A surprising number of guests still ask the desk whether they must fill in ArriveCAN before driving into Ontario from New York. The question is a hangover from the pandemic years, when the app was compulsory. In 2026 ArriveCAN is optional and does a narrower job, and for a crossing at the Rainbow, Lewiston-Queenston or Peace Bridge it does nothing at all.
The American side has its own crowded shelf of apps with similar names, which is where real confusion now lives. NiagaraFallsLimo.net crosses these bridges with guests every day, so this is our plain sort of the official apps, checked against the government pages in October 2026.
Do you still need ArriveCAN to cross at Niagara?
No. ArriveCAN's Advance Declaration is optional and works only when you land at ten participating Canadian airports, so it plays no part at the Niagara bridges. With NiagaraFallsLimo.net, the Rainbow Bridge is about 2 km (1 mi) from Fallsview; carry valid documents and book the crossing in the online booker.
What every passenger does need, app or no app, is valid identification for the country they are entering. No app replaces a passport, a NEXUS card or the other documents each country accepts.
What ArriveCAN does in 2026
According to the Canada Border Services Agency's ArriveCAN page, the app's main feature now is Advance Declaration: you complete your customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours before a flight, then confirm it at a kiosk or eGate on arrival.
The participating airports are Vancouver (YVR), Toronto Pearson (YYZ, Terminals 1 and 3), Montréal-Trudeau (YUL), Winnipeg (YWG), Halifax (YHZ), Québec City (YQB), Calgary (YYC), Ottawa (YOW), Edmonton (YEG) and Billy Bishop Toronto City (YTZ). A few rules apply:
- It is optional. Travellers who skip it declare at the kiosk or eGate as usual.
- It cannot be used with NEXUS kiosks.
- A declaration not confirmed at a kiosk or eGate within 72 hours expires.
- Users can reach Advance Declaration express lanes, and CBSA says confirming at the kiosk is up to 50% faster.
So ArriveCAN is useful to a Niagara visitor in exactly one situation: flying into Pearson or Billy Bishop from abroad on the way to the Falls. Our Toronto Pearson transfer page explains where the chauffeur meets you after that.
Why it does nothing for you on a Niagara bridge
No land crossing appears on the participating list. When the car reaches the CBSA booth on the Canadian side of the Rainbow Bridge, the officer asks questions in person, looks at each passenger's document and decides. A completed declaration on your phone is not part of that process.
Coming into Canada by land does have one pleasant simplification for international visitors: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says that in most cases travellers from eTA-required countries do not need an eTA when arriving by car, bus, train or boat. The eTA is for boarding a flight to Canada. Visa-required nationals still need a visitor visa by land. Our post on the Canadian eTA for visitors flying into Toronto covers the flying case, and documents for entering Canada lists what each passenger shows at the bridge.
Canadian residents returning home from a day in Buffalo or Lewiston face the same in-person process. There is no app to pre-declare a shopping bag at a land crossing, so have receipts handy and know the rules: CBSA says personal exemptions do not apply to same-day cross-border shoppers, which means purchases from a one-day trip are declared and may be taxed. Stays of 24 hours or more bring a CA$200 exemption, and 48 hours or more bring CA$800, as of 2026. Our post on duty-free shopping at the Niagara bridges goes through the limits.
The American apps, one by one
US Customs and Border Protection publishes its official apps in a mobile apps directory. Several have similar names, and a couple are regularly mixed up.
CBP Link. A single portal for several CBP services, including applying for a provisional I-94 and checking border wait times. This is the app that matters for an international visitor driving south across the Niagara River.
CBP Home. An app for non-citizens to notify the US government that they intend to depart the United States. It is not an I-94 app and is not how you apply for entry. Older articles that describe CBP One becoming CBP Home and then CBP Link as one renamed app are wrong for today's purposes; treat CBP Link and CBP Home as separate tools.
CBP Border Wait Time. Estimated waits to reach the primary inspection booth at US land crossings, by lane type. CBP's own FAQ says the app refreshes every five minutes but the time shown can be up to an hour old. Our comparison of border wait time tools explains how to read it alongside the Canadian figures.
Mobile Passport Control. Speeds up processing for eligible travellers entering the United States. CBP's Mobile Passport Control page lists airports, seaports, preclearance locations and four land ports, all of them in Washington State and for pedestrians. None is at Niagara, so do not count on it at the bridges.
Trusted Traveler mobile app. For members of programmes such as NEXUS and Global Entry, aimed at airport travel.
The provisional I-94 on CBP Link
Visitors who are not US or Canadian citizens usually need an I-94 record when entering the US by land. CBP's I-94 page says I-94s at land borders are now issued electronically, with no paper stub, and encourages travellers to apply in advance using CBP Link or the I-94 website. Points to know before the trip:
- The fee is US$30 at a land border, as of 2026, paid when you apply.
- A provisional I-94 does not admit you. You must still present yourself for inspection in person, and CBP says the provisional record expires unless you do so within seven days.
- Visa Waiver travellers need an approved ESTA before arriving at a US land border. The ESTA fee is US$40.62 from 16 October 2026.
