Sometimes, but it is rarely the best choice. Prices in Hamilton are in Canadian dollars, and while some shops, restaurants and attractions near the border accept US cash, they set their own exchange rate and give change in Canadian money. Cards and tap-to-pay work almost everywhere. Ontario adds 13 % HST to most purchases. Your HamiltonLimo.net fare is fixed in Canadian dollars and paid by card at booking.
Can I use US dollars in Canada, and in Hamilton specifically?
You can offer them. Whether a business accepts them is up to the business. Canada's currency is the Canadian dollar, and there is no rule that a shop must take US cash. In Niagara Falls, where American visitors are a large share of customers, many businesses do. In Hamilton, a working city an hour further from the border, fewer do, and those that do usually apply a rate that favours the shop.
This post is the money chapter of our arriving from the USA section. It covers cash, cards, fees, tax, tipping and how paying for a chauffeured ride works, so you can leave most of your US cash at home.
Why US cash usually costs you more
When a Canadian business accepts US dollars, it chooses the exchange rate on the spot. That rate is typically rounder and less generous than the one your card network uses, and your change comes back in Canadian coins and notes you may not want. On a $20 lunch the difference is small; over a weekend of meals, parking and souvenirs it adds up.
If you want a reference rate before you travel, the Bank of Canada publishes daily exchange rates. Compare it with what a shop offers and the cost of paying in US cash becomes obvious.
Cards and tap-to-pay: the easy default
Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards are accepted almost everywhere in Hamilton, from coffee shops on James Street North to parking machines, museums and wineries. Contactless tap is standard, and phone wallets work at most terminals. American Express is accepted in many places but not all, so carry a second card.
Two things to check before you leave home:
- Foreign transaction fees: some US cards add a percentage to every purchase abroad; many travel cards do not.
- Your card's fraud settings: a sudden run of Canadian purchases can trigger a hold; a travel notice or app setting avoids it.
"Pay in US dollars?" Say no at the terminal
Some card terminals offer to charge you in US dollars instead of Canadian. It sounds helpful. It usually is not: the conversion is done by the terminal provider at its own rate, which is often worse than your card network's rate. The general rule for travellers is to choose Canadian dollars and let your own bank convert the charge.
The same applies at ATMs that offer to "lock in" a conversion. Decline, withdraw in Canadian dollars and check your bank's own foreign ATM fee before you go.
Canadian cash in thirty seconds
- Coins: 5, 10 and 25 cents, the $1 "loonie" and the $2 "toonie". There is no penny.
- Rounding: cash totals are rounded to the nearest 5 cents; card payments are charged to the exact cent.
- Notes: $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100, printed on polymer and colour-coded by value.
- ATMs: widely available at banks and in shopping centres; bank-branded machines generally have lower fees.
The Royal Canadian Mint and the Bank of Canada describe the coins and notes in detail. A small amount of Canadian cash, say $40–60, covers the occasional cash-only market stall or tip.
HST: why the price at the till is higher than the shelf
Ontario applies the 13 % Harmonized Sales Tax to most goods and services, and in Canada shelf and menu prices are normally shown before tax. A $50 dinner becomes $56.50 before the tip. Some items, such as basic groceries, are zero-rated.
Visitors often ask about a tax refund at the border. Canada ended its general visitor rebate programme in 2007. A narrower Foreign Convention and Tour Incentive Program still applies to some convention and tour-package purchases, but ordinary shopping and restaurant bills are not refunded. Budget with the 13 % included.
Tipping in Hamilton
Tipping customs are close to those in the US. Restaurant servers usually receive 15–20 % of the pre-tax bill, bartenders a dollar or two per drink or a similar percentage, and hotel housekeeping a few dollars a night. Card terminals often suggest percentages; you can choose a custom amount.
For our service there is nothing to calculate: gratuity is already included in the fixed all-in fare. If a chauffeur goes well beyond the booking, an extra tip is welcome but never expected. Our chauffeur tipping and etiquette guide explains the details.
