23 replies to this topic

[BillMagee]

 

I suggest that anyone who is considering this trip and who does not have a passport, passport card*, an enhanced state driver's license* or a trusted traveler card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST) should start the process of getting one of those documents now.  Validity of existing documents should cover the return from Canada.  Processing new passports and renewals can take a little while, particularly with the volume caused by the approaching peak travel period.
 
Info on applying for a new passport or a renewal can be found HERE.
 
One more caution. Canada is VERY serious about prohibiting entry by anyone with a criminal record blemish.  Offenses such as DUI 20 years ago and even ancient history such as an arrest for a Vietnam war protest in the 1960's can prevent entry into Canada.  Modern border control systems know all.  By and large, entry into Canada is not a big deal, but there are many stories of surprise turn-backs due to some long forgotten incident.
 
*Passport card or enhanced drivers license can be used instead of a full passport or trusted traveler card for land crossings between the Canada and the USA. Air requires a passport or trusted traveler card. Enhanced driver's licenses are only offered by Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington and are require extra processing and an additional fee over and above the regular license. Regular driver's licenses and birth certificates are not accepted for USA-Canada border

 
 
'REAL ID' enhanced drivers licencses are now issued by most states.  You will likely have to gather several documents and appear in person to get one as the old DMV records don't suffice.  Your DMV should have a page explaining the requirments.
 
Updated page at DHS:  https://www.dhs.gov/real-id
 
Ross

 

 
Real ID and Enhanced driver's licenses are not the same.  Real ID licenses, unless also "enhanced," are not and will not be accepted for border crossings.

 

A Real ID license meets DHS identity conformation and security feature requirements for federal facility access, specifically TSA clearance at airports. While a Real ID license confirms identity, it is not a confirmation of citizenship as necessary for border crossing. Obtaining an enhanced driver's license requires similar documentation as a passport. It is a confirmation of citizenship and is accepted in lieu of a passport or passport card for land or sea border crossing to and from the USA and Canada, Mexico and some other North American countries.  Enhanced driver's licenses will be Real ID compliant, but almost all Real ID licenses will not be "enhanced" for CBP use.
 
While most states will be issuing Real ID licenses by the 10/1/2020 deadline, only Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington issue enhanced driver's licenses valid for border crossing.

[CNJRoss]

Bill,

 

Thank you for enlightening me.  I thought the terms were interchangeable

 

Ross. 

[KevinKorell]

Building on the previous suggestion of a stopover at either Buffalo or Niagara Falls....

 

Another thought...     In the interest of exploring new stations as we did in March with Rochester and Springfield, how about the overnight being in Schenectady?    Could take the Lake Shore Limited or Empire 281 or 283 up there the evening before, then board Maple Leaf 10:24 in the morning. Those loyal to Hilton Honors family hotels have a Hampton Inn around the corner or a Doubletree a few blocks away.

 

Further thought... Utica. Instead of being a new station, this is a classic old New York Central Railroad gem.  There's a Hotel Utica a few blocks away, which is now a Doubletree property.

 

With the Maple Leaf's schedule, it's almost certain we'll need to have dinner aboard that train either before or after the Niagara Falls border crossing.  If we take an Empire Service train the day before into Buffalo or Niagara Falls, that would mean two consecutive nights having café car food as dinner (or waiting until very late in the evening to have off-train dinner, with potential delays making that worse). Stopping earlier (like Albany, Schenectady, or Utica) ensures dinner off train at a more respectable dinnertime.  In fact leaving from Utica, there's a chance of having lunch before boarding the Maple Leaf's 11:41 AM departure and thus only one on-train café car meal that day.

 

Now that the life changing activities that took up a lot of my time and attention (not to mention money) are behind me, I'm looking more intently into this summer journey.  I believe that given what I've been through personally over the past few months, I'd like to keep this trip a lot simpler than previously proposed.  Thus a Canada trip would still involve the clockwise circle trip of Toronto followed by Montreal, but eliminate the side trips to Kitchener and Ottawa.  In fact, as of this present time, neither ION in Kitchener nor the OC TRANSPO Confederation Line has opened for business and neither even has a projected start date. There will still be plenty to do in the Toronto and Montreal areas.  Without the VIA Rail side trip to & from Kitchener, we can still ride the GO TRANSIT commuter line that runs part way out the same line as far as Mount Pleasant.

