Hertz - Anyone taken Rental Car from BUF to Canada

I am trying to look at all my options for an inexpensive trip to Toronto this June. And the fare from MSP-BUF is quite a bit cheaper. If I rent a car in BUF can I drive it into Canada? I would return it to BUF.

Yup. Have done it myself with no problems. US Customs searched my luggage (since my passport shows I live in Seattle), but even with that I was on my way in five minutes.

I have done SEA, BUF, and DTW rentals and taken them to Canada and back. No problems from Hertz. On the SEA rental, U.S. Customs gave me a bit of sh*t because of my Kansas D.L. and a car with Washington tags, but I showed them the Hertz rental agreement and they were cool with it.

I have never had any problems taking a rental car from Detroit into Canada. I did have an agent tell me once that the car could not be driven into Mexico though.

but make sure you get the yellow Canada non-resident liability card with you, in case you run into trouble. (hope not)

I got mine through my insurance company. I once read from Enterprise website saying that you can request one at the rental counter for free. I think you can ask Hertz for that too. I think most rental contract provides minimal liabilities insurance to renters.

Never had a problem doing it. The car's liability insurance is good enough for Canada (pink slip is all you need), although you should carry your own insurance documentation just in case.

I've NEVER had a customs officer on either side ask me if I was in a rental, or pay me any extra attention because I was in a rental.

The only think i'd watch out for is the wait at the Peace Bridge--can be very loooooooooooong sometimes. Leave enough time when coming back to Buffalo for your return flight home, or check out this link (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/general/times/menu-e.html) for approximation of Border wait times at all Canada-US crossings

Never had a problem doing it. The car's liability insurance is good enough for Canada (pink slip is all you need), although you should carry your own insurance documentation just in case.

I've NEVER had a customs officer on either side ask me if I was in a rental, or pay me any extra attention because I was in a rental.

The only think i'd watch out for is the wait at the Peace Bridge--can be very loooooooooooong sometimes. Leave enough time when coming back to Buffalo for your return flight home, or check out this link (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/general/times/menu-e.html) for approximation of Border wait times at all Canada-US crossings


Thank you for that insight. We plan on an afternoon flight. Just how long should I allow for the drive from Toronto?

Thank you for that insight. We plan on an afternoon flight. Just how long should I allow for the drive from Toronto?

I'd leave Toronto a good four hours before your flight. And for the airport in Buffalo, you may well be better off choosing the Queenston-Lewiston bridge rather than the Peace Bridge -- although I've waited 20 minutes there before! (But that was on Memorial Day -- presumably lots of people were driving home like we were.) MapQuest also recommends Queenston-Lewiston.

You may find the drive is under two hours, but making allowances for border delays and the like you'll probably be glad you planned 2.5 hours for driving and 1.5 hours for checkin. If you leave Toronto three hours before your flight, you'll probably make it, but you'll be biting your nails as you approach the bridge...

The best thing to do is to find some way (wireless internet, a friend with internet access, or the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission on 1-800-715-6722) to check waiting times on both bridges as you approach the divergence of QEW and 405, and just head for the less crowded bridge. Don't rule out the Rainbow Bridge (in downtown Niagara Falls) if the others are nasty, although that shouldn't be a primary choice.

I've taken a rental car into Canada a few times to go to Niagara Falls from BUF - never had a problem once. They ask you whose car are you driving & one time I had to show the Canadian customs agent my rental contract, but other than that, never a problem. I've only taken the Peace Bridge & Rainbow Bridge - I've never had a problem with Peace Bridge - and Rainbow Bridge can be quite a wait coming back after a weekend on a Sunday (or Monday of a 3-day weekend). BUF is a small enough airport though that it takes very little time to get from the car to the gate - especially if all you have is carryon.

Any one knows the exact toll that you will need to pay from each of the border crossings? I know it is not a big amount and I am just curious.

From BUF -> Lewiston -> Toronto $3
From Toronto -> Lewiston -> BUF $0.5

I took a car one way into Canada (from Albany to Montreal) - it was a bit expensive for obvious reasons - and at the Plattsburgh border crossing my car was fully searched because Customs Officers found it suspicious....

The Peace Bridge charges toll only into Canada--it's free leaving Canada!

If you're headed for downtown Toronto, fly to YYZ & take a bus/taxi. Having a car is a nuisance between the rental costs & parking fees/problems--just like Manhattan, NYC. If you also want to see suburbs, N. Fls, etc., consider an open jaw: home to YYZ, pickup a rental car when you're about to leave Downtown, fly home from BUF or even DTW (to which Hertz USED TO BE one-way friendly.)

Finally, please note that Canada Customs will not allow Canadian citzens to drive a US-plated rental car into Canada: "Illegal importation of a foreign car." :rolleyes: Yankees & other foreigners--no problem.

