what need Austrian passport possessor for Ametrak train to/back Canada

  • Thread starter Sandra Wihan of Austria
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Sandra Wihan of Austria

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I am of from Austria and obviously Austrian passport possessor.

When I will take Amtrak from New York City(same as state name?) to Montreal of Canada, what do passengers same as me need for making border cross? (to and back from Canada and the States?) Is it complicated and consume much time? Will only inside be in Montreal for approximate a week and then back to the New York City then flying back to home at Austria.

Again I thank for responses in this subject.
 
Basically you'll need permission to enter Canada & then to re-enter the US. I would presume that Austrians are issued a border-visa upon arrival in both countries (it's all I needed to enter the Schengen area, being an American). If you are doing more then just visiting, you'll have to apply for a different visa. But really it isn't much different then an Airport border crossing. The train will stop at the border & agents will board the train to check documents.

Addendum: There are various things Amtrak needs when you book your ticket. You can read more about the border crossing here: http://www.amtrak.com/crossing-the-us-canadian-border

peter
 
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As an Austrian citizen and passport holder, you do not need a visa to enter Canada. You will provide Amtrak with your passport info when you book your trip, show your passport at the Amtrak New York station prior to boarding the train, and then show it again to Canadian border authorities when the train stops at the border for entry. You should not have any issues.

Your re-entry into the USA should also be fine. Having entered by air from Austria, your documentation will be in order. The train back will also stop at the border for entry formalities.

You can check the requirements for entering Canada at this site:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp?country=Austria
 
Austria is a visa-waiver country for US entry, so you do not need any more than you would have on your flight in. You will have to fill out a paper I-94 form because arrival by air and sea is handled with electronic ESTA, land entry still uses the paper form. The train will stop at the border and a customs and immigration check will take place. Going to Montreal, the Canadian officers board the train for the inspection, you don't have to get off. I've never ridden it south, so I don't know how the US handles it.
 
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Is that true for land crossing too? AFAIR it was not lay year. For crossing back from Canada on the Adirondack a green I-94W was required. But that could have changed since then.

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The southbound border crossing is done in the exact same manner as the northbound crossing, except that the American CBP officers tend to be more suspicious and ruder than the Canadian CBSA-ASFC officers.

Essentially, the train will stop at the border for 90 to 120 minutes while the border guards check passports, ask questions, and take the customs declaration forms. I actually just rode the Adirondack across the border last weekend.
 
I've not crossed the border on Amtrak in 10 years but I recall the long wait while the customs officers passed through checking passports.

As such, I was stunned this past summer when my wife, daughter, and I spent two weeks in Europe traveling on railpasses and crossing borders numerous times...... four times between Germany and Austria alone........ and yet the only single time that anyone asked to see our passports enroute was crossing into France from Italy.
 
It is the exception these days to be asked to show documents at border crossings between Schengen countries. I am actually surprised that you were asked at all, since both Italy and France are Schengen countries, as are Switzerland, Germany and the Benelux.

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