Canada

Entry requirements depend on your nationality, so always check your own situation before booking. Most visa-exempt foreign nationals — including citizens of the UK, the EU, Australia and Japan — need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly into or transit a Canadian airport. The eTA works much like the US ESTA: you apply online, it costs CAD$7, approval is usually near-instant, and it stays valid for up to five years or until your passport expires.

The eTA is only needed for air travel — not for arriving by land or sea. Travellers from countries that are not visa-exempt need a visitor visa (Temporary Resident Visa) instead, applied for in advance. US citizens need neither an eTA nor a visa but must carry a valid passport; your passport should be valid for the length of your stay.

Apply for the eTA only through the official government site — many third-party sites charge inflated fees for the same CAD$7 authorisation. Note that Canada co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup (June–July), so expect busier airports and higher prices in Toronto and Vancouver during that window.

The currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD). Canada is largely cashless — credit and debit cards, contactless and mobile wallets are accepted almost everywhere. Bank-operated ATMs generally have lower fees than the private 'white-label' machines in convenience stores. A sales tax is added at the till, so the shelf price is not the final price.

Tipping is customary and works much like in the United States — it is genuinely expected, not optional. In restaurants, tip 15–20% of the pre-tax bill (card terminals usually prompt you). Tip bartenders about $1–2 per drink, and taxi and rideshare drivers around 10–15%. A couple of dollars per bag for porters and a few dollars per night for housekeeping are also normal.

Canadians are known for being polite, reserved and welcoming. Greetings are straightforward — a handshake and a smile, with first names used freely. 'Please', 'thank you' and 'sorry' are used generously, patience in queues is expected, and punctuality matters for appointments and reservations. In Quebec and other French-speaking areas, a friendly 'bonjour' is appreciated.

Dress is casual and practical, dictated more by the weather than by formality. Dining is relaxed and informal, and splitting the bill among friends is common.

Canada is deeply multicultural, so social norms vary by region. Avoid assuming Canada is interchangeable with the United States, and be respectful and informed when discussing Indigenous peoples and history. Cannabis is legal nationwide, but public consumption is restricted and it cannot be carried across the border.

Canada is enormous, so domestic flights and long drives are simply part of travel here. The main international gateways are Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR) and Montréal–Trudeau (YUL), with Calgary (YYC) the key hub for the Rockies. Over long distances flying is usually fastest; VIA Rail offers scenic but slow train routes, and intercity buses connect many cities.

City transport is good in the major centres: Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver all have metro or rail systems with reloadable transit cards (Presto, OPUS and Compass respectively). Uber and Lyft operate in most large cities.

If you plan to drive, you can use most foreign licences for short visits, Canadians drive on the right, and distances and speeds are in kilometres. Winter driving demands real caution — snow, ice and sudden highway closures are common, and winter tyres are required in some areas.

Canada's main mobile carriers are Rogers, Bell and Telus, alongside lower-cost sub-brands such as Fido, Koodo and Virgin Plus. Prepaid SIM cards are sold at carrier stores, airports and many electronics shops — you'll usually need your passport. Many phones support eSIM, and travel eSIM providers are a convenient option you can set up before you land.

Free wifi is widespread in hotels, cafés, shopping centres, libraries and airports. Coverage is excellent in cities and along populated corridors but can be patchy or absent in remote areas, mountains and national parks — download offline maps before heading into the backcountry. Canadian mobile plans are relatively expensive, so a SIM or eSIM beats roaming.

Canada is consistently rated very safe for travellers — the US, UK and Australian advisories all place it at their lowest risk level, with no warnings against travel to any region. The main risks are petty crime and natural hazards rather than violence.

Common issues are opportunistic: pickpocketing and bag theft in busy tourist areas, and vehicle break-ins and car theft, which are rising in some cities — never leave valuables visible in a parked car. Tap water is safe to drink throughout Canada. Healthcare is excellent but expensive for visitors, so comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended.

Two seasonal hazards are worth planning around: wildfires, common from roughly May to September, can cause poor air quality and travel disruption; and winter brings extreme cold, heavy snow and sudden road closures. The nationwide emergency number is 911.

Power: Canada uses 120V, 60Hz, with Type A and Type B plugs (the same as the United States). Visitors from the UK, EU and Australia need a plug adapter; travellers from 230V regions should check that devices are dual-voltage.

Language: Canada is officially bilingual — English and French. English is dominant in most of the country, while French is the primary language in Quebec and is widely spoken in parts of New Brunswick and eastern Ontario.

Best time to visit: summer (June–August) is warm and lively and ideal for the outdoors; autumn brings spectacular foliage; winter is very cold and snowy but superb for skiing and winter festivals, so pack serious cold-weather gear.

Time zone: Canada spans six time zones, from Pacific in the west to Newfoundland in the east (which has an unusual half-hour offset). Most of the country observes daylight saving time.