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Old 07-26-2011, 12:10 PM
 
116 posts, read 382,467 times
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I plan to drive from northeast Iowa to Niagara Falls and then later to Toronto. Its quite a long drive, 12-14 hours without stop, but I calculated it would cost me around $150 round trip (but I did not take into account Canadian gas prices). I'd leave my car at motel or hostel to save on parking. In Toronto I have heard you really dont need car. Not sure about niagara falls.

Alternatively I could take round trip ticket from United airlines for $215 with tax to Buffalo, and from there take bus or shuttle. Then take bus to Toronto. I would have about 5 days and plan to stay in niagara falls 1 day, while in toronto 2 days.

Which option would be most cost budget effectve and get most of each buck. Car seems cheaper and I would not need bus, but it seems a long ride. Plane would be more expensive but would get me in 1 hour. Maybe I could save a little bit more if I looked for a return flight from Rochester instead Buffallo which is bigger airport. Not sure if I was able to get effective transport back there.
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Old 07-26-2011, 01:36 PM
 
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Car is the better option especially since you have not factored in the cost to get to and from Toronto ($36 per person one way by train, see link below) or the train time to Toronto (4 hours from NFNY vs 90 minutes by car). If you stay in the Toronto suburbs parking is almost always free. Then you can take public transit into the core.

Make sure you bring your passport in order to cross the border as I do not think an Iowa drivers license or birth certificate will work these days..


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Old 07-26-2011, 06:55 PM
JH6
 
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The buffalo airport is larger than the rochester airport, and has much more carriers and lower prices.

I travel to Toronto quite frequently and always want a car to get there. Parking in toronto is expensive, plan on 25-30 dollars per night.
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Old 07-26-2011, 10:55 PM
 
116 posts, read 382,467 times
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Hmm interesting. Although I found megabus offers one way to toronto from niagara or buffalo for $20 (which is a lot cheaper). Also I found viarail bought at least 4 days in advance will save money too.

While the car is cheaper, you have to consider hours to drive there. About 13 hours one way. With stops consider 1-2 hours. By the time I get there day will be short unless I decide to sleep less and drive at night. Then I have to pay $30-40 for hotel for extra night.

Now flight, I can leave one day later early in morning and be there by noon. I can stay one night before flight at my family's in chicagoland and only worry about 30 min driving and 2 hours time in advance for check-in.

Donbuy you said you can park for cheap or almost free in suburban parking trains near train stations? But can you leave it overnight? very often here in Chicago area, if you are daily visitor, you only have 24 hours.
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Old 07-27-2011, 08:52 AM
 
Location: CFL
981 posts, read 2,696,875 times
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I think what Donbuy might have been referring to is .. If you stay at a hotel that is not downtown you don't have to pay for parking at the hotel.


About your time calculation...
CAR: when you decide to drive to Toronto you'd only take about 1.5-2 Hours to get there. When you want to go home you can head straight home from Toronto through Sarnia shaving an hour off the drive.
FLY: When you decide to go to Toronto.. You have to spend time getting to the train or bus station. Buses and Trains will spend more time at the border and might make stops along the way. You will also need time to travel from the bus/train station in Toronto to your hotel/destination. Double this extra time as you have to go back to get your plane ride home.
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Old 07-27-2011, 01:29 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marc3565 View Post
I think what Donbuy might have been referring to is .. If you stay at a hotel that is not downtown you don't have to pay for parking at the hotel.
.
Correct I was referring to leaving the car in the hotel lot. There are also park and ride lots outside of TO but I do not know if they are free.

No matter how you slice it it is definitely cheaper and less hassle to use your own car after all this is North America and not Europe we are talking about . There are only two trains per day between NFNY and Toronto. I have driven to Chicago and flown to Chicago and have found fling to be much more of a hassle and with airport wait times and delays not all that much quicker.

To each their own I suppose and it's clear that the original poster has his mind set on flying, despite all of the extra hassles and expenses, so he should just relax and enjoy his trip.
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Old 07-28-2011, 01:14 AM
 
116 posts, read 382,467 times
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I decided to go with a car. I calculated that with current gas prices and my fuel efficient car - corolla 2011, I would have only around $130 both ways. And if I split with friend if he goes with me, it will be even cheaper.

Southwest is cheap and it flies from Midway instead O'hare where there are no big delays, $210 for round trip, but add expense of trip from airport to hotel possibly need taxi bc bus unavailable, bus to Toronto roundtrip $40 and it adds up very fast. Plus parking of my car at airport lot $7 per dayx4 = $28. I guess if I was staying for free with aunt if I had one there, i would pick flying.

I guess 10 hours one way is not horrible really. How much mph I can go on highways? I unfortunately now I have to be more careful with speeding because I got one traffic ticket already and I am in 6 month probation period with traffic school to dismiss it. I got advice to go no more than 5 miles over speed limit to be safe, so if common speed sigh is 65 mph, that would be 70. I know if I could go 90 or so, I would get there a lot quicker.

Btw I believe in Canada, speed limit is lot lower after converting km to miles?

Any advice for parking anywhere besides hotel parking lots? What about visitor parking lots outside suburban train stations to TO?

On way back I plan to go using 401/402, but on trip to NF, I will take I-90.
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Old 07-28-2011, 05:13 AM
 
Location: CFL
981 posts, read 2,696,875 times
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Don't worry about getting there fast.. enjoy the view along the way.
Make sure to stop every 2 hours either for gas or food. A LOT of accidents happen in the 2-3 hour mark.
In Canada you will see all the signs in KM/Hr
100 =65 mph on the 400 type highways.
80=50 mph on smaller highways
50=30 mph in cities

5 over will usually avoid being pulled over.
15 over converted in Canada puts you 25 KM over the limit and will get you stopped by any cop you pass
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Old 07-28-2011, 11:55 PM
 
116 posts, read 382,467 times
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Btw as for cheap hostels or motels what do you recommend? I may be going with a friend (just a friend, not girlfriend).

Is it possible to find hotels outside or near toronto downtown for $40-$60 per night. I am too broke to pay >$100 for fine decent 3star hotel near attractions. I am thinking of hostels, college dorms, motel 6 or super 8. If possible the one that includes free breakfast and /or has minirefrigerator or something so at least the money Id have to pay on lunch would be saved toward lodge.

Last time I took a trip to NYC 2 years ago (via plane), and stayed in a cheap hotel in upper west side near midtown for $70 or $80 a night. But it was small old room, cover beds not too fresh/clean, with public bathrooms with molds on top. Hope there is nothing like that around NF or TO and is gonna be much cleaner.

I plan to see downtown, little of lakeshore, maybe hope on ferry to islands, go to CN tower, Royal Ontario Museum, Yonge St (something like Broadway in NYC, or Michigan Ave in Chicago) and maybe Eaton Centre. What else I could see there?

Btw are hotels in late August usually full or can you comfortably make reservation there just few days before u go there. Thanks!
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Old 07-29-2011, 02:08 AM
 
Location: CFL
981 posts, read 2,696,875 times
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Plan on 60-80 a night and you get a lot of decent hotels
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