In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Alexandria
Alexandria, Ontario
Pass through unless you are breaking the Montréal–Ottawa rail run: no overnight needed. A 2-hour leg-stretch off Highway 417 covers the basilica and Main Street.
Alexandria is a town of about 3,300 in North Glengarry, Eastern Ontario, and it sits on the VIA Rail line between Montréal and Ottawa, with multiple trains a day. There is one basilica, one golf course, one motel and a handful of restaurants on Main Street. Treat it as a stop on the corridor, not a destination: get off, walk the core, eat, and move on. Sleep here only if a late train or a drive break forces it.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- Alexandria, Ontario
- Best months
- Jun–Sep, plus late Sep–early Oct for maple colour
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (deep cold, snow, few services), mid-winter rail delays
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$70–110 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · Mid C$120–190 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · High C$200+ excl. bed (2026 estimate) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Glengarry Memorial Hospital +1 613-525-2222 · Telehealth Ontario (24 h) 1-866-797-0000
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and a pastry | C$5–9 |
| Pub main (burger, steak, pizza) | C$18–32 |
| Tapas plate and a cocktail | C$14–20 / C$12–16 |
| Beer: draught in a pub / can at the store | C$7–9 / C$3–5 |
| Golf green fee, 18 holes | C$45–70 |
| Taxi across town | C$10–15 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$15–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YUL · Montréal–Trudeau
- The practical gateway for the corridor; drive time to Alexandria varies with traffic — check before you book a connection.
- YOW · Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier
- Alternative gateway via Highway 417; drive time varies with traffic — check.
Typical fares
- VIA Rail Alexandria → Montréal
- about C$25–45, about 1 h 15 min
- VIA Rail Alexandria → Ottawa
- about C$25–40, about 1 h
- Taxi across town
- C$10–15
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town core is walkable end to end. VIA Rail's Alexandria station sits at the north end of town, about 1 km (0.6 mi) from the Main Street strip. For anything outside town — the golf course, St. Raphael's ruins, neighbouring villages — you need a car; there is no local bus network.The town core is walkable end to end. VIA Rail's Alexandria station sits at the north end of town, about 0.6 mi (1 km) from the Main Street strip. For anything outside town — the golf course, St. Raphael's ruins, neighbouring villages — you need a car; there is no local bus network.
See and do
Known for
- St. Finnan's Basilica
- VIA Rail stop between Montréal and Ottawa
- Glengarry Golf & Country Club
- Scottish Highland settlement history
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hawkesbury | Car via County Road 34 north | About 40 min |
| Cornwall | Car via Highway 401 east | About 45 min |
| Montréal | VIA Rail from Alexandria station, about 1 h 15 min | About 1 h 30 min |
| Ottawa | VIA Rail from Alexandria station, about 1 h | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Main Street (downtown Alexandria)
- Walkable strip with restaurants, the Fauxmagerie and the motel; best if you arrive by train or car and want dinner on foot.
- Highway 417 / County Road 34 corridor
- Roadside motels and chain stays for a one-night drive break; you will need a car for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you / Merci |
| Where is the station? | Où est la gare ? |
| A table for two, please | Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ? |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ? |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Alexandria station is unstaffed: no ticket counter, no luggage help. Buy online or at a kiosk, and do not count on staff.
- The station opens about 60 minutes before a train and closes about 30 minutes after one leaves. Outside those windows there is no shelter.
- Winter rail delays are common on the Montréal–Ottawa corridor; build slack into any connection.
- Cell coverage is fine in town but patchy on the rural concession roads.
- Most restaurants close by 21:00 and several shut early in the week: eat before you arrive late.
Very safe. The real risks are winter driving on the concession roads, unlit rural shoulders at night, and arriving at an unstaffed station with no plan for a closed kitchen.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Alexandria yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- St. Finnan's Basilica
- VIA Rail stop between Montréal and Ottawa
- Glengarry Golf & Country Club
- Scottish Highland settlement history
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- VIA Rail — Alexandria station: www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/ontario/alexandria
- VIA Rail Canada: www.viarail.ca/
- Township of North Glengarry — things to do: www.northglengarry.ca/explore/other-things-to-do/
- St. Finnan's Basilica: stfinnan.ca/
- Glengarry Golf & Country Club: www.glengarrygolf.ca/
- Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital: www.hgmh.on.ca/en/index.aspx
- SDG Library — Alexandria Branch: www.sdglibrary.ca/locations/20/
- Wikivoyage: Alexandria (Ontario), revision 5272245 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5272245
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
AlexandriaAlexandria, Ontario
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Glengarry Memorial Hospital+1 613-525-2222
- Telehealth Ontario (24 h)1-866-797-0000
No embassies here. The US consulate general is in Montréal; most other countries keep embassies in Ottawa.
English is the everyday language; French is common in the surrounding townships and on signage.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/alexandria-ontario). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.