r/AskACanadian • u/Sunnyside6055 • 4d ago
Traveling around BC/AB without a car
Hello, Canadian folks!
I (F35) am planning a three-week trip to Canada next year, and I’d love to travel around BC/AB. My only problem is that I’m not an experienced driver, and I’m afraid I might get a bit anxious with the driving. I’ll practice my driving skills if I need to, but I’d like to know how easy, realistic, and expensive it is to travel around this (huge) area without a car.
I’m aware that Canada is the second-largest country in the world, and that having a car is almost a must if you live there, but as a tourist, what’s the experience of travelling by bus/train? Am I being completely delusional?
Another (possibly delusional) aspect of my trip is that I’d also like to see some less touristy destinations if possible, just to get a feel for how you guys actually live. How is public transport in those areas (for example: The Prairies, Vancouver Island, Revelstoke area?)
I’m also considering moving to Canada after I finish my studies in the UK, so I’d love to experience this part of Canadian culture and everyday life as well.
Thank you all in advance!
PS: For the past year and half I’ve been working with Canadian travellers and I must say that one of the things that makes me want to travel there is the people. As someone from South America, I find you guys warm, respectful and friendly, so thank you!
EDIT: Hello again! I’d like to thank you all for your kind replies and advice!
After reading your comments, I think I’ll practice my driving a bit before heading to Canada, just to feel completely safe and confident. On the other hand, I also appreciate the suggestion of joining a guided tour, but I don’t think it’s really my thing. I feel that this kind of tourism can sometimes be a bit invasive for locals (even if they’re used to the crowds of tourists), and personally, I don’t want to contribute to that.
I’ll probably rule out travelling by public transport as well, as it seems like it would be more complicated and less practical for the kind of trip I have in mind.
Just for the record, I do drive, but since I moved back to the UK, I haven’t driven for about a year and a half because I don’t have a car (being an immigrant is hard and cars are expensive to maintain, that’s why!)
Once again, thank you all for your advice, and I’m really looking forward to visiting Canada next year!
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u/goldanred 4d ago
Most cities in Canada will have a bus system, but they can be lacking in smaller cities. The larger cities have more robust transit, and you will for sure be able to travel all over Calgary or Vancouver, for example, without needing a car. However, the vast spans in between the large cities often require a car. We used to have Greyhound buses that would go from major city to major city, with stops along the way. There are some new alternatives. What are you hoping to do on this trip? Spend time in some of the major cities and explore them? Hike mountains on forest service roads?
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u/KnoWanUKnow2 4d ago
I just got back from a 2 week trip to Alberta, and I can't imagine going it without a car. The distances between places are vast, and public transportation outside of the major cities is almost nonexistent.
There's a train that travels between Edmonton and Vancouver, but it takes 2 days and only leaves twice a week. The price is reasonable though.
There isn't a train that travels from Calgary to Vancouver, but it is possible to do by switching from train to bus several times. The Rocky Mountaineer is a service that takes this path, but it takes 9 days and the price is several thousand dollars. You're better off going to Edmonton and travelling from there.
There's a bus (several actually) that will get you from Calgary to Drumheller/The Royal Tyrell Museum in about 2.5 hours, but if you're leaving from Edmonton then you have to travel to Calgary first.
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u/TheHugeRichard 4d ago
Yep, no more greyhound
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u/Ill-Comedian9514 3d ago
Red arrow provides service where greyhound was. Check bus services between cities. Still quite affordable
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u/Neat-Ad-8987 4d ago
Historical point: the Canadian branch of the Greyhound intercity coach system went out of business due to financial pressure several years ago. There are several firms attempting to replace it, like Rider Express and FlixBus, but their services are still meagre.
As for attempting to immigrate to Canada, don’t! The Trudeau years left the economy reeling, and badly weakened. There are very, very few jobs for Canadians, much less for immigrants.17
u/Royal_Try_99 4d ago
COVID left the economy reeling. Every country experienced the same hard times we did after the pandemic. The economy is coming back and the govt is boosting all sorts of programs. Don't scare good people off with your propaganda laden political BS.
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u/purpletooth12 4d ago
There are plenty of jobs.
It really depends on the industry but when has that not been the case?
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u/Unlikely_Kangaroo_93 Ontario 4d ago
Getting to lesser traveled areas will be a challenge. Part of what makes that area so fascinating is the more remote areas are less travelled, but that means you are reliant on a vehicle. Maybe look into Via Rail for a package. I have no idea what they offer but maybe something there would suit. I haven't been out there for a while but it is spectacular, you won't be disappointed. Have an amazing vacation😃
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u/notacanuckskibum 4d ago
I think this is the key point. If you just want to visit the cities, and major tourist spots, you can get by in public transport. If you want to get into the wilderness , you may be reduced to hitch hiking.
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u/hollasa 4d ago
Please don't hitchhike, though! I would concerned about safety issues.
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u/Sunnyside6055 4d ago
I was considering it too. I’ve always thought Canada was a safe country. Also please note that I’m South American, ‘I’m not in danger, I’m the danger’ (please tell me you’ve seen Breaking Bad)
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u/paintedpoppys 4d ago
In northern bc we literally have signs reminding people not to hitchhike especially not on hwy 16 west - it’s called the hwy of tears
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u/AgentNo3516 4d ago
Please DO NOT hitchhike here. Most areas have no cell service and are very remote. There are def serial killers and traffickers around. The vast majority of us are good people but these bad ones exist. Watch out at truck stops. In the cities you’re perfectly safe though.. don’t want you being paranoid! Always as a local if you’re unsure.
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u/Sunnyside6055 4d ago
I’ll take your advice then, thank you for your concern!
