Getting Around Toronto

Driving in Toronto is, in a word, aggravating. Rush hour can strike anytime, whether it’s nine in the morning or ten o’clock on a Saturday night. One of the worst highways for traffic congestion in Toronto, the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) is also the only highway that travels through Toronto north to south. The 401 is the main highway, cutting a direct path from east to west through the north end of Toronto. With constant congestion, sixteen lanes of traffic, and those disconcerting tire marks on the highway dividers, the 401 intimidates both locals and tourists alike. Watch your exits - if you are driving in the express lanes, you might miss your off-ramp. If you are unfamiliar with Toronto streets, drive in the Collector lanes. The 407, meanwhile, runs in a parallel line to the 401 throughout Toronto. The 407 is a toll highway, so expect a cheque in the mail when you return from your trip. The QEW and the 403 lead into Toronto from the west, while the 427 and the 409 run from the airport into the city. And the 400 runs north out of town. If you manage to get your car into the downtown core, you’ll discover that parking is expensive and hard to find. Whether you are heading to a museum or a restaurant, your best bet is public transit.

Public Transit

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) runs the public transit system in Toronto. The city’s subways, streetcars, and buses mostly run in a grid pattern, heading east to west and north to south. The Yonge-University-Spadina Subway cuts a giant U-shape across Toronto. From the northern area of Yonge Street and Finch Avenue East, the line heads south to Union Station, then travels north again to the Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue West area. The Bloor-Danforth Subway runs east to west along Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue. The Sheppard Subway also runs east to west along Sheppard Avenue East. And the L-shaped Scarborough RT line runs north before turning east, taking riders out of Toronto and into Scarborough. In the downtown core, the TTC runs 11 streetcar routes along the major roads, including Queen, Lakeshore, and Spadina. And everywhere the streetcar doesn’t run, the TTC buses do. The TTC runs over 140 bus routes in and around the city. Most buses stop running at 1:00 a.m.. Some routes are on the Blue Night Network; buses with blue lights make stops all night, from 1:30am to 5am. With such a large network of subway lines, streetcar lines, and bus routes, the TTC estimates that most areas of Toronto are only a five to seven minute walk away from a transit stop. For more information on TTC fares, visit http://www3.ttc.ca/.

GO Transit

GO Transit is like an upscale version of the TTC. With comfortable, coach-style buses and spacious three-storied trains, you can travel into the downtown core in style. Bus routes and train lines cross all over southern Ontario, making GO Transit the ideal travel option if you are staying outside the city. Fares are based upon distance - the farther you travel, the more you pay. Seniors, students, and children can expect to pay less than the full adult fare. To see a detailed map of GO Transit’s bus routes and train lines, visit www.gotransit.com.

Via Rail

Via train routes span the country, from Vancouver to Halifax. Several train routes cross southern Ontario; from downtown Toronto’s Union Station, you can travel to Sarnia, Windsor, and Niagara Falls. Direct trains also depart for Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver. Via Rail operates out of Union Station, located at 65 Front Street West across from the Royal York Hotel. For fare and route information, visit www.viarail.ca.

Toronto Pearson International Airport

National and international flights arrive and depart from Pearson’s two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. The airport is actually in nearby Mississauga; getting from Mississauga to Toronto requires a bit of effort. If you are driving into the city, you can take the 427 or the 409. You can catch a taxi or limo at the Arrivals Level of both terminals. Or you can save money by taking public transit. The TTC’s 192 Airport Rocket bus brings travellers to Kipling Station in 20 minutes. And GO Transit runs a bus service from Terminal 1 to Yorkdale subway station; the trip takes 30 to 35 minutes. For more information on Pearson, visit www.gtaa.com.

Toronto City Centre Airport

Porter Airlines operates out of this small airport located on the Toronto Islands, across the water from the downtown core. Regional flights depart from the island airport to nearby cities like Montreal and New York. The ferry is the only transportation link to the airport; check Toronto’s ferry schedules online at http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/. To see a complete listing of destinations, visit Porter Airlines’ site at www.flyporter.com

Toronto Map CA

Public Transit GO Transit Via Rail Pearson Airport City Centre Airport

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