Vancouver to Toronto drive

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mimico_polak

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Hey all,

Seeing @shanekingsley post I was wondering what would be the quickest / most direct route to Toronto from Vancouver. I've got this stupid idea of picking up a car in Vancouver, and driving it home as I took some extra time off. I'm assuming that the TCH is the best/fastest/most direct route.

Would like to go through the States, but COVID, and no passport with me prevents this option completely. What time of time can I expect to put in behind the wheel every day? I'm not the type to stop along the way and this trip is just to make miles. Cost of shipping the car was quoted about $1500 or so...but I've always wanted to do the drive and this may be an opportunity before the project ends. 1000km/day is easy for me to just put the miles down.
 
Google Maps says 4400 km via Trans Canada, so it's 4 or 5 days depending on a little more or less distance each day. There is no faster route within Canada. The northern detours are all longer. There is only one through road crossing the MB-ON border.

Really the only choice in the matter is when you get to Espanola, ON ... either drive around the lake via Sudbury or drive south through Manitoulin Island to take the ferry. Means aligning with the ferry schedule ... but the couple hours on the ferry is a nice break.
 
If it were me I'd ship the car. You should be able to ship a small car for $1000 or less if you're not day-specific for pickup and drop off.

You are looking at $400 in fuel, $50 LOF, $500+ in travel expenses -- but mostly you're looking at the risk of an unknown used vehicle taking you 4500KM trouble free.

The drive from Vancouver to Calgary is a beauty - from there to Thunder bay is a sleeper unless you like wheat fields. North of superior is nice, but after crossing the Rocky's, those short mountains may seem ...meh.

It's a long, desolate trip if your n the bee-line.
 
@Mad Mike good points that’s also my concern. Although I’ve always wanted to do the drive and this is one of those best times to do it....plus a used BMW (from a dealer) add a lot of unknowns.

@GreyGhost biggest concern is buying a used car without driving it. Seeing any dents, curb rash, or feeling the drive of it before paying. Lots of unknowns and I’m looking for someone I trust to go see/drive it.
 
mimico_polak said:
@Mad Mike good points that’s also my concern. Although I’ve always wanted to do the drive and this is one of those best times to do it....plus a used BMW (from a dealer) add a lot of unknowns.

@GreyGhost biggest concern is buying a used car without driving it. Seeing any dents, curb rash, or feeling the drive of it before paying. Lots of unknowns and I’m looking for someone I trust to go see/drive it.
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I feel your struggles. I went out to BC last year to help a friend pick up a 60 year old plane and fly it back. Similar issues to what you are going through now (except only viable way to transport was for someone to fly it). Other than a few minor hiccups (battery died in the prairies and finding airplane batteries at the random airport you happen to be in is not simple. Too cold to start by hand-propping, we tried. Also got really low on fuel at one point dodging weather and touched down on a grass farm strip and had to try to get in contact with the random farmer to buy some gas from him) the trip went well.
 
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mimico_polak said:
Hey all,

Seeing @shanekingsley I was wondering what would be the quickest / most direct route to Toronto from Vancouver. I've got this stupid idea of picking up a car in Vancouver, and driving it home as I took some extra time off. I'm assuming that the TCH is the best/fastest/most direct route.
Click to expand...

I've done the drive/ride to/from Vancouver many times... Yes, TCH is the most direct/quickest route.
 
GreyGhost said:
I feel your struggles. I went out to BC last year to help a friend pick up a 60 year old plane and fly it back. Similar issues to what you are going through now (except only viable way to transport was for someone to fly it). Other than a few minor hiccups (battery died in the prairies and finding airplane batteries at the random airport you happen to be in is not simple. Too cold to start by hand-propping, we tried. Also go really low on fuel at one point dodging weather and touched down on a grass farm strip and had to try to get in contact with the random farmer to buy some gas from him) the trip went well.
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Seems a tad more complicated, and unsafe, compared to getting in a car and putting it in drive.
 
mimico_polak said:
Hey all,

Seeing @shanekingsley post I was wondering what would be the quickest / most direct route to Toronto from Vancouver. I've got this stupid idea of picking up a car in Vancouver, and driving it home as I took some extra time off. I'm assuming that the TCH is the best/fastest/most direct route.

