TRAVEL TIPS

Your travel to Canada may include several different flights and it may take more than a day to reach your final destination. The following tips can help you to have a safe, comfortable, and hassle-free journey.

• Make a photocopy of your airline tickets and important documents in case the originals are lost or stolen. Keep the photocopies in a safe place, but not in the same place that you keep the originals.
  
  
• Keep emergency phone numbers with you at all times. The following phone numbers are recommended:
  • The phone number(s) for your country's embassy, consulate, or high commission located in each country you will travel through.
  • The phone number for the International Centre for Students at the U of M (204-474-8501).
  • The phone number for Security Services at the U of M (check with Tony and the exchange program card)
    
    
• Make sure that your important documents are not packed in your checked baggage. Be sure to keep your passport, airline tickets, the documents you will need to present to Canadian immigration and customs officials, and your cash/credit cards stored safely on your person.
  
  
• Pack your own baggage and never leave your bags unattended.
  
  
• Never accept parcels or letters from strangers.
  
  
• Label all luggage clearly, but do not use your home address. Try to use luggage tags with flaps to hide your name and deter theft.
  
  
• Contact the airline(s) or your travel agent to check your flight schedule(s) at least three days before you are scheduled to leave. Confirm the flight(s) again on the day of your flight to ensure there have not been any last-minute changes.
  
  
• Confirm the time that you should arrive at the airport and make sure that you arrive in plenty of time to check in. Many international flights require passengers to arrive two to three hours before the scheduled departure time for the flight.
  
  
• Wear comfortable clothing and footwear. Bring a sweater or light jacket in your carry-on luggage in case the temperature inside the airplane or airport is cool. If you will arrive in Canada between October and April, bring an appropriate jacket to wear upon arrival.
  
  
• Keep a small amount of local currency so that you can pay departure taxes and purchase snacks during stop-overs. Contact the airline(s) or your travel agency in advance to find out how much the airport tax will be and how you can pay it at each airport you will use.
  
  
• Carry a credit card or small amount of Canadian dollars so that you will be able to pay for a taxi, if necessary, upon your arrival in Winnipeg .

For more travel tips, visit the Transport Canada web site at: http://www.tc.gc.ca/.