Qew

[Alderbrook]

Oh is it OntFamily, didn't realize that it wasn't very far apart? Worth knowing thanks!

Alderbrook, that's because you've never missed a flt from Buffalo! We have. Toronto, never.

I know YYZ can be a pain...I do. But this whole Buffalo thing is not as convenient as once it was..

No we have never missed a flight from either. We give ourselves 5.5 hours to drive a 2 hr drive so we're ok. I'd rather be early than late Plus we always travel at off season so roads & airports are usually quiet.

We had friends miss a flight for a cruise this summer crossing over at Queenston/Lewiston. My inlaws are flight out of YYZ today for England & I am hoping they took the 407!

 

[Belle599]

It is unfortunate that we have to leave so early just to be sure. I am happy that for my Oct flight I booked a 4:30ish flight. We plan to leave home at 9:30 in the morning and do a bit of Target shopping and have a nice lunch prior to our flight. If the roads are horrible we will have plenty of time.

I usually try to fly on Tues through Thurs when for pleasure (if possible). So far this has worked to minimize border times as well as flight prices!

With the road construction I think I'll also swing by CAA and pick up some maps and plot a few alternate routes as well. My Garmin usually only will give me one alternate route.

For the 406 is it correct that you can exit from Niagara bound QEW onto the 406 still?
Can you get from the 406 onto the Toronto bound QEW for the way back?

TIA!

 

[dsneygirl]

We just give ourselves lots of time. Flew out of Buffalo on the 28th at 2pm. Left home at 8am. No traffic on the QEW and 4 cars ahead of us in line.

I don't see what the big issue is just leave really early. We live in Burlington and my ILs live in Port Colborne so we are very familiar with this stretch of road and always try to go early morning and in the evening. At 2pm on Sat you are just asking for trouble.

Never missed a flight from Buffalo either.

 

[minnie56]

You see--I don't want to leave for my flight 6 hours before!?!?!

 

[Alderbrook]

It is unfortunate that we have to leave so early just to be sure. I am happy that for my Oct flight I booked a 4:30ish flight. We plan to leave home at 9:30 in the morning and do a bit of Target shopping and have a nice lunch prior to our flight. If the roads are horrible we will have plenty of time.

I usually try to fly on Tues through Thurs when for pleasure (if possible). So far this has worked to minimize border times as well as flight prices!

With the road construction I think I'll also swing by CAA and pick up some maps and plot a few alternate routes as well. My Garmin usually only will give me one alternate route.

For the 406 is it correct that you can exit from Niagara bound QEW onto the 406 still?
Can you get from the 406 onto the Toronto bound QEW for the way back?

TIA!

As far as I know you can still exit to the 406 (that's our alternate route as well) & still get back onto the Toronto bound from the 406. The construction is up further than that but I have been stuck in traffic from St. Catherines construction once at the exit to the 406. If traffic is backed up there on our way down, we'll just jump off at the 406 to 58 (Thorold Stone Rd) & hop back on there.

If we had a trip planned from YYZ, we'd still have to give ourselves that amount of time anyways to get there from here since they want you there that early & getting thru security at Pearson has always been way worse than BUF.

 

[minnie56]

6 hours before? Really? Heck..I flew to New York the week before last and left here 2 hours prior. Made my flight no problem..and Orlando in early Aug and for that flight I left here 3 hours prior and hung around a little too long for my liking. You are in Hamilton though so I guess that requires a little extra time...

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

I live 5 mins from the QEW and totally agree!!! It is a nightmare! With the endless construction and who knows the the HOV lane will ever open (!!!) getting even to where I live can be just torture...they keep building though in Oakville & Burlington and places beyond but don't give thought to the infrastructure to support it!!!

ughhhhhhhhh

As another member from Oakville. I couldn't agree more. I avoid the Qew whenever I can. I know the side streets very well. I usually travel Rebecca or Lakeshore but even thats under construction now lol. Whenever we travel to Niagara weve had pretty good luck through St. Catherines.

 

[Tower]

As another member from Oakville. I couldn't agree more. I avoid the Qew whenever I can. I know the side streets very well. I usually travel Rebecca or Lakeshore but even thats under construction now lol. Whenever we travel to Niagara weve had pretty good luck through St. Catherines.

