European traveler driving a rental car across Canada/US border and back

Question

I'm a citizen of an EU member state traveling to a small city in Vermont. Looking at flight data, it seems that it would be quite a bit quicker to fly into Montreal (Canada) and then drive a rental car to my final destination in Vermont (and back), rather than getting a connecting flight into a small local US airport. I am slightly worried about the trouble I might get myself into by crossing a land border twice, though.

Can anyone give me an idea of what I'd be getting into in terms of:

• Crossing time
• Discomfort
• Additional paperwork required

For both the outbound (Canada/US) and the return leg (US/Canada) of my journey, when compared to crossing the border at an international airport?

Also, do I need to take any special actions when I'm arranging a rental car if I intend to drive it over to the US and back?

Answer 1

I have successfully driven rental cars to the US from Montreal. Here are some suggestions:

• Check with the rental company ahead of time. Taking the car across the border should be no problem, but some of the insurances may not be valid. Make sure you have liability insurance from back home.

• Choose a less travelled route. Crossing on Highway 15/87 was a major time investment, since we had to wait for several others to be processed. When crossing on e.g. the 225, I was completely alone, and while I still had to wait for a bit, everything was over much more quickly. Also, the drive along/across Lake Champlain is beautiful.

• You will need to pay $6 for a paper I-94, regardless of your ESTA status. So: have enough US dollars with you (it is also possible to pay with a credit card) or pay for your I-94 online in advance.

• Hassle Canada->US: As non Canada/US citizen, you'll have to get out of your car and into the station when crossing from Canada to the US. You'll have to wait for a bit even if you're the only "customer". You fill out the form, you answer their questions, you pay, and you're done. Expect a much higher level of unfriendliness than at airport immigration.

• Hassle US->Canada: Canadians are mostly concerned with across-the-border shopping. Know exactly how much stuff you bought and how much you paid, or have a plausible explanation for why you didn't buy anything. In my experience, they're extremely friendly, though I've only ever used smaller border crossings. You won't need to pay, and you won't need to get out of your car.

As an aside: I suggest you try to fit both Lake Champlain (on either the 2 or the 78, if you went south on the 15 from Montreal) and, if you're not driving in winter, Smuggler's Notch into your trip. If you like burgers, 158 Main in Jeffersonville right north of Smuggler's notch, is very nice.