When deciding about what sort of transportation you are going to need while visiting Canada, it’s best to decide first where you want to go. Once you have a rough itinerary and know about how long you want to spend traveling from place to place, finding transportation is a cinch.
If you plan to spend all of your time in big cities, it is possible to get around without a Canada car rental. The major cities of Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal etc. have decent public transit to get you from place to place. Buses, sky trains/ metros, sea buses, and ferries will get you where you need to go around the city. If you want to travel between big cities, or head off to some smaller destinations, there are several options available.
Car
Perhaps the easiest option for getting around is trying out car rental Canada. Allowing you to see a lot and have the freedom to go wherever, whenever you want, Canada car rental is a favorite option for many. Discount car rental Canada is possible, especially during the off-season. You may even be able to get cheap car rental Canada using your credit card. Ask your credit card company about special deals for car rental Canada. To find the best deals on discount car rental Canada, check the web for specials. Once in Canada, if you can find a phone book, there are often great coupons for cheap car rental Canada inside.
Bus
Greyhound offers service to thousands of locations in ten provinces. This is a nice option for those who’d like to enjoy the scenery without the stress of driving. It also allows you to visit the many locations (i.e. anywhere that is not a major city) that the train does not pass through. However, for long distances (say, Vancouver to Quebec City) taking the bus can be more expensive than flying, and take MUCH longer.
Train
VIA Rail services all of the major cities (save Calgary) and can be a comfortable and scenic option. Dining cars, sleeping cars, parlor coaches, and roomettes allow you to get some peaceful shuteye while on an overnight trip. Luxury trains sometimes offer dome cars which allow passengers panoramic views.
Unfortunately, the train only runs three days a week, so it becomes necessary to plan around the train schedule. Train travel can also get a bit pricey, though there some deals that VIA Rail offers which may appeal to train lovers. The Canrailpass is available for $719 CDN, which gives you 12 days of unlimited travel in the economy class in one 30-day period. On important note: this price is only valid during off-season. Seniors, students and children under 17 get 10% off at any time.
The major airline in Canada is Air Canada. AC Jazz, Air Labrador, Air Georgian and Central Mountain Air are all owned by Air Canada as well. Air Canada offers good service and four different price options depending on your flying needs. The cheapest of these options is called “Tango”—the no frills flying for budget travelers. Smaller airlines such as WestJet, CanJet, Air Transat and Air North also connect destinations across the country.
