Travel options

By plane
The major Canadian cities are connected to all major European airports. There are seasonal differences in the flight schedule. For example, there are no flights to some airports in winter.
Attention! If you stop over in the USA, you must present an ESTA certificate and go through the entire entry process. Flights between the USA and Canada are handled in the same way as domestic flights. You should also be careful when staying in Canada for longer than 90 days. The official rules then require a transit visa for the USA (approx. 160 USD), a direct flight to Canada may then be cheaper.

By train
Amtrak offers 4 rail connections between the USA and Canada:
New York – Montreal (takes about 10 hours)
New York – Toronto (about 12 hours)
Chicago – Toronto (takes about 11:30 hours)
Seattle – Vancouver (4 hours)

By bus
The Greyhound bus system connects the largest cities in the USA with many major cities in Canada, or with the next small town after the border.

By car
There are many border crossings between Canada and the USA that can be used day and night.

By boat
There are several ferries on the coast between the USA and Canada

Entry requirements/visas

The entry requirements for tourist travel to Canada vary greatly depending on nationality. Tourist travel is limited to a maximum of 6 months. Canada generally divides other countries into three main groups:
1. visa-free countries (eTA required): Similar to EU citizens.
2. countries requiring a visa (visitor visa required): A large group of countries whose citizens must apply for a visa before traveling.
3. special cases: First and foremost, citizens of the USA.

Here is a more detailed breakdown

For citizens of visa-free countries (eTA required)
This group includes the EU and a number of other countries. For example: Switzerland, United Kingdom (UK), Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Chile, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Regulations:

Entry by air:
An eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) must be applied for online before departure. Without a valid eTA, the airline will refuse boarding.
Entry by land/sea:
No eTA is required. Only a valid passport is required.

Document:

A valid passport is mandatory for the entire duration of your stay.

For citizens from countries requiring a visa
Citizens from the majority of countries in the world must apply for a visitor visa before traveling. This applies to most countries in Asia, Africa, South and Central America and Eastern Europe (outside the EU). Please check the official websites in advance to find out exactly which countries are affected.

Regulations:

Visa requirement:
A visa must be applied for at a Canadian embassy, consulate or official Visa Application Center (VAC) before departure. The application process is significantly more complex than for an eTA. It usually requires biometric data (fingerprints and photo), detailed proof of travel itinerary, financial means and strong ties to the home country (e.g. job, family) to prove the intention to return.
Regardless of the entry route: The visa is required for any type of entry, whether by plane, car, bus or ship.

Special cases and special regulations
Citizens of the USA: They enjoy the simplest entry regulations.
No visa and no eTA required. All you need is proof of US citizenship, such as a valid US passport.

Holders of a US Green Card:
Although they are exempt from the visa requirement, they do require an eTA when entering the country by air. When entering the country, they must present their valid passport (from their country of origin) and their valid Green Card.

Dual citizens (Canada + another country):
Canadian citizens (including those with dual citizenship) must use their valid Canadian passport to enter Canada.

Customs regulations

All travelers must complete a customs declaration and hand it in at immigration control, even if they have nothing to declare. The customs officials will then decide whether to check your luggage.

Cash: Amounts of CAD 10,000 or more (or the equivalent in other currency) must be declared.

Alcohol and tobacco: There are duty-free allowances per person (minimum age 18 or 19 depending on the province). Typical quantities are e.g. 1.5 liters of wine or 1.14 liters of spirits and 200 cigarettes.

Gifts: Gifts (which remain in Canada) are duty-free up to a value of 60 CAD per gift.

Food: The import of food, especially meat, dairy products, plants and fresh fruit/vegetables, is strictly regulated or prohibited. If in doubt, declare everything.

On the road in....

By car
Renting a car or camper van is one of the best ways to get around the country. There are not many roads compared to other countries. Especially overland, these often run for kilometers straight ahead.
Speeds are indicated in km/h. Canadians are very disciplined drivers. Speeding is rare. One reason for this is certainly the rather high fines.
You should fill up your tank completely before every longer journey, even if you have half or more left in it. On some routes it is difficult to find a new filling station when you need it. Petrol prices are still far from the European level.

Special features in traffic
– The following applies at all traffic lights (unless signs say otherwise):
turn right even when the light is red, if you have stopped beforehand and made sure that it is clear.
– At intersections without traffic lights, there is almost always a stop sign (4-way-stop) at all entrances. The first person at the junction is allowed to drive first, i.e. in the order of arrival at the stop sign
– the traffic lights and signs are always on the other side of the junction
– traffic lights change directly from red to green.
– you can overtake on the right

By bus
Intercity buses connect individual towns with each other. Fares are relatively cheap and most routes are very frequent. Free WLAN is offered on most buses.
There are often many bus routes in the cities. Please note that tickets must be paid for in cash on the bus. To do this, you should put as much small change as possible in a transparent box with the driver and receive your ticket. Change will not be paid out!

