Discussion on defining district borders for Toronto is in progress. If you know the city pretty well, please share your opinion on the talk page.

For other places with the same name, see Toronto (disambiguation). Toronto is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — have a look at each of them.

Location Flag Quick Facts Government Single-tier municipality of Ontario Currency Canadian Dollar($) Area 7,125 km2(Metro included) Population 2,615,060 (2011 est.) Language Official;English

Spoken;French, Italian, Chinese languages Religion n/a Electricity 120V/60Hz ( plug) Time Zone UTC-5/-4

Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. Famous for its Toronto Pride Week [www.pridetoronto.com], Toronto has a population of 2.8 million, and it is at the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) which contains a further 6.2 million people in total. The city is the anchor of the Golden Horseshoe region, which wraps around Lake Ontario from Toronto to Niagara Falls and totals over 8.5 million residents, approximately a quarter of Canada's entire population. Toronto is the fourth largest city and fifth largest urban agglomeration in North America.

Spawned out of post-glacial alluvial deposits and bluffs, the area was populated at different times by Iroquois and later Wyandot (Huron) peoples. The settlement by Europeans started with the French building a seldom occupied fort near today's Exhibition grounds in the mid-1700s, then grew out of a backwoods English trading post established as York in 1793 (reverting to the current name Toronto in 1834). Later in the 19th century, it grew to become the cultural and economic focus of Canada. Owing largely to the country's liberal immigration policies starting in the 1960s, and the region's strong economy, Toronto has, in recent decades, been transformed into one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse cities in the world. More than 80 ethnic communities are represented, and over half of the city's residents were born outside Canada.

Districts [ edit ]

Covering more than 600 square kilometres, Toronto stretches some 32 kilometres along the shores of Lake Ontario, and includes a dense, urban core surrounded by an inner ring of older suburbs followed by an outer ring of post-war suburbs. The city is laid out on a very straightforward grid pattern and streets rarely deviate from the grid, except in cases where topography interferes such as the indented, curved Don River Valley and to a lesser degree the Humber and Rouge valleys at opposite ends of the city. Some main thoroughfares do intersect the grid at angles. The six Toronto districts are:

Old Toronto (Downtown, West End, East End, Midtown, Islands)

Downtown Toronto is the heart of this urban core, with Yonge Street running almost directly in the middle of this district. Etobicoke

Etobicoke is largely composed of industrial factories and suburban homes. The area is home to Sherway Gardens, Woodbine Racetrack, and St George's Golf Course. York

York is formerly a separate municipality. It is one of the most ethnically diverse areas of Toronto. East York

East York was formerly a semi-autonomous borough. It is largely residential, with some commercial and parkland areas. North York

North York is home to Parc Downsview Park, Canada's first national urban park, Downsview Airport and the North York Performing Arts Centre. Scarborough

Scarborough is largely suburban, but retains much of its own character and flavour. Because of the topography of the Bluffs, the Rouge Valley, and other creeks and minor tributaries, Scarborough is said to be the greenest and leafiest part of Toronto.



Mississauga, located to the immediate west of Toronto, is a large suburb. Travellers should note that Pearson Airport is technically in Mississauga. Accordingly, some airport-adjacent hotels will have a Mississauga address, and public transport in Mississauga is a separate system from Toronto's, with a separate fee structure.

Understand [ edit ]

In 1998, the cities of Toronto, Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, and York and the Borough of East York amalgamated to form the current City of Toronto. This is also known as Metropolitan Toronto or "the 416" after its area code (although now there are some new area codes, the majority of landline phone numbers in the Toronto area are still "416"). The city has a population of over 2.6 million people, of which more than half were born outside Canada: a fact immediately obvious to any visitor, as the city has many vibrant bustling neighbourhoods with street signs in several languages.

Toronto and its surrounding suburbs are collectively known as the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Outlying suburbs are also known as "the 905" after their area code, although technically this code is also used in both Hamilton and the Niagara Region, stretching to the border within Niagara Falls. The entire area including Toronto is known as the "Golden Horseshoe" and has a population of over 8 million people. Distances between cities in the area can be great as it sprawls along, outward and even wraps around the western end of Lake Ontario. Public transit is not always effective enough for a quick or seamless trip and many suburban residents rely on motor vehicles to get around.

A popular urban myth has it that the United Nations rated Toronto as "the most multicultural city in the world." While the UN and its agencies are not in the habit of rating cities, it remains a fact that Canada is a nation of immigrants, and Toronto demonstrates this abundantly. A UN agency lists Toronto as second only to Miami as the city with the most foreign-born residents, but Toronto's residents represent far more cultural and language groups, which is arguably a better measure of multi-culturalism. Most immigrants either pass through Toronto on their way to other parts of the country or stay in Toronto permanently. Many people born abroad consider themselves, and are considered, to be as Canadian as native born Canadians, and asserting or behaving as though otherwise is considered offensive, especially so in Toronto. This contributes to the overall cultural mosaic that is Toronto today. Within Toronto, most ethnic groups will work their way into the fabric of Canadian society but some still retain their distinct ways such as language, dress (if only for special occasions), custom, and food.

As a result of this cultural mosaic, Toronto is home to many ethnic festivals throughout the year. Toronto also boasts several radio stations that broadcast in various languages and at least two multicultural television channels. The City of Toronto officially deals in 16 different languages, while the public transit agency Toronto Transit Commission offers a help line in 70 languages. Even large department stores such as The Bay in downtown Toronto proudly advertise service in nine languages. The lingua franca of Toronto, however, remains English.

Climate [ edit ]

Climate Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Daily highs (°C) -1 0 5 12 18