Transport Options

Getting a move on

Canada is a vast nation but there’s an array of transport options to discover it. Choosing how to get about plays an integral role in holidaymakers’ experiences, says Stuart Forster

Flight paths .

All travellers to Canada, whether entering by air, land, rail or marine vessel, must use ArriveCAN unless they are exempt from this requirement due to an accessibility need. This information must be submitted within 72 hours before arrival in Canada. Air Canada (aircanada.com), and Qantas (qantas.com) operate flights from Australia to Canada. Once in Canada, visitors can also fly domestically with Air Canada and a range of other airlines. Air Canada’s budget subsidiary, Air Canada Rouge (flyrouge.com), and Porter Airlines (flyporter.com) count among the options for travel within Canada.

Another option is WestJet (westjet.com), which flies to around 25 destinations in Canada, and Air North (flyairnorth.com), Calm Air (calmair.com) and Canadian North (canadiannorth.com), airlines that serve destinations in the country’s north.

Carbon neutral Harbour Air (harbourair. com), based in Vancouver, aims to be the world’s first commercial airline to operate only all-electric aircraft.

Cars and Rvs: On the road

The experience: Excellent highways and country roads, usually with little traffic, make Canada ideal for road trips in a rental car

a kayak excursion during an expedition cruise

or motorhome. Self-drive holidays provide a framework for travellers to explore independently, with motorhomes known as recreational vehicles in Canada, a term commonly abbreviated to RV.

These vehicles present holidaymakers with a ‘freedom option’ to explore the country at leisure during road trips, negating the need to book hotels.

With sleeping quarters for between two and seven people, RVs allow travellers to overnight in the countryside - perhaps a national or provincial park – before setting out to explore the cities.

Typically, drivers aged from 21 years of age can get behind the wheel of an RV. Fir those new to an RV holiday, stress that once outside of the cities traffic is often light in much of Canada, making driving a relatively stress-free experience. Best for: Touring the Yukon (and neighbouring Alaska). Western Canada between Vancouver and Calgary. Exploring Québec, from its cities to the Laurentians. Driving between the small towns,parks and waterways of eastern Canada. When: RVs are ideal for summer travel (June until September in the Yukon; May until September in the west; May until October in eastern Canada). Key markets: Couples; families (specially those with young children); groups of friends; holidaymakers with time to explore. What it doesn’t offer: The security of a guided group and someone else taking the strain of doing the driving and map reading.

Trains: Stay on track

The experience: Travelling by rail enables holidaymakers to sit back, relax and enjoy the country’s wondrous landscapes and passing wildlife. In some regions the network covers ground not linked by roads, such as northern Manitoba between Winnipeg and Churchill.

Canada is not short of ‘must do’ train journeys. Top of the bill is perhaps The Canadian, which connects Toronto and Vancouver in three-and-a-half days, covering 4,446 km, which takes about 86 hours.

The train rumbles through boreal forest, prairies and mountains on what National

take the ferry and bike across to totonto’s islands

Geographic called one of the best train trips in the world. It first heads into central Ontario, with its lakeside communities, fishing lodges and villages, before crossing the prairies into Manitoba – with a stop in Winnipeg – and Saskatchewan and on to Alberta, stopping in Edmonton and Jasper and then British Columbia. The luxury Rocky Mountaineer offers some of the world’s iconic rail journeys. Carriages – a choice of Gold or Silver service – offer unparalleled views of fast-flowing rivers, rugged scenery in the Canadian Rockies, wooded areas, arid plains and the central prairies and farmlands. Stops include Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, all in Alberta.

Heritage railways, in some cases operating restored steam trains, are also popular. The South Simcoe Railway (southsimcoerailway. ca) and the White Pass and Yukon Route (wpyr.com) provide holidaymakers opportunities to take trips on scenic routes. Where: Several regions of Canada. When: VIA Rail operates services throughout the year. The Rocky Mountaineer runs from April until October Key markets: Environmentally aware travellers; Rail aficionados; 50+ travellers and those with time on their hands looking to explore the country beyond the main roads. Key players: Rocky Mountaineer (rockymountaineer.com), VIA Rail (viarail. ca/en) What it doesn’t offer: Timetabled departures limit spontaneity.

Cruising

The experience: With more coastline than any other country, Canada has destinations in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans which are served by cruise ships. This is also a land of lakes and rivers that can often be experienced on popular

suggest clients see canada at their own pace by travelling in an rv

sightseeing tours. Expedition cruise ships journey along the Northwest Passage to remote locations such as Baffin Island.

And cruising is a way for holidaymakers to call in at some of Canada’s more remote settlements, many showcasing a unique heritage – such as Haida Gwaii (formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands), the British Columbian archipelago that is nicknamed ‘the Canadian Galapagos’ due to its diverse nature.

Cruising is also a mainstream way of exploring Québec City and Montréal, which are both accessible along the Saint Lawrence River, and other coastal and riverfront cities.

Self-drive boats (leboat.com.au) offers even non-sailors a way of gently touring the UNESCO World Heritage Site Rideau Canal between Ottawa and Kingston. Where: Maritime Canada; Arctic Canada, Central Canada, Western Canada When: June to October Key market: Mature clients; adventurers; those looking to do a cruise ‘add on’. Key players: P&O Cruises (pocruises.com), Princess Cruises (princess.com), Viking Cruises (vikingcruises.com.au) Crystal Cruises (crystalcruises.com) What it doesn’t offer: Opportunities to explore inland scenery, unless booked as part of a holiday itinerary. And don’t forget... Cycle hire is a means to exploring Canada’s cities and more rural areas – for example, by following the likes of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in the Okanagan Valley.

Alternatively, pull on a helmet and jump on an electric-scooter (eskoot.com) and tour vineyards and other attractions around Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Winter transport options include exploring the frozen countryside while sitting on a sled pulled by dogs or powering along groomed snowy trails on a snowmobile.