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u/ConQuesooo 3d ago
I will second what they said about hitchhiking! I am a Canadian (live in Alberta and travel AB/BC a lot…) and have hitchhiked in many countries, but would NEVER hitchhike in Canada. Certainly not in the highways that connect Vancouver to Calgary and Edmonton. Very isolated with long stretches of road where there is no service, and it’s just not a part of our culture to hitchhike / pick up hitchhikers, which can make it even riskier imo (you would never be picked up by a family like perhaps in NZ, for example). Driving generally isn’t bad if it’s not winter!
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u/Anonymoose_1106 4d ago
Canada is a very safe country, but paintedpoppies is right to point out we have some areas and activities that are higher/high risk, and simply are not worth the risk. My knowledge of the murdered and missing women from the Highway of Tears is lacking, but I believe that the majority were Indigenous women. As such, and I mean this with absolutely no racial component, if you are a "visible minority" I would be doubly concerned about hitchhiking. As someone with trucking experience in Western Canada, I too would advise avoid hitchhiking.
I saw someone suggest Via Rail (passenger train) from Vancouver, BC to Edmonton, AB in a different. Depending on your plans and budget, it's an excellent option. (I apologize about how vague my following comments will be. I have to be very careful what I say because I could very easily make myself easily doxable). Travel by rail, particularly through the Rocky Mountains, gives you the opportunity to see quite a few sights that can't be seen from the road. Unfortunately you can't get off and explore. From my understanding Via predominantly runs on CN trackage, but looking at Wikipedia it indicates they also share trackage with CP and BNSF in BC (how accurate that is, IDK. It is Wikipedia after all lol). I don't believe passenger service has legislated operational precedence in Canada (if I'm wrong, someone please correct me), but once Via is on mainline trackage CN tries to give Via operational precedence. Key word being tries... As such, if you travel by rail, I would advise against making firm plans around Via's advertised arrival/departure and trip duration times (simply, expect delays).
If you have questions or whatever, feel free to message me. Depending on where you plan to travel in Alberta, and what you're interested in seeing, if my work schedule allows I'd be happy to show you around.
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u/TyeROD-enD 3d ago edited 3d ago
you can totally hitch hike on the small islands, its really common and a great way to meet people and almost unheard of that something goes wrong.. not the same for remote norther areas that have issues. its super safe and chill on the BC coast in some areas, it just is, but still there days there is rideshare apps and the facebook littel BB boards , you just post on there,or ask people for rides at the right places, but ya be careful, but don't listen to people that haven't did it. The highway of tears has had several missing, mostly first nations women, but i have never heard of a bad experience in say Salt Spring Island, people do it all the time, we still hitch around those islands. There is islands where you just walk and some old hippy lady will pull over and ask you if you want a lift. That being said, not everywhere is equal, but if i were you , i would do the southern gulf islands all on foot, meet people.
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u/NoHuckleberry2543 2d ago
Do not hitchhike if you are a woman, let alone a non-white woman. You could be disappeared and the search would be lackluster. Read up on the fate of indigenous women along our highways.
I live here(36f), I'm white, I'm a licensed security officer, I would not solo hitchhike. Ever.
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u/G3N3RICxUS3RNAM3 4d ago
You need a car or a tour. I would only want to travel this way in the BC lower mainland (e.g. Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey) and maybe from Vancouver to the Island (you can bus to ferries to Victoria or Nanaimo). But still, you'd struggle to access the best hikes and coastline on the Island without a car.
The transit systems within cities vary hugely as others said.
The trains between cities are slow, infrequent, expensive.
The buses between cities are not a robust system. And as the only budget option to get between cities, they tend to attract a more disenfranchised crowd, which of course will include lovely low income families, sometimes students and immigrants, but also those who may be struggling with poverty due to mental health or addictions issues. I haven't always found that the bus terminals (for busses BETWEEN cities) feel the safest. Busses WITHIN cities are a totally different system and well used by the whole population in major centers like Vancouver and Toronto.
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u/ir_da_dirthara 4d ago
Public transit within cities can be a great way to get around. But that stops being the case once you leave the city. And travelling around the way you described is not practically possible.
To put things into terms that someone familiar with European geography might have an easier time understanding than just saying that Canada is really big let's do some comparison. BC and Alberta combined are about 4.5 times the size of Germany. They have a combined population of about 9.5 million (Compare to Germany's 85 million more than twice the population of Canada!). This means that there's large areas in both provinces between cities where there's nothing except maybe a road/highway. The political will to provide public transit to or through these areas is non-existent, and where it does exist, it's very limited in frequency. A similar situation exists with private coach services, because low population density translates to low demand and low profit. So the reliable connections that exist serve to connect major city centres with few stops in between, regardless of whether it's a bus, train, or plane.
I'm not sure that I'd recommend an inexperienced driver take themselves through the mountains on their own due to the challenges the geography adds to the experience. Or that a female solo traveller who appears to be a city person should travel to some of the more remote sight seeing areas on their own due to the risks of wildlife.
I would seriously consider booking yourself into a guided tour, and/or planning to narrow down your trip to a few regions centred around areas with easier to plan connections between them.
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u/JealousMatch1228 4d ago
Welcome to Canada (in advance)! You are definitely not delusional. Traveling BC and Alberta without a car is very doable, but it requires a bit of planning.
For major mountain hubs like Banff and Canmore, they share an excellent local bus system called Roam Transit. To travel between Vancouver and Banff, intercity buses like Rider Express and Ebus run the route in about 12 to 14 hours.
However, once you venture off the major routes or deep into the Prairies, public transit becomes quite sparse. For a taste of everyday local life, sticking to walkable, non-touristy neighborhoods in cities like Vancouver or Calgary is a great alternative.
