Montreal Travel Forum

Hello Friends,

I am travelling to Montreal, staying there for a day, and then want to proceed ahead to Ottawa, see the city for a day and catch a flight to Calgary from there.

Can someone tell me the following :-

1. If I am travelling throug VIA Rail from Montreal to Ottawa, what is the distance from VIA Rail Stop to Ottawa Airport.

2. I understand that there is a free shuttle between VIA Rail and Airport. Can anyone hop on to it or you need to have travelled by the Train to avail this service.

3. Are there any hotels near Ottawa Rail Stop where on can stay for a day and still be in the centre of the town.

Cheers

Adonis

Hi Adonis,

I'm not aware of any free shuttles from Ottawa train station to the airport (airport shuttles in Ottawa are generally not free), but there is a very inexpensive way to get to the airport from the station. Look for the directions to the OC Transitway, which is a dedicated bus route through the centre of Ottawa that originates in the core of the city and ends at the international airport, with a stop at the train station. I haven't taken the bus to the airport in a few years (I usually go to Ottawa by car or train), but it is definitely under $5 and will take about 15 minutes at the most. You can buy your ticket from the bus driver.

The train station is fairly far (by Ottawa standards) from the centre of the city, and if you stay near it you will have to take public transit into Byward Market and the other attractions. You're better off staying at one of the hotels in the centre of the city and then taking the transit way bus to the airport from the Rideau Centre, which is the major mall in the centre of the city. The price will be the same as from the train station, but you will probably have to schedule in a 30 minute trip instead of a 15 minute one.

In truth, if you will be going to the airport during rush hour, the transit way is much, much more convenient. It is quicker, as the only vehicles allowed on it are municipal buses, and it goes directly to the arrivals (first floor) level of the airport. Taking a private shuttle leaves you at the mercy of Ottawa traffic, which can be bad depending on when you need to get to the airport.

Hope this helps!
Enjoy your trip to Ottawa,

Mike

Mike,

Thank you very much indeed for the comprehensive reply. I was breaking my head since the last 4 days trying to get answers through Google but was not heading anywhere.

I have another couple of questions, if you can possibly answer.

1. Is 1 day each enough to see Montreal and Ottawa.
2. Are there any tour agents that you know of, who can take care of Montreal 1 Day Tour, then transfer to Ottawa, accomodation for 1 day and Ottawa 1 Day Tour.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Cheers

Adonis

Hi there. As previously pointed out the cheapest and fastest way to get into Ottawa Downtown from the rail station and then out to the airport is by bus along the transit way - the site is www.octranspo.com which has all the info you'll need.

I personally would say that one day in each of Montreal and Ottawa will only give you the merest tasters as both are interesting cities with a lot going for them. Fortunately both are quite compact and easy to walk around and so if you only have one day in each you can still catch most of the main tourist bits.

Enjoy Canada.

John,

Thanks a ton!

I am arriving at Montreal (YUL) airport and then intend to buy a ticket to Calgary from WestJet after arriving.

can someone please if there are any Westjet Ticket Sales Office at the Airport.

Also if i carry a ticket before hand, do I need to exit the International Terminal after customs and Immigration, or I can transfer to the Domestic Terminal and then do my Immigration at Calgary.

Hi Adonis,

Personally, I think that one day is enough to do Ottawa, especially if you're active and enjoy walking about the city (and you have good weather). Spending a few days will allow you to see absolutely everything, and that includes every museum and park the city has to offer. Montréal requires more time, partly because it has much more to see and partly because it is far more spread out. Frankly, I also think that Montréal has much better restaurants and cafés than Ottawa, which will require more time to enjoy fully.

I believe that WestJet has a ticketing office in both Ottawa and Montréal airports, but you can also, of course, purchase tickets online. You will definitely need to clear customs and security to get to the ticketing office in either airport. Chances are that you will have to clear customs in your first Canadian city anyway, even if you are only transfering in Montréal or Ottawa (since the flight to Calgary is a domestic one and requires no passport control clearance). Customs and immigration control in Canada is now much, much more stringent than it was in the past, and you should not be surprised if your passport is inspected and immigration officials ask you questions before you even enter the terminal. I don't know where you are flying from, but on all of the transatlantic flights I've been in the last few years (coming from Amsterdam, London and Athens), Immigration officials have been waiting at the gate, inspecting passports as passengers exit the aircraft - and even after that you have to go through a second passport and customs check before you can pick up your luggage.

Thanks Mike. You guys are great. This is the first time I am using this forum and there are so many people ready to help, that I feel like participating wherever I know things.

I am an Indian Passport Holder, flying in from Bahrain (where I am working)with a shipping company. What questions I need to be ready with for answering the Immigration and what documents I need to carry with me.

As per baggage, I am not carrying anything except clothes.

Thanks once again for your kind attention to this!

Cheers

Adonis

Hi Adonis,

Glad we can be of help.

Basically Canadian Immigration will want to know your reason for visiting and where you will be staying (at least for the first night). They may also want to see proof that you have a flight booked to leave Canada. They are very thorough but in typical Canadian fashion very pleasant and polite with it and they do do things strictly "by the book".

Cheers, John.

John,

I have not made any hotel reservations cos plans are fluid. Will the immigration insist on seeing the reservation copy or just the name will do.

Cheers

Adonis

Just the name should be fine. Even if you haven't actually booked anything you should get away with just telling them where you intended trying to check in. On the other hand you might find it plain sailing. BTW how long are you going to be in Canada?