Peace Bridge on a Long Wknd

[*~PrincessBelle~*]

Any fellow Canadians have an experience with crossing Peace Bridge (ft Erie) on a long weekend? My flight leaves BUF on Friday August 30th and im a little nervous about driving the same day as flying and wait times at the border...

My flight isnt until 3:00 pm and I plan on being at the border around 8:30-9:00 am... If I end up breezing through with no wait im going to head to Galleria Mall for the morning ...

Or should I drive out there Thursday night stay in a hotel overnight...? I just don't know what to do..

 

[keaster]

When we fly out of Buffalo we always go the day/night before the flight. That way there is none of that "what if we don't make it" in the back of our minds. You just don't know if there will be an accident or some other kind of delay.

In terms of crossing, we have Nexus cards now so no major wait for us anymore at the border!

 

[My 2 princesses]

We normally stay a night as well but have drive down the same day once when we ha an afternoon flight. Personally I think you will be fine if you are at the border by 9 as you plan too. Peace is the best bridge IMO. We took Lewiston last month and crosse at 3 P.M on a Monday and it was quite a wait. Have fun!

 

[vacation_junkie]

When we fly out of Buffalo we always go the day/night before the flight. That way there is none of that "what if we don't make it" in the back of our minds. You just don't know if there will be an accident or some other kind of delay.

In terms of crossing, we have Nexus cards now so no major wait for us anymore at the border!

AMEN to Nexus I dont know how we lived without it!

 

[lauracitawita]

On the Canada Day weekend, we crossed the border at around 7:30am. We did a quick shop (wanted some groceries we can't get in Canada), and came back around 11am.

Traffic was backed up all the way to the highway going towards the border. Those people must have been waiting for hours. We were at a traffic light right before getting on the highway to go back to Mississauga, and the people headed for the US didn't get thru the green light because nobody had moved yet.

Those NEXUS cards wouldn't have done a thing! lol. Actually, I never really have seen the benefit to having the card as far as the border there goes. Once you get to the point where you can access that lane, the wait wouldn't have been too long anyway. They need a third lane from the street for Nexus members so they can by-pass all of that traffic!

 

[dsneygirl]

Any fellow Canadians have an experience with crossing Peace Bridge (ft Erie) on a long weekend? My flight leaves BUF on Friday August 30th and im a little nervous about driving the same day as flying and wait times at the border...

My flight isnt until 3:00 pm and I plan on being at the border around 8:30-9:00 am... If I end up breezing through with no wait im going to head to Galleria Mall for the morning ...

Or should I drive out there Thursday night stay in a hotel overnight...? I just don't know what to do..

Early morning should be fine. Even if you wait 2 hours you still have lots of time, the airport is only 10 min from the bridge. I think by 9-10 things will get hairy.

On Tues I went to Buf crossed at Peace Bridge and waited less than 5 min each way. The overhead sign said Queenston was 60-120min.

 

[vacation_junkie]

On the Canada Day weekend, we crossed the border at around 7:30am. We did a quick shop (wanted some groceries we can't get in Canada), and came back around 11am.

Traffic was backed up all the way to the highway going towards the border. Those people must have been waiting for hours. We were at a traffic light right before getting on the highway to go back to Mississauga, and the people headed for the US didn't get thru the green light because nobody had moved yet.

Those NEXUS cards wouldn't have done a thing! lol. Actually, I never really have seen the benefit to having the card as far as the border there goes. Once you get to the point where you can access that lane, the wait wouldn't have been too long anyway. They need a third lane from the street for Nexus members so they can by-pass all of that traffic!

Whirlpool Bridge- Nexus only. Never a wait longer then about 4 min's max.

 

[MedicGoofy]

As long as you are at the bridge by 0900, you should be ok. There was a 30 min wait by 0700 this am..... Having said this, long weekend or not, that bridge is always bad come the summer.

I would try the Rainbow before going to the Peace Bridge. If you have a smart phone...keep checking the bridge status. While not 100% accurate, it will give you a good idea of what to expect.

As well, being on the QEW in Niagara is not that big of a deal with an accident, there are tons of options of getting off that don't take you back through a city, or way out of your way.

Leaving early, and crossing early is your best bet!! Have a fantastic trip

 

[mamabear0222]

Queenston is under construction which is why there's a wait. Peace or Rainbow are your better options. Lately we've been crossing at peace

Sent from my Samsung S3 using DISBoards

 

[usd2bmd]

Whirlpool Bridge- Nexus only. Never a wait longer then about 4 min's max.

I would use Whirlpool or Rainbow....The wait at rainbow is never very long. The Peace Bridge and Lewiston-Queenston always seem to have the most Traffic.