By train
Traveling by train in Canada is quite expensive and the train network is not particularly well developed. The trains of the state railroad VIA Rail offer a high level of comfort such as comfortable seats and WLAN. Journeys on the suburban trains of the major cities, which sometimes also travel to tourist highlights (e.g. from Toronto to Niagara Falls), are somewhat cheaper
The Canadian travels 4466 kilometers between Toronto and Vancouver. Certainly a tourist highlight!

By bike
Cyclists are allowed to use the wide hard shoulders of the highways. Helmets are compulsory in some provinces!
It is possible to take bicycles on Greyhound buses as long as the bicycles are packed (unscrew pedals, cross handlebars, used bicycle boxes are usually available cheaply in the nearest bicycle store).

By plane
Canada is a large country and due to the often huge distances, air travel is a common means of domestic transportation. All major cities have an international airport, while smaller cities often have a regional airport that can be used to fly to the next largest city. For settlements in the extremely remote north of Canada, airplanes (especially seaplanes) are the only connection to the outside world and are flown to regularly.

By snowmobile
As soon as there is snow, snowmobiles are one of the preferred means of transportation. There are special warning signs to alert drivers to these special road users.

Tolls

There are tolls in Canada, but they are very rare and concentrated on a few specific routes and bridges. There is no nationwide vignette requirement or nationwide toll system. Most highways, including most of the Trans-Canada Highway, are toll-free for cars.
Toll roads:

1. Ontario
   Highway 407 ETR (Express Toll Route): This is the most well-known toll road in Canada. It is a privately operated highway that serves as a northern bypass of Toronto and is often used to avoid the heavy traffic on Highway 401.
   Payment: Billing is completely electronic via license plate recognition. There are no toll booths to stop at.
   Rental cars: If you drive a rental car on Highway 407, the invoice is sent to the rental company. They will then charge your credit card for the tolls plus an often substantial processing fee. It is best to clarify this with your rental company in advance.
2. Québec
   Autoroute 30 (southern bypass of Montréal): A section of the A30, including the “Pont Serge-Marcil” bridge, is subject to tolls.
   Payment: Payment can be made directly at the toll station by credit card. Cash payment is not accepted.
   Pont de l’Autoroute 25 (Olivier-Charbonneau Bridge): This bridge, which connects Montréal to Laval, is also subject to tolls.
   Payment: Billing is fully electronic via the license plate. For rental cars: The invoice is sent to the rental company, which charges you the costs plus fees.
3. Nova Scotia
   Cobequid Pass (Highway 104): A 45-kilometer section of Highway 104 between Oxford and Truro is subject to tolls. This is an important stretch on the way to Cape Breton Island.
   Payment: You can stop directly at the toll booths and pay by cash or credit card. There are also electronic lanes for users with transponders.
4. Prince Edward Island
   Confederation Bridge: This impressive 13-kilometer-long bridge connects Prince Edward Island with the mainland (New Brunswick).
   Payment: The toll is only due when leaving the island. You pay at a toll station on the Prince Edward Island side.

Best time to travel

Canada, the second largest country in the world, stretches across six time zones and has an enormous variety of climatic conditions.

The climate in the west
The west coast of Canada, particularly on the Pacific in British Columbia, is characterized by an oceanic climate. Mild, rainy winters and cool, pleasant summers dominate the weather here. Precipitation is distributed throughout the year.
If you move further inland, east of the coastal mountains, the climate quickly changes to a continental climate. Summers here are significantly warmer and drier, while winters are harsher. The temperature fluctuations between the seasons, but also between day and night, are considerably greater than on the coast.

In the more northerly areas of western Canada and at higher altitudes (from around 700 meters in the south), winters are long and icy cold. Temperatures as low as -30 °C are not uncommon here. Summers are short, but can have hot periods before the nights cool down again.

The climate of the Midwest
The Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) are known for their extreme continental climate. The lack of mountains to act as a barrier to weather systems and the great distance from the ocean result in an enormous temperature range between summer and winter.
Winters are long, harsh and very cold, with regular lows of -35 °C and below. Snowstorms, known as “blizzards”, can paralyze public life. Summers, on the other hand, are short but often hot and dry, with temperatures that can occasionally exceed the +35 °C mark. Most of the annual precipitation falls in the summer months, often in the form of thunderstorms. Prolonged periods of drought can pose a major challenge for agriculture.

