Home  Features Getting Around Getting Around
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Getting Around |
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Page 1 of 5 If ever you had a doubt about Canada being the world's second-largest
country, your first day of exploring your neighbourhood should dispel
it. Travelling distances even within the city are usually huge, and
sooner rather than later buying a car will figure prominently on your
agenda.
The question is, how do you get around when you first arrive in Canada?
If you're lucky, you will have friends willing to drive you around
during your first few weeks here. Not too many people are generous
enough (or have the time) to stretch that hospitality for too long, so
you'll soon have to explore other options.
If you picked up an international driving licence as advised earlier in
this book, you can rent a car from a rental agency as and when you
require it. Your licence is valid for 60 days from the time you land.
Rental costs are fairly high though ($25 and up per day, plus fuel
costs), so it's not a cheap option for regular travel. It is not a good
idea to borrow a car from friends or relatives - in Canada, every
driver must have their own insurance. So should the vehicle be damaged
in any way when you are at the wheel, even if it isn't your fault,
insurance companies will not cover the cost.
Which brings us to public transit, the cheapest and sometimes
fastest way of getting around. Canada's major cities have an efficient
transit system that includes trains, buses, streetcars and ferries. The
train lines are the arteries of the transit system, running through
major areas of the city, with buses often completing the distribution
network that allows you to get from one point to another.
The various elements of the transit system work in tandem, so if you
are travelling within any city, you usually have to pay just once at
the starting point of your journey, and then use free ‘transfers' for
the subsequent stages. Since you are likely to be using public transit
a great deal in your early months in Canada, let's take a more in-depth
look at how the system operates.
The public transport system in most major cities is cheap, efficient,
clean and usually punctual. But that doesn't mean it is totally without
faults. As you progress outside the downtown core (where most
businesses are located), bus stops become harder to find, frequency of
service becomes more limited (hour-long waits are not uncommon), and
you may find some areas are not serviced at all. This is especially
true in many suburban residential pockets, where ownership of a car is
a necessity rather than one of life's comforts.
This makes it all the more important for you to plan your journeys well
in advance. For starters, find out where the nearest bus stop is and
note down the stop number (each bus stop has a unique number). For some
unfathomable reason, most transit stops do not list the route numbers
of the buses that actually halt there, so you should also get that
information. The best way to do that is to pick up a transit map and
schedule booklet (available free at major transit hubs).
The booklet will also provide a number you can call for information.
Once you are connected to the service desk, you can provide your
current location, intended destination and time you are travelling, and
ask the operator to chart out the best route for you (it will help if
you have your bus stop number at hand).
You should note that live operator assistance is only available during
the day, typically 7am to 7pm, so plan ahead and call early if you need
to.
All major cities also have a 24-hour automated service, which allows
you to get details of the bus route numbers and timings for your stop.
Smart transit travellers use this service to find out when the next bus
is scheduled before they step outside their homes. This makes even more
sense if the bus frequency is poor, or in the winter when it is
freezing outside.
One thing you must remember is that buses do not halt at every stop.
You must flag down the bus using what is officially called the ‘transit
wave' (the phrase somehow has never become part of the popular
lexicon). All you really need to do is make certain you can be seen
from a distance by the bus driver and hold your hand out so he or she
knows you want to get on board.
You always board from the front and deposit your payment as you enter.
If you are paying cash, you must have exact change. Fares are generally
charged as a fixed amount per trip, rather than by distance. (The one
notable exception is Vancouver, where fares vary by zone). So you pay
the same fare whether you are travelling one kilometre or 20. In most
cases, cash fares are between $2 and $2.50 per trip.
If you travel regularly, you will want to pick up transit tickets,
which are sold in sets of 10 and cost up to 20 per cent less than the
cash fare.
If the bus goes to your intended destination, great, otherwise make it
a point to ask the driver for a ‘transfer'. Depending on the transit
system, the transfer indicates either the time you boarded the bus or
until when it is valid. Transfers are usually valid for up to two hours
from the time you get on the bus. (Important: You must ask for the
transfer at the time you board - else the driver can refuse to give you
one later).
Transfers are valid on connecting bus, train or streetcar routes,
provided they are part of the same transit system. When you board a
connecting bus or streetcar, you need to show the driver your transfer.
If you are connecting to a train, you probably won't need to show your
transfer as buses and streetcars enter directly into the subway
terminal area. Make sure you obtain a transfer anyway, just in case you
are asked.
If your journey begins with a train, you can pay at the station ticket
window (you don't need to have exact change for trains) or insert a
prepaid token into the slot at the turnstile to enter the system.
Again, you must take a transfer if you plan to take a connecting bus or
streetcar. The automated transfer machines are located just beyond the
turnstiles of every station. Remember to take your transfer at the
station where you enter the system.
Fares are the same as with buses and are standard no matter what
distance you are travelling - Vancouver again being a notable
exception. Incidentally, Vancouver's Skytrain system is completely
automated (no crew on board) and you need to use ticket machines to pay
and enter. You can use larger denomination bills if you need to, the
machine will give you the change.
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