Winnipeg

Winnipeg is the capital and main city of Manitoba, Canada.

<map lat='49.88047763874253' lng='-97.1575927734375' zoom='10' view='0' float='right' />

Hitching around

Note that unlike many other large cities, Winnipeg does not have an ideal route through it, such as a freeway. The TransCanada #1 highway utilizes several streets going through Winnipeg's downtown core to cross the city, which is very inefficient if one does not want to spend an hour or two in slow, and congested traffic. You are best off hitching along the shoulder of the Perimeter Highway which encircles Winnipeg. Either the upper half (#101 highway) or the lower half (#100 highway) can be taken, but the lower half is a shorter and more popular route, and also registers as a TransCanada highway. Look for overpasses before you reach the city from the East or West with signs directing you towards the perimeter routes, or ask your driver to drop you off at the Perimeter.

Hitching out

West towards Saskatchewan (Portage la Prairie / Brandon / Virden / Moosomin / Regina )(via #1 TransCanada highway)

If you're at the centre of the city, take the 21 St. Charles bus West to the outskirts of town. Walk past the Perimeter Hwy overpass and there's a good spot across from the Chapel Lawm Memorial Gardens. There's a stoplight and a Tim Hortons, plenty of slow traffic and a nice wide shoulder.

East towards Ontario (Kenora / Thunder Bay / Sault Ste. Marie / Sudbury / Toronto) (via #1 TransCanada highway)

Getting East out of Winnipeg is easy breezy Canadian hitching. Start hitchhiking about ~10 minutes walk East of Lagimodiere Blvd. & Fermor Ave.

From downtown, catch a #19 Marion bus on Vaughn St., North of Portage Ave. Either #19 route, via Autumnwood or via Drake, should take you to "Patterson" terminal, where the bus loops back. From the Patterson area walk South on Lagimodiere for ~5 min until Fermor, then walk East on Fermor ~10 minutes or until you reach an empty lot with a concrete slab and a nearby light pole covered in traveler tags. Start hitching here or East of here, as traffic has distanced and there is plenty of shoulder space.

Kenora is ~2 1/1 hours east of Winnipeg but is a major lakeside weekend destination for locals, so sign for a ride at least as far as Kenora. There is very little in between.

Southeast towards Steinbach (via #1 TransCanada and #12 highways)

A short and easy trip! Hitch out of Winnipeg as if hitching towards Ontario, but only ride to the #12 highway (~35 minutes). Then hitch South on highway #12 for ~15 minutes to get to Steinbach. The most efficient method is to sign for Steinbach at the Winnipeg location and get a direct ride. Even if you have to turn down a short ride or two, it should take you less than 30 minutes to get one headed for Steinbach.

North towards Winnipeg Beach / Gimli (via #8 highway)

The hitch up to the West side of Lake Winnipeg is pretty easy.

The ideal location to hitch from would be the Perimeter highway North (#101 highway) & #8 highway (McPhillips St.), but it is tricky to get a bus here. A starting point easier to access is the stretch of McPhillips St. just north of the suburb. To get there, take a Northbound #17 bus on Vaughn St. just South of Portage Ave., and ride it ~30 minutes to McPhillips St. & Leila Ave. or the Garden City Shopping Centre. Walk ~30 minutes North on McPhillips to where the shoulder begins. You are on the #8 highway, so put out your thumb!

Matlock, Winnipeg Beach, Gimli, etc. are on the West coast of Lake Winnipeg, and so are actually 1-3 mile roads East of the #8 highway, along the parallel #9 highway. Watch along the #8 highway for signs directing you towards your desired destination.

trash:Winnipeg