Greyhound US-Canada question?

[Shortline Bus]

Sorry if this sounds dumb as I never been on a US-Canada trip before on Greyhound?

On US-Canada trips i.e NYC-Montreal, NYC-Buffalo-Toronto, Detroit-Toronto, Seattle-Vanc. which branch of Greyhound operates it? Second what is the process of border crossings for a bus load of passengers?

 

When I been to Canada which is alot lol, I always have drove or flown. Last time I went to Montreal in 2007, I know they do 'random checks' in which customs agents on both sides make you go to an office past the border crossings to inspect.

 

I ask this since I may take Greyhound or NY trailways this summer maybe to Toronto because of the high gas prices. Thanks in Advance.

 

 

FYI. I been Greyhound alot on it all over the USA though.

[theaveragejoe]

Sorry if this sounds dumbs as I never been on a US-Canada trip before on Greyhound?

On US-Canada trips i.e NYC-Montreal, NYC-Buffalo-Toronto, Detroit-Toronto, Seattle-Vanc. which branch of Greyhound operates it? Second what is the process of border crossings for a bus load of passengers?

 

When I been to Canada which is alot lol, I always have drove or flown. Last time I went to Montreal in 2007, I know they do 'random checks' in which customs agents on both sides make you go to an office past the border crossings to inspect.

 

I ask this since I may take Greyhound or NY trailways this summer maybe to Toronto because of the high gas prices. Thanks in Advance.

 

 

FYI. I been Greyhound alot on it all over the USA though.

 

On the Toronto to NYC and Montreal to NYC its a pool operated with buses from Greyhound Lines, Greyhound Canada and NY Trailways

[SevenEleven]

When I went a couple years back, you had to get off the bus, get your luggage and go through customs. You fill out a few forms, get asked why you are traveling, how long, etc. After you clear, you load back up and the trip goes on.

[Nabinut]

I'm curious about this as well. I'm making my first trip up north in 10 days and Greyhound scheduled a 30 minute rest stop in Buffalo on the way to Montreal. Is that where the inspections are conducted or has time been alotted between there are Montreal?

[SevenEleven]

I'm curious about this as well. I'm making my first trip up north in 10 days and Greyhound scheduled a 30 minute rest stop in Buffalo on the way to Montreal. Is that where the inspections are conducted or has time been alotted between there are Montreal?

 

The rest stop is for the driver change. NY drivers will only take the bus as far as Buffalo and then a Canadian worker will take it the rest of the way. You will still have to get off at the border and check in with customs.

[BZGuy]

I'm curious about this as well. I'm making my first trip up north in 10 days and Greyhound scheduled a 30 minute rest stop in Buffalo on the way to Montreal. Is that where the inspections are conducted or has time been alotted between there are Montreal?

 

Don't you mean Toronto?

 

The rest stop is for the driver change. NY drivers will only take the bus as far as Buffalo and then a Canadian worker will take it the rest of the way. You will still have to get off at the border and check in with customs.

 

For some whatever reason US Greyhound drivers can operate into Montreal but it has to be Canadian drivers into Toronto. Greyhound has been trying to get that changed for years with no success. Mak sure you have all you paperwork in order....lots of people get put on the next bus southbound at the border. IIRC, buses headed to NY will usually leave a couple seats open to pick up folks at the border.

[Shortline Bus]

Also just curious on the Buffalo area crossings does Greyhound/NY trailways use the Peace Bridge or the Niargara Falls (Rainbow)Bridge to cross between US-Canada for NYC/Buffalo-Toronto?

 

When I have driven to Montreal I know they use the Platsburgh/Rouses Point Border crossing when I-87(Northway)starts/end and I think Quebec State 20 begins/ends.

[SevenEleven]

It was the Peace Bridge when I went.

[Nabinut]

Don't you mean Toronto?

 

 

No...I mean Montreal. My trip is from NYC-Montreal and it had on the planner a stop in Buffalo and Plattsburgh before reaching Montreal. That's where the question of if the location was a stop or along the way.

[KTrainExp]

I've traveled on Greyhound's NYC <=> Toronto fleet every summer since 2000 and although there are better alternatives (Train or Flight), it's not as bad as Greyhound's Midwest routes.

 

There's usually 2 or 3 driver switches pending on the conditions. If you leave at night, then it should be a 10 hour journey towards Canada. If you leave during the day, then you'll be stuck in traffic, which will add up to 2 hours extra. There's really not much to see except for highway and some tall hills. Nothing spectacularly scenic if that's what you're hoping for, but there are some good photo ops.

