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Most visitors to Alberta travel in their own vehicle or rent one upon arrival. Driver’s licenses from all countries are valid in the province for up to three months. You should also obtain a one-year International Driving Permit before leaving home (U.S.-licensed drivers do not require an IDP to drive in Canada). Inexpensive and available from most motoring organizations, they allow you to drive in Alberta (in conjunction with your regular license), without taking a test, for up to three months.
You should also carry car registration papers or rental contracts. Proof of insurance must also be carried, and you must wear seat belts. All highway signs in Alberta give distances in kilometers and speeds in kilometers per hour (kph). The speed limit on major highways is 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour).
Insurance
If entering Canada from the United States in your own vehicle, check that your insurance covers travel in Canada. U.S. motorists are advised to obtain a Canadian Non-resident Inter-provincial Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card, available through U.S. insurance companies, which is accepted as evidence of financial responsibility in Canada.
When renting a vehicle in Canada, you have the option of purchasing a Loss Damage Waiver, along with other types of insurance, such as for your personal effects. Before leaving home, find out if you’re already covered. Many people are—through gold credit cards, higher levels of motoring association membership, or home insurance (in the case of personal effects)—and additional coverage may be unnecessary.
Crossing into Canada by Land
Ports of Entry (border crossings) are spread at regular intervals along the entire U.S.-Canada border. The main port of entry into Alberta, and the only one open year-round 24 hours daily, is Coutts-Sweetgrass, north of Great Falls, Montana, along Highway 14. Beyond the border is a Travel Alberta Visitor Information Centre, from where it’s 100 kilometers (62 miles) to Lethbridge and 310 kilometers (193 miles) to Calgary.
If you’re entering Alberta after visiting Montana’s Glacier National Park, two ports of entry provide access—Carway-Piegan (7 a.m.–11 p.m. daily year-round) and to the west Chief Mountain (9 a.m.–6 p.m. daily mid-May–Sept., with extended hours 7 a.m.–10 p.m. June–Aug.). North of Havre, Montana, is the Wild Horse port of entry (8 a.m.–9 p.m. daily mid-May–Sept. and 8 a.m.–5 p.m. daily Oct.–mid-May). Highway 41 north from Wild Horse leads 80 kilometers (50 miles) to Cypress Hills Provincial Park and a further 60 kilometers (37 miles) to Medicine Hat.
Check the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website (www.cic.gc.ca) for the latest regulations.
© Andrew Hempstead, from Moon Western Canada, 3rd Edition
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.