Canada Traveler Essentials
- Capital
- Ottawa
- Currency
- CAD (Dollar)
- Best time to visit
- June–August for most regions. Fall (Sept–Oct) for foliage is spectacular.
Visa requirements
US citizens don't need a visa. Most other nationalities need an eTA. Apply online.
Getting around
Canada is huge, so domestic flights (Air Canada, WestJet) dominate intercity travel, with VIA Rail and intercity buses on key corridors like Toronto–Montreal. Major cities have metro/skytrain, streetcar and bus systems using smartcards or contactless, and Uber, Lyft and taxis are widely available.
Safety
Canada is one of the world's safest countries.
Tipping customs
Tipping is expected much like in the US. Leave 15–20% in restaurants (some bills add it automatically for groups), tip taxi and rideshare drivers around 10–15%, and give a couple of dollars per bag to porters and a few dollars per night to housekeeping.
Travel tips
Canada is bilingual — French in Quebec. Tipping 15-20% is standard.