Canada: Toronto, Vancouver, Montréal, the Rocky Mountains, best time to visit and costs 2026

Canada suits you if you want to combine cities such as Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver with the national parks of the Rocky Mountains. The country has 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as of September 2026).

Quite a lot is new in 2026. In Vancouver the surcharge for journeys from the airport has been $6.50 instead of $5 since 1 July. In Toronto the tourist tax on overnight stays fell from 8.5 to 6% on 1 August. And free admission to Parks Canada sites with the “Canada Strong Pass” ended on 7 September.

Canada suits you less if you avoid the cold and want to go east in winter: Toronto averages −0.3 °C by day in January. And distances are long: even from Toronto to Montréal the train takes a good five hours.

Getting there from Germany

In 2025, 1.3 million passengers whose last known destination was Canada departed from the 22 main German airports, rank 16 among 211 destination countries. Connecting passengers abroad are not included. Most flew to Toronto-Pearson (476,179), then to Vancouver (273,990), Montréal-Trudeau (210,114) and Calgary (136,303). Most started in Frankfurt (815,027) and Munich (335,571). August was the busiest month and February the quietest (Federal Statistical Office, year 2025; total, ranking and months: own analysis).

Toronto-Pearson (YYZ): UP Express in 28 minutes

From Terminal 3 the Terminal Link Train runs to Terminal 1, where the UP Express starts right next door. It runs every 15 minutes and takes 28 minutes to Union Station in the centre. The first train from the airport leaves at 5:27 on weekdays and at 6:24 at weekends and on public holidays, and the last at 0:54 (as of September 2026).

Seniors aged 65 and over pay $6.20, and children up to 12 travel free; paying contactless with a bank card, there is only the adult price. When you get off, you hold the same card to the reader again; a different card counts as a new journey (as of September 2026).

Vancouver (YVR): Canada Line in 27 minutes

YVR–Airport station is connected directly to the terminals. The Canada Line takes 27 minutes to Waterfront (journey time table, as of December 2024), and on weekdays during the day it runs every 6 to 8 minutes. The first train from the airport leaves at 5:09 and the last at 0:54. A journey costs $3.50 to $6.70 depending on the zones, and always $3.50 on weekdays after 18:30, at weekends and on public holidays. From the airport, a $6.50 surcharge has been added since 1 July 2026, but not on the way there (as of September 2026).

Montréal-Trudeau (YUL): bus 747

Bus 747 runs around the clock. Line 747-2 reaches Lionel-Groulx metro station after 30 to 35 minutes, while the 747-1 takes 45 to 70 minutes to Berri-UQAM. The $11.25 ticket is valid for 24 hours on buses and the metro. There are four machines for it in the international arrivals hall at the airport, and the ticket is also available in the Chrono app (as of September 2026).

Because of the building work, Tourisme Montréal advises being at the airport three hours before every departure, on domestic flights too (as of September 2026).

Calgary (YYC): bus 300 and the way into the Rockies

There is no light rail to Calgary airport; the express bus 300 runs to the centre via Centre Street for $4.00 (2026 fare). It is around 130 km or a 90-minute drive to Banff National Park. According to Parks Canada, buses run in season from the airport and downtown to Banff and Lake Louise (as of September 2026).

Regions and destinations at a glance

Connections as of September 2026, Canada Line December 2024. “—” means: the sources name no drawback.

Toronto and Niagara Falls

The main observation level of the CN Tower is at 346 metres. Adults pay $47 before tax for a ticket with a time slot, which can be booked no more than 30 days in advance. It is open from 9:30 to 23:00, with admission until 21:00 (as of September 2026). A GO train runs to Niagara Falls from Union Station every day.

Ottawa and Québec City

The Rideau Canal connects Ottawa with Kingston over 202 km, and boats run from mid-May to mid-October. In winter, 7.8 km of it in Ottawa becomes a free skating rink, mostly from January to early March (as of September 2026). Only 9,430 passengers flew directly to Québec City from Germany in 2025, against 210,114 to Montréal (own analysis).

Rocky Mountains: Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper

Banff is Canada's first national park. The Icefields Parkway runs for 232 km from Lake Louise to Jasper, which was hit by a severe wildfire in 2024. For the rebuilding, the government pledged a further $520 million on 30 June 2026. Anyone who feeds or disturbs wildlife risks a fine of up to $25,000; the same maximum penalty threatens private drone flights in Banff National Park (as of September 2026).

