Toronto’s public transport system is expansive and designed to meet the travel needs of residents, both students and non-students. With its interconnected routes, GO trains, off-road paths, subways, bike trails, and streetcar lines, Toronto City offers different ways to get around.
Quad at York student residence has well-lit walking paths to ensure access to various transport options. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate Toronto, Canada’s largest city.
The city is served by the Toronto Pearson International Airport. This is one of Canada’s principal airports, with connections to nearly every continent. Managed by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Pearson International Airport ranks among the top 30 modern airports in terms of aircraft movements and passenger traffic.
After being cleared by customs, take the Union-Pearson Express (UP Express) from the Toronto Pearson International Airport. This is a dedicated express rail that connects Toronto Pearson Airport and Union Station. UP Express departs every 15 minutes and can get you to downtown Toronto within 25 minutes. Enjoy free onboard WiFi during your trip. Remember, you’ll pay a fare of up to $12.35, depending on the type of your pass and your destination.
Toronto’s public transit system is well developed, featuring a range of travel options for students. The Toronto Transit Commission is the largest local transit agency and operates one of the transit systems in North America.
In addition, Union Station is the largest and busiest multi-modal transit hub in Canada and connects over 300,000 travellers daily to their destinations. There’s also the Toronto Parking Authority, which offers convenient on-street and off-street public parking and cycling options throughout the city.
Whether you’re planning a trip or need a quick ride, the TTC is a convenient and cost-effective option, especially for students. Here are the various transit options.
The TTC subway comprises three major subway lines: Yonge-University (Line 1), Bloor-Danforth (Line 2), and Sheppard (Line 4). Note that Line 3 is a series of buses serving Toronto to Scarborough. Each RT line has unique service hours and specific extended hours on weekends. Therefore, it’s recommended to check the travel schedule before arriving at the subway station to avoid inconveniences.
In addition to the subway, TTC operates shuttles, buses and streetcars. The latter facilitates easy and convenient travel in the east-west and north-south routes. On the other hand, buses cover an extensive network of highways and roads throughout Toronto. Shuttle buses are usually deployed during streetcar or subway closures. Therefore, you should keep an eye on the subway and streetcar service alerts.
The TTC also operates the Blue Night Network, a late-night bus service, which runs from 01:30 to 05:00 (and 08:00 on Saturdays) on major routes. Keep in mind that it offers transit access once the subway service ends and may overlap with early morning subway service.
GO Transit is a regional public transit service for the Greater Toronto Area. It offers transit services to downtown Toronto and nearby areas, carrying more than 70 million travellers annually. GO Transit has many vehicles, such as train cars and buses, to make your trips more comfortable and accessible.
On February 26th, 2024, Ontario’s One Fare Program expanded to include the TTC. That means you can get free TTC fare when you connect with GO Transit. Similarly, the One Fare Program allows you to transfer for free when traveling between GO Transit and other local transit options. This makes long trips easier and more affordable for students and other commuters.
Some of the local transit systems participating in the One Fare Program include:
Note that TTC was recently added to this list of the transit systems participating in Ontario’s One Fare Program. Remember, GO e-tickets aren’t eligible for the One Fare transfers. Therefore, if you intend to switch subway lines, buses, or streetcars and want to use the One Fare system, you may want to avoid the GO e-tickets.
You should take a ferry to get to Toronto Island. Ferries to the island operate out of Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, commonly known as the ferry terminal or ferry docks. The terminal is located at 9 Queens Quay W., at the intersection of Bay Street and Queens Quay West – 100 meters south, just behind the Westin Harbor Castle.
The Toronto Island ferry terminal is often serviced by the 509 and 510 streetcars, which connect to the subway system through the Union Station. If you intend to arrive by VIA train or GO train, you can walk from the Union Station to the ferry docks within 15 minutes.
