Niagara Falls Transportation

The Niagara State National Park is completely walkable. You can really do a lot without a car once you get to the immediate vicinity of the Falls. The Park is nicely paved for easy public access.

There is Niagara Scenic Trolley Bus available within the Park. Use this to get around the park more quickly if needed. $2 adults/$1 children for the entire day in Hop on and off basis.

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Explore Niagara Falls State Park in the comfort of the Niagara Falls Scenic Trolley. Enjoy an overview of the park in half an hour as a knowledgeable guide shares the history of the park with you along the three-mile route, or get off at each of the six stops and explore the Niagara Falls attractions. The Niagara Falls Scenic Trolley is a favorite because they allow you to see the park while you relax and enjoy the ride. Each vintage-style trolley is equipped with modern conveniences and tickets are available at various locations throughout the park, so you can zip from one Niagara Falls attraction to the next.

Trolleys run every 30 minutes
First trolley starts - 9 a.m.
Last trolley starts - 11:30 p.m.

Ride all day for just $1 visiting downtown Niagara Falls USA hotels and attractions. Just purchase a Trolley Day Pass when boarding. It is valid for one adult and two children, age 11 and under. Senior citizens (age 65+), disabled and Medicare cardholders with valid ID pay 50 cents. Exact change is required.

Although there could be a convenience factor when little ones are along for the ride, but we discovered that during American long weekends, they can become jam packed. It is then better to hike then to ride the trolleys.

However, even when they were crowded, we had to take the trolley to cover one long stretch from Parking Area P3 to Parking Area P1. The trolleys make six stops on a three-mile route. We could have stayed on for the full 30-minute loop if it were not very crowded, but we took advantage of the hop-on/hop-off system.

You'll find a number of commercial lots near the falls, especially around the state park. I ended up in the "official" lot right next to the visitor center (I was the second one there.) Parking was $10, and I assume it was for the day - I never did find clarification on that though. It's a good lot, because it was centrally located between the American side, and Rainbow Bridge and the walk over to Canada. Later, there were people across the street hawking a $5 lot, but it was a gravel lot that seemed slightly chaotic. As I was walking around, I did see some areas where it looked like there was street parking, but I imagine this fills up very quickly and would have added a little bit more to a hike that included crossing the border. In the end, the location of the lot next to the visitor center was ideally located and worth the money - after all, if you're walking and viewing the falls, this is really the only charge you'll have!

When I arrived at the airport the information desk suggested using a taxi for $60. fixed price. However what they don't tell you is that, it's common for a lot of the travelers to be going to the falls and that you can share a cab. I was lucky enough to share with a couple, which saved me a few dollars.

The ride is about 30 minutes to the U.S. side, but can take much longer if you are going across the boarder, depending on the traffic on the bridge.

The return trip set up by the hotel was $10.00 less. So you may wish to check with your hotel about setting up your transportation to and from.

As a rule I don't do fixed tours. The idea of being treated like cattle, rushed from place to place, having to listen to someone else's 'little angels' yelling... just isn't my idea of a good time. However this was so different I just had to recommend it. The Grayline - Presidential Tour U.S. & Canada.

To start off they pick you up at your hotel, you ride in a nice limo style van, with comfy sofa seats with lots of leg room, stocked with free ice cold water, soft drinks and wine. Max amount of people 12, the day I went there was only 9. Because of the price ($239) and the fact it's a 10+ hour tour, kids are very rare. Of course the price included everything, including VIP access to all of the sights (no lines), a little box lunch, and a nice sit down dinner at the Hilton's Watermark Restaurant that offers a perfect view of the falls.

The driver/guide (Ron) was by far the best I've had on any trip I've ever taken. First he was a 'mature' gentleman, who appears to love his job. He was extremely knowledgeable of the area, and most of all took the time to learn what was important to each guest. If photos are your thing, he made sure you had time to get your shots, if it was history and info, the would give a mini lecture. Best of all we never felt rushed!

In one day we did/saw:
Skylon Tower
Maid of the Mist Boat Ride
Journey Behind the Falls
White Water Boardwalk
Cave of the Winds
4 D show
Drive up to see the stuck barge
Several power plants
Floral Clock
Glass Blowing

The Niagara Scenic trolley runs throughout the whole park with designated stops (stops are close to major attractions). You can purchase it seperately for $2.00 which entitles you to hop on and off the whole day and you will be given a wrist band to wear.
You can get on the trolley and pay at the next station.
During the ride, there is a tourguide who will tell you more about the park, the Falls and its islands. Its a very relaxing way of seeing the whole state park.

Note:
A whole day trolley ride is also included in the Passport to the Falls ticket.
If purchsed seperately:
Adult: $2.00
Child (6 to 12): $ 1.00
Children 5 and below are free

There are two distinct sides to Niagara Falls, in two seperate countries - the U.S.A. and Canada. Although the Canadian side draws more visitors and has the best views, both sides have their unique appeal and visitors who have time should definitely experience them both.

Connecting the American and Canadian sides is the Rainbow Bridge. You can drive across, but there might be a long line getting through immigation, and parking is very scarce on both sides. If you are safely parked on one side, I recommend you walk across. On our most recent trip Karen and I walked both sides. I must admit we were tired at the end of the day after 10 hours spent mostly on our feet, but it was worth it.

Remember, this is an international border crossing so be prepared. American and Canadian citizens should have no problem if they have documents to establish their citizenship. For everyone, it's best to have a passport. A visa may be required of those from certain countries.