I drive under the Peace bridge every morning on my way to work and am sometimes amazed at the amount of traffic at that early hour (6:45)

But if you are at the borer between 8 and 9 you will have more than enough time to get to the airport for your 3:00PM flight.

 

[*~PrincessBelle~*]

Thanks for all the feedback...if I find a good deal I may go the night before just for my own peace of mind... I dread spending the 2+ hr drive the airport being worried about long delays... Lol

 

[RevKjb]

Any fellow Canadians have an experience with crossing Peace Bridge (ft Erie) on a long weekend? My flight leaves BUF on Friday August 30th and im a little nervous about driving the same day as flying and wait times at the border...

My flight isnt until 3:00 pm and I plan on being at the border around 8:30-9:00 am... If I end up breezing through with no wait im going to head to Galleria Mall for the morning ...

Or should I drive out there Thursday night stay in a hotel overnight...? I just don't know what to do..

Canada Day weekend it was 60 minutes exactly late Sunday afternoon to cross into Buffalo. Not bad I've seen much worse.

 

[vacation_junkie]

Thanks for all the feedback...if I find a good deal I may go the night before just for my own peace of mind... I dread spending the 2+ hr drive the airport being worried about long delays... Lol

It takes us 42 min's from our house to the parking lot at BUF and We still go the night before. It's nice to relax the night before instead of a worried rush the morning of.

Check out Sleep inn or Quality inn on Genessee st across from the airport. Those are our Fav. Park and fly hotels. The shuttle is great and free breakfast is a bonus.

 

[vacation_junkie]

It takes us 42 min's from our house to the parking lot at BUF and We still go the night before. It's nice to relax the night before instead of a worried rush the morning of.

Check out Sleep inn or Quality inn on Genessee st across from the airport. Those are our Fav. Park and fly hotels. The shuttle is great and free breakfast is a bonus.

We usually pay between $129-$145 for the hotel and extended parking at the hotel. Considering parking at the airport would cost us about $80-$90 alone...it's not much more to be there and relaxed the night before

 

[*~PrincessBelle~*]

It takes us 42 min's from our house to the parking lot at BUF and We still go the night before. It's nice to relax the night before instead of a worried rush the morning of.

Check out Sleep inn or Quality inn on Genessee st across from the airport. Those are our Fav. Park and fly hotels. The shuttle is great and free breakfast is a bonus.

Thanks! In the past ive stayed at the Sleep Inn and LOVE it ...wouldnt dream of staying anywhere else...perfect location for us right across from the long term lot...nice rooms and decent breakfast. We did stay once at the comfort inn around the corner from the sleep inn and never again!

 

[garytam]

I always use my cell phone to check this site "http://niagarafallsbridges.com/" just before St. Catharines to decide which bridge to use.

The other tip is if you want to take Rainbow, do not follow 420 to the bridge.
Instead, turn off at Stanley Ave and use the side streets to get to the bridge.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Last year we were flying from BUF on the Saturday of Canada Day weekend. Our flight was around 4pm so normally we would have left home 4hrs prior. Several of our friends that were also going were worried that there might be traffic and were going to go the night before. Well the morning of our departure I got nervous and decided to leave home at 10am instead of noon. Darn good thing we did.....when we got to St. Catharines the sign on the highway said the border waits were all 2-3 hours.

When we got to the airport and met up with some of our friends they said that there had been hundreds of people missing their flights that day.

 

[*~PrincessBelle~*]

I caved and booked the Sleep Inn w/parking for the night before...couldn't be happier with the price and ill be able to relax a little before my flight

 

[alohamom]

I think you were very smart to book the overnight. Last weekend (civic holiday weekend) we had to be in Niagara on the Lake by 2 so we left our house at 12:30 to be on the safe side. OMG-good thing we did, sheer volume of traffic on the QEW Niagara bound made us late and we were not even crossing the border!!! Just before the St Catherines bridge there was a sign with the HIGHWAY wait times, then the bridge times after that. I couldnt believe it, i guess the volume just backed everything up. Keep in mind that was at 3:30ish in the afternoon BUT STILL!!!

 

[branmack]

Whirlpool Bridge- Nexus only. Never a wait longer then about 4 min's max.

Whirlpool bridge is also getting bad! We waited an hour at 9am on Good Friday to cross into the US and over an hour around 2pm coming into Canada on Sunday of the July long weekend. More and more people are getting Nexus and using that bridge. Used to be just Niagara region people but now we are seeing cars from Toronto.

I work at the Peace Bridge and you may run into a line early in the morning but it gets worst as the day goes on. Before 9am is the best bet. Thursday nights before a long weekend are also bad.