The Jack Layton Ferry Terminal offers ferries, waiting shelters, and terminal washrooms, which are accessible to all passengers, including those using mobility-assisted devices. Strollers, wagons and bicycles are welcome onboard the train, although they must be kept on the main deck away from emergency exits, staircases, doors, and hatch ramps.
The ferry ticket price includes your return trip. That means you don’t have to show a ticket on your return trip. You can purchase a ferry ticket online or at the ferry terminal (from a ticket booth). Payment options include Visa Credit Card, cash (at the terminal only), American Express Credit Card, and MasterCard Credit Card.
Online ticket holders often enter the terminal through a separate line, particularly during peak periods. So, it’s recommended that you pay attention to such announcements at the ferry terminal. Lastly, round-trip ticket prices vary depending on the type of ticket, monthly pass, and discounts.
There are different ways you can pay for fare as a student traveling in Toronto. PRESTO is the most convenient way to pay your fare. A PRESTO card costs about $4 at any fare vending machine at TTC stations. Alternatively, you can buy it at TTC’s Customer Service Center, Shoppers Drug Mart, or online at prestocard.ca.
Some students often loan a virtual PRESTO card to their mobile wallet at no extra charge. The virtual card works the same way as a physical one – just set a specific fare type, add funds or your monthly pass, and tap your PRESTO card to pay your fare.
Every PRESTO card is automatically set to deduct an adult fare. You should change your fare type so that your card can deduct post-secondary or youth fare. To make such changes, you will need to take your virtual PRESTO card (your device) or your physical card to the TTC Customer Service Center or Shoppers Drug Mart to get your card reset.
Here are student fares you should know:
There’s no pay-as-you-go PRESTO fare for post-secondary students – it is the same as adult PRESTO pay-as-you-go fare. If you opt for a monthly pass system, a Youth 12-Month Pass loaded to your PRESTO card costs $117.45, while a Youth Monthly Pass costs $128.15. Remember, the youth fare type should be set on your card before you load a 12-Month Pass or Youth Monthly Pass.
All students 16 to 19 years old must have a valid driver’s license, school photo ID card, or Ontario Photo Card. They should be ready to show any of these identification documents to a TTC employee when requested to do so. Youths aged 13 to 15 don’t require any identification document, while kids aged 12 and below can ride for free.
To plan your Toronto trips effectively, you need to be getting real-time updates related to your preferred transit system. That’s why you should follow TTC’s official Twitter (currently known as X) accounts to stay informed about arrivals, route planning, and any service interruptions. You can also check TTC’s website before starting your journey to be sure there are no alerts or service changes that will affect your trip from a university to your student residence negatively.
It’s also recommended to download a mobile app that offers professional support for planning trips. Although TTC doesn’t have an app, the Triplinx app was launched by Metrolinx and has a user-friendly interface. You can also use third-party trip-planning apps such as Google Maps. The right app should provide insightful information (or insider tips) for efficient trip planning.
Toronto is renowned for its safety and easily navigable streets, making it a destination for people from all parts of the world, including international students. Whether you want to walk or use a bicycle on downtown streets, you can do so safely. There are also ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft, as well as taxi companies that help travelers connect to nearby train stations or TTC bus stations.
To ensure your safety while traveling, consider installing the Safe TTC App. It allows you (TTC customer) to quickly and discreetly report safety concerns, suspicious activity or harassment to the TTC’s control center directly. You can use this app to provide a detailed report of a situation or incident that you observed on the TTC system.
Whenever you need help while in a TTC station, visit a DWA (Designated Waiting Area) and use the intercom on any elevator or platform to contact the station staff – they can provide immediate and professional help.
On your TTC trip, you may notice blue priority seating areas within TTC buses or subway cars. Such seats are designated for seniors, expectant women, passengers with disabilities, and other passengers who may need assistance. If you’re seated in these blue seats and a passenger who qualifies for priority seating boards, it’s respectful and courteous to offer them your seat.
Life in Toronto is a lot of fun, but finding a place to stay can sometimes be overwhelming. Contact us to find out more about luxury student residence located at York University.
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