Airport enquiries tel 248-2125.

Bike rental Rent-A-Bike, 1 Rideau St, at the back of the ChA?teau Laurier hotel (tel 241-4140, rentabike@cyberus.ca ).

Bookshops Chapters, 47 Rideau St (tel 241-0073), has a fine selection of Canadian literature and non-fiction. The Book Market, on the corner of Dalhousie and Rideau sts, buys and sells secondhand books (tel 241-1753). A World of Map and Travel Books, 1235 Wellington St (tel 724-6776), specializes in travel books. Mother Tongue Books, 1067 Bank at Sunnyside (tel 730-2346), are feminist, First Nation, gay and countercultural specialists.

Bus information Local: STO (Hull tel 819/770-3242); OC Transpo (Ottawa tel 741-4390). Long-distance: Voyageur Colonial and Greyhound (tel 238-5900).

Camping equipment The Expedition Shoppe, 43 York St (tel 241-8397).

Car rental Discount, downtown at 421 Gladstone and Kent (tel 234-0809); Hertz, Queen at Lyon in the Crowne Plaza Hotel (tel 230-7607) and at the airport (tel 521-3332); National, 226 Queen St (tel 232-3536) and at the airport (tel 737-7023).

Dental emergencies tel 563-1000.

Embassies Australia, 50 O'Connor St (tel 236-0841); Ireland, 130 Albert St (tel 233-6281); Netherlands, 350 Albert St (tel 237-5030); New Zealand, 99 Bank St (tel 238-5991); UK, 80 Elgin St (tel 237-1530); US, 490 Sussex Drive (tel 238-5335).

Gay Ottawa Gayline Information & Counselling (tel 238-1717).

Ice hockey From Sept to April, the Ottawa Senators play NHL games at the new 18,500-capacity Corel Centre, 1000 Palladium Drive, Kanata (tel 755-1111), about 15km southwest of downtown. Single game tickets on tel 755-1166.

Internet access Chapters, 47 Rideau St (tel 241-0073); AE Internet CafA© , 288 Bank St at Somerset (tel 230-9000).

Laundry Rideau Coinwash, 436 Rideau St (daily 8am-10pm; tel 789-4400).

Left luggage There are coin-operated lockers at the train and bus stations.

Pharmacy Rideau Pharmacy, 390 Rideau St (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun noon-6pm).

Post office Postal facilities at Rideau Pharmacy, 390 Rideau St (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun noon-6pm).

Taxis Blue Line tel 238-1111; Capital Taxi tel 746-2233.

Ticket agency Ticketmaster, 112 Kent tel (755-1111).

Train information VIA rail tel 1-800/361-1235. Local tel 244-8289.

Travel agencies Algonquin Travel, 90 Sparks St (tel 237-9200); Club Adventure, 115 Parent Ave (tel 789-8000); Thomas Cook, Eatons, Rideau Centre (tel 563-3838).

Weather For up-to-date weather details, call 998-3439.

Women's Ottawa Rainbow Women's Center, 211 Bronson Ave (tel 567-9822), is the place to go for contacts. Useful in emergencies are the Sexual Assault Support Centre (tel 234-2266) and the Rape Crisis Centre (tel 562-2333).