Taxis, Uber and Lyft in Canada.

Ride-hailing is well established in Canada's major cities. Uber is the leader (in Toronto since 2014, Vancouver since 2020, plus Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton and others), and Lyft is the main alternative in the bigger markets. For a US visitor it is seamless: your existing Uber or Lyft account works with no new sign-up, and everything is cashless in the app. A typical 5-km downtown ride runs about C$15 to C$22, with UberX and Lyft minimum fares around C$5 to C$6.

The catch is coverage at the edges: downtown and around the airports is well served, but in the suburbs and late at night wait times stretch, and in smaller towns rideshare can be thin or absent. A traditional taxi, hailed, at a rank, or by phone, is the reliable fallback, so it is worth saving a local cab company's number for an early-morning airport run.

This is where a little planning saves real money. At Toronto Pearson (YYZ), the UP Express train runs to Union Station downtown in about 25 minutes for C$12.25 one-way, every 15 minutes, which comfortably beats a taxi or Uber (often C$60 to C$80 with traffic or surge). Uber and Lyft do serve Pearson, but the train is the value pick for downtown.

At Montreal Trudeau (YUL), official taxis charge a fixed fare of about C$42 to C$48 to downtown, posted and set, so there is no surprise, and travelers often find it beats Uber from the airport, partly because taxis can use the bus lane and fewer Ubers now serve YUL. At Vancouver (YVR), rideshare and taxis both operate; compare the airport flat rate against Uber or Lyft surge, which spikes on rainy Fridays and cruise mornings.

Two North American habits carry over. First, a metered taxi fare has sales tax added, and rideshare shows the tax in the app total. Second, tipping is expected, US-style: around 10 to 15% for a taxi or rideshare, prompted in the app or added to a card payment. Budget for both so the final cost is no surprise.

For getting cash and paying by card in Canada, including the pre-tax pricing that catches visitors out, see cash or card in Canada. If you are also weighing a rental, the trade-offs are in renting a car in Canada.

For getting around a city, open Uber or Lyft and compare, or hail a taxi; both are fine, and the app just removes the fare guesswork. For the airport, check the train or fixed taxi fare first: it is often cheaper and always more predictable than a surging app car, especially into downtown Toronto (the UP Express) and Montreal (the fixed taxi).

Keep a taxi company number saved for early departures and suburban late nights when rideshare is slow, and remember to budget tax and a tip on top of the fare. For the wider picture, see the Canada money guide.

Common questions

Quick answers.

More on Canada

The little money things nobody warns you about.

• Tipping in CanadaUnlike Europe, Canada tips just like the US: 15 to 20% at sit-down restaurants, and staff rely on it. The one thing to watch is the card terminal, which often suggests high amounts and calculates on the after-tax total. Here is what you actually owe.
• Bringing your dog or cat to Canada.Canada is one of the lightest-lift destinations for a US pet owner. For an adult dog or cat there is no health certificate, no quarantine, and no waiting period. One document does almost all the work: a valid rabies vaccination certificate. Here is exactly what the border wants, and the one thing to remember for the trip home.
• Do I need cash in Canada, or can I use cards?Short answer: cards for almost everything, a little cash for markets and parking meters. Canada is nearly as tap-happy as it gets. The things to get right are the pre-tax price tag, the fee-heavy private ATMs, and the dollar prompt.
• Staying connected in Canada.Canada is the one trip on this list where your US plan may already have you covered without paying more, so start there. If it does not, or you want real data, an eSIM is cheaper than a day pass. The thing to plan for is the dead zones on rural highways and in the parks.
• What does renting a car in Canada really cost?Canada is the easy one for US drivers: your license works, and your usual card and insurance most likely cover the car, so the counter's pricey add-ons are often skippable. The costs to watch are the winter-tire rule, a sneaky Ontario toll, and the usual drop and driver fees.