- Fill it in at the hotel, not at the plaza. A phone fumbling for payment details in a slow queue helps no one.
Our international visitors page and our post on visa requirements for seeing both sides of the Falls put the I-94 in context, and documents for entering the USA lists accepted documents by citizenship.
What to have on your phone before a crossing
A short, practical list for a Niagara day trip:
- CBP Link, if anyone in the car needs an I-94 for the US side.
- CBP Border Wait Time or the bwt.cbp.gov website, for US-bound queues.
- The CBSA border wait times page in your browser for Canada-bound queues; it is a web page, not an app.
- The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission traffic page and the Peace Bridge mobile page, which show conditions on their own bridges in both directions.
- Photos of every passenger's document, as a backup only. Officers want the real document.
Our border wait times page links each official source.
Scams and look-alike services
The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission warns on its crossing information page that it does not ask for unpaid balances by text message. Treat any text demanding a toll payment as a scam.
The same caution applies to apps and forms. Download apps only from the links in the official CBP directory or canada.ca, and apply for an ESTA or I-94 only through CBP's own sites and apps. If a website wants a "processing fee" for ArriveCAN, close it: the app itself is free and optional.
Chauffeur vs rideshare vs taxi for this trip
A typical short crossing from Fallsview to Niagara Falls, New York and back. Times exclude the border queue.
| Mode | Door-to-door time (Fallsview to Prospect Point, NY) | Cost note | Luggage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-booked chauffeur | About 10–15 min each way (5.6 km / 3.5 mi) | Fixed fare via booker, tolls handled by the driver | SUV takes bags and strollers | Families, international visitors with documents to manage, a timed return |
| Rideshare | Uncertain; many drivers will not cross | Surge pricing | Depends on the car | Local trips on one side only |
| Taxi | Similar drive if the cab crosses | Metered | Trunk space | One-way local runs |
| Walking the Rainbow Bridge | About 25 min on foot from Clifton Hill | Pedestrian toll US$1.00 or CA$1.25 as of 2026 | What you carry | Light travellers in good weather |
| Driving yourself | Same as chauffeur plus parking | Fuel, parking, car toll into Canada | Your car | Visitors with their own car and documents |
Our verdict: for one or two fit adults with a passport each and nothing to carry, walking across the Rainbow Bridge is a fine, inexpensive way to see the American Falls. A rideshare is a weak choice for any international leg, since many drivers will not cross. A pre-booked chauffeur makes sense when a family has strollers, when the group includes visitors who need an I-94, or when you want the car waiting for the return. The chauffeur vs taxi vs rideshare guide compares the options for other trips.
Booking it with NiagaraFallsLimo.net in 3 steps
- Enter both sides of the river. Your hotel as pickup, the US address as drop-off, or a return trip, with dates and times.
- Choose the vehicle. Every class shows its fixed fare; pick by passengers and bags.
- Finish and pay. Add passengers, child seats and extras, pay securely, and the confirmation comes by email.
Then sort the apps: CBP Link for anyone who needs an I-94, nothing at all for ArriveCAN. The cross-border car service page and how to book a limo explain the rest.
Who it suits
Individuals arriving from overseas get a driver who has seen every combination of passport, I-94 and NEXUS card at the booth. Couples on a short break can cross for dinner on the American side without studying app stores. Families appreciate having one adult manage the documents while the chauffeur manages the queue. Groups of mixed nationalities, a common sight at the Falls, benefit most: one car, everyone's papers ready, and an officer who sees an organised vehicle. The border crossing hub has every bridge and rule in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Is ArriveCAN mandatory in 2026?
No. CBSA describes Advance Declaration in ArriveCAN as optional. It lets you submit your customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours before a flight into one of ten participating Canadian airports, then confirm it at a kiosk or eGate.
Can I use ArriveCAN at the Rainbow Bridge or the Peace Bridge?
No. No land crossing is on the participating list. At the Rainbow, Whirlpool Rapids, Lewiston-Queenston and Peace bridges, you declare in person to the CBSA officer at the booth.
Which app do I use for a US I-94 at Niagara?
CBP Link. CBP encourages travellers who need an I-94 to apply in advance through CBP Link or the I-94 website. The land-border fee is US$30 as of 2026, and you must still be inspected in person within seven days.
Is CBP Home the same as CBP Link?
No. CBP Home lets non-citizens tell the US government they intend to depart the country. CBP Link is the portal for services such as a provisional I-94 and border wait times. Use CBP Link for entry.
Does Mobile Passport Control work at the Niagara bridges?
Not as of October 2026. CBP lists four land ports for Mobile Passport Control, all in Washington State and for pedestrians. It also works at many airports and preclearance locations, so it may help on the flight home.
Do international visitors need an eTA to drive into Canada from New York?
In most cases, no. IRCC says travellers from eTA-required countries generally do not need an eTA when arriving by land; the eTA is needed to board a flight to Canada. Visa-required nationals still need a Canadian visitor visa.
Which app shows Niagara border wait times?
CBP's Border Wait Time app and bwt.cbp.gov show US-bound waits. For Canada-bound waits, use the CBSA border wait times web page. The bridge operators publish their own traffic pages for both directions.
