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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Cochrane
Cochrane, Ontario
Give Cochrane one night, two if you ride the Polar Bear Express to Moosonee: the polar bear habitat is the reason to stop, and it is a morning visit.
Cochrane is a railway town of about 5,400 people on Highway 11 in northeastern Ontario, built where the National Transcontinental Railway met the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario line in 1908. Its draw is the Polar Bear Habitat, the only facility dedicated solely to polar bears, plus the Polar Bear Express train north to Moosonee. Most travellers pass through on the way to Timmins, Kapuskasing or Hearst; one night is enough unless the train is the point of the trip.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- Cochrane, Ontario
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for the bears and the train; Feb–Mar for snowmobiling
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr unless you are snowmobiling (deep cold, short days)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
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$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$150–230 excl. bed · High C$250+ excl. bed (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 and ambulance 911 · Ontario Northland +1 705-272-4228 · Polar Bear Habitat +1 705-272-2327
- 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 bakery item | C$5–9 |
| Diner breakfast | C$10–16 |
| Burger or ribs plate | C$18–30 |
| Draught beer | C$7–9 |
| Polar Bear Habitat entry, adult | About C$18 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$15–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YCN · Cochrane Aerodrome
- No scheduled flights; nearest scheduled service is Timmins (YTS), about 1 h 15 min by road.
Typical fares
- Polar Bear Express, Cochrane → Moosonee
- about C$60 one way, 5 h (check)
- Ontario Northland bus, Timmins → Cochrane
- about 1 h 15 min (check)
- Taxi in town
- short hops only; ask the fare before you get in (check)
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
Cochrane is small and flat: the centre, the station and the Polar Bear Habitat are all within about a 20-minute walk of each other. A car is needed for Highway 11 motels, the aerodrome and day trips; taxis are limited, so book ahead for early train departures.
See and do
Known for
- Polar Bear Habitat
- Polar Bear Express train to Moosonee
- Tim Horton's birthplace
- Snowmobiling
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Moosonee | Polar Bear Express from Cochrane station, about 5 h each way | 5 h each way |
| Timmins | Highway 655 south by car, or Ontario Northland bus | About 1 h 15 min by car |
| Kapuskasing | Highway 11 west by car, or Ontario Northland bus | About 1 h 30 min |
| Temiskaming Shores | Highway 11 south via Matheson and Kirkland Lake | About 3 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Railway Street (station area)
- Station Inn and Best Western Swan Castle Inn sit at the train station: walk to the Polar Bear Express and the centre.
- Highway 11 West
- Motels with parking outside the centre; you need a car for everything.
- Polar Bear Habitat camping
- Unpowered tent and RV sites at the habitat; no open fires, propane stoves only.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you / Merci |
| Where is the train station? | Where is the train station? |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is the highway open? | Is the highway open? |
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
- Winter runs to −30 °C and below: layers, and plug-in parking for rental cars.
- The Polar Bear Express does not run every day: check the timetable before you book a bed.
- Cell coverage thins on Highway 11 and on the train north; download what you need.
- Black flies and mosquitoes are heavy in June and July: repellent is not optional.
Cochrane is a small, quiet town and street crime is low. The real risks are winter cold and driving: Highway 11 closes in snowstorms, moose are on the road at dusk, and there is no cell signal on long stretches.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cochrane yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Polar Bear Habitat
- Polar Bear Express train to Moosonee
- Tim Horton's birthplace
- Snowmobiling
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Town of Cochrane — visiting: cochraneontario.com/visiting/
- Tourism Cochrane: cochraneontario.travel/
- Polar Bear Habitat: polarbearhabitat.ca
- Ontario Northland — train travel: ontarionorthland.ca/en/travelling-train
- Ontario Northland: www.ontarionorthland.ca/
- Wikivoyage: Cochrane (Ontario), revision 5213379 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5213379
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
CochraneCochrane, Ontario
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire and ambulance911
- Ontario Northland+1 705-272-4228
- Polar Bear Habitat+1 705-272-2327
No embassies in Cochrane; the nearest consulates are in Toronto. US citizens: the US consulate general is in Toronto (check).
Tipping is expected: 15–20% at restaurants and bars, 10–15% for taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cochrane-ontario). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.