 

Greyhound usually drops you off at a Burger King/Subway/Wendy's complex right after Syracuse (or maybe Rochester), so if you're not a fan of fast food, I suggest you bring your eat before boarding. Important note is to USE THE BATHROOM FACILITIES ON THE REST POINTS (usually about 2 towards between NYC and Buffalo and one extra one in Canada). Although I haven't been on Greyhound's newer fleet of buses, the bathrooms on the standard fleet will most likely have NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS. Plus there's most likely piss all over the seat and people who forget to flush, that's a tip for the ladies or guys who need to go number 2. After Buffalo, they give you an annoucement to prepare your passports and documents for Customs.

 

Customs usually takes up to 25 - 40 minutes. You drag all of your luggage, bags, whatever you carried onboard and you haul it into customs. Nothing on the bus. They conduct a small interview, why are you here and that kind of stuff, check up on you and put your bags through a checkpoint scanner. If you brought food they make you throw it out. Wait for the driver to move his bus towards the end of the checkpoint and then you board again. Welcome to Canada and you should see the rainbow from Niagara Falls.

 

After that, it's just typical New Jersey Scenery until you hit the outskirts of Toronto. Once you arrive inside Toronto on that main highway, you get a nice view of Union Station, Rogers Center, and the CN Tower.

 

It's not a bad ride and your fellow passengers for the most part are friendly people. Wouldn't hurt to have a nice conversation with the person sitting next to you to pass the time. Greyhound does offer you electrical plugs, so if you want to bring some portable entertainment, then by all means do it. Otherwise you'll be bored most of the time. Although the route does run some newer buses (ones with Wifi and more leg room), you'll probably get the standard fleet, which isn't that bad.

[Shortline Bus]

After that, it's just typical New Jersey Scenery until you hit the outskirts of Toronto. Once you arrive inside Toronto on that main highway, you get a nice view of Union Station, Rogers Center, and the CN Tower.

 

It's not a bad ride and your fellow passengers for the most part are friendly people. Wouldn't hurt to have a nice conversation with the person sitting next to you to pass the time. Greyhound does offer you electrical plugs, so if you want to bring some portable entertainment, then by all means do it. Otherwise you'll be bored most of the time. Although the route does run some newer buses (ones with Wifi and more leg room), you'll probably get the standard fleet, which isn't that bad.

 

 

You mean the Queen Elizabeth Expressway and in Toronto the Gardner Expressway aka the "QEW' combo right Ktrainexpress?

Again I been to Toronto several times (my godmom lives up there)but I have always drove.

 

The causeway up in Hamilton, Ontario halfway between Toronto and Buffalo that the QEW uses is also cool.:tup:

[Shortline Bus]

No...I mean Montreal. My trip is from NYC-Montreal and it had on the planner a stop in Buffalo and Plattsburgh before reaching Montreal. That's where the question of if the location was a stop or along the way.

 

Buffalo is wrong. Epic fail of that planner. Unless you plan to add an extra 8-10 hours via Toronto and travel back to Montreal.

Speaking from my experience driving from NYC-Montreal(never traveled via bus)I assume the Greyhound or NY Trailways will make the following stops.

 

Northbound

Albany

Saratoga Springs

Plattsburgh

Border crossings at Rouses Point, NY

Montreal.

 

Maybe the other guys can confirm.

[qjtransitmaster]

I've traveled on Greyhound's NYC <=> Toronto fleet every summer since 2000 and although there are better alternatives (Train or Flight), it's not as bad as Greyhound's Midwest routes.

 

There's usually 2 or 3 driver switches pending on the conditions. If you leave at night, then it should be a 10 hour journey towards Canada. If you leave during the day, then you'll be stuck in traffic, which will add up to 2 hours extra. There's really not much to see except for highway and some tall hills. Nothing spectacularly scenic if that's what you're hoping for, but there are some good photo ops.

 

Greyhound usually drops you off at a Burger King/Subway/Wendy's complex right after Syracuse (or maybe Rochester), so if you're not a fan of fast food, I suggest you bring your eat before boarding. Important note is to USE THE BATHROOM FACILITIES ON THE REST POINTS (usually about 2 towards between NYC and Buffalo and one extra one in Canada). Although I haven't been on Greyhound's newer fleet of buses, the bathrooms on the standard fleet will most likely have NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS. Plus there's most likely piss all over the seat and people who forget to flush, that's a tip for the ladies or guys who need to go number 2. After Buffalo, they give you an annoucement to prepare your passports and documents for Customs.

