The good news for budget travelers with plans to visit Canada this summer is that many youth stand-by air fares for domestic travel have been lowered, Toronto has a new international hostel, Montreal’s 1-year-old hostel has just earned a tourism award, and there’s a new budget bus pass for travel in Quebec and Ontario.
Canadian Airlines International announced it has lowered the youth stand-by fares in 17 markets across the country. The new fares are available to travelers ages 12-24 until Oct. 28.
The advantage to a youth stand-by fare is that you can travel at an economical rate without having to commit yourself to a specific time and date weeks in advance. The disadvantage is that you won’t necessarily travel exactly when you want. Confirmed seats are given to stand-by travelers on a first-come, first-served basis and are dependent on the availability of seats at the time of departure.
This summer, for example, the youth stand-by return fare for travel between Calgary and Vancouver is $190 (about $140 U.S.) plus taxes. The fare for return travel between Edmonton and Toronto is $418 ($309 U.S.), and between Toronto and Vancouver is $444 ($328 U.S.). If you only want to travel one way, the fare would be half of the return rate.
The youth stand-by fares are available for travel between Vancouver and Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Windsor or London; or between Calgary and Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Victoria, Windsor or London; or between Edmonton and Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal; or between Toronto and Winnipeg, Victoria or St. John’s.
Travelers who meet the age requirments and have proper identification can purchase the reduced fare tickets from Canadian Airlines ticket offices or a travel agent.
All youth stand-by fare travel must be completed by Oct. 28.
A new bus pass is available for 15 consecutive days of unlimited travel in Ontario and Quebec this summer. It will enable a budget traveler to combine a visit to Niagara Falls, Ontario’s northern wilderness and Canada’s capital of Ottawa with whale-watching along the mighty St. Lawrence.
The Rout-Pass costs $199 (about $147 U.S.) and is valid on the services of most (almost 40) bus companies in the two provinces. Some of the carriers honoring the pass include Greyhound Lines of Canada, Voyageur Colonial, Autobus Maheux and Orleans Express Inc.
The Rout-Pass is available for purchase until Oct. 5. Travel must be completed by Oct. 26. Up to six extra travel days can be added at the time of purchase.
Information on Rout-Pass is available at bus terminals in most municipalities. For details in Toronto you can call 416-393-7911; in Montreal, call 418-525-3000. You also can write Rout-Pass Coordinator, Quellou Services Inc., 420 McGill St., Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Y 2G1; or fax 514-395-4026.
On May 2, the new centrally located Toronto International Hostel opened. It is sharing space with Toronto Hospital Hostel. The disadvantage is that the building is institutional and lacking in character. But the advantages include a good location (about a two-minute walk from the bus terminal), clean and secure surroundings and the opportunity to use the building’s fitness facilities.
Accommodations for 160 travelers is available in rooms with two to four beds. Some couples’ rooms are available. The rate is $20.95 (about $15.50 U.S.), per person, per night for members of Hostelling International Non-members are charged an additional $3 U.S. guest fee. Guests can use self-catering kitchen facilities.
Budget travelers should find that youth hostels in gateway cities are good places to find inexpensive lodgings and good sources for information on local tours and budget travel opportunities.
At the Toronto International Hostel guests can get information on $40 (about $30 U.S.) backpacker tours to Niagara Falls and one- and two-night Ontario backpacking/hiking tours with the Canadian Experience.
The new Toronto International Hostel is at 90 Gerrard St. West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1J6; 800-668-4487 or 416-971-4440.
Solo budget travelers visiting Toronto who want more privacy can head to 96 Gerrard St. East, where Neill-Wycik College rents rooms with individual rates from $23.33 U.S. (taxes extra). The trade-off is that you share a hallway, kitchen-common room and washroom with four or five other rooms.
For details, contact Neill-Wycik College Hotel, 96 Gerrard St. East, Toronto, Ont. Canada M5B 1G7; 416-977-2320.
Both of these facilities have accesss 24 hours a day and are open to travelers of any age.
The new 260-bed international hostel for travelers that was opened in a renovated three-story Montreal hotel one year ago was recently awarded Quebec’s prestigious Ulysses Trophy for its achievement in tourism development. The staff plans to continue offering three-hour walking tours daily, and pub crawls several nights a week this summer. Although tours rates have not been set yet for this year, last summer they were just $2.
Guests stay in rooms with four to six beds and en suite bathrooms. Some family rooms are available. The rate is $16 (about $11.85) per person, per night.
The hostel is within walking distance of downtown attractions, at 1030 Mackay St., Montreal, Quebec H3G 2H1; 514-843-3317.
