Going to Niagara Falls, Which border crossing is the best?
 

I am traveling to Niagara Falls this summer and after hearing how crowded and jammed the Rainbow Bridge in Downtown Niagara Falls is, I am looking for alternatives. I am staying on the Canadian Side, so i will be driving over. So, the three options I have are the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, or the I-190 Bridge in Lewiston. The Peace Bridge takes EZ-Pass, which is nice. I will be arriving from the East on the NYS Thurway, so Peace Bridge isn't that far out of the way if its much faster. Coming home, it would not be out of the way at all. But, i will be leaving early in the morning, which the Rainbow Bridge might not be bad that time of day. So, which one of these crossing is the fastest?


Thanks=

I'd say Rainbow. We cross over into the US all the time using Rainbow, and if you go early enough in the day, it's quick and painless, and the falls, are right there.

Rainbow. Even at its most crowded, I've never had a delay of more than 10-15 minutes. Besides, the view and people watching is fantastic.

The Rainbow is OK. Just avoid peak travel times.

The best best is just north of there. I think it is called Lewiston. There are neat dining places there and you can take the elevator to see the rapids. Easier to park too!!

I disagree with the last poster. The Lewiston Queenston Bridge typically has the longest wait time. What day(s) of the week are you travelling and what month? If you can, avoid July 1-4. The bridges are a mess then with both the American and Canadian holidays. The weekdays are easier for crossing any of the bridges. You should be fine with either the Peace Bridge or the Rainbow Bridge.

I have to disagree with KK on the Peace Bridge. LOTS of commercial traffic can tie up crossing big time coming into the US.

I would agree that Rainbow moves very quickly and trucks often cause delays at Peace (but there are separate lanes for them).

We've had the best luck with Queenston-Lewiston.

You can check traffic http://niagarafallsbridges.com/traffic_conditions.php3

I am arriving on a weekday in August, so i will probably take Rainbow Bridge over to Canada. My GPS is routing me as Peace Bridge being the fastest way home. So, i will do that coming home.

The Peace bridge is usually the most crowded in the Summer... just wait until you get here and you can instantly find out about back-ups on that day... no need to pre-plan!

There is a number you can call 800-715-6722 that will give you traffic conditions for all 3 bridges and it is updated hourly. Just call it as you're approaching the Buffalo area and you can decide what bridge to use.

I call the number all the time during the summer, as I live in Buffalo and my Mom has a summer cottage in Canada that I visit frequently. I cross at the Peace Bridge several times a week during the summer. Early in the morning or late at night you should have no problem on the weekends and week days are usually little delay. The wait at the Lewiston Queenston bridge can sometimes be 1-2 hours on weekends.