ezbordercrossing

Guide to Crossing the US Canada Border

Rainbow Bridge

Rainbow Bridge – Niagara Falls – Niagara Street / Roberts Street, ON 420

The Rainbow Bridge connects the tourist districts of Niagara Falls, N.Y., with Niagara Falls, Ontario. It is for non-commercial use only! Commercial vehicles are not allowed on the bridge, so the bridge authority characterizes this as the best bridge for tourists. Like most border crossings, the summer travel time can be very busy, and delays of 2 hours can be encountered even during mid-day. If you have driving flexibility, you should check our pages with border wait times for each of the nearby border crossings to see which appears least congested.

Before heading to the border, be sure to review our pages on preparing for customs and prohibited items.

Rainbow Bridge

Current Traffic and Road Conditions at the Rainbow Bridge

Always check our page with current road conditions, traffic, border wait times and traffic at the Rainbow Bridge to see conditions at the border crossing.

Border congestion traffic at the Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge border crossing
Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls, Canadian side.

Rainbow Bridge Port Information

  • Hours of Operation – This port is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year round.
  • There are 18 car customs inspection lanes into the US, and 15 car customs inspection lanes into Canada.
  • Tour bus lanes are designated.
  • NO commercial truck traffic is allowed on this bridge.
  • This port has NEXUS lanes for entering the U.S. or Canada. Nexus lanes are not typically open 24/7, so we have a separate page showing their hours of operation.
  • This port also has a dedicated Ready Lane, which typically operates Monday through Thursday. Ready Lane is a dedicated lane for travelers entering the U.S. with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) enabled travel documents.
  • See our page “Tolls on Bridges Along the U.S. Canada Border” for toll rates and Express Pass for this bridge.

Travel Tips for the Rainbow Bridge Border Crossing

  • Here is a handy link to hotels in New York state and here is another link to hotels in Ontario Province on the Canadian side of the border.
  • Traffic is heaviest May through September, with Friday being the most congested day of the week.
  • There are numerous overhead road signs that will alert you to bridge delays and other road conditions. Depending on how far you are from the bridge, conditions can change substantially when you get there.
  • You can cross the bridge by auto, on foot, or by bicycle. You will pay a toll no matter which method you use to cross the bridge. It is pretty minor for pedestrians and bicyclists, but you should know that you will be paying the toll going both directions.
  • Road / traffic information sources
    • Travelers can obtain current border traffic conditions by calling the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission’s toll free number at 1-800-715-6722.
    • AM radio station 1610 broadcasts when there is significant travel advisory information. You should tune to this station when you notice flashing yellow lights on area roadside signs or when indicated on overhead Message Signs.
    • You can call 511 or 888-GO511NY (888-465-1169) in New York to get “almost” real time road conditions information.
    • You can also get Ontario road information by phone by calling the following numbers: Provincial Call Centre: 1-800-268-4686, Toronto Area: 416-235-4686,  Provincial TTY: 1-866-471-8929, Niagara Region TTY: 905-704-2426
    • Remember to also check this page for a collection of real-time traffic information.
  • Duty free shops
    • There is Duty Free Americas shop at Rainbow Bridge Plaza that is open 8am to 11pm Monday thru Sunday. Telephone: (716) 284 – 9736.
    • On the Canadian side, there is a Niagara Falls Duty Free Shop at 5726 Falls Ave, Niagara Falls.  Telephone: (905) 374-3700.
  • Rainbow Bridge GPS coordinates – Latitude & Longitude: 43.089948, -79.067346

Map of Rainbow Bridge Border Crossing Area

Telephone Numbers for the Border Customs Offices at the Rainbow Bridge

  • Rainbow Bridge U.S. Customs Office Telephone Number: (716) 843-8300.
  • Niagara Falls Bridge Commission
    • From US: 716-285-6322
    • From Canada: 905-354-5641
  • For Canadian Customs at this port, call the Canadian Border Information Service (BIS), who can answer your questions or transfer you directly to the Canadian port.