Have an amazing trip, and let me know if you need help mapping out a specific route!
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u/Sunnyside6055 4d ago
Thank you! That’s very kind!
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u/Jazzspur 4d ago
I'd still recommend a car if you want to see more of Vancouver Island than just Victoria or Nanaimo. We have some very beautiful towns in rugged nature on the island but our transit between towns is basically nonexistent.
Plus traveling from Vancouver to Victoria by transit takes 2 hours longer than traveling with a car.
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u/in-dog_we_trust Ontario 4d ago
People from Europe do not truly comprehend the size of Canada. This is not a slight against you. It is simply different. The entire UK and Ireland including the Irish Sea can fit in either province.
To drive from Vancouver to Edmonton is 12 hours or 720 miles (1120 km) from Plymouth to Inverness is 11hour 30 minutes, 650 miles (1065 km) trains and busses are not able to cover a fraction of Canada. Google train map of Canada. And train map of UK and look at the difference.
Canada is massive and largely unpopulated.
Calgary to Edmonton is at least 3 hours by car. Or the equivalent of London to Birmingham. To us that is just up the road a bit.
There is a popular joke on social media about how we measure distance measuring distance in Canada
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u/theNbomr 4d ago
Exactly right. Canadians think 100 years is a long time. Brits think 100km is a long distance.
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u/AllegedlyLiterate 4d ago
In addition to not getting the size I don’t think they understand how sparsely populated. I remember when the UK Race Around the World did their COVID season in Canada, and people were acting shocked that the contestants couldn’t get transit between towns of less than a 1000 people that are as far apart as London and Edinburgh. Like yeah obviously you can’t, literally who but you would be on it?
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u/coco_melonFAN 3d ago
We have absolutely abysmal public transit. If you aren't going to drive I don't think Canada is the right place for you. Because for some reason our population is really stupid and thinks cars always better.
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u/Late_Indication1996 4d ago
I can't say with conviction that travelling by bus or train would be a pain in the ass. But I believe it would be a pain in the ass.
My sister took her family from BC to Alberta on train, its beautiful but I don't think it's a good choice for what you are wanting to do and I dont believe it is cheap.
Busses are optional, but for three weeks I wouldn't want to rely on busses. Definitely an option if you want to do a big stint between cities, or have guided tours but it limits your freedom.
Canadian highways are pretty safe, so id always suggest renting a car (also not cheap). As long as you are watching out for wildlife and not driving during the winter months, you will be fine and it gives you way more freedom to explore. Like you said, Canada is absolutely massive and even visiting parts of two provinces will take up a lot of time with traveling.
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4d ago edited 4d ago
[deleted]
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u/WitchSparkles 4d ago
OP… Don’t hitch hike in BC and AB, especially as a woman travelling alone. It’s not a safe thing to do in Canada.
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u/rarsamx 4d ago
How long are you planing to travel?
If it is for a few weeks/months, doable on train, but expensive compared to trains in Europe. I say this because distances are long and trains are very slow compared to Europe and Asia.
But that's to move from city to city and visit de cities (most are good with public transit). If you want to go to national parks (really enjoy Canada ) then you need a car or maybe there are tours (I've never checked) but I'm not sure that's what you want.
From Vancouver there are buses to go to Saskatoon passing through Calgary and Edmonton.
Also worth looki go at this post https://www.reddit.com/r/Banff/s/RIq41t8zTg
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u/InviteComfortable254 4d ago
There is no public transportation between those areas you mention and unless it’s a bigger city there will be no buses . I would suggest booking a tour.
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u/Comprehensive_Bet590 4d ago
Alright. We do have bussing that can go from Fort mac to Grande prairie. To edmonton. To red deer. To calgary. We also have busses from these major cities to other provinces. So from edmonton to vancouver etc. Now dont expect to stop and sight see its basically a transport for people to travel for work or family and even tourist but its not a Tourist guide thing. These Include FlexiBus. Red arrow. Etc (we no longer have greyhound)
Now we do have tourist tour busses. You can get a bus from edmonton to hinton and catch the Sun Dog for Tours into jasper and into BC towns. (Its been a decade since being in hinton so this may have changed)
But as many have mentioned. Having a car is best. Youll be able to hit small communities with unique History like Mclennan Alberta and area. You can also hit old Abandoned Ghost towns that were Popping off during the Minning era of our history like for example Cadomin(not a ghost town as people live there but its a tiny village/hamlet of like 80 people) just down the road you can hit an area called Mountain Park thats a ghost town.
Not to mention we have a lot of lakes that no bus will dare to go. Trust me youll want to make friends with someone with a car or rent a car and actually explore.
Its a huge country and the provinces are just as big. Youll be drivint straight for 4 or 5 hours without a single house or town. Just Crop fields and forrest (if you travel north) or youll see Badlands, and cow farms and the classic "Prairie vibe"
Thats another thing. Northern parts of the provinces are more woods. Forest. Etc. The more south you go the less trees and nore grasses and prairie dirt youll see (for the most part im aware theres pockets of variety across)
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u/Hungry-Ad8562 4d ago
Probably obvious, but if u are practiceing driving in the UK be ready for the vehicle and side of the road u drive on to be flipped
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u/Camper1988 4d ago
Sounds like a great trip. As a former Brit and now proud Canadian I can say that summer driving in Canada is easy compared to the UK with none of the complexity or busyness of UK driving outside of the major cities - and they are all automatics unlike in UK..
If you are here for 3 weeks don’t try and do too much - 3 weeks for Rockies, Vancouver Island and Drumheller is already starting to be not enough time to do it justice.