We're on the Mississauga/Oakville border. I travel quite a bit in all directions to visit work sites. As much as the QEW is a pain, and I restrict especially the Ford Plant area to non rush hour times, it still catches you. Still, better than the Toronto bound rush hour in the AM.
Last year we drove to BUF on a Wednesday in December and had no real problems after picking up the kids from school. Hoping the same will work out for this December. Traditionally, we say our vacation starts from the time we get in the car and so we go to BUF for the night for an early flight next day. While I have never missed a flight out of Buffalo, it's come close once and I'd rather have that overnight cushion than to push it the morning of our flight.

 

[minnie56]

I agree...unfortunately that adds into the cost of the flights from Buffalo which is fine if you get bargain basement from the get go but those are getting a little tougher to snag!

I guess there are certainly pros and cons for either

 

[Tower]

I agree...unfortunately that adds into the cost of the flights from Buffalo which is fine if you get bargain basement from the get go but those are getting a little tougher to snag!

I guess there are certainly pros and cons for either

With 5 of us, the savings are definitely there.

 

[Alderbrook]

6 hours before? Really? Heck..I flew to New York the week before last and left here 2 hours prior. Made my flight no problem..and Orlando in early Aug and for that flight I left here 3 hours prior and hung around a little too long for my liking. You are in Hamilton though so I guess that requires a little extra time...

We are actually outside Hamilton so we have to deal with the 403 then the QEW all thru Burlington/Oakville so it can be time consuming. If we had a very early flight we wouldn't need that time but an afternoon flight would be iffy with the traffic. We went to the Science Centre this summer & it took us 2.5 hrs to get home which should have taken us 1.25 hrs, it was awful! Wasn't bad on the way there but on the way home it was bumper to bumper all along the gardiner & QEW. I actually got off around Burloak & took Rebecca (I think) all the way down to Walkers & got back on so if we had stayed on the QEW it would have taken us longer.

 

[Alderbrook]

Just thought I would post here that the construction on the QEW beyond Niagara Falls (Lyons Creek to Netherby), is apparently done, was supposed to be finished on September 17 but it's not listed now. They just have listed the St. Catharines construction as ongoing until July 2011 now.

 

[dsneygirl]

You see--I don't want to leave for my flight 6 hours before!?!?!

And that's for an afternoon flight. We have left home at 4am for a 7am flight. If I had a 7am flight from Pearson I would have to leave home at 3:30am.

That allows for stops at the Galleria, Target and lunch. And really what else am I going to do at 9am on a Sat? Might as well be shopping.

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

The point is get across the border as soon as you can the earlier the better. If you leave with only a hour or so leighway thats when the border guards will search every car truck and camper. (murphys law) It's been done before and people have missed flights because they thought they left enough time but not expecting something like this to happen.

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

Okay, so I've been listening to 680 News out of Toronto and hearing that every ramp on the Queenie from Toronto to Kingdom Come is closed--or at least it seems that way. We're leaving (Canadian) Thanksgiving morning, in the wee small hours--do I have to find some other route that isn't 403 to Q.E.W.?

 

[Alderbrook]

Okay, so I've been listening to 680 News out of Toronto and hearing that every ramp on the Queenie from Toronto to Kingdom Come is closed--or at least it seems that way. We're leaving (Canadian) Thanksgiving morning, in the wee small hours--do I have to find some other route that isn't 403 to Q.E.W.?

Where are you coming from?

 

[minnie56]

I didn't cross the border yesterday but I went to a presentation in Lincoln..Jordan Rd exit. I left Oakville at 2:30 and got there at 4:10. All construction delays. I normally could be there in approx 50 mins tops.

Just allow extra time these days..between the roads being worked on it seems everywhere and sheer volume of traffic, you can need a lot longer than you think! As for crossing Thanksgiving weekend, there will be lots of extra Canadians doing just the same thing! So allow for that...

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

Where are you coming from?

Coming from Kitchener...I don't figure they'll be working into Thanksgiving Day, right? It's just that I heard the other day the ramp from the 403 to the QEW was closed overnight...

 

[Alderbrook]

Coming from Kitchener...I don't figure they'll be working into Thanksgiving Day, right? It's just that I heard the other day the ramp from the 403 to the QEW was closed overnight...

Can you take the 401 to #6 & go right down #6 thru Flamborough, hook up with the 403 in Hamilton, head TO bound for about 5 mins & then zip on to the QEW Niagara? That's the way I would go if I were up there.

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

Can you take the 401 to #6 & go right down #6 thru Flamborough, hook up with the 403 in Hamilton, head TO bound for about 5 mins & then zip on to the QEW Niagara? That's the way I would go if I were up there.

That was my plan, and if that route's open, that will remain my plan...