Halifax has multiple methods of getting around the city, including a well built out bus system, multiple routes in and out of the downtown core by vehicle, and one of the most heavily used daily Ferry systems in Canada. One of the best parts of living in Halifax region, is that you are almost never more than about 30 minutes from anywhere you want to be, and typically never more than about 10 minutes from amenities.

By Car

When you are travelling by car, you will almost always have lots of choice as to how to arrive at your intended destination. Some of the key routes you need to know are:

  • Hwy 102 (Bicentennial Highway or “Bi-Hi”, which is the main artery in and out of the Halifax Peninsula, connecting the west end of Halifax proper with highway access out to Clayton Park, Bedford, Sackville, Fall River, the Airport and then on to the rest of the western part of the province.
  • Hwy 103 – Connecting Halifax to the south shore of the province, this twinned highway takes travellers from the west end of the peninsula to Tantallon, Chester, Lunenburg and all the way to Yarmouth on the South western tip of Nova Scotia.
  • “The Circ” (Hwy 111) is a circular shaped hwy that takes travellers to all points Dartmouth. Once on the Dartmouth Side of the ferry, you can use the circ to access side streets to get anywhere from downtown dartmouth, to Dartmouth Crossing Shopping Centre, Main Street, Portland Street, Eastern Passage and ultimately connect to Hwy. 107 which will take you all the way along the eastern shore of the province.
  • The Bridges (MacDonald “Old Bridge”, and MacKay “New Bridge”). Both bridges are the arteries that take travellers between Halifax and Dartmouth, across the Halifax Harbour. The bridges are Toll Rds, with a cost of $1 per trip. Regular users can get a “Mac Pass”, which automatically will charge you as you drive through.
  • The Bedford Hwy – Heading to and from Bedford, this one lane Hwy is one of the busiest arteries in the province. It basically allows you to get to the same areas as the Bi-Hi, but allows for access to smaller residential streets.

By Bus

HRM has a well designed and well used bus system for those who are travelling by that method. Bus service, including the Metro Link & MetroX services which are express services to outlying areas, costs between $1.75 and $3.50, depending on what age you are,and what type of bus service you are getting on (standard fare is $2.50).
Click Here for a route map for Halifax bus services.

By Ferry

Halifax Region has a fully running passenger ferry system, which takes riders from either Downtown Dartmouth at the Alderney Terminal, or the Woodside terminal near Eastern passage, to and from Downtown Halifax at the waterfront terminal on Lower Water Street. The ferry costs the same as the bus ($2.50 per trip for standard riders), and the ferry runs every 15 minutes during rush hour, and every 30 minutes through the rest of the day.
Click here to learn more about the Dartmouth Ferry