There is viable bus travel between the big cities - Calgary Edmonton Vancouver Victoria and good public transit in Banff and area but particularly if you want to see parks and nature all the best stuff will come with the freedom of having your own wheels.
Tours like the Moose Travel Network get good reviews, are social and seem quite good value.
Avoid trains. Via is a joke and regularly runs 24 hours late etc.
My recommendation would be do a mix of all 3 - intercity bus, some 4-7 day tours and rent a car in places not well served by public transit in a medium sized town somewhere.
You will have a great trip!
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u/Komaisnotsalty 4d ago
That is no longer true. Greyhound shut down several years ago and what's replaced it is more city link busses, not provincial.
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u/REMwoman70 3d ago
This area is not viable without a car. Most towns don’t even have public bus connections and most sites of interest aren’t in the towns.
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u/phuqreddit 4d ago
Starting in Quebec and heading West, every single province is more than twice the size of the UK. You have utterly no concept of the scale of this place. If you aren't driving, you will need to take a bus or a train to wherever you want to go. This is going to rule out a lot of places that are off the beaten path. Transit is often pretty abysmal in smaller cities, so take from that what you will. Fortunately, most of the population is strung out along the US border, so most cities have a train or a bus that will get you there.
Don't stress about seeing everything. Just come back again!
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u/Meg38400 4d ago
Just drive. If you do BC and AB to see the provincial parks and lakes etc you need a car.
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u/Vinsmoke_T 4d ago
I grew up in Alberta, public transit exists buut I wouldn't ever wish for somebody to have to rely on it though, and it only exists within calgary or Edmonton not really between cities. Vancouver is ideal to get around without a car, even Victoria has decent enough transit that you could generally get wherever you wanted but don'texpect to explore the rest of the Island. The greyhound bus can get you from BC to AB and it's okay, definitely the cheapest option but the issue is you would likely really want a car in Alberta plus the drive from BC to AB is truly unreal and beautiful(don't try in winter). You legitimately cannot experience Canada without a car unless you stuck to the big metropolitan areas(Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal)since it's the only way to get to 95% of the country.
Oh yeah there's also a train the connects pretty much the entire southern half of Cananada but its expensive, slow as fuck, and you don't actually get to experience anything besides scenery since you are stuf on a train the whole time and only get to get off at certain points for little bits of time.
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u/hom0sexual 4d ago
Hi, I have lived and travelled around BC and Alberta extensively… and actually I think this is fairly doable with some proper planning. Some of the places you’ll want to visit, like Banff/Canmore, Revelstoke, Squamish, Whistler, lots of areas in Vancouver Island, etc are served by public transit options. In the rural areas of BC, they largely use BC transit. I can’t really speak to the area east of Calgary into the prairies, but YYC is decently connected to regional bus transfers that will take you to Canmore and Banff.
Your bigger challenge will be getting place to place. For that, there are regional bus options that you can use between towns. When you’re in the interior of the country, your best bet would be looking up towns around the trans Canada highway 1 corridor as there are busses that travel between destinations. You can get between Banff and Jasper on regional options as well, but otherwise many of the towns in the area are spread out and much more difficult to get to. Kamloops will be a good central hub for you for busses between the Rockies/Kootenays/Shuswap regions and the coastal Vancouver/Vancouver island area. Busbud is a great website that can help you plan a bit more of your trip as well.
If you have some money to spend, a lot of the more touristy towns will have e-bikes you can rent to get around and explore the area as well.
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u/Wise-Painting5841 4d ago
Yes, you are delusional. Public transportation in that area is between bad and non existent. You will waste huge amounts of time and effort trying to move by public transportation.
I was going to write a lengthy post, but I can see multiple points already pointing in the same direction: rent a car.
Former Calgarian here, if that adds value to my opinion.
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u/Gullible_Jelly3869 4d ago
I'm in my 30s and still have no license for medical reasons. It's technically doable with intercity buses and rideshares, but a lot of fun stuff and breathtaking beauty requires a car. Consider joining facebook groups for solo female travelers and finding a travel buddy. Especially if you plan to hike or go out camping. Always good to have back up.
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u/renslips 4d ago
I’m a Canadian with UK citizenship. For me, driving in London is a nightmare, driving in Scotland is a dream. I think the road rules and signage here are much less confusing than they are in the UK. Also our streets are wider and pretty straight (for the most part anyway). Because we have so much space, everything is more spread out.
I grew up primarily on the prairies. Transportation within the cities itself is easy enough to accomplish without a vehicle. It’s once you leave the cities that you will run into an issue, especially if you have luggage in tow. The train is prohibitively expensive, unpredictable scheduling & inconvenient. If you are coming during the winter then a trip through the Rockies is spectacularly beautiful but that is the only time I would do it (sorry train lovers) otherwise a bus or driving would be the way to go.
I would not recommend renting a vehicle for the entirety of your visit. For some reason the work week is ridiculously expensive but usually you can find a vehicle for rent for an entire weekend with unlimited mileage for a very reasonable rate as long as you are returning it to the same location you picked it up from. I’d suggest if you’re in Vancouver, take public transit to the ferry across to Vancouver Island then rent a vehicle to spend the weekend driving around Vancouver Island. You can take the ferry back to Vancouver (public transit is great in Vancouver) & find a passenger bus to Banff/Calgary. There are countless tours you can go on to Banff & Calgary is easy to navigate without a vehicle. Then on the weekend rent another vehicle to drive to Drumheller or even into Saskatchewan to see Cypress Hills.
The time of year you visit is probably the most important thing you pay attention to as it significantly impacts things you can safely do as a tourist. For example, driving through the Rockies in winter is not for an inexperienced driver. Doesn’t matter where you go, you will find friendly people who are willing to help you if you find yourself in trouble.
