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Voykit pocket guide · 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.

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.

Toronto100 Mile HouseAbbotsfordAddington HighlandsAguanishAinsworth Hot Springs…AirdrieAjaxAlexandriaAmherstAmherstburgAmquiAnnapolis RoyalAnticostiThe Pas500 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Canada
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)
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, ambulance 911 · Manitoba health line (24 h) 1-888-315-9257
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

ItemPrice
CoffeeC$2–4
Diner breakfastC$10–18
Lunch mainC$10–18
Dinner mainC$13–25
Draught beer in a barC$6–9
Clearwater Lake vehicle permitC$5/day, C$12/3 days
Taxi across townC$10–15

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

YQD · The Pas Airport
About 20 km northeast of town; Calm Air to Winnipeg, some flights via Flin Flon

Typical fares

Calm Air Winnipeg → The Pas
about C$440, 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)

Get 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 and do

Known for

  • Gateway to the North
  • Clearwater Lake Provincial Park
  • Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival
  • VIA Rail Winnipeg–Churchill stop

Day trips

WhereHowTime
Clearwater Lake Provincial ParkDrive north on Highway 10, then the park roadAbout 30–40 min
Opaskwayak Cree Nation and Otineka MallDrive or taxi across the riverAbout 10 min
PukatawaganKeewatin Railway passenger train from The PasAbout 7.5 h each way
Flin FlonDrive north on Highway 10, or fly via YQDAbout 2.5–3 h by road

Sleep

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.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
Thank youThank you
Where is the train station?Where is the train station?
Is there a taxi?Is there a taxi?

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 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.

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.

One and two days

No timed day plan for The Pas yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Gateway to the North
  • Clearwater Lake Provincial Park
  • Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival
  • VIA Rail Winnipeg–Churchill stop

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

The Pas

To this address, please

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

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

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/the-pas). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.