Halifax International Airport is about a 20-30 minute drive from the city or longer, depending on where you’re starting out.
There is an Airport shuttle run by Maritime Bus that you can get from the airport to various downtown Halifax hotels, with two stops in Dartmouth, one at a hotel just outside of the main city and one at a hotel in the Dartmouth center near the local bus terminal. This bus runs a regular schedule from May 1 to October 3, with departures from the airport from 4:45 am to 10 pm. Off season, the bus only goes from the airport to the Westin Halifax and the train station in downtown Halifax and only runs between the morning and evening rush hour, not overnight. The service is “on demand,” so it will only drop you off or pick you up if you have a reservation. The service is “ticketless” which means the driver has a list and checks you off upon boarding.
You have to buy tickets at the transportation booth in the airport or online. You cannot buy tickets from the driver. This bus also goes to some of the universities. If you need to get into Dartmouth, you might want to consider Metro Transit, the local bus, which takes you to the main Dartmouth transit terminal.
Metro Transit has launched a low-cost airport service as an alternative to the airport shuttle that services downtown hotels. It’s handicap accessible and only makes a few stops between the airport and downtown. It stops in near the airport hotels, a park and ride lot in Fall River, at the Dartmouth bus terminal, and behind Scotia Square.
Be warned, though, there is very limited luggage space. You also have to put your own bags on and off the bus – drivers will not help you for safety reasons.
Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about the airport shuttle in Halifax.