Getting to Halifax

Halifax, the capital city of the province of Nova Scotia, is ideally placed and is easily accessible domestically as well as internationally. Halifax has an international airport as well as a busy port. The city can also be reached via train and bus services.

Once in Halifax, transportation by the public bus service is a convenient means of getting around. However, there are plenty of taxis available, which can be hailed in the street.

By car

To get to Nova Scotia, drivers must connect with the Trans Canada Highway at New Brunswick. It is also possible to drive from the United States to Canada by connecting to the Trans Canada Highway. The drive can be long, but the roads are in excellent condition, with many areas to stop at and relax along the way. The scenery is also exceptionally beautiful.

By rail

Canadian rail services connect to almost all the major cities within Canada and some destinations in the United States of America. The Ocean rail services link Montreal to Halifax with an overnight service that operates everyday except on Tuesdays.

By bus

The bus services in Canada are excellent and it is fairly easy to get to Halifax from almost any city in Canada by bus. Greyhound offers services that connect to the Maritimes from many different cities in Canada. DRL Coachlines also offers daily scheduled services between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. There are several other bus services that operate within Canada as well as internationally to the United States. Greyhound offers connections between the United States and Canada, but passengers may have to change to reach Halifax.

By air

Halifax International Airport is located 35kms northeast of the city centre and handles domestic, regional and international flights. The airport handles several flights from many Canadian, European, Caribbean and American cities. The flight time from London to Halifax is approximately 7 hours; from New York about 2 hours 30 minutes; and from Toronto about 2 hours. Daily, there are over 20 flights from Toronto, 10 from Montreal and 11 from Ottawa.

The airport is very modern and it has excellent facilities including its own tourist information centre, hotel, car rental agencies and hotel booking services. Halifax International Airport has several restaurants, duty-free shopping facilities, newsagents, gift and craft shops, money exchange facilities and a host of other amenities. There is metered parking as well as long-term parking and park and fly facilities at the airport, which are all security patrolled 24 hours.

There are several types of bus service available from Halifax International Airport including shuttle services to the city centre. These depart from 06:00 to 01:00 daily. Passengers never have to wait long to get a shuttle bus to the city centre. There are also bus services that link to all parts of the province from the airport including Yarmouth, Sydney, Annapolis, Prince Edward Island and other areas in Nova Scotia. Alternatively, taxis are available at the curb side of the Arrivals terminal.

By ferry

There are several ferry operators that offer services to Halifax from many destinations within Canada. These include Marine Atlantic Ferries, which sail between Sydney, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland; Northumberland Ferries, offering sailings from St John to Digby; The Confederation, which sail between the Caribou, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Wood Islands. Many of the services also allow for car crossings. There are also international crossings from the United States.

Taxis

There are several taxis available at the airport to take passengers downtown or to wherever else they may wish to go. It is very easy to hail a taxi in Halifax, as they are found all over the city. Visitors can also pre-book taxis by telephone.