Driving Across the Border from U.S. to Canada: Options & Experiences
Mar 8, 2021, 6:01 pm
#61
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYC, BRU,MXP
Programs: AC SE 100K 2MM, Accor Gold
Posts: 78
Soon Hotel Q-ine for land border crossings?
Building political pressure by BQ in Quebec to fix the "loophole" of driving vs flying across the US border: in La Presse today, sorry folks it's in French:
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/p...de-le-bloc.php
Rational thinking would suggest the "loophole" is a million times easier to "eliminate" by getting rid of the hotel Q requirement in the first place, but hey I am not a politician.
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/p...de-le-bloc.php
Rational thinking would suggest the "loophole" is a million times easier to "eliminate" by getting rid of the hotel Q requirement in the first place, but hey I am not a politician.
Mar 8, 2021, 6:13 pm
#62
Join Date: Feb 2021
Posts: 22
Mar 9, 2021, 6:49 am
#63
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 1,505
So, here is my experience.
We crossed at the Fort Erie bridge on March 8.
Tip: Before you cross, be sure you have completely filled out the ArriveCan app and gotten your code. A whole family needs just one code, so one should register for all. Also, save yourself some time and pre-register with Switch Health (http://portal.switchhealth.ca/), creating your own account, then registering dependents (which includes a spouse). Again, a whole family can register together.
On day 10 we will take the second test, then send it in via courier.
Additional info: I rented from Enterprise in Cleveland airport and returned it to a minor Enterprise location in the GTA. No one at the border asked or cared about our car.
We crossed at the Fort Erie bridge on March 8.
Tip: Before you cross, be sure you have completely filled out the ArriveCan app and gotten your code. A whole family needs just one code, so one should register for all. Also, save yourself some time and pre-register with Switch Health (http://portal.switchhealth.ca/), creating your own account, then registering dependents (which includes a spouse). Again, a whole family can register together.
- We arrived at 2 PM and there were no cars ahead of us at either of the two open kiosks.
- The border agent took our passports, then the results of our COVID tests, then copied down our ArriveCan code, validating all of our contact information.
- He asked about our quarantine plan, including whether we will be alone in the house and how we will get food.
- He read a formal statement to us about quarantining and asked the driver to read a formal statement back to him acknowledging all of it.
- He gave us two test kits per person along with an extensive instruction sheet about how to quarantine.
- He asked the usual "anything to declare" questions.
- He told us to advance to the secondary inspection area for our first COVID test.
- He was super kind, helpful, and apologetic in that classically deferential Canadian way ("Sorry this is taking so long…" "I apologize for this…")
- It took around 8-10 minutes to do all this.
- They helped us get registered on Switch Health.
- They helped us go through the testing process for the first COVID test. (It's a self-administered nasal swab, but one of the shallow, not deep versions.)
- They were extraordinarily kind, happy, and helpful.
- We swabbed ourselves, handed it to them, and got underway.
- The COVID test took around 15-20 minutes.
- We were there for 15-20 minutes and none of the other cars crossing behind us had to test, so all must have been exempt.
On day 10 we will take the second test, then send it in via courier.
Additional info: I rented from Enterprise in Cleveland airport and returned it to a minor Enterprise location in the GTA. No one at the border asked or cared about our car.
Last edited by TheCanuckian; Mar 9, 2021 at 6:59 am
Mar 9, 2021, 7:10 am
#64
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,185
So, here is my experience.
We crossed at the Fort Erie bridge on March 8.
Tip: Before you cross, be sure you have completely filled out the ArriveCan app and gotten your code. A whole family needs just one code, so one should register for all. Also, save yourself some time and pre-register with Switch Health (http://portal.switchhealth.ca/), creating your own account, then registering dependents (which includes a spouse). Again, a whole family can register together.
On day 10 we will take the second test, then send it in via courier.
Additional info: I rented from Enterprise in Cleveland airport and returned it to a minor Enterprise location in the GTA. No one at the border asked or cared about our car.
We crossed at the Fort Erie bridge on March 8.
Tip: Before you cross, be sure you have completely filled out the ArriveCan app and gotten your code. A whole family needs just one code, so one should register for all. Also, save yourself some time and pre-register with Switch Health (http://portal.switchhealth.ca/), creating your own account, then registering dependents (which includes a spouse). Again, a whole family can register together.
- We arrived at 2 PM and there were no cars ahead of us at either of the two open kiosks.
- The border agent took our passports, then the results of our COVID tests, then copied down our ArriveCan code, validating all of our contact information.