Best time to visit

Official 1991–2020 climate normals from Environment and Climate Change Canada for Toronto (City, 112.5 m) and Vancouver airport (4.3 m). The mean daily high and low and precipitation are given.

Toronto is warmest in July and August, and in July there are on average 6 days above 30 °C. Vancouver is driest then, and from November to January it has 17 to 18 days a month with at least 1 mm of precipitation. Banff, at 1,397 m, reaches 22.5 / 6.8 °C in July and −3.5 / −13.5 °C in January.

Getting around the country

Rail and bus

VIA Rail runs the long-distance trains, in the east with these mean journey times (as of September 2026):

• Toronto–Montréal: a good 5 hrs for 538 km
• Toronto–Ottawa: around 4½ hrs for 444 km
• Montréal–Québec City: around 3½ hrs for 270 km
• Toronto–Niagara Falls: 2 hrs for 132 km

For Toronto–Montréal, VIA states no fixed price; it depends on the day of the week and departure time. “The Canadian” takes four nights on average for the 4,406 km from Toronto to Vancouver. From 1 May to 31 October 2026 the single journey in Economy costs from $514, and in an upper berth in Sleeper Plus from $1,750. From November 2026 to April 2027 Economy stays the same, and the upper berth then costs from $1,083 (all prices before tax).

Domestic flights

Canada has more than 100 airports. Dozens of regional airlines supplement Air Canada and WestJet (as of September 2026).

Car and roads

You can get hire cars in the cities and at most airports. These rules apply in Ontario; other provinces were not checked (as of September 2026):

• Driving licence: For under three months, a valid licence from your home country is enough; if you stay longer, bring an International Driving Permit from home.
• Speed without a sign: 50 km/h in town, otherwise 80 km/h.
• Right on red: allowed after coming to a complete stop, unless a sign prohibits it.
• School bus with flashing red lights: stop, including for oncoming traffic, except on physically separated carriageways.
• Phone: Handheld devices are prohibited at the wheel.
• Insurance: compulsory; according to Destination Canada, you should have proof with you as soon as you change province.

Money and costs

You pay in Canadian dollars; the $1 coin is called a “loonie” and the $2 coin a “toonie”. In Montréal you can pay by debit or credit card almost everywhere, and contactless on the UP Express in Toronto and on public transport in Vancouver. Some prices are shown before sales tax, for example at the CN Tower and with VIA Rail. Ontario adds 13% HST, British Columbia 5 plus 7%, Québec 5 plus 9.975%, Alberta 5% (tax authority CRA, rates as of 1 April 2025). In Montréal the tip is calculated on the amount before tax, and 15% is usual in restaurants, in taxis and at the hairdresser (as of September 2026).

Practical information

Canada has six time zones. When both sides are on standard time, Toronto and Montréal are 6 hours behind German time, Calgary and Banff 8, Vancouver 9 (own calculation). Canadian daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. Shortly after the clock changes, the difference deviates by one hour.

English and French are official languages, and as a first language French is nowhere as widespread as in Québec. You can reach the emergency services on 911. The EU rule “Roam like at home” does not apply in Canada, and data roaming can become expensive (EU website, as of January 2026).

According to the tax authority CRA, public holidays in 2026 include Victoria Day on 18 May, Canada Day on 1 July and Labour Day on 7 September. Next come the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on 30 September, Thanksgiving on 12 October and Remembrance Day on 11 November. In Québec 24 June is also a day off, whereas the Civic Holiday on 3 August is not.

What applies on entry, safety and health is set out on the Canada page of the German Foreign Office.

Who Canada is not for

• Anyone who wants to see several parts of the country in a short time: “The Canadian” takes four nights from Toronto to Vancouver, and even Toronto–Montréal takes over five hours by train.
• Anyone who avoids the cold and can only travel in winter: Toronto averages −0.3 / −6.7 °C in January and has 34.7 cm of snow.
• Anyone who expects final prices on the sign: CN Tower and VIA Rail state prices before tax, in Ontario 13% is added, and in Montréal 15% tip is usual.
• Anyone who wants to go to Moraine Lake spontaneously: Private cars are not allowed, and the shuttle seats are often taken long in advance.
• Anyone who wants to avoid wildfire risk: According to Parks Canada, several wildfires a year are the rule in the Rockies' mountain national parks.
• Anyone looking for dry winter weather on the west coast: Vancouver has over 170 mm of precipitation a month from November to January.