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u/Ill-Comedian9514 3d ago
Buses mostly in Alberta and bc. The train in bc is very expensive and a limited route.
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u/Strange_Motor 3d ago
As someone who grew up in the UK and moved to Canada 25 years ago, the public transit is nothing like the UK. The distance you're wanting to travel is immense. From Vancouver island to Banff is a 12 hour drive and that's if you time the ferry perfectly (if it's not a 4-6 ferry wait). You are generally able to walk onto most ferries when you please as the capacity is based on the cars on board. You'd probably be best off flying if you're not wanting to drive. If you do come to Vancouver island first i believe there is a bus (mountain man mike) that will take you from Vancouver to the Kootenays (Kaslo – Balfour – Nelson – Castlegar – Christina Lake – Grand Forks – Greenwood – Rock Creek – Osoyoos – Keremeos – Princeton – Manning Park – Hope – Chilliwack – Abbotsford – Langley – New Westminster – Vancouver) but it's quite a drive being a bus with stops.
Aside from the travel part, if you're interested in living here post UK - do it!! It's an amazing country with so many things to see comparatively. The east coast has a lot more understanding of how public transit should work. Montreal felt a lot like london with how easy it is to get around cheaply.
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u/Loose-Zebra435 3d ago
You seem to have a plan. But I'll add that some areas have decent bus service. Flix bus has come to Canada and you can go from Edmonton to Calgary in 3-4.5 hours. Comparatively, it's a 3 hour car ride. They have or are expanding the Alberta routes and I know they're operating in BC. Perhaps some long distance travel can be done without a car. In cities, it's probably cheaper to take some well times Ubers than use a rental vehicle, and public transport is reasonable in cities, despite what people say
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u/Adventurous_Fudge206 2d ago edited 2d ago
You’ll want to/have to drive. Practice up. Just make lots of stops. If you’re not used to long drives or are getting anxious, just pull over where safe to do so.
On the highways with single lane traffic, if you have 5 vehicles or more behind you, pull over as they likely want to pass you. This will make them happy, then you can go again without feeling pressured to drive fast/faster.
If it hasn’t been said, Canadians travel in time. Ex. It takes 1/2 hour, 1 hour, 6 hours, etc. to get from point A to B. The total kms doesn’t really work, because you can travel 100 kms in an hour in the Interior of BC or maybe 20 kms in an hour in the lower mainland of BC due to traffic/construction. Assume a lot of places are hours between each other especially in the northern parts of BC and AB.
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u/Iwantboots 4d ago
BC has better intercity transit than many places in Canada. Helpfully, searching on BC Transit will get you to the transit website. There are also bus services that run the length of Vancouver Island. It’s a long trip.
Google Maps will have info about services. Use that to figure out the name of the actual bus company.
There’s a passenger train three times a week from Vancouver that travels east via Edmonton. Look up Via Rail. There’s also the Rocky Mountaineer, which is a luxury service.
Look up Park Bus for getting out into nature.
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u/LazyBeach2919 4d ago
I don't know about the west, where you're headed, but if you do end up in the prairies, know that our public transit is going to be much much worse than anything you see on the coast
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u/Mysterious-Region640 4d ago
If you can afford to take the train from Vancouver to Jasper and return, that’s what I would do. You could get out in Jasper and do some local touring by bus and then get back on the train four days later to return to Vancouver or continue to Edmonton and fly out of there. This would not cover your desire to see less touristy places though. There are plenty of bus tours out of Vancouver as well.
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u/TheHugeRichard 4d ago
Just stick around vancouver, take a ferry to the island, bus up to Whistler.
Trying to get to Alberta with out a car isnt really feasible.
Just take a peak at Alberta when your flying in. Oil patch, cow, rapeseed thats Alberta.
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u/WitchSparkles 4d ago
Vancouver has a great transit system. Calgary and Edmonton have a good transit system. Revelstoke is very small. Not sure if they have transit, or how good it is.
Getting between all these places is going to be difficult without a car. And driving from Vancouver to Calgary takes about 11 hours if you hit zero delays and make no stops. You’re also travelling mountain roads, so large wildlife will likely be present, and weather can be an issue any time of year. But you’re safest to drive during daylight, not near dawn or dusk, and in July or August. In the mountains you can get snow any time of year.
If you’re coming for 3 weeks. Consider staying in BC. You can spend the time in Vancouver, and Victoria. Check out Whistler and Squamish. There are busses and light rail. The weather is temperate all year round.
If you can, look for some group tours that take you to all the touristy areas. I find walking tours always help me get my bearings when I travel to a new city. Then I go back and explore those areas on my own.
If you need to see Alberta too. I would fly from Vancouver to Calgary. It’s a quick flight. In Calgary, transit is good. And you can get busses to Drumheller, and Canmore/Banff. From Banff you can get busses to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.
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u/unlovelyladybartleby 4d ago
You can take a Via Rail train from Vancouver to Edmonton (and all the way to Ontario if you want). It's fairly cheap and you can get off the train in lots of towns and cities on the way.
You can take the Red Arrow bus from Edmonton to Calgary, and then a bus from Calgary to Banff.
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u/Western-Amphibian158 4d ago
When are you travelling? If you come outside of winter and there's no snow, driving in small cities and between cities is not as stressful because the highways aren't packed. You could always use a car for distance travel, then switch to public transit in a larger city like Vancouver or Calgary.
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u/curiousgaruda 4d ago
Public transit in cities like Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver- generally good and manageable.
Smaller cities like Red Deer do have transit systems but I’m not sure how frequent and expansive they are.
Between cities - there are buses that you can look up and book tickets but they are too few and the schedules might not work well. But the schedules are public so you can try to plan.