- He asked about our quarantine plan, including whether we will be alone in the house and how we will get food.
- He read a formal statement to us about quarantining and asked the driver to read a formal statement back to him acknowledging all of it.
- He gave us two test kits per person along with an extensive instruction sheet about how to quarantine.
- He asked the usual "anything to declare" questions.
- He told us to advance to the secondary inspection area for our first COVID test.
- He was super kind, helpful, and apologetic in that classically deferential Canadian way ("Sorry this is taking so long…" "I apologize for this…")
- It took around 8-10 minutes to do all this.
- They helped us get registered on Switch Health.
- They helped us go through the testing process for the first COVID test. (It's a self-administered nasal swab, but one of the shallow, not deep versions.)
- They were extraordinarily kind, happy, and helpful.
- We swabbed ourselves, handed it to them, and got underway.
- The COVID test took around 15-20 minutes.
- We were there for 15-20 minutes and none of the other cars crossing behind us had to test, so all must have been exempt.
On day 10 we will take the second test, then send it in via courier.
Additional info: I rented from Enterprise in Cleveland airport and returned it to a minor Enterprise location in the GTA. No one at the border asked or cared about our car.
Mar 9, 2021, 7:34 am
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,305
Why isnt this in the news? I understand the exemptions, but why isnt everyone at the very least, rapid tested at the border? What is the point of pulling you over for 30 minutes, and going thru the motions when you let in everyone behind you without as little precaution as a test?
In other news, I saw some Hertz one-way rentals BUF-YYZ for July/August at around USD60 (drop off fee included). Booked a couple.
Mar 9, 2021, 11:51 am
#66
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 161
Mar 9, 2021, 12:45 pm
#68
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,185
Mar 9, 2021, 1:53 pm
#69
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Canada
Programs: Aeroplan E50/MM, HH gold, Nat Exec Elite, Kimpton Karma
Posts: 2,354
So, here is my experience.
We crossed at the Fort Erie bridge on March 8.
Tip: Before you cross, be sure you have completely filled out the ArriveCan app and gotten your code. A whole family needs just one code, so one should register for all. Also, save yourself some time and pre-register with Switch Health (http://portal.switchhealth.ca/), creating your own account, then registering dependents (which includes a spouse). Again, a whole family can register together.
On day 10 we will take the second test, then send it in via courier.
Additional info: I rented from Enterprise in Cleveland airport and returned it to a minor Enterprise location in the GTA. No one at the border asked or cared about our car.
We crossed at the Fort Erie bridge on March 8.
Tip: Before you cross, be sure you have completely filled out the ArriveCan app and gotten your code. A whole family needs just one code, so one should register for all. Also, save yourself some time and pre-register with Switch Health (http://portal.switchhealth.ca/), creating your own account, then registering dependents (which includes a spouse). Again, a whole family can register together.
- We arrived at 2 PM and there were no cars ahead of us at either of the two open kiosks.
- The border agent took our passports, then the results of our COVID tests, then copied down our ArriveCan code, validating all of our contact information.
- He asked about our quarantine plan, including whether we will be alone in the house and how we will get food.
- He read a formal statement to us about quarantining and asked the driver to read a formal statement back to him acknowledging all of it.
- He gave us two test kits per person along with an extensive instruction sheet about how to quarantine.
- He asked the usual "anything to declare" questions.
- He told us to advance to the secondary inspection area for our first COVID test.
- He was super kind, helpful, and apologetic in that classically deferential Canadian way ("Sorry this is taking so long…" "I apologize for this…")
- It took around 8-10 minutes to do all this.
- They helped us get registered on Switch Health.
- They helped us go through the testing process for the first COVID test. (It's a self-administered nasal swab, but one of the shallow, not deep versions.)
- They were extraordinarily kind, happy, and helpful.
- We swabbed ourselves, handed it to them, and got underway.
- The COVID test took around 15-20 minutes.
- We were there for 15-20 minutes and none of the other cars crossing behind us had to test, so all must have been exempt.
On day 10 we will take the second test, then send it in via courier.
Additional info: I rented from Enterprise in Cleveland airport and returned it to a minor Enterprise location in the GTA. No one at the border asked or cared about our car.
Thank you for this detailed and most helpful summary of your experience and for mentioning rental car return. If anyone is using the Whirlpool Bridge it would be helpful to know how similar or different the experience is since it’s not one of the 22 crossings with testing.
Mar 9, 2021, 5:29 pm
#71
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
Mar 9, 2021, 5:39 pm
#73
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
Mar 9, 2021, 5:46 pm
#75
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832