Crossing border from Maine

We have to drive to Saint Andrews from Bangor Airport then drive back to Bar Harbor in July. Crossing over to Canada will be on Friday afternoon in July and crossing back to Maine on Sunday morning in July. Do you know how bad the drive or wait gets to and at the border? How long should I be looking at? I%26#39;ve been asking hotel/traveling with kids questions at this forum so I post this question here too but I am sure this is not the right place to ask. If you know where I should post, that will be helpful as well. Thank you.

Crossing border from Maine

You might get more response by addressing the Maine forum (I don%26#39;t think that there is a Calais forum). I haven%26#39;t been that way for a few years but I recall that the crossing at Calais/St. Andrews could be slow; it was not a shining example of efficient design and if there were a few big trucks ahead of you, good luck. As I recall, we sat in a slow moving line for a half hour or more before we even got to customs. Things may have changed but I suspect that the probabilities are low.

Crossing border from Maine

Would think this would be fine to post here. You would be crossing at the Calais, ME/St. Stephen, NB crossing (I assume as this is the shortest route). This crossing varies so much. I cross there often, sometimes I drive right across with no line and other times I give up and go back home as the line is so long. As a general rule though a Friday afternoon in July will probably be very busy and a Sunday morning will be quiet. Friday afternoon you will have all the travelers and locals heading over for the weekend. The earlier you get there on Friday the less locals crossing.

There are two border crossing in Calais. As you approach the area look for the sign that gives you the radio station to tune to for border information, it will give you the current approximate wait times. If the wait time is long (over a half hour is what I would call long) then you may try one of two things. Stop for meal break if it is at a time of day when the line will likely get shorter (like after dinner time), you could also check out the local discount store right near the border (Marden%26#39;s) they can have some interesting deals at times. The other thing you can do is try to cross at the other crossing. The main crossing is downtown and is the most commonly used. The other crossing, the milltown crossing, is on the way into town. It is not that well marked but is a left hand turn off from hwy 1. This crossing tends to be less busy, however, there are also less check lanes so they can not handle as many vehicles at once. If the main crossing is really busy most locals know to try the other one so there is no guarentee that this will be a lot quicker.

Thank you all for responding to my question. July 4th is Wed this year and we will be crossing to Canada on Friday, the 6th so I am hoping that some of the drivers may take couple extra days between July 4th and the weekend and travel Wed or Thu. Let%26#39;s hope I am right about this .... otherwise it sounds like that there will be a long wait.

Do you arrive in Bangor that morning (Friday). Only reason I ask is if you will be here a day before you might swing into Eastport, ME it is about 1/2hr from the border. They have a big 4th celebration all week. Just thought I would through that out there. The earlier you get to the crossing the less line you will have. If the wait is really long you can always just leave the driver in the car and everyone else can get out and go into one of the stores right by the bridge and then walk back to the car just make sure you get back before it actually reaches the check point.

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