Long-Distance Stretcher Transport in Southern Ontario
Toronto to Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston, London, Barrie, Niagara and the routes in between.
A long trip lying down asks more of a person than a short one, so we plan the drive, the stops, meals and comfort with you before the day. The hours on the road should feel calm and predictable for your loved one and for you.
TWO TRAINED ATTENDANTS
BED-TO-BED TRANSPORT
COORDINATED PICKUP & ARRIVAL
COMFORT FOR THE JOURNEY
PRICE CONFIRMED BEFORE BOOKING
Routes we travel
These are the corridors we cover most often. Times are typical driving times; planned stops are added on top.
Montreal ↔ Toronto (about 5.5 hours)
Ottawa ↔ Toronto (about 4.5 hours)
Kingston ↔ Toronto (about 2.5 hours)
London ↔ Toronto (about 2 hours)
Barrie ↔ Toronto (about 1.5 hours)
St. Catharines ↔ Toronto (about 1.5 hours)
Whether a trip is long-distance depends on where it starts and where it ends, so the quickest way to know is to send us both addresses. We travel further than this list, including Northern Ontario on a case-by-case basis.
Types of Long-Haul Stretcher Transportation Aurevia Supports
Long-distance trips come in a few different shapes.
Each one is planned differently, so here's how we think about them.
City to city across Southern Ontario
Most of our long-distance trips connect Toronto and the GTA with other cities in Southern Ontario, in both directions, and between those cities too.
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Eastern Ontario: Ottawa, Kingston, Belleville, Brockville, Cornwall, Peterborough
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Southwestern Ontario: London, Windsor, Sarnia, Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Stratford, Woodstock, Chatham-Kent
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Niagara and the Golden Horseshoe: St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Brantford
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North of the GTA: Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood
Typical trips: coming home after a long hospital stay, moving to a care home closer to family, or travelling to a specialist in another city.
Between provinces
We travel between Ontario and Quebec, including to Montreal and Gatineau, for families moving a loved one closer to home or returning after treatment.
Trips to other provinces can be arranged on request.
Interprovincial trips take a little more planning: both facilities confirmed in advance, care documents ready to travel with your loved one, and a schedule built around the longer drive.
We handle the coordination with you.
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Coming home by air ?
When a loved one is flying home after a hospital stay somewhere else, whether in another province or abroad, the flight is only half the journey.
We meet them at the airport and bring them bed-to-bed to home, hospital or a care residence, timed to the arrival.
If a travel insurer is arranging the flight home, let them know you'd like Aurevia for the ground transfer. We coordinate the handover directly with them, or with the medical escort or flight team, so you aren't stuck relaying messages between everyone
How Aurevia Long Distance Transportation Works
1
Send a booking request.
The online form takes a few minutes, and we follow up the same day with a confirmed price for your route.
2
Plan the trip together.
A short planning call covers comfort, stops, food, medication and who's waiting at the other end. You receive a written trip summary.
3
Pickup.
The crew arrives in the confirmed window, moves your loved one from bed to stretcher and sets up their comfort before leaving.
4
On the road.
An attendant stays in the back, stops happen as planned, and you hear from us along the way if you've asked for updates.
5
Arrival.
We bring your loved one to their bed, stay until they're settled and hand over to the one receiving them.
Driving for the person in the back
Every bump, brake and turn feels bigger from a stretcher. Our crews drive with that in mind: gentle starts and stops, slower turns, and a steady, unhurried pace on the highway.
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Before a long trip, the crew checks the weather and road conditions along the whole route. On the road, they adapt as conditions change. That means slowing down in rain or snow, leaving more room in heavy traffic, and taking a different route when a closure or a rough stretch of road would make the ride harder on your loved one. Our crews follow Aurevia's driving guidelines for long-distance trips.
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If the forecast makes a trip unsafe, we'll call you before the day to talk about timing. Arriving a little later and comfortable is always the better result.
Before the trip: we plan it with you
After you book, we have a short planning conversation with you (or with the care team, if you'd prefer). We ask travellers about their needs ahead of time for a reason. Knowing the person makes the trip go better. We'll ask about:
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How comfortable your loved one is lying flat, and whether they travel better with their head raised
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Medications that fall due during the trip
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Washroom needs and how they're usually managed
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If applicable, meal preferences and any diet instructions
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Whether they tend to feel carsick, cold or warm
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What helps them feel settled: quiet, music, a blanket from home, a familiar voice
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Who is waiting at the destination, and whether you or they would like updates while we're on the road
You will receive a trip summary before travel, so everyone involved is working from the same plan.
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Stops, meals and fresh air
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Every long trip has stops planned into it. Even a two-hour drive gets a break upon request. Stops are time for the washroom, a meal, medication and some fresh air, and for a short walk if your loved one is able.
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Everyone's body is different, and we plan around that. If your loved one needs more stops than usual, that's fine. Nobody on our crew will question a stop or suggest to avoid one. We will plan supplies and equipment together with you ahead of time if needed, so the trip stays comfortable and dignified.
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On longer trips, such as Ottawa or Montreal, meal stops can be planned ahead of time.
During the transfer
Here's what your loved one can expect once we're on the road.
Set up for comfort before we leave
Extra pillows and padding go under the heels, hips and lower back, where hours of lying still are felt most. A blanket comes too. The crew adjusts the setup whenever it stops feeling right.
Someone beside them the whole way
An attendant rides in the back, seated beside the stretcher, for the entire trip. They check on comfort, position and how your loved one is feeling, and help with small shifts in position along the way to ease pressure.
A calm cabin
The temperature is set before departure and adjusted on request. Lights can be dimmed for rest. Your loved one can ride in quiet or listen to their own music. If they're prone to carsickness, we position them to help and keep fresh air and supplies close.
Stops that are planned
Breaks for the washroom, meals, medication, fresh air and a short walk are built into the schedule. If your loved one needs another one, just say so. No one will question it.
Updates when you want them
If it would put your mind at ease, or help the person waiting at the other end, tell us during planning and we'll keep you posted on the road. And you can reach us at any point during the trip, including evenings and overnight.
When plans change
A discharge runs late, the weather turns or your loved one needs a longer rest. The crew adjusts, and we call you to agree on the new timing. You won't be left guessing.
Who arranges long-distance transfers
Families managing care across distance are the people we hear from most. A parent discharged from a Toronto hospital who needs to get home to Ottawa. A loved one moving closer to family after a long hospital stay. A family in a smaller city arranging a trip to a Toronto specialist.
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Discharge planners and social workers coordinating a move outside the GTA, who need both ends handled without being the go-between.
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Clients booking for themselves, often for recurring appointments at a Toronto facility when they live outside the city.