Driving Toronto to Buffalo when there's a Buffalo Bills game - effect on border?

[peacefrogdog]

Flying out of Buffalo on the 26th. Normally we cross at Fort Erie with minimal to no wait. Just noticed that there is a Buffalo Bills game at 1 pm on the 26th and wondering what impact that will have on border crossings or traffic in Buffalo.

Our flight doesn't leave until 520 pm but we like getting there well in advance.

Any perspectives on how the football game will affect our drive down to Buffalo?

 

[hockey mom]

Cant say how a football game might affect it but we came back just as a Pittsburgh /Buffalo game was ending and it took us forever to get across the border.

Cross the border at 1 when the game is about to start and you should be fine with still plenty of time before your flight.

 

[OntFamily]

Before a Bills home game, the border crossing to USA will be busy in the morning (from 9:00 - 12), but by 1 the wait times will be back to normal.

 

[dsneygirl]

That day will be very busy. The local Buffalo station ran a story about it. It's also the first day of the World Junior Hockey Championships. There was also a story in the Toronto Star.

So you will have hockey fans, football fans and shoppers. I would leave as early as you can and just have lunch once you get there.

http://www.buffaloworldjuniors.com/newsX.asp?cType=News&cID=57

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

The border guards at the US border at the buffalo side are usually fairly quick with people on game days. Well the lines may seam long most of the time it will take a car with about 6 people only 3 or 4 minutes to cross, they may ask you more questions as you will not be going to the game. But generally the traffic after customs is not too bad as everyone just head straight for the highway.

 

[Alderbrook]

My husband has gone over for quite a few games & he said the border going there is fine but coming home is awful! He also goes quite early because "tailgating" is very popular at the games (drinking & BBQing in the parking lot before the game starts) so a lot of people head over early just to witness the atmosphere of the tailgating. I would think if you're crossing at 1 you should be fine.

 

[hockey mom]

When we got caught up in traffic after the hockey game we were crawling across the bridge and the amount of men peeing off the bridge was unbelievable.

 

[Tower]

When we got caught up in traffic after the hockey game we were crawling across the bridge and the amount of men peeing off the bridge was unbelievable.

That's why we stopped at the Duty Free shop before crossing the bridge yesterday. I'd rather delay our arrival into Buffalo slightly than to have to resort to an uncomfortable pit stop.