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Major city · Canada

The Pas

Give The Pas one night as a VIA Rail stop between Winnipeg and Churchill, or two nights if you want a day on Clearwater Lake.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jun–Sep for the lake; Feb for the Trappers' Festival
avoid Nov–Mar unless you are coming for the festival (deep cold, short days)
Airport
YQD
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

The Pas is a small northern Manitoba town on the VIA Rail line to Churchill and the road north to Flin Flon, about 630 km northwest of Winnipeg. It is a service town with a rail station, a lake park 20 minutes out and Manitoba's oldest winter festival. Most travellers pass through on the train or stop one night on the drive north.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about The Pas, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeC$2–4 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Sit-down mealDinner mainC$13–25 (≈ US$10–19)
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfastC$10–18 (≈ US$8–14)
  • BeerDraught beer in a barcheckC$6–9 (≈ US$5–7)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi across towncheckC$10–15 (≈ US$8–11)
  • Budget bedCampground pitch at Clearwater Lake, a night, per roomC$20 (≈ US$15)
  • Mid-range bedBudget motel room, a night, per roomC$110 (≈ US$80)
  • High-end bedBudget motel room, a night, per roomC$150 (≈ US$110)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$160 (≈ US$120) · High C$260 (≈ US$190)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Gateway to the NorthClearwater Lake Provincial ParkNorthern Manitoba Trappers' FestivalVIA Rail Winnipeg–Churchill stop
Airports
YQD The Pas Airport (About 20 km northeast of town; Calm Air to Winnipeg, some flights via Flin Flon)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

The Pas: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−14°C

−24°C

8 rd

Feb

−11°C

−22°C

7 rd

Mar

−3°C

−14°C

7 rd

Apr

8°C

−4°C

7 rd

May

17°C

3°C

9 rd

Jun

22°C

9°C

11 rd

Jul

24°C

12°C

11 rd

Aug

23°C

11°C

10 rd

Sep

16°C

5°C

9 rd

Oct

7°C

−1°C

8 rd

Nov

−4°C

−12°C

8 rd

Dec

−12°C

−22°C

8 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The town is small but spread out and there is no useful public transit: plan on a car, or use the local taxi firms for short hops. Clearwater Lake and the airport both need a vehicle or a booked ride.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Clearwater Lake Provincial Park

go

Door to door: About 30–40 min

Drive north on Highway 10, then the park road

Cold, clear spring-fed lake with lake trout; campgrounds on the south shore. Vehicle permit required.

Opaskwayak Cree Nation and Otineka Mall

go

Door to door: About 10 min

Drive or taxi across the river

The main shopping stop for the region; food court and pharmacy.

Pukatawagan

overnight

Door to door: About 7.5 h each way

Keewatin Railway passenger train from The Pas

Twice-weekly subsidised service to remote First Nations communities; not a day return.

Flin Flon

go

Door to door: About 2.5–3 h by road

Drive north on Highway 10, or fly via YQD

Mining town on the Manitoba–Saskatchewan border; a natural next stop heading north.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Gordon Avenue strip

Most motels and the main restaurants sit on or near Gordon Ave; walkable to the rail station area.

Fischer Avenue

Second cluster of motels and diners, a short drive from the station.

Clearwater Lake campgrounds

South shore of the lake, about 20–30 min drive from town; vehicle permit needed.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$90–140 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
C$150–230 (≈ US$110–170) excl. bed
High
C$250 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 1 night × C$150C$150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × C$160C$320
Clearwater Lake vehicle permit, per day1 × C$5 · checkC$5
Taxi across town, one way1 × C$12 · checkC$12
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$20C$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$53
Trip total≈ C$290 per person per day, bed includedC$580≈ US$450

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; train and air fares excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeC$2–4 (≈ US$2–3)
Diner breakfastC$10–18 (≈ US$8–14)
Lunch mainC$10–18 (≈ US$8–14)
Dinner mainC$13–25 (≈ US$10–19)
Draught beer in a barcheckC$6–9 (≈ US$5–7)
Clearwater Lake vehicle permitcheckC$5 (≈ US$4)/day, C$12 (≈ US$9)/3 days
Taxi across towncheckC$10–15 (≈ US$8–11)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

The Pas is a normal small northern town: the real risks are winter cold, wildlife on the highways and long distances between services, not crime. Lock the car and keep fuel topped up.
  • Winter is severe: −30 °C and below is normal from Dec to Feb, and a breakdown on Highway 6 or 60 is serious. Carry a blanket, food and a charged phone.
  • Cell coverage is patchy on the highways outside town.
  • Black bears and deer on the roads at dusk and dawn, especially near the lake.
  • The VIA train runs only a few days a week: a missed train can mean a two-day wait.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Health links / nurse line (Manitoba, 24 h)
1-888-315-9257

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

The PasThe Pas

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Manitoba health line (24 h)1-888-315-9257

Embassy

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Calm Air Winnipeg → The Pas: about C$440 (≈ US$350), 1 h 40 min (check)
  • VIA Rail Winnipeg → The Pas: about 13 h 45 min, two days a week (check)
  • VIA Rail Thompson → The Pas: about 9 h 30 min (check)
  • Keewatin Railway The Pas → Pukatawagan: about 7 h 30 min, twice a week (check)

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the train station? — Where is the train station?
  • Is there a taxi? — Is there a taxi?

English is the everyday language here; Cree is also spoken in the region. Tipping 15–20% at restaurants is expected.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for The Pas. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep for the lake; Feb for the Trappers' Festival · avoid Nov–Mar unless you are coming for the festival (deep cold, short days) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources