By car
Waterloo Region is generally a car-centric community, and it's usually straightforward to drive from one point to another. Parking is usually free and abundant, except around the University of Waterloo and at some special events.
By bus
Grand River Transit (http://www.grt.ca/) is the public transit authority in the region. It operates over 50 routes that serve many different areas of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo. Major destinations such as Downtown Kitchener and Galt where bus terminals are located, major malls, and the two universities are well-served by bus, and traveling between these locations by bus is often reasonably fast and convenient. However, travelling by bus between other locations is generally much slower than driving. Due to the extra time public transit takes and the general car-friendliness of the region, if you brought your car you probably won't be taking the bus unless you're going Oktoberfesting or the like.
Buses usually operate on 30-minute schedules, but service may be more frequent during rush hour, or less frequent during off-peak hours or weekends many routes have no Sunday service. So, schedules are useful; online copies can be found at (http://www.grt.ca/web/tra...) and print copies of all schedules can be obtained at the bus terminals and at the universities, or acquired piecemeal on buses. Each bus stop sign also lists a phone number that can be called to get an automated message giving the next arrival times.
Cash fares are $2.50. Discount tickets 5 for $8.00 are a good value if you're going to be taking the bus at least a few times. They can be purchased at many locations around the region. If you plan on riding the bus a lot, you may want to consider purchasing a monthly pass. When paying your fare, you may request a transfer which allows you to transfer to any bus route within 90 minutes of paying your fare. You can use a transfer to enable you to pay only a single fare while making long-distance one-way trips or shorter round trips.
For long-distance travel around the region, consider taking the iXpress (http://www.grt.ca/web/tra...), a limited-stop express bus that travels between Conestoga Mall in Waterloo and the Ainslie Street terminal in Cambridge Galt.