The climate in eastern
The climate in eastern Canada is extremely diverse, strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes.
On the Atlantic coast, in the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland, the maritime influence is clearly noticeable. Winters here are cold and snowy, but not quite as icy as inland. Summers are moderately warm and often accompanied by fog, especially in Newfoundland.
In the interior, in the populous provinces of Quebec and Ontario, the climate is humid continental. Winters are cold and snowy, while summers are warm to hot and often humid.

The climate in the north
Canada’s north, which comprises the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, is dominated by a subarctic and arctic climate. Winters are extremely long, dark and bitterly cold, with temperatures well below freezing for months on end, often reaching or dropping below -40 °C. Summers are very short and cool.
Summers are very short and cool. Temperatures only climb above freezing for a few months. North of the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set at all for a certain period of time in summer (midnight sun), while in winter it does not rise above the horizon for weeks (polar night). Most of northern Canada is characterized by permafrost, i.e. permanently frozen ground.

Money

In Canada you pay with the Canadian dollar. Cash payments are rounded to the nearest 5 cents.
Bills and coins are offered. The coins are difficult to distinguish. The size is an aid here: it is confusing that the 10 cent coin is smaller than the 5 cent coin.

Many ATMs accept bank cards with the Maestro symbol. When using the machine, select Withdrawel (withdrawal) and then Chequing (bank card) or Credit (card). Some ATMs charge an additional fee.

Payment by credit card is widespread. Visa and Mastercard are more commonly accepted than American Express. As some small stores and local bus companies only accept cash, you should always carry some with you.

Tipping

In Canada, tipping is not just a gesture for excellent service, but a fixed and expected part of income for many service professions. Base wages in industries such as hospitality are often relatively low, as tipping is factored in as a major component of wages.

The usual level of tips is between 15% and 20% of the invoice amount before tax.

15% is considered the absolute standard for good service.
18 % – 20 % is given for very good or excellent service.
Below 15% is considered a sign of dissatisfaction. If you give so little, you should ideally also be able to say why you were not satisfied with the service.

Taxes (GST/PST or HST) are shown separately on your bill. Calculate the tip from the net amount (subtotal), i.e. before taxes are added. However, many Canadians round it up to the gross amount for simplicity. Both are acceptable.

Language

English and French are officially spoken in Canada. Many signs are therefore also bilingual.

English dominates in the west and center of Canada. In the east, both languages are spoken. The province of Quebec is an exception. Everything here is French!

Telephone / Internet

The country code for Canada is 1. International calls from Canada to other countries begin with 011, for example 011-49 for Germany.

Almost every small town in Canada has a telephone booth, most of which can be paid for with coins.
The major telephone network operators are Telus and Bell Canada. You should find out about possible roaming charges in advance and purchase a local SIM card or an eSIM if necessary.

Electricity

Voltage and frequency
The Canadian electricity grid differs fundamentally from the European grid:
Canada: 120 volts voltage at a frequency of 60 hertz (Hz).
Europe (e.g. DE/AT/CH): 230 volts voltage at a frequency of 50 Hertz (Hz).
This difference determines whether your appliances only require an adapter or an additional voltage converter.

Sockets and plugs
Type A and type B sockets and plugs are used in Canada.
– Type A: A plug with two flat, parallel pins.
– Type B: Like type A, but with an additional third round pin for earthing.
Your European plugs (the flat Euro plug type C or the round Schuko plug type F) do not fit into Canadian sockets.

Health

Emergency number 911

Canada has an excellent healthcare system with very good hospitals. For Canadians, medical costs are constitutionally covered by tax payments and doctors are paid by the state.
Medical care can be poorer in more remote areas.

Travelers often incur extreme costs for complex treatments. You should therefore have good travel health insurance. Find out about the costs before treatment and inform your health insurance provider. This way, some of the costs can be settled directly.

Medication is available in drugstores and supermarkets. Over-the-counter medicines can be found on shelves, prescription medicines are handed out at a sales counter.

Canadian water is safe to drink. However, it is highly chlorinated. Canadians therefore like to buy large plastic containers with several liters of plain, still water.

The numerous bodies of water are of course an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. It is recommended that you stock up on Canadian repellent products rather than bringing any from Europe. Ticks are also common in the forests.

Restrooms

Public toilets are generally clean. The cubicle doors take some getting used to. They are often so short that you have a good view at the top and bottom and what you can’t see is shown to the world through the gaps between partitions and doors, which are often measured in centimetres.

Shopping