3 commonly asked questions about crossing the border

/ TallPat Tours/

I get asked a lot about what is to be expected heading into the United States on a bus trip from Toronto and back. People mostly want to know what kind of ID is needed, how much money can I spend shopping and how much alcohol am I aloud to bring back. So let’s get right to it…

U.S. Border Patrol waiting for the Greyhound bus to disembark

What type of ID do I need to cross the border?

Easy answer is a valid passport, enhanced drivers licence and a Nexxus card are also accepted. For the purpose of this question we are going to stick with only a passport as your guaranteed way of crossing as long as everything else checks out. Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the twin towers, the border tightened up security so all passengers must disembark from the bus and have their passports scanned. They also randomly check luggage, bring a sniffer dog and run baggage through scanners but not always.

Cartoon image of ladies dressed up holding shopping bags

How much money can I spend shopping?

  • 24+ hrs - $200

  • 48+ hrs - $400

  • 7 days+ - $750

Everything you buy is included in your above totals except for money spent on food, drink, lodging and recreational activities. Your final total needs to be converted into Canadian dollars when declaring your amount to the border agent.

Fort Erie Canadian Border Crossing

How much alcohol can I bring back?

One liter bottle of alcohol OR one 750 ml bottle of wine OR one case of beer AND one carton of cigarettes. You have to be of drinking age to claim alcohol, going into the United States 21 years old and coming back to Canada 19 years old. Now going into the United States you can take as much alcohol as you please. Just make sure when coming home that you are only bringing back your allowed amount. Now you can certainly bring back more if you like, just be prepared to pay duty but no worries as the duty still has the bottle cheaper than the Liquor Store.

Hopefully these tips helped to clear up some of your common questions. These tips also apply to cars, trucks and basically any vehicle arriving to the border by land. If you liked this post then be sure to sign up for our mailing list to receive alerts about future blog posts and upcoming trips.

All information provided in this post is based on my over 20 yrs experience as a bus driver, however, please contact your respective border agencies for up to date and factual information.