 

Customs usually takes up to 25 - 40 minutes. You drag all of your luggage, bags, whatever you carried onboard and you haul it into customs. Nothing on the bus. They conduct a small interview, why are you here and that kind of stuff, check up on you and put your bags through a checkpoint scanner. If you brought food they make you throw it out. Wait for the driver to move his bus towards the end of the checkpoint and then you board again. Welcome to Canada and you should see the rainbow from Niagara Falls.

 

After that, it's just typical New Jersey Scenery until you hit the outskirts of Toronto. Once you arrive inside Toronto on that main highway, you get a nice view of Union Station, Rogers Center, and the CN Tower.

 

It's not a bad ride and your fellow passengers for the most part are friendly people. Wouldn't hurt to have a nice conversation with the person sitting next to you to pass the time. Greyhound does offer you electrical plugs, so if you want to bring some portable entertainment, then by all means do it. Otherwise you'll be bored most of the time. Although the route does run some newer buses (ones with Wifi and more leg room), you'll probably get the standard fleet, which isn't that bad.

 

HOW BAD IS the midwest greyhounds?? service and buses

[Nabinut]

Buffalo is wrong. Epic fail of that planner. Unless you plan to add an extra 8-10 hours via Toronto and travel back to Montreal.

Speaking from my experience driving from NYC-Montreal(never traveled via bus)I assume the Greyhound or NY Trailways will make the following stops.

 

Northbound

Albany

Saratoga Springs

Plattsburgh

Border crossings at Rouses Point, NY

Montreal.

 

Maybe the other guys can confirm.

 

I just checked the website and you're correct. Now does that 1hr 45 min drive/ride include Border Check or do most of the buses arrive later than scheduled?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

No...I mean Montreal. My trip is from NYC-Montreal and it had on the planner a stop in Buffalo and Plattsburgh before reaching Montreal. That's where the question of if the location was a stop or along the way.

 

I used to go to college here in the states up in Plattsburgh and if I recall correctly, the buses we would get would come down from Montréal. I don't recall us changing drivers at the bus station in Plattsburgh either. If I recall correctly, I've only been to Montréal by car so I can't help too much on this one and back then I didn't even need my passport. Just showed my college ID. LOL :cool:

 

My friend who is Colombian and German would get hassled like crazy if he showed his Colombian passport, so he would say he was German and since his last name was German, he could usually get by with no problem.

[BZGuy]

I don't recall us changing drivers at the bus station in Plattsburgh either.

 

Greyhound drivers do the whole run from Montreal to New York, the only place they may change off is in Albany, if that trip is an extra section and it's an Albany driver on a "toward home" assignment. Adirondack/New York Trailways may switch off either in Albany or Kingston....I don't really know too much about their schedules...their guys don't chat much, they are very cliquish.

[Hound]

Also just curious on the Buffalo area crossings does Greyhound/NY trailways use the Peace Bridge or the Niargara Falls (Rainbow)Bridge to cross between US-Canada for NYC/Buffalo-Toronto?

 

When I have driven to Montreal I know they use the Platsburgh/Rouses Point Border crossing when I-87(Northway)starts/end and I think Quebec State 20 begins/ends.

 

They use the Peace Bridge bet. Buffalo & Toronto. The Champlain/Blackpool,P.Q. crossing is used on the NYC-Montreal runs. The Rouses Pt./Cantic,P.Q. crossing was used on the local NYC-Montreal route which was eliminated long ago.

[Hound]

They use the Peace Bridge bet. Buffalo & Toronto. The Champlain/Blackpool,P.Q. crossing is used on the NYC-Montreal runs. The Rouses Pt./Cantic,P.Q. crossing was used on the local NYC-Montreal route which was eliminated long ago.

 

Also,that's Rt. 15-not 20 from the border to Montreal.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Greyhound drivers do the whole run from Montreal to New York, the only place they may change off is in Albany, if that trip is an extra section and it's an Albany driver on a "toward home" assignment. Adirondack/New York Trailways may switch off either in Albany or Kingston....I don't really know too much about their schedules...their guys don't chat much, they are very cliquish.

 

LOL... You reminded me of that disgusting station in Albany and the terrible food selections and vending machines. :eek:

[Shortline Bus]

LOL... You reminded me of that disgusting station in Albany and the terrible food selections and vending machines. :eek:

 

The bus station in Albany is a dump. It's right off I587 in area of town that not great.

 

If it's not weekdays or Friday/Saturday Nights when the bars/clubs nearby are open, not the most exciting place to be in NY state captial. Schenctady is the 'hood' in the Albany area you want to avoid.

