Getting Around Nova Scotia Without a Car.
Yes, it’s possible — and you might like it better.
If you’re planning a trip to Nova Scotia and wondering how to get around without a car, you’re not alone. Every year we hear from travellers who don’t want to drive, can’t rent a car, or simply don’t feel like navigating unfamiliar roads — but still want to see more than just Halifax.
Good news: it’s absolutely possible to explore Nova Scotia without a car.
Slightly less good news: it takes a bit of planning.
That’s where we come in.
Why getting around Nova Scotia without a car is tricky.
Nova Scotia is beautiful, rural, and spread out — which is part of the charm. It’s also why public transportation here is limited.
Many visitors arrive expecting:
trains between towns
regular buses to the coast
or easy last-minute car rentals
In reality:
there’s often one daily bus to places like Lunenburg, at inconvenient times
the only train goes Halifax to Montreal
rental cars regularly sell out in summer
and taxis between towns cost a small fortune
Traditional tour companies can get you to iconic places — but usually only for a few rushed hours, on a fixed schedule.
If you want to actually spend time in places like Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, or the Annapolis Valley, your options without a car are very limited… unless you know where to look.
Your main transportation options if you don’t have a car.
Here’s what travellers realistically have to work with:
1. Stay in Halifax
Halifax is walkable, lively, and lovely — but it’s not where Nova Scotia’s famous landscapes and small-town charm live. If you never leave the city, you miss most of what makes this place special.
2. Use Public Transit
There are some intercity buses, but routes are limited and schedules are often awkward for sightseeing. Many coastal towns simply aren’t served.
3. Take Taxis or Private Transfers
Technically possible. Financially… not fun.
4. Join Traditional Tours
You’ll see the highlights, but you won’t get to linger, stay overnight, or travel at your own pace.
5. Use Hop-On Hop-Off Transportation (That’s Us)
This is where Alternative Routes comes in.
What is Hop-On-Hop-Off Travel?
Hop-on hop-off travel means you don’t have to choose between being stuck in one place or being rushed through many.
With Alternative Routes, you can:
buy individual route tickets
or choose a 4-day or 7-day travel pass
Once you have a pass, you can:
get off in any town we serve
stay for one night or a few
and hop back on when our vehicle comes through again
Because we follow the same schedule seven days a week, you’re never locked into one specific day. You travel when you’re ready — not when a tour says it’s time to leave.
In other words:
You get the freedom of a car, without driving one.
Why Travellers Love This Way of Getting Around
People tell us this all the time:
“I didn’t want to be rushed.”
Hop-on hop-off travel lets you:
walk Peggy’s Cove at your own pace
have dinner in Lunenburg instead of being herded back to Halifax
spend a full day in Wolfville or Grand Pré
explore small coastal towns that most tours barely touch
It’s not about seeing more.
It’s about seeing things properly.
Where Can You Go Without a Car?
Our routes connect Halifax to many of the places travellers care most about, including:
Peggy’s Cove
Queensland Beach
Chester
Hubbards
Mahone Bay
Lunenburg
Wolfville
Grand Pré
These are the towns and coastlines that make Nova Scotia feel like Nova Scotia — and they’re almost impossible to reach without a car unless you have a plan.
Who Does Well Travelling Nova Scotia Without a Car?
You’ll do well if you:
want to explore beyond Halifax
enjoy slower, more meaningful travel
value flexibility
don’t want to drive unfamiliar rural roads
You may struggle if you:
expect European-style public transportation
arrive without any plan for getting out of the city
or assume everything is connected by train
A little forethought makes a huge difference here.
Why Alternative Routes Is Different
Most tour companies offer:
a few hours in each place
on their schedule
with no chance to stay longer
Alternative Routes is a tour-transport hybrid. We exist so people can actually move through Nova Scotia, not just visit it briefly.
We offer:
transportation between towns
flexible passes
routes designed to support real communities
and the freedom to build your trip as you go
It’s not a bus tour.
It’s not a rental car.
It’s the in-between that makes everything else work.
Planning Your Trip?
If you’re looking for:
the best way to get around Nova Scotia without a car
a flexible way to reach coastal towns
or a more sustainable, human way to travel
Hop-on hop-off transportation might be exactly what you’re after. See below for options :)
Our Hop-On-Hop-Off Passes
Explore our range of services designed to help you move forward with confidence, wherever you're headed next.
