Hannibal MO to Rochester NY to Saguenay Quebec Canada

Do yourself a favor when in Canada, it's the 401 east in Ontario which becomes the 40 in Quebec. AVOID AT ALL COSTS going through Montreal by taking the 30 EST/ EAST. There is a toll but it is only on the new bridge, I don't know what it would be for your rig but it was only $2 when I went with the car. Stay on the 30 until you see a sign for the 20 EST/EAST. 20 east to the 73 which takes you back over the St Laurence near Quebec City. 73 in Quebec will get you to the 40 north of the City.
Safe travels.
Brenda

thank you everyone .. southern route it is especially with the input from badercubed about I86 NYS36N and I390 ... not only do I avoid Chicago but I also avoid the tollways!

To my knowledge there is no major road work scheduled between Erie, PA and Syracuse, NY on the Thruway.


You could take I-86/NYS 17 out of Erie to NYS 36N in Hornell to I-390N in Dansville to Rochester and avoid the tolls. I-86 has multiple bridge rehab job around Salamanca and I-390 is not a good drive compared to the Thruway even though it avoids the tolls. But, it is an equally timed drive for the most part.

fimk wrote:
We will be traveling in Class A with tow from just north of Hannibal Mo to Rochester NY then from Rochester to Saguenay Canada this August. I have very little driving experience in this part of the country and no driving experience in Canada. GPS has suggested two routes to Rochester one was I55 to Chicago then I80/I90 the other was I72 I74 to Columbus then I71 to Cleveland then I80.
From Rochester NY to Saguenay Canada the gps takes us north into Canada on I81 then east in Canada on I20 thru Montreal and I40 to Quebec then north out of Quebec.
My concerns are the cost of tolls across I80/I90 (4 axles) and road constuction. Both route to Rochester appear to have a lot of construction.
My other concerns are driving in Quebec and Montreal. Are the road signs like ours? Are they well marked? Is traffic and driving better or worse than driving in large US cities? I have no idea what to expect.

I will do anything to AVOID CHICAGO, so the route through the middle of the country is more favorable, Construction is GOOD, just not fun for travel, timing will usually be key, - check the state DOT web site to see if they will let you in on the construction time schedule.

Canada, unless it's drastically changed, is just like the US.

Sounds like a great trip - just take your time and enjoy the drive.

BOL,

X2 on taking the more southern route - I72, I74 and I71. I'm sure you have a typo and meant to say I90 from there up to Rochester.

It's summer time, there's going to be road construction of some sort on most any route you take I suspect.

I would prefer the southern route to Rochester if only for the fewer tolls and for avoiding the greater Chicago area (though the northern route does avoid most of the worst of it, of course). The NY Thruway is not all that easy to avoid if you want to stay on limited access highways, and always seems to me to be rather expensive, whether or not it actually is when compared with other states on a cost per mile basis.

Driving in Canada is not much different from in the US. Road signs in Quebec are in French, but it's not too hard to decode what's going on even if you don't speak French. Speed limits, clearances, and distances are in metric units. The highways are nice, and city driving is much like city driving in any city. For the most part, the signage is similar to US signage—a red octagon is a stop sign, etc.

Do be aware of the various laws related to border formalities and what can and cannot be taken into Canada. You definitely need a passport or enhanced driver's license, and if you carry guns you definitely need to make sure you comply with the applicable laws and have the proper paperwork. Pets I believe need to have certain paperwork regarding vaccinations etc. as well. I'm not sure if it's technically required anymore, or perhaps it's only needed in some provinces, but it would be a good idea to get a Canada (vehicle) insurance card from your insurance agent to avoid the possibility of difficulties (a "yellow card"). US insurance policies typically cover travel to Canada, so obtaining the card is just a matter of asking for one and perhaps waiting a week or so for it to be mailed.