 

 

 

Most of the Albany area is actually a nice and affordable area(other than the winter can be so damn tough be 'next door' to Vermont and Pittsfield/Berkshires of Mass.)and close enough to both Boston and NYC.

 

 

And thanks for the correction Hound. It was Route 15 from the border to Brossard, PQ and then across the Champlain Bridge into Montreal. Not easy reading almost all of the highway signs in French up there.:confused:

[BZGuy]

LOL... You reminded me of that disgusting station in Albany and the terrible food selections and vending machines. :eek:

 

The Albany terminal needs to be blown up and rebuilt from the ground up. The lounge area is dirty and dinghy, the Greyhound "cafe" is a joke....they open and close when they feel like it and the driver's room is a broom closet. The only bright spot is the bathrooms that were redone last year.

[traildriver]

The run between Montreal and New York City is operated by GLI (US carrier), all the way. The same with Adirondack Trailways. The driver may either be an American or a Canadian.

On the New York City to Toronto run, The portion from the City to Buffalo is operated by either GLI or New York Trailways. The drivers are based in NYC, Syracuse, or Buffalo. The portion of the trip between Buffalo and Toronto is operated by GLC (Greyhound Lines of Canada). The buses are pooled and passengers do not have to change. Those drivers are based in Toronto.

The distance from Toronto to Buffalo is much greater than that from Montreal to the border at Rouses Point, and there are several intermediate stops on the former route with local traffic carried within Canada. There is no local traffic carried in Canada on the Montreal route, even though there may be an intermediate stop at say Longueuil.

 

If you are familiar with Amtrak, it is a similar situation. The "Adirondack" is Amtrak all the way from NYC to Montreal. The "Maple Leaf" is Amtrak from NYC to Niagara Falls, On., and then it becomes a VIARail Canada train from there to Toronto.

 

Hope this clears it up some...

[theaveragejoe]

The run between Montreal and New York City is operated by GLI (US carrier), all the way. The same with Adirondack Trailways. The driver may either be an American or a Canadian.

On the New York City to Toronto run, The portion from the City to Buffalo is operated by either GLI or New York Trailways. The drivers are based in NYC, Syracuse, or Buffalo. The portion of the trip between Buffalo and Toronto is operated by GLC (Greyhound Lines of Canada). The buses are pooled and passengers do not have to change. Those drivers are based in Toronto.

The distance from Toronto to Buffalo is much greater than that from Montreal to the border at Rouses Point, and there are several intermediate stops on the former route with local traffic carried within Canada. There is no local traffic carried in Canada on the Montreal route, even though there may be an intermediate stop at say Longueuil.

 

If you are familiar with Amtrak, it is a similar situation. The "Adirondack" is Amtrak all the way from NYC to Montreal. The "Maple Leaf" is Amtrak from NYC to Niagara Falls, On., and then it becomes a VIARail Canada train from there to Toronto.

 

Hope this clears it up some...

 

Yup its mainly a union thing since the Bus can make stops in Canada from Buffalo on its way to the Toronto Coach terminal

[theaveragejoe]

Also just curious on the Buffalo area crossings does Greyhound/NY trailways use the Peace Bridge or the Niargara Falls (Rainbow)Bridge to cross between US-Canada for NYC/Buffalo-Toronto?

 

When I have driven to Montreal I know they use the Platsburgh/Rouses Point Border crossing when I-87(Northway)starts/end and I think Quebec State 20 begins/ends.

 

Always the Peace Bridge unless its closed (which is rare)

[traildriver]

Yup its mainly a union thing since the Bus can make stops in Canada from Buffalo on its way to the Toronto Coach terminal

 

The actual reason is that the US carriers cannot carry locally in Canada, and the Canadian carriers cannot carry locally in the USA.

If say, GLI obtained the rights to run from Buffalo to Toronto, they could do so and even make local stops, just so long as everyone getting on or off in Canada was travelling across the border. It wouldn't be practicle to operate that way with the traffic restriction. If it was a nonstop, from Buffalo to Toronto, then it wouldn't matter which company ran it. The Canadian government might even approve it so long as the number of drivers were Canadian to represent the portion of miles driven in Canada on the total operation. In this case they wouldn't likely approve it since there is already another bus carrier providing competing service on that route. And since GLI and GLC are now again both owned by the same owner, there is no reason for GLI to even want to expand that way.

 

On the Montreal route, it gets even more complicated. On runs that make local stops between the border and NYC, only certain GLI or ADT Canadian drivers are certified to carry locally in the USA. The extra board Canadian drivers can only be used for non stop runs such as extra sections with 'hot loads' during holiday periods.