The Peace Bridge charges toll only into Canada--it's free leaving Canada!

If you're headed for downtown Toronto, fly to YYZ & take a bus/taxi. Having a car is a nuisance between the rental costs & parking fees/problems--just like Manhattan, NYC. If you also want to see suburbs, N. Fls, etc., consider an open jaw: home to YYZ, pickup a rental car when you're about to leave Downtown, fly home from BUF or even DTW (to which Hertz USED TO BE one-way friendly.)

Finally, please note that Canada Customs will not allow Canadian citzens to drive a US-plated rental car into Canada: "Illegal importation of a foreign car." :rolleyes: Yankees & other foreigners--no problem.

While this may be their regulation, in over 50 trips across the border in a US plated rental car, i've never been questioned or delayed because I was a Canadian citizen. YMMV.

[QUOTE=Finally, please note that Canada Customs will not allow Canadian citzens to drive a US-plated rental car into Canada: "Illegal importation of a foreign car." :rolleyes: Yankees & other foreigners--no problem.[/QUOTE]

FYI for Canadian Citizens. Here's a quote from the Canada Border Services Agency website:

Restrictions on temporary importing
If you buy, lease, rent, or borrow a vehicle while abroad, customs law does not allow you to bring it into Canada for your personal use, even temporarily, unless it meets all the requirements and you pay the duties and federal taxes that apply. However, in the case of a one-way rental, you can go to the authorized rental agent closest to your destination in Canada to drop off the vehicle.

The full text can be found at this link:
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4044/rc4044-e.html

Sounds like a typical Canadian law....you can't bring your rental car in, but if you tell me that it's a one way rental, then go right ahead.

While this may be their regulation, in over 50 trips across the border in a US plated rental car, i've never been questioned or delayed because I was a Canadian citizen. YMMV.
Really? I've always wondered about this because being a Canadian citizen there may be instances where I'll rent here in the US and drive it up to Canada. Anyone else have good/bad experiences with the customs vehicle-import law???

I took a car once from Buffalo to Niagra falls for the day. On the way back into the states The lady decided to look in the back. No problem I thought. Then she pulls a porn mag. from the spare tire well. She says to me "IS This yours? I told her no. to which she says to me. "If I tear this car apart, Am I going to find anything else?" I told her again it's a rental car and there was nothing in it that belonged to me. She then directed me to a garage to have the car searched. The nice guy searching my car told me I must have offended her by having porn in the car. He then tapped the sides of the car like he was looking for something and then let me go. The whole ordeal took about 15 minutes.

I am trying to look at all my options for an inexpensive trip to Toronto this June. And the fare from MSP-BUF is quite a bit cheaper. If I rent a car in BUF can I drive it into Canada? I would return it to BUF.

I have taken a car from Detroit to Toronto .. National Emerald .. went into the office to ask .. told me that it is O.K. .. but need a rental contract .. they printed one out ..

I'm looking at doing the opposite. I'd like to rent at YVR, drive in to Washington state, and then return to YVR. Would I have any problems with this? I'm a US citizen, is US customs going to hassle me for driving a Canadian rental car into the US? Also, I read on Hertz's website that going Canada-US-Canada is permissible, but that you needed to obtain a pass at the border - does that mean from the Canadian customs, or US? Has anyone done this?

I'm looking at doing the opposite. I'd like to rent at YVR, drive in to Washington state, and then return to YVR. Would I have any problems with this? I'm a US citizen, is US customs going to hassle me for driving a Canadian rental car into the US? Also, I read on Hertz's website that going Canada-US-Canada is permissible, but that you needed to obtain a pass at the border - does that mean from the Canadian customs, or US? Has anyone done this?

Shouldn't be a problem. I am a US Citizen and I have rented at YVR and driven to Seattle. No one even blinked an eye.

Shouldn't be a problem. I am a US Citizen and I have rented at YVR and driven to Seattle. No one even blinked an eye.

Do you know anything about this "border pass" that Hertz is referring to?

I did a one-way rental YVR-SEA last December; they had 5 cars in the garage with US plates (3 WA plates, 1 OR, and 1 CA) and told me theses were specifically for one-ways back to the US since they can't rent them in YVR. I also noticed a few cars with BC plates when I was in SEA.

Do you need any insurance documents if you dont purchase the one from the rental agency? I use the one that comes with my credit card.

Skyteam777,
U don't really need any insurance documents under norma circumstances. If U do have an accident, it helps to have a Canadian Liability Insurance Card, which is totally separate from the CDW provided by your credit card.
Chances are, if a cop sees that it's a rental car, he will know that the rental co. has liability insurance.