passport

[Bill]

Been thinking about riding the train across Canada.Do I need a passport? Any thing else I might need to do? Is my medical coverage good in Canada,do their hospitals accept it since I am not a Canadian?Seems like you don't think about these things till ya get a bit older

 

[C&O RR]

Just did the Toronto to Vancouver trip in May at the 50% off rate. I traveled alone, but got the cabin for two (much bigger) After the exchange rate the cost was under $1,200. I took Amtrak from RVR to BWI then flew to Toronto (did not want to waste 2 extra days). Toronto is a nice place to walk around, the train leaves around 9:30 p.m. Vancouver is also nice, took Amtrak from Vancouver to Seattle, then onto RVR. VIA Rail's food makes Amtrak's food seem like McDonalds minus 10.

Go to http://www.viarail.ca/ and create an account. Sign up for the newsletter as they will run 50% off sales through March. Last year the deal was offered almost every other week starting in Dec. They have already run one a few weeks ago.

AU also has a VIA Rail forum located at http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/forum/89-via-rail/

You do need a passport. I must not be old enough as I am only 60 , I never thought about Medical coverage, contract your insurance co.

 

[Gord]

Via also gives you a senior's discount at 60, Amtrak at 62.

Gord

 

[Bob Dylan]

Canada has a form of National Health that is called Social Insurance and also private doctors and hospitals!

They will treat anyone that shows up @ the Emergency Room just like here, on a fee for service basis! Its not nearly as expensive as here, especially prescriptions!

When Canadians travel they generally purchase temporary medical Insurance, as was said you should call your insurance company and discuss this! US Medicare and Medicaid is NOT accepted in Foriegn Countries!

 

[montezume]

There are no private hospitals in Canada. There are some private clinics, that usually offer elective procedures and the opportunity to get tests done quicker if you aren't considered to be in immediate danger (if you are believed cancer or something, you jump to the front of the queue and will be treated the same day in the public system).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_(Canada)

Anyways, just like Canadians need to get private travel insurance to go to the USA, Americans need to do the same. That said - check your credit cards. I have an AMEX that offers free 14 day travel insurance as long as the trip was booked on the card. Perhaps you have one that offers a similar service.

Canada has a form of National Health that is called Social Insurance and also private doctors and hospitals!

They will treat anyone that shows up @ the Emergency Room just like here, on a fee for service basis! Its not nearly as expensive as here, especially prescriptions!

When Canadians travel they generally purchase temporary medical Insurance, as was said you should call your insurance company and discuss this! US Medicare and Medicaid is NOT accepted in Foriegn Countries!

 

[afigg]

Been thinking about riding the train across Canada.Do I need a passport? Any thing else I might need to do? Is my medical coverage good in Canada,do their hospitals accept it since I am not a Canadian?Seems like you don't think about these things till ya get a bit older

For travel to Canada, you need a passport or a passport card. US State Department webpage Do I need a Passport? with a link for info on passport cards. One note about passports: it can take 4 to 6 weeks to get a passport or passport card, so if you plan to travel outside the US, don't wait until several weeks before departing! You can get expedited service to get a passport, but that costs extra. A US passport is already expensive enough these days with $110 + $25 fees.

 

[Bill]

Thanks,before I travel possibly next summer I will get in touch with my insurance agent.Just something I thought about being I have never been out of the states.The Canadians I have met have been soo nice and kind I figure I have to go to their country at least once even if I drive thru on my way to Alaska.I wanna ride in a dome car again like I did as a kid on the N&W.

Thanks Figg for the web site,good info.

 

[BCL]

The passport card has been mentioned. You're going to need some travel document.

The cost is currently $30 on top of the $25 acceptance fee. Once you have one and it has been issued less than 15 years ago, you can get a regular passport as a mail-in "renewal". They won't cancel a passport or passport card that you send in unless you're requesting a new one of the same type and/or it's expired.

Just getting a passport card is the cheapest travel document for crossing by land to Canada. There are also trusted traveler cards, but those are really meant for frequent travelers. And also enhanced driver licenses or ID cards, but those are only issued by a few border states.

