months.

Getting Around Towns and Cities
Bus: Metropolitan buses operate on a flat-fare system (standard fares, irrespective of distance travelled). Fares must be paid exactly, which means that drivers do not carry change or issue tickets. Transfers should be requested when boarding a bus.