Paying for your ride from the US to Hamilton
Every HamiltonLimo.net fare is a fixed figure in Canadian dollars, paid by card in the reservation engine when you book. Your card issuer converts the charge. There is no cash at the curb, no toll to settle on the bridge and no tip to work out at the end.
| Pickup to downtown Hamilton | Distance | Drive time | Business sedan (CAD, all-in + HST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara Falls NY airport (IAG) | about 80 km | 65–90 min | $325–400 |
| Buffalo airport (BUF) | about 105 km | 80–110 min | $375–465 |
| Rochester NY | about 210 km | 2.5–3.25 h | $650–800 |
| Detroit | about 300 km | 3.25–4 h | $940–1,150 |
| New York City | about 690 km | 7.5–9 h | $2,375–2,875 |
These are planning figures; the engine quotes the exact address, date and vehicle. The origin pages start with Buffalo to Hamilton.
What a Hamilton weekend costs to budget for
Rather than invent prices, here is the structure to budget for, in Canadian dollars, plus 13 % HST:
- Getting here: a fixed car fare, or a flight plus the airport transfer.
- Getting around: an hourly chauffeur at $120–145 an hour for a sedan (three-hour minimum, all-in plus HST), taxis, or HSR buses.
- Hotel: priced per night plus taxes; see our downtown Hamilton hotels guide.
- Food and drink: menu prices plus HST and tip.
- Attractions: many list admission online; check before you go.
A four-hour sedan block, which covers a waterfall tour and dinner, is $480–580 all-in plus HST.
Money at the border
The border has its own money rules. CAN$10,000 or more in currency or monetary instruments must be reported when entering or leaving Canada, and the US has an equivalent US$10,000 threshold. Keep receipts for goods you bring to leave in Canada, such as gifts, because the officer may ask their value. The CBSA site lists what visitors can bring duty-free.
Our post on what Americans need to enter Canada covers documents, and the border crossing guide covers declarations in both directions.
Where cash still helps
Hamilton is a card-friendly city, but a few places still prefer cash or have card minimums: some stalls at the Hamilton Farmers' Market, small food vendors at festivals, and the odd independent coffee counter. HSR buses take fares in Canadian dollars; the HSR site lists current payment options. Many parking machines take cards; check the machine before you walk away from the car. A small float of Canadian cash, kept separate from your US bills, avoids awkward moments.
A US visitor's money plan, start to finish
- Tell your bank you are travelling; check foreign transaction and ATM fees.
- Bring two cards from different networks.
- Get $40–60 Canadian from an ATM after you arrive, or carry a little from home.
- At every terminal, choose to pay in Canadian dollars.
- Budget with 13 % HST and a 15–20 % restaurant tip.
- Keep receipts for anything you will declare going home.
- Book your ride direct: one fixed fare in Canadian dollars, gratuity included.
Nearby cities and hotels, same rules
The same money rules apply across the region. In Niagara Falls, Ontario, more businesses accept US cash, but their rates vary just as much. In Burlington and Toronto, US cash is rarely taken outside hotels and tourist spots. If you are staying near the airport, our post on hotels near Hamilton airport covers the options on the Mountain.
Common money mistakes we see
- Exchanging a large sum at the border. Booth exchange counters rarely beat a card.
- Paying in US dollars at the terminal. Choose Canadian dollars every time.
- Forgetting HST when comparing prices. Canadian shelf prices exclude tax; add 13 %.
- Tipping on a fare that already includes gratuity. Ours does; check other services' terms.
- Carrying a pocketful of US coins. Canadian businesses almost never take them.
- Leaving with a wallet of Canadian change. Spend it on coffee or at the duty-free before you cross back.
Business visitors: receipts and expense reports
Corporate travellers from the US need clean receipts in a currency their expense system understands. Our reservation engine issues a receipt in Canadian dollars with HST shown separately, and your card statement shows the converted US amount. Companies that send staff to Hamilton often open a corporate car service account, so every trip is billed to one account with consistent receipts. Hotels and restaurants provide itemised receipts on request; ask for one with the HST line shown if your finance team needs it.
How to book direct
Book on HamiltonLimo.net's own reservation engine through the floating "Book now" button or the booking page. The engine shows the fixed all-in fare in Canadian dollars, with HST on its own line, before you confirm; your card issuer handles the conversion. No app, no surge, no marketplace commission. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10 % within 72 hours, 50 % within 48 hours and 100 % within 24 hours or for a no-show. Cross-border details are on our cross-border limo page.
