Toronto Public Transportation Guide for Visitors

TTC Subway trains in Toronto

Toronto Subway :

A convenient way to get around Toronto is by the TTC subway.

TTC Subway Hours :

TTC Subways run 6 a.m. until 1:30 a.m. Mon-Sat.
On Sundays, they run from about 8 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.

TTC Subway Tickets :

You can purchase ticket tokens which is a small coin at manned collector booths at the entrance of the subway station or, Vending machines using a cash, debit card or credit card.

Manned collector booths at Toronto subways stations will accept debit and credit cards for amounts for minimum $10 or more.

You can use a Pass or a Presto card which is a reloadable card used to pay for rides on all TTC modes of transportation.  
Just tap your card on the card reader at the entrance at TTC Subway Station in Toronto.  

TTC Subway Lines/Routes :

The TTC has 4 subway lines :
 - Yonge-Universtiy (yellow) or 1 Line
 - Bloor-Danforth (Green) or 2 Line
 - Scarborough ( Blue) or 3 Line
 - Sheppard (Purple) or 4 Line

The main lines through the city of Toronto are the Yonge-University yellow line ( travels in an odd U shape North and South), and Bloor-Danforth Green line ( runs east and west through downtown)

In Toronto Subway, stops are announced in English and French in addition to electric routes signs inside the subways.

If your trip involves connecting routes and requires a transfer, in subway stations you can get a paper transfer ticket from the Red color automated transfer machine after you pay your fare and pass through the turnstiles.

- In Toronto, many TTC subway stations are connected to TTC bus stations.
- One can easily use a paper transfer to catch a bus to your destination (and vice-versa)
- Transfers are time sensitive and must be used for a continuous trip.
- Transfers are not good for stopovers, or return trips and must be used where two routes meet.
- In some cases two routes operate near each other but do not serve the same intersection and do not have any stops in common.
  In these cases, where specifically identified, transfers can be used to transfer between routes at the walking transfer locations.

TTC also offer directions for points of interest in the city.

TTC Bus in Toronto

Toronto Public Bus :

In Toronto, TTC buses go everywhere and are good options during non-peak times.

You can pay fares for Buses or Streetcars by ticket, token, PRESTO card, Passes, transfer or exact cash. 
Operators do not sell fares or carry change.

All TTC buses have PRESTO readers installed.
When you board the bus:
 - Tap your PRESTO card on the card reader at the front of the bus when you board.
 - Tap your card again if you are making transfers to another bus, streetcar, or subway.

If you are paying by cash, ticket, or token you should take a transfer from the operator/Bus Driver as your Proof-of-Payment.

TTC Streetcars in Toronto

Toronto Streetcar :

TTC also offers 11 streetcar routes within city limits in Toronto which run 24 hours a day

Toronto Streetcar also share stops with TTC buses and subway stops for easy transfer.  

All Toronto streetcar make announcements for the route and destination to customers waiting at each stop.
Look for the display of route and destination on vehicle’s front, side, and rear of streetcar.

Note:  Some streetcars in Toronto are wheelchair accessible.
Accessible streetcars have the blue international wheelchair symbol on the side of the vehicle at the second door, and blue lights on the front of the streetcar.

To pay for your fare TTC StreetCars need Proof-of-Payment is any of the following:
 - Valid Transfer
 - Metropass
 - Weekly Pass
 - Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Weekly Pass
 - Day Pass
 - E-Ticket
 - Convention Pass
 - Validated TTC Ticket
- PRESTO card (after tapping when boarding)

Passengers with can board the TTC Bus in Toronto through any door.
Toronto Public Bus Passengers paying with tickets, tokens, or cash should board through the front doors and get a transfer.

Presto and E Ticketing in Toronto

Presto and E Ticketing in Toronto :

Presto card are a reloadable, smart and Stored value Card used to pay for rides on Public transportation in Toronto like :
- TTC buses(some),
- Toronto subways (some), and
- Toronto Street Cars (all). Not currently accepted on all routes, will be in place on all modes of TTC by the end of 2016.

Pre-loaded PRESTO cards ($20 including $6 issuing fee) are available at the following stations:

TTC Pass Vending Machines: Please note that only adult PRESTO cards are dispensed from Pass Vending Machines.
• Bay
• Main Street
• Queen's Park
• Union

Gateway Newsstands
• Bathurst
• Bloor-Yonge
• Broadview
• Dundas
• Spadina

In person at Customer Service Center at Davisville Station, 1900 Yonge Street,

E-Ticketing option using the TTCconnect app on your iOS or Android device.
Note: You must have an iOS or Android device to use an E-Ticket with the TTC.

Toronto Public Transport Pass options

TTC also offers Week and Day Passes for Toronto visitors.
But make sure you will travel enough on the TTC modes of transport in Toronto to make the cost worth the price.

The passes include Unlimited travel on all TTC services.
However extra fare required for Downtown Express routes or contracted routes operated by the TTC outside the City of Toronto.

Toronto Public Transport Day Pass for family is currently around CAD $12.50.

Group / Family Day Passes are available for use on Saturday, Sunday, or statutory holidays.
Passes are valid from the date shown on the pass until 5:30 a.m. the next day.
Day Pass allow:
 - 1 adult and not more than 5 youths 19 years of age or under; OR 
 - 2 adults and not more than 4 youths 19 years of age or under; OR
 - 2 adults

Authorized TTC fare sellers

There are over 1,200 Authorized TTC Fare Sellers in Toronto at places like 7-11 stores.
Search for the nearest authorized TTC Fare sellers near you.

Bike Rentals in Toronto

You can also rents bikes for the day through Bike share Toronto. 
They have 200 bike stations within the city of Toronto.

Toronto Union Station:
GO Transit and VIA Rails for Greater Toronto Area

Toronto Union Station is main hub for transportation in Toronto Located on Front Street West in downtown Toronto.

Toronto Union station is connected to:
- Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway and streetcar system,
- GO Transit's commuter train station,  
- Union Station Rail and GO Bus Terminal, and
- long distance VIA Rail as well as Toronto Coach Terminal (bus terminal) by way of the underground PATH mall.

GO Transit is the regional public transit commuter service for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. 
Go Transit offers convenient and affordable train and bus services. 
Go Transit is a popular way to get to Niagara Falls from Toronto using their train and bus combo (both run by Go Transit).

At union station in Toronto you can purchase tickets at Vending machines or ticket counters or use your Presto Card.

VIA Rail Canada operates long distance trains all throughout Canada.  
They offer the following routes from Toronto:
 - Toronto-Niagara Falls
 - Toronto-Montréal
 - Toronto-Ottawa 
 - Toronto-Kingston 
 - Toronto-Windsor 
 - Toronto-Sarnia
 - Toronto-London

The Toronto Coach Terminal is the central bus station for inter-city services.  
It is connected to the PATH underground mall.  
It operates bus services for Coach Canada and Greyhound Canada.

Toronto Hop-On/ Hop-Off Buses

 If you prefer not to deal with public transportation, try a hop-on hop-off bus tour like CitySightSeeing Toronto.