Getting There

By Plane -- Ottawa International Airport is about 20 minutes south of the city. Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262) is the main airline serving Ottawa. Other choices are US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322), Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525), and Delta (tel. 800/361-1970). A shuttle bus (tel. 613/736-9993) operates between the airport and a few downtown hotels for C$14 (US$11) for adults and C$8 (US$6.40) for ages 8 to 14, one-way. A taxi from the airport to the city costs about C$25 (US$20). Public transit (OC Transpo) buses to and from the airport cost C$2.60 (US$2.10) for adults, C$1.35 (US$1.10) for ages 6 to 11, one-way.

By Train -- VIA Rail (tel. 888/VIA-RAIL or 613/244-8289) trains arrive at the Ottawa Station at 200 Tremblay Rd., at boulevard St-Laurent, in the southeastern area of the city. From here buses connect to downtown.

By Bus -- Buses arrive at the Central Bus Station, 265 Catherine St., between Kent and Lyon. Greyhound Canada (tel. 800/661-TRIP or 613/238-6668) provides service to Montréal, Toronto, and western Canada.

By Car -- Driving from New York, take Interstate 81 to Canada's Route 401 east to the new Route 416 north. From the west, come via Toronto, taking Route 401 east to Route 416 north. From Montréal, take Route 17 to Route 417.

Visitor Information

Tourist Offices -- The most convenient place to gather answers and pick up maps and brochures is the Capital Infocentre, 90 Wellington St., across from Parliament Hill (tel. 800/465-1867 or 613/239-5000); it's open daily 8:30am to 9pm in summer and 9am to 5pm in winter. An "Info-tent" on Parliament Hill lawn behind the West Block is where you book free tours of Parliament. Mid-May to about the third week in June, hours are daily 9am to 5pm; the rest of June to Labour Day, it's open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday, Sunday, and holidays 9am to 5pm.

For details about Gatineau and its prominent subsector Hull, contact the Bureau du Tourisme, 103 rue Laurier, Hull, PQ J8X 3V8 (tel. 800/265-7822 or 819/778-2222). Summer hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 6pm; winter hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 4pm. On the Net, you may want to check out the Ottawa Kiosk website, the Festival Seeker website, and the Tour Ottawa website.

City Layout

The Ottawa River -- Canada's second longest at over 1,125km (700 miles) -- curves around the northern edge of city. The compact downtown area, where most major attractions are clustered, is south of the river.

The Rideau Canal, sweeping past the National Arts Centre, divides the downtown area in two -- Centretown and Lowertown. In Centretown are Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court, and the National Museum of Natural Sciences. In Lowertown, on the east side of the canal, are the National Gallery of Canada, the ByWard Market, and, along Sussex Drive, the prime minister's residence, diplomats' row, and Rockcliffe Park. The area south of the Queensway, west to Bronson and east to the canal, is known as the Glebe, containing a number of popular restaurants and clubs, especially along Bank Street. North across the river, in the province of Québec, lies Gatineau, the result of a recent merger that subsumed the formerly independent town of Hull. It is reached by the Macdonald-Cartier and Alexandra bridges from the east end of town and the Portage and Chaudière bridges from the west end. At the end of the Alexandra Bridge stands the curvaceous Museum of Civilization, and nearby are some of the city's best French restaurants and the liveliest nightlife action. North and east of Hull stretch the Gatineau Hills and ski country.

Finding your way around can be bewildering, since streets have a habit of halting abruptly and then reappearing a few blocks farther on, and others change names several times. For example, the main street starts in the west as Scott Street, changes to Wellington as it passes through downtown in front of Parliament, changes again to Rideau Street in downtown east, and finally becomes Montréal Road on the eastern fringes of town. So carry a map. The information office provides a serviceable one.

Getting Oriented -- The main streets running east-west through center city are Wellington, Laurier, and Somerset; the Rideau Canal separates east from west and Centre Town from Lower Town; and the main north-south streets are Bronson, Bank, and Elgin.

Getting Around

Walking is the best way. The only public transportation is the 130-route bus network operated by the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission (OC Transpo). For information about routes, where to buy tickets, and more, call tel. 613/741-4390 Monday to Friday 7am to 9pm, Saturday 8am to 9pm, and Sunday 9am to 6pm. To inquire about schedules, call tel. 560 plus the four-digit number of the nearest bus stop (no need to dial an area code). Exact-change fares or one-ride tickets are C$2.60 (US$2.10) for adults, C$1.35 (US$1.10) for ages 6 to 11, free for children 5 and under. A C$6 (US$4.80) DayPass allows unlimited travel on all routes. Exact change, tickets, or the pass is required. You can buy tickets at 300 retail outlets, such as at newsstands and at Pharma Plus drugstores. All routes converge downtown at the Rideau Centre; they begin to close down at midnight, and there's no service between 1 and 6am.

In Gatineau, buses are operated by the Société de Transport de l'Outaouais (tel. 819/770-3242). Transfers between the two systems are obtainable when you pay your fare on the bus.

Taxis in Ottawa can be hailed on the street but can be found more readily in front of major hotels and important buildings. Or summon one by phone, something restaurant headwaiters are happy to do. One 24-hour company is Blue Line (tel. 613/238-1111), with more than 600 cabs. Fares are C$1.85 (US$1.50) at the drop and C$1.45 (US$1.15) per kilometer. Most drivers accept credit cards, usually MasterCard or Visa.

In summer, athletic young men, mostly university students, pull one to two passengers around the tourist districts in rickshaws. Negotiate the fare before setting out.

You may not want to drive in Ottawa, although traffic isn't too bad except during rush hours, but a car is essential to explore the environs or continue elsewhere in Canada. Rental agencies based in Ottawa include Avis (tel. 800/879-2847 or 613/230-2847), Budget (tel. 800/769-1461 or 613/729-6666), Tilden (tel. 800/387-4747 or 613/232-3536), and Thrifty (tel. 800/367-2277 or 613/238-8000), all with offices at the airport and various downtown locations. However, you can save money by arranging for the rental before leaving home.

Parking will cost around C$4 (US$3.20) for an hour or less, with about a C$20 (US$16) maximum at most local garages. The best parking bets are the municipal parking lots, marked with a large green "P" in a circle.

When driving, remember that Ontario has a compulsory seat-belt requirement, and pay careful attention to the city's system of one-way streets, which often have three or four streets in a row going in the same direction, rather than alternating. The Queensway (Rte. 417) cuts right across the city, adding to the confusion. The downtown entrance to the highway is at O'Connor Street. Exit the highway at Kent Street for downtown. Cars can turn right after stopping at a red light.