 

Hoping to have more on this soon.

[KevinKorell]

Just looking at hotels, their price and availability can drive decisions as to where to go.  Unfortunately, both downtown Buffalo and Niagara Falls have exhorbatantly high rates.  It's summer season and a busy tourist area.  Utica... forget it, the Doubletree is sold out on two possible Saturday nights.   Albany and Schenectady remain possibilities.  I would lean towards Schenectady because of its new station and the relative ease of getting to the hotels.  But I'll wait for more comments.

[steve4031]

Is the fest going to be about the same time in July? If the group is considering leaving nyc the weekend of Saturday July 13 I would be catching up with the group on Monday, July 15. I will be riding private cars on the Pennsylvanian returning to nyc area Sunday night. I would probably fly up to Toronto to catch up to the group.

If the fest is the following week then I am coming from Chicago. Would probably go through Detroit/Windsor to meet group in Toronto.

Edited by steve4031, 13 May 2019 - 08:48 AM.

[KevinKorell]

What I've considered is an 8-day Fest, and in order to be able to ride weekday-only commuter rail in both cities, it would have to run from Saturday through Saturday.  The possible weeks in July would therefore be 7/13 through 7/20, or 7/20 through 7/27.

 

That said, understand that until now I have not been able to really do the homework involved in planning, which does include looking up hotel rates as I said earlier.   Both Toronto and Montreal are very high priced (particularly downtown), the 74% exchange rate not withstanding.  With that exchange rate, a hotel for C$300 would be at $222 US, which is still a bit high.   Alternatives near rail transit might be found, and the Fest program could be juggled to include those rail trips as part of official travel if most of us were to choose that option.   For example, while Toronto proper is prohibitive, there may be affordable rates out by Pearson International Airport (connected to Toronto Union Station by UP Express). There's also a Hilton Garden inn in Vaughan, near the northern end of the western leg of the 1 subway line.  In Montreal, the Trudeau International Airport area has hotels that are relatively close to the Dorval rail station served by EXO & VIA Rail.

 

Another alternative, for those who don't have enough loyalty points saved up to counter the high rates, would be to consider doing this at another time when it's not high season.   When those of us discussing this in person in March in Rochester agreed that Canada was the best option, we were mainly considering that the weather there in July is more comfortable than it would be in Texas in July.  But overall expense has to be an important consideration too.  Maybe there would be a better timeframe in June or September? Someone would have to do some hotel shopping to find out for sure.  

 

Note that for a Saturday-to-Saturday 8-day Fest, we would at very least need 7 nights of hotels, since we elected to do a stopover in Upstate New York on the way to Toronto to avoid the early morning NYP departure of the Maple Leaf. That would be 1 night in a yet-unnamed Upstate NY location, 3 nights (Sun-Mon-Tue) in Toronto, and 3 nights (Wed-Thu-Fri) in Montreal.

 

Again my apologies for not addressing this sooner, but I've been very busy with more important issues.

[steve4031]

The rates for the June 30 to July 3rd in Toronto show AAA rate of CA 204 for double tree downtown and CA 137 for the double tree by the airport.  There are many other properties with similarily lower rates .  

[pennyk]

It is highly unlikely that I will be attending the entire fest, however I am considering traveling the first day to upstate NY and then possibly to Niagara Falls NY.  Frankly, I am not sure when the best time for my potentially short trip is best.  If the timing works for me, then I will do my best to show up for a day or so.

[KevinKorell]

The rates for the June 30 to July 3rd in Toronto show AAA rate of CA 204 for double tree downtown and CA 137 for the double tree by the airport.  There are many other properties with similarily lower rates .  

The issue with this is that July 1st, which falls in that period, is a national holiday in Canada, not unlike our July 4th,  Thus we would lose the weekday-only schedules and some lines won't be running.

[steve4031]

Question: what lines are not operating on holidays.