Toronto Transportation

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I am convinced that the logo for the subway was created by a man ......... who else would come up w/ the phrase 'Ride the Rocket'?

Regardless of this bad marketing campaign, I found the subway/metro very easy to use. For about $2.50CDN you can go just about anywhere in Toronto, and into several suburbs. In addition to taking the subway about town a teeney bit, I took it out to Missisauga to meet up w/ some non-VT friends too!

My only complaint about the subway system is that unless you already KNOW where the stations are, they are difficult to find ..... on side streets and such. Having just come from Washington DC, where their Metro stations are clearly marked with a nice, simple, 'M' - I found the TTC logo difficult to spot. One station I used was under an apartment building / indoor mall, I would never had found it if I hadn't had a wonderful local as a guide! Oh, and just noticing all those folks walking in the same direction helped too :)

Once you are ON the subway ... it is easy to navigate with well marked signs for connections and a nice breeze to keep me cool. BTW- I was taking this one morning during rush hour and there was a medical emergency up ahead. So we sat on the tracks for a bit ... made it to a station ... and were instructed to disembark as our train was being redirected back the way it had come. After standing on the platform for a bit, we were instructed to reboard the SAME train we had just exited to continue our journey! Hassle though it was, I was also impressed with the order and the professionalism of the staff and other passengers during all of this mess.

So, I recomend the subway as a way to get around .... just watch where you get off so you can find the station again later :)

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A fast, efficient way to get around Toronto is on the Metro. The TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION (TTC) is one of the largest, safest and most efficient transportation systems in North America. Family/Group day passes and unlimited day passes are available.
Whether you are travelling within downtown Toronto or commuting to and from other parts of the city and surrounding communities, you'll find Toronto well served by a number of inexpensive public transit options.
Cash fares are $2.50 for adults, $1.70 for seniors (65 years of age or over) or students (13-19) and .60 for children (12 and under).
Discounted tokens can be purchased in multiples of five and ten i.e. five tokens cost $10.00.
Hans and I bought a day pass for Saturday. It was $8.00 and it was good for 2 adults all day Saturday.

The Airport Express takes you to 8-9 Downtown spots. A round trip ticket costs a little over $26. It's quite a bargain. The shuttle leaves every 30 minutes and is very efficient. I'd highly suggest this method over a cab.

Here's a tip...taking a limo from the airport to Toronto is about as much as a regular taxi. Some car services are better than others, though (and, yes, they all have the same prices). My favorite is Airport Limosine Services (416-225-1555). At the limo stand the ambassador (guy who directs you to a car) will want you to get into the next available limo (which is actually a Lincoln TownCar in most cases) but I insist on Airline Limo Servives (I just say that my company has an account so I need to take them).

Reasons to choose them:

(i) they wear a hat...like a real driver
(ii) they are polite and don't
(iii) talk incessantly on their cell phone while driving or
(iv) try to press you to talk if you're in more of a de-compression or restful mode and
(v) they know their way around the city.

Ya, my Latin is quite brutal.

Anyhoo, if you're parking in Toronto take a look down the road for a parking ticket machine. Many streeets do not have meters for individual stalls; you have to get a ticket (like in a parking lot) from a machine a few meters away and display it on your dash).

If you come from British Columbia, as I do, you'll think that a flashing green light means "pedestrian controlled crossing"...but in Ontario (as well as Washington State) it means "left turn" at an intersection. Obviously, this could lead to some confusion as one drives across the country.

The public transport system in Toronto is extremely efficient. Traveling by public transport can still take a long time due to the vastness of the city. You should therefore plan your route and feasibility beforehand. Also, the bus and subway is part of the same system, so you don’t pay when going from one to the other. From subway to bus, you take a transfer. From bus to subway, the bus takes you to an entrance where you can go directly to the trains. The subway and bus system is part of a system called TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) Be advised that certain buses that travel beyond certain boundaries are not part of the TTC and you would pay extra for using these buses. They are usually a different color too.

It is easiest to fly into Pearson airport. It is served by all of the world's major airlines and is then only a short ride into downtown Toronto. Toronto is also served by an excellent train and bus network.
It is easy to walk around Toronto, but there is a fast and efficient subway system and the street cars are good too.