Conference kaosws::canada

You can fly to Toronto or Montreal from Boston.  There is no reasonable air
connection to Quebec City; last two times I tried it was cheaper to go to
England than to Quebec City because it requires using two different airlines,
completely destroying the possibility of any cheap fares.

Forget about train service.  Remember that Boston only has rail service to
New York, plus one train each day to Chicago via Albany.  There are only two
trains a day between Montreal and the U.S.; one operating via Albany; the
other operating via New Haven.

Your only options involve overnight trips taking in excess of eighteen hours
in each direction and requiring a train change at an ungodly hour.

If you _really_ love trains and want to spend the money for the overnight
accomodation (much more than you'll spend to fly plus a night in a hotel),
you can go for it, but you'll spend a lot of time waiting for your connection
in somewhere like New Haven, Albany, New York City.  In the case of Toronto,
your connection will be in Buffalo or Detroit and will (I think) involve a
short bus journey.

/john

    re .1
    
    Thanks for the info!  Sounds like those trains go through some real
    garden spots.  Somehow a honeymoon in the Buffalo train station doesn't
    really tickle my fancy!
    
    Now that my transportation questions have been answered, what are
    people's opinions about the 3 cities?
    
    Thanks!
    Judi
    

    
    If you are planning on spending ten days, why not spend half in
    Montreal and  half in Toronto. The cities are really different in
    character, yet both have excellent museums, art galleries, places
    to visit, nightlife etc.
    
    It would be easy to fly from Boston to either city, then take a
    train from one to the other (approx 4-5hrs) and get to see some
    of the countryside in between. Then fly home from the other.
    
    There are other notes in here that give details about both cities,
    and I am sure people will put there recommendations in here as well.
    
    Come and enjoy the people and the country.
    
    Roger

You may run into the two airline problem trying to get a cheap fare if you
fly the open jaw suggested in .3.

Boston Montreal is served almost exclusively by Delta, although there is
one Air Alliance prop flight each day which might qualify for Air Canada fares.

Boston Toronto is served by Air Canada and US Air.

It may be cheaper to fly round trip to Montreal, and then fly round trip
Montreal-Toronto.

/john

    re .5
    
    Where is your starting point?  I *know* that it takes more than 5 hours
    to drive to Montreal from Boston!
    
    Thanks for the info!
    Judi