I will be driving from Toronto to Newfoundland, leaving mid July.....with two kids on my own!!! Can someone please tell me the best time to leave Toronto so I can avoid traffic in Montreal? Also, recommend a place to stop for the night? People are telling me Edmunston, but I am wondering if that would be too far? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Like Toronto, you'll never avoid traffic in Montréal, but to avoid the worst, you will want to be through the city by 3pm at the latest.

Considering that it takes about 5 hours with no stops from Toronto to Montréal, I would leave no later than 9am. Your best bet to get through Montréal is from Aut 40 to take the Champlain Bridge, either from Decarie (Aut 15) or preferably by Aut 13, then 2/20. Avoid continuing on 40 to the Lafontaine Tunnel, as traffic is always heavy.

How many days do you plan to take to get to North Sydney for the Nfld ferry? If only two, that's two very long days. Edmundston is about 6 hrs after you get through Montréal, and from there it's about 10-11 hrs to North Sydney. You might stop at Rivière-du-Loup instead if you think that the first day is too long.

There comes a point in a long day's drive when it becomes dangerous to keep going.

Are you required for some reason or other to just drive and drive and drive, or can you slow down and enjoy the trip?

Montreal traffic varies by day -- not as bad on the weekends.

But if you are past Pickering at 7 in the morning you'll hit the Champlain Bridge around lunch time.

During the week, the bridge starts to get busy going south around 3:30 - 4 in the afternoon, so you can alter your schedule to cope with that.

I certainly doubt the advice of anyone who suggests a woman with two kids try to drive from Toronto to Edmunston in one day. Seems nuts to me.

BAK