The main issue with these is that they're only accepted for international travel if it's not by air (they say "surface"). Cruises in the Carribean and bus/car/rail/boat will work. If you've got an emergency and need to fly back, you'll need a full passport book. A US consulate might be able to issue you an emergency passport, but that may take a few days.

 

[walker]

If you live in Michigan, New York, Vermont, or Washington you can get an "Enhanced Drivers License" from your state that acts as both your regular drivers license and as a passport card. It can be used as an alternative to a passport or a federal passport card.

 

[neroden]

*Get a passport*. It's expensive, but it's worth having.

 

[BCL]

If you live in Michigan, New York, Vermont, or Washington you can get an "Enhanced Drivers License" from your state that acts as both your regular drivers license and as a passport card. It can be used as an alternative to a passport or a federal passport card.

Texas was supposed to be the first state on the Mexican border to issue EDLs and EIDs. The legislature approved it and I even think the governor signed it into law. However, he refused to go ahead with it, and made assorted claims about whether or not he thought it would meet federal standards (the feds said it would be but he wouldn't go ahead anyways).

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_8030218

 

[jebr]

Minnesota also has the enhanced drivers license.

 

[TinCan782]

Last July I was on the White Pass and Yukon Route - Skagway, AK to Carcross, YT. In Fraser, BC we stopped so Canadian Officials could "see" our passports. Interestingly, passports were not needed when we re-entered the U.S. via tour van.

 

[TVRM610]

VIA Rail's food makes Amtrak's food seem like McDonalds minus 10.

Not to be picky... but the Canadian is the only train on VIA's system that offers a traditional dining car with meals prepared on board. Comparing one route that runs 2 or 3 times a week to an entire national system of trains running daily is really unfair. I have ridden the Canadian and agree that it has the best dining car experience I've ever encountered. I just think we need to realize that VIA rail has been cut back WAY more than Amtrak.. we need to be thankful for what we have while at the same time encouraging better quality where it makes sense.

To the OP. I have both a passport book, and a passport card. If you have the money I highly recommend both. I keep the book in my suitcase, and my card in my wallet. This was if I ever lose one or the other while traveling, I have a back-up government issued ID. I use my passport card as my standard form of ID so I keep it handy in my wallet.

 

[BCL]

VIA Rail's food makes Amtrak's food seem like McDonalds minus 10.

Not to be picky... but the Canadian is the only train on VIA's system that offers a traditional dining car with meals prepared on board. Comparing one route that runs 2 or 3 times a week to an entire national system of trains running daily is really unfair. I have ridden the Canadian and agree that it has the best dining car experience I've ever encountered. I just think we need to realize that VIA rail has been cut back WAY more than Amtrak.. we need to be thankful for what we have while at the same time encouraging better quality where it makes sense.

To the OP. I have both a passport book, and a passport card. If you have the money I highly recommend both. I keep the book in my suitcase, and my card in my wallet. This was if I ever lose one or the other while traveling, I have a back-up government issued ID. I use my passport card as my standard form of ID so I keep it handy in my wallet.

A passport card is legally a "passport" for any identification or nationality purpose. I've use mine for employment eligibility verification. I understand that it can be used to allow a US national (there are non-citizen US nationals although all US citizens are US nationals) into a US embassy or consulate if there's an issue. I've even heard of some US citizens living near the border who keep a passport card in the wallet who don't cross the border much but are concerned about being detained by law enforcement because they "look illegal".

The oddest case I heard of was a couple of sisters who were born on the road. Their parents were free-spirits and never registered their births except in a family bible. They taught them while on the road. They eventually kind of worked semi-legally but wanted to make their status legal by getting SSN cards. They got late birth certificates, but the SSA wouldn't accept them because of they were registered when they were adults. Without any documentation, the SSA wouldn't issue them. They got a lawyer, and the settlement was that the State Dept would issue them passport cards with their claimed dates of birth and states where they were born, which would serve as a foundational document they could use to get SSN numbers/cards. It's a bit unusual in that an social security number is typically needed to get a passport or passport card