Would like to go through the States, but COVID, and no passport with me prevents this option completely. What time of time can I expect to put in behind the wheel every day? I'm not the type to stop along the way and this trip is just to make miles. Cost of shipping the car was quoted about $1500 or so...but I've always wanted to do the drive and this may be an opportunity before the project ends. 1000km/day is easy for me to just put the miles down.
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Nice!
It’s worth noting that the speed limits in Ontario are 90km/hr and in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta it’s 110. BC has a mix depending on the road area. I’ve found very little police presence on the TransCanada and was able to average 100km/hr with stops, so if you start early and stop at dinner, then you can easily knock off 1000km/day.
My guess is the costs of shipping vs driving will be similar, but you have to decide about the added time away from family or doing the amazing drive.
 
mimico_polak said:
@Mad Mike good points that’s also my concern. Although I’ve always wanted to do the drive and this is one of those best times to do it....plus a used BMW (from a dealer) add a lot of unknowns.
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this jumps off the page for me
you should fly out and enjoy the drive back

is your wife adventurous?
might be a great time together - kiddos with Gramma
 
J_F said:
this jumps off the page for me
you should fly out and enjoy the drive back
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It's even easier. I think he is already there and needs to get home somehow anyway. I'm not sure if spending 40-50 hours in a car is a good adventure with the wife. My wife can do Chicago for a weekend, but repeated 10+ hours days would make her grumpy.
 
Mad Mike didn't add in the cost of your flight to Vancouver. With that in, you're probably not saving anything. I have done the Kingston to Edmonton and also Edmonton to Vancouver a few times and agree it is nice. Doing it Banzai style you miss a lot of why you want to do it. I would suggest shipping it, and sometime when you have lots of time, do the TCH. Then you can stop and see the sights along the way.
 
J_F said:
this jumps off the page for me
you should fly out and enjoy the drive back

is your wife adventurous?
might be a great time together - kiddos with Gramma
Click to expand...
Have thought about it...trying to convince her. Grandma isn't all too cool with 5 days on her own.
 
Lyndsay said:
Mad Mike didn't add in the cost of your flight to Vancouver. With that in, you're probably not saving anything. I have done the Kingston to Edmonton and also Edmonton to Vancouver a few times and agree it is nice. Doing it Banzai style you miss a lot of why you want to do it. I would suggest shipping it, and sometime when you have lots of time, do the TCH. Then you can stop and see the sights along the way.
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Good point. I'm flying home anyway, this just involves me not getting on the flight to Vancouver during transit and just stopping and taking a cab to the dealer instead of the flight home. Currently in BC.
 
mimico_polak said:
Good point. I'm flying home anyway, this just involves me not getting on the flight to Vancouver during transit and just stopping and taking a cab to the dealer instead of the flight home. Currently in BC.
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Will your employer give your wife a TO>Van ticket as they are saving on your Van>TO ticket?
 
I drove a 15 year old Subaru back to Ontario from BC coal country a few years ago
got home Christmas day - the Prairies were brutal, 1,500 km of ice
that was risky....a used BMW from a dealer? shouldn't be a problem
 
J_F said:
I drove a 15 year old Subaru back to Ontario from BC coal country a few years ago
got home Christmas day - the Prairies were brutal, 1,500 km of ice
that was risky....a used BMW from a dealer? shouldn't be a problem
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I hear you. One of my trips was for a Christmas break. Hit snow about 50 miles the other side of Winnipeg, and it didn't stop until about 100 miles north of TO. Only went in the ditch twice; but that was back when I was young and aggressive. Should be better at this time of year.

Mimico, forgot you were in BC already. The rest still stands though. it's a nice drive if you're not rushed. Hoodoos around Drumheller, and the buffalo jumps can eat up a good portion of a day, but if you're near there it would almost be a crime to skip them.

GG has a good suggestion. When I was working in Jacksonville, my company gave me the cost of the ticket of a return trip I was due for, and I was able to fly the whole family (wife and 4 kids) down and back for the same cost. I kicked my roommate out of the the company apartment we shared and had use of the company car for the week they were there. Made for a great and inexpensive vacation.
 
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