| AVERAGE TEMPERATURES |
C |
F |
| Summer June to August |
20° |
68° |
| Fall September to November |
11° |
52° |
| Winter December to February |
-11° |
12° |
| Spring March to May |
9° |
48° |
BANKING AND CURRENCY
Traveller's cheques and credit cards are accepted at
most commercial establishments, banks and currency
exchange offices. Banking hours are generally 9:30
a.m.to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday; some banks are open
Saturdays. Most automated teller machines (ATMs)
accept one or more of the following networks: Interac,
Cirrus or Plus. They are found at banks and in retail areas.
CAMPING
Camping is available throughout the province in
private campgrounds and resorts, national parks and
provincial parks. Reservations can be made at private
campgrounds and at certain parks. Camping fees
range from $10-$30 depending on services.
To receive a campground guide, call Travel Alberta at 1.800.ALBERTA or
travelalberta.com
CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION
Visitors from all countries but the U.S.A. need a valid
passport. Photo ID, proof of citizenship and residence
are mandatory for U.S. citizens (though a passport
is preferred). Visitors from all other countries must
possess a passport and should contact the nearest
Canadian Consulate or Embassy for more information.
For visa information, visit www.cic.gc.ca
FISHING AND HUNTING REGULATIONS
Fishing licences outside the national parks can
be purchased from select sporting good stores,
convenience stores and some gas stations.
Call 1-888-944-5494 for the nearest licence issuer.
Web site: www.srd.gov.ab.ca. Hunting regulations
and special licensing requirements vary depending
on the type of hunting. Hunting is absolutely
prohibited in the national parks. For more
information on hunting and fishing, contact:
Alberta Sustainable Resource
Development
9920 - 108 St.,
Edmonton, AB, T5K 2M4
Phone: (780) 944-0313
Or visit: www.albertaoutdoorsmen.org
HEALTH AND TRAVEL INSURANCE
Alberta has an excellent health-care system; however,
the health-care plan does not cover out-of-province
visitors. Clarify your coverage before entering Alberta
through your personal insurance carrier. Contact your
local travel agent for further details.
HIGHWAY TRAVEL
Alberta is accessible from the east and west by two
officially designated Trans-Canada routes. Hwy 1
crosses Alberta in the South and the Trans-Canada
Yellowhead Hwy (Hwy 16) crosses Central Alberta.
Northbound travel is provided on QE2, or you may
want to take the scenic route through the mountain
parks on the spectacular Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93).
|
HOSTELLING IN ALBERTA
Hostels vary from basic (bed, kitchen facilities) to
superior standards (family rooms, laundry facilities,
licensed caf�, showers, sauna). Alberta offers 16
hostels in Banff, Jasper (along the Icefields Parkway),
Waterton, Kananaskis Country, David Thompson
Country, Calgary and Edmonton. For more details,
contact Edmonton's office at
(780) 432-7798
or
e-mail info.na@hihostels.ca
or the office in Calgary at
(403) 283-5551
or e-mail info.sa@hihostels.ca
METRIC CONVERSION
Canada uses the metric system. All highway and traffic
indicators are in km and km/h, gas is sold by the litre,
temperature is measured in Celsius, and the electrical
current is 110 volts.
| . |
1 kilometre = 0.62 miles |
| . |
100 km/h = 62 m.p.h. |
| . |
3.8 litres = 1 gallon |
| . |
Temperature 25°C = 77°F |
MOTORCOACH TRAVEL
Special tours and services are available throughout
Alberta and the Rockies. Drivers and guides offer
historical information and insight into the area.
For more information visit Travel Alberta at
www.travelalberta.com
PETS
Owners must accompany their pets when entering
Canada. Owners of dogs and cats must bring a
certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian clearly
identifying the pet and certifying that it has been
vaccinated against rabies within the preceding 36
months. There are exceptions made for seeing-eye
dogs and puppies or kittens that are younger than
three months old. For more details on border
crossings with a pet, contact:
Canada Customs Regional Office
Bay 32, 3033 - 34 Ave. N.E.
Calgary, AB T1Y 6X2
Within Canada, call toll-free:
1-800-461-9999
Outside Canada, call:
(403) 292-4613
or (204) 983-3500
Or visit: www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
RAIL ROUTES
Alberta is served by Via Rail scheduled service. Stops
are scheduled in Edmonton and Jasper. Call the VIA
number in your area for reservations and information.
In the U.S., VIA Rail can be booked through AMTRAK.
Rocky Mountaineer Railtours travels from Calgary
and Banff to the West Coast of B.C. This southern
route through Canada's Rockies is considered one
of the world's classic rail trips. For details, visit
www.rkymtnrail.com
|
RENTING A CAR
All car rental companies have a strong network of
outlets in Alberta. To rent a car you must be 21 years
old and hold a valid driver's licence and a major credit
card. (A small surcharge may apply to drivers under
25 years of age).
RENTING A MOTORHOME
Renting a motorhome is a convenient way to explore
Alberta. You may purchase insurance at the time
of rental. For lower rates, it is recommended that
bookings be made three to four months in advance.
For more information, visit
travelalberta.com
TAXES
Alberta is the only province in Canada with no
Provincial Sales Tax (PST). The Canadian Government
charges a five per cent Goods & Services Tax (GST)
on most purchases. For more information in Canada,
call 1-800-66-VISIT; outside Canada, call (902) 432-5608.
Or visit www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax
TIPPING
The average tip in Canada is 15 per cent. However,
depending on the level and the nature of the service,
tipping may range from 10 per cent to more than 20
per cent. Tips are generally given for good service by
food and beverage servers in bars and restaurants,
taxi drivers, tour guides and hotel bellman. It is not
necessary to tip other service staff.
U.S. PORTS OF ENTRY
International visitors driving to Canada can use any
of the following ports of entry:
| . |
Aden, Alberta/Whitlash, Montana; |
| . |
Carway, Alberta/Peigan, Montana; |
| . |
Del Bonita, Alberta/Del Bonita, Montana; |
| . |
Wild Horse, Alberta/Wild Horse, Montana; |
| . |
Coutts, Alberta/Sweetgrass, Montana; |
| . |
Chief Mountain, Alberta/Chief Mountain, Montana |
WEAPONS
Revolvers, pistols, fully automatic firearms and other
weapons and self-defence sprays (e.g. mace, pepper
spray) are prohibited entry into Canada. All firearms
(e.g. hunting rifles, shotguns) must be declared.
To obtain information on firearms legislation,
please call the Canadian Firearms Centre inquiry
line at 1-800-731-4000.
WHERE TO MEET
There are visitor and convention centres in Calgary,
Edmonton and many of the smaller cities, which are
able to host meetings and conventions of any size. The
full-service resorts, hotels, lodges and restaurants in
Alberta's most popular destinations are other ideal
sites for conferences and meetings.
Call 1.800.ALBERTA (252.3782).
For more information:
Go to www.albertasportfishing.com
or call 1-800-756-4351
or 1-800-ALBERTA (252-3782).
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