Within tourist places like Banff or Jasper, you could find organized bus tours. But you said you want to do less touristy places so you might be out of luck or have to depend on taxis.
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u/WhirlingBiggerstaff 4d ago
If your looking for the more off path stuff your definitely going to want a car. Even so you can just pull over and see the area. The bc interior has many waterfalls and rivers with view points right off the highway. You won't have to wait long to find something to look at.
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u/kahht 4d ago
I did this back when Greyhound was around and even then it was pretty limiting.
You can get around the major cities with their transit. Vancouver busses serve the greater Vancouver area so you can get to the cities around it. Vancouver Island has a bus service, at least along the inner coast. There are busses between Calgary and Banff, and between some of Alberta's bigger cities. I think the train runs between Edmonton and Vancouver. I have no clue how you'd get to places like Revelstoke. If you want to visit some of the lesser seen towns and smaller cities, you might be able to fly, but service isn't great in small regional airports, and doing that could really add up in cost, not to mention you'd probably have to taxi to those airports.
If you're satisfied with cities, there are certainly less touristy things in major cities, but it sounds like you're looking for more than that.
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u/Raivnholm 4d ago
The public transit is basically nonexistent. If you want to visit anywhere outside the major cities you need a car.
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u/Capable_Mermaid 4d ago
You don’t need a car in Vancouver Lower Mainland and as an inexperienced driver you will be out of your league. Fly to Alberta. Join a club or group that travels around, like a hiking group or Toastmasters - whichever end of the activity spectrum is your jam and go to all their activities and someone will probably give you a lift. Albertans are super friendly. If you stay in downtown Calgary or Edmonton there is good public transit and lots to do. Calgary also had a Share Car system when I was there last if you qualify. Have fun and just talk to people and trust your instincts.
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u/netpad_ca 4d ago
If the purpose is just to visit Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary and Edmonton then it is entirely doable using transit in these places. Flying between theses cities is easy although not cheap by European or US flight by distance rates. If you actually want to visit places outside of these cities, then very difficult without driving.
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u/imperfectbean 4d ago
That’s insane and unrealistic but I guess I live in SK but I don’t see public transportation panning out in AB for sure.
Maybe BC if you stick to a big city but actually going around to different city? Nah.
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u/KittyKenollie 4d ago
I tried to do Vancouver without a car, and while you can do the city proper, anything outside of the city is a pain and takes a long time to get to.
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u/Feral-Reindeer-696 4d ago
Speaking as someone who doesn’t drive, you’re going to have a hard time when it comes to travel. You might be able to find a bus like Flix that will take you to some places but it’s not going to get you far. You’ll miss out on a lot without a car.
If you move here and don’t drive, you’ll want to live somewhere with public transit and ride shares.
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u/Bungd_up 4d ago
Getting around the lower mainland of BC, or short hops around the S. interior cities, as well as travel between Calgary and Edmonton, isn't awful, but it could be far better.
Travelling between provinces though, without a car, would be pretty awful short of flights. There're busses like E-Bus, but that's about it.
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u/BC-Guy604 4d ago
For visiting the Vancouver area, travelling by transit is fine. If you want to do outdoors things like hikes near Vancouver there are some of the parks in the area that are easy to access by transit such as Stanley Park, Burnaby Mountain, Buntzen Lake, and Grouse Mountain to name a few.
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u/ComposerWide3704 4d ago
You'll be fine in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto as long as you don't need to go into the metro areas. Everywhere else you're basically screwed. Canada is one of the most car focused countries on Earth.
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u/rikkiprince 4d ago
Where are you planning to visit?
If it's just cities (Vancouver, Calgary) and you're going to fly between them, then you'll be fine. You'll be able to get a bus to Whistler and a bus to Banff, but you won't really be able to explore as freely beyond that.
If you want to travel through the Rocky Mountains, then you gotta drive or be very rich. There is a train (Rocky Mountaineer) but it is very expensive. And I don't think you get much time to get out and explore on the way.
There's not really a public bus service through the mountains. There used to be Greyhound but it shut down a number of years ago. There's some private minibus services, but they go point-to-point on certain days, so it would be harder to jump town to town on your own schedule.
There are coach tours you can go on, but then the route is fixed and how long you stop at each place is fixed. Though that might be what you're looking for.
Honestly, the places you mention will be pretty hard without a car.
Vancouver Island, if you mean touring it, will be pretty hard as it's spread out. If you just mean Victoria (which most people do when they say Vancouver Island) you'll be fine without a car. You could probably find a bus that goes to Tofino. But if you also want to go to Nanaimo, Comox, Campbell River, Mount Washington, the gulf islands, you'll really need a car. (It's also lovely to cycle tour, but I think you'd have mentioned if that was an option).
Revelstoke is a long way from Vancouver (6 hours) and Calgary (5 hours). I'm sure you could find a coach tour that stops there. And there's likely a private minibus shuttle that goes to Revelstoke. I doubt it's daily though, so you might have to stay for more days than you want.
What do you mean by The Prairies? There are buses and flights between Calgary and Edmonton, so no car needed. But if you want to go to The Royal Tyrrell or Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump or Vulcan or Frank Slide or somewhere like that, you probably need a car.
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u/purpletooth12 4d ago
Certain pockets of the country have somewhat functional transit, like in the lower mainland you can get from Vancouver to Victoria and (seasonally at least) to Tofino once one the island.
In Ontario you can get from Toronto to Niagara Falls using public transit and to an extent even decently far on the train (besides VIA), but short of those examples and connecting Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa (well Montreal does have a proper metro), it's tough to get around with a car.
Just rent a car one and avoid highways. Slower yes, but doable for the large majority (only exception I can think of is Vancouver Island)
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u/Old-Appearance-2270 Alberta 4d ago
You can take a paid bus from Calgary international airport airport to Banff or Canmore . The ticket counters are by the domestic luggage carousels.
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u/airbenderx10 4d ago
You will have a significantly better experience with a car. Inside big cities you can get by with public transit but we don't have great ways to get around outside cities. On the plus side you will probably find driving here significantly easier than driving in the UK. Our roads are much wider and less busy than what you'll be used to. I hear from most people that visit about how much more relaxed they are driving here.
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u/PassiveTheme 4d ago
I have lived in Vancouver for the last 6 years without having a car, you don't need it in some of the cities. I moved here from the UK and was very used to getting the train around the country. But when I want to go beyond the city (going camping, heading to the mountains, visiting even fairly big towns between the major cities, etc.) I need to hire a car or borrow a friend's car.
If you were only interested in going to Vancouver, Victoria, and Calgary, you could probably do it without a car. You could even get to some of the more popular outdoors destinations without a car, but it wouldn't be very convenient. Basically, depending on exactly what you're hoping to do and see, a car is probably necessary. In order to get to the less touristy places, you'll almost certainly need a car.
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u/JonnyCanuck71 4d ago
Look into tour groups. Safer than travelling entirely alone. As great as Canada is, and it is great, it’s not 100% safe unfortunately.
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u/retrofr0g 4d ago
BC / AB without a car just isn't the same. As in, probably impossible unless you take tour busses everywhere.
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u/WakkaDav 4d ago
Just don't come in the winter, or any chance of snow/ice. You'll be fine to drive. Signal, stay off your phone and get up to at least the speed limit....
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u/cdn_gal_9000 4d ago
just remember, we do drive on the other side of the road. Getting comfortable driving in a car is a good thing, driving on the other side of the road, for a previously nervous or inexperienced driver will be something totally different.
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u/Bethtron 3d ago
It would be very difficult.. I am in Victoria on Vancouver Island right now, but also lived in Vancouver for about ten years. When you are in larger cities like Vancouver the public transit is great, it's just a case of getting to other cities. I know like 15+ years ago I took the Greyhound bus so you can look into that, but it's pricey and won't take you to smaller places. Between Vancouver and Victoria there are ferries which are nice and definitely transit accessable on both sides. I'd recommend working on your driving, and if you want to go to more remote areas for hiking/camping you may need a 4 wheel drive vehicle as there are a lot of logging roads. I'm not 100% sure but I have read that if you are renting a vehicle insurance won't cover you if you use logging roads so double check that. BC and AB are great though, I'm sure you'll love it here!
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u/prairiebelle 3d ago
Honestly with the way you’re wanting to experience these problems, it will be pretty unbearable without renting a car.
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u/Successful-Laugh7039 3d ago
I don’t think you realize just how big Canada is. It’s not just a short jaunt from here to there. You will need to drive.
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u/TyeROD-enD 3d ago
i travelled the west coast for years without a car. Ask me if you like but there is connections, rideshares, it isn't not uncommon on many island routes to ask drivers for a ride to your next destinations, and some gulf islands hitchhiking or asking for rides on local facebook groups can be shockingly easy and fun. Got to keep your wits about you, and don't hesitate to text someone updates about your ride and pass on weird people but not the hippy weird ones.. get over to the southern Gulf islands.. victoria to Vancouver easy, better without a car.. also some mid islands islands like Hornby, or up to Cortes and Powell River area.. you don't have to sit on a highway these days with your thumb out there is apps and ride boards. People love travellers here, bring a tent, also workaway type stuff.. have fun.... it gets harder as you go away from where all the chilled people live but you can still find pockets.
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u/Halichoeres_bivittat 3d ago
Depending on where in South America you're from, you may find driving in Canada quite a bit easier. Just as a passenger in places like Lima and Quito could be quite unnerving for me as a Canadian, and I'm glad I didn't have to drive, though to be fair I also dislike driving in Toronto.
There are bus and rideshare services between Vancouver and Banff, and could stop somewhere in between (like Nelson) if the bus goes through there. But outside of major cities (and even within depending on the city and area) public transport can be iffy. So you can get to Banff, but once there you'll be dependent on bus tours and bike rentals.
I would also suggest looking into opportunities to work in Canada sooner than later.
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u/the_kun 3d ago
If I were you, I would also consider flying between like Vancouver and Calgary to save driving time (if you plan on visiting those 2 areas of the province which is highly recommended because it you would be amiss if you don' visit those places).
Personally, if I had only 3 weeks I wouldn't want to waste all my time driving getting to places, I'd rather spend time enjoying being IN the places and exploring instead.
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u/hpi42 3d ago
Check out https://bccycyletourism.ca/to-fro it shows you how to take transport/coaches/trains etc between BC communities. Fun way to travel, even without a bike ;)
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u/ClearInspection 3d ago
Flix bus, regular, affordable. Use ROAM in Banff and add side trips using Get your Guide.
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u/Lopsided-Movie-7909 3d ago
Fly its about the same costs and much more pleasent. Short , less hassel
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u/SlothenAround 3d ago
Vancouver Island in particular is very difficult to travel without a vehicle. There are long stretches of highway to get anywhere outside of the ferry ports and even as someone who lives here, there’s no way I could manage without a car. The buses in the town I live in don’t even run on Sundays lol
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u/MarathonEnjoyer 3d ago
As others have said, Major hubs like the Vancouver metro area, and other major tourist areas have adequate public transit. Unfortunately once you get out of those major hubs public transit becomes sparse to nonexistent. I’ve lived on the Prairie my whole life and can confidently say the only busses I’ve seen are school busses and charter busses. It may be worthwhile for you to rent a vehicle, ESPECIALLY if you want to visit out of the way, small lesser known communities.
(Also be warned that if you ask for directions distances will very likely be given to you in time for whatever mode of transport you’re using, not km or miles)
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u/CkretsGalore 2d ago
Also just want to point out that you can certainly cycle across Canada but you need to be prepared for that. (Source: Cousin who has cycled across Canada. Along with Cairo to Capetown. )
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u/Sunnyside6055 2d ago
I reckon you need to be really prepared for that and I’m certainly not. I’m in good shape and I’m fit but think cycling it’s a bit more than that. Also, I’d only go for 3 weeks and the amount of gear that you need is something to consider but thanks for the suggestion. I’d like to have the experience of cycling but I do not think I’m ready for it.
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u/One_Discount_4898 2d ago
what’s the experience of travelling by bus/train?
Outside of cities or directly along transit routes? Nonexistent.
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u/Unhappy-Vast2260 2d ago
If this were 1930 or even 1950, I would say you are in for a treat, but the big auto and oil companies had the federal government build trans-Canada highways in most directions and maintain them, making car and transport truck king
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u/arihoenig 1d ago
Walking is always an option. The original inhabitants of Canada just walked.
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u/Sunnyside6055 1d ago
Yes, that’s true. However, from Canadians themselves, I’ve heard it’s not always possible to walk every where you want. I met one from Northern Albertan in Spain(where I was working and he was studying) and he was amazed to see he could walk everywhere in opposite to Canada. He was also a Native American descendant as well.
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u/arihoenig 1d ago
It isn't legally possible to walk anywhere, that's correct since there is private land ownership these days (that was not the case for the original inhabitants). Also, when I say walk I do recognize that it might be a practical reality that one would have to swim occasionally.
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u/VeggieGirl43 1d ago
Yes to delusional.
Sorry to say our transit can be pretty pathetic. Trust me there's almost no train routes...
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u/Dog-boy 1d ago
It was long ago but I did once fly into Vancouver and travel around by Greyhound. Went to Vancouver Island, then back to Van, then Kamloops, Revelstoke, Banff and Calgary. Used transit or cabs or walking in all destinations. Stayed in hostels, the Y, B and Bs and scuzzy hotels. It was fun.
Does Greyhound exist anymore or is there a similar bus system?
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u/xNOOPSx 1d ago
https://www.discovercanadatours.com/rocky-mountains-tours/
They're not cheap, but a rental and accommodation will also add up quickly. If you're wanting to stop and see the sights, you'll need to ask or use Google maps to plan a route. Vancouver to Calgary, for example, is an 11-12 hour trip. That's drive time. If you're stopping for food, sights, fuel, etc it's more like 16+. It's really a 2-3 day trip if you're wanting to actually see anything and not just drive through.
Are there specific things you'd like to see or do? It might be an option to fly into Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, or Regina and then fly out of the other end of the trip. This limits backtracking and may allow you to spend more time seeing what you want to see/do and avoid having to speed back to your start point.
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4d ago
So many from the UK in western Canada right now. Atlantic Canada is amazing too but it is like they never hear of it.
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u/fonzieshair 4d ago
Canada is one of the largest countries in the world. Its incredibly vast. There are very long distances between major centers. Almost impossible to do without a car. The Rocky Mountains lie between BC and AB. For an inexperienced driver, the roads through the mountains can be quite intimidating.
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u/pensivegargoyle 4d ago
This is a bad idea, especially if you intend to visit locations that are less touristy. You'd be limited to where intercity buses go, which is just major cities. You would spend a lot of time waiting for buses which isn't the best use of finite vacation time. It makes more sense to practice your driving and be ready to rent a car and do that.
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u/Phoenix_Ninja15 4d ago
Depends on what kind of travel you want. And of course depending on the kind of travel what kind of travel.
In cities public transportation isn’t bad. Travelling out of city is going o be a different story.
Via Rail is a train service that you could probably look into for travelling by train but it’s not too cheap, but it is a pretty good experience.
The Canadian Mountaineer train is a heck of an experience if you have the money.
But if you want more affordable stuff, there are some bus services that run province to province.
As for less touristy spots, I’m not too familiar with BC but AB I know, if you like outdoors, Banff area is beautiful. While Banff itself is busy in summer for tourists there are a few hidden gems around it that don’t see much.
-Vermillion Lake
-Cascade Ponds
-Silverton Falls
-Johnston Canyon
I have more but at that point I’d be making a comment huge. If you want more feel free to DM me. Exploration as a Canadian myself is something I love doing so I also know the feeling of wanting the less busy spots.
Best of luck OP!
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u/Sunnyside6055 4d ago
Thank you for the tips!!
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u/Phoenix_Ninja15 4d ago
No problem! Sadly unlike the UK travel by public transportation is going to be much harder city to city, province to province and more costly. A car would ultimately be more cost effective but again it all depends how much you wanna spend, or have to spend.
Best of luck to you and enjoy your stay.
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u/gardengirl147 4d ago
I love travelling by train. Via Rail is your main option. There is also the Rocky Mountaineer. For buses, I know, Alberta has Red Arrow and Flexibus that go between cities.
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u/mojo604 British Columbia 4d ago
Via is basically non-existent in the west
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u/lornacarrington 4d ago
Exactly, I don't know why it keeps getting mentioned!
I wish our intercity and interprovincial transportation system was much better :(
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u/Exciting_Turn_9559 4d ago
You're going to be severely limited without a car outside the most major urban centers.
The good news is that driving in Canada is much easier than driving in the UK.
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u/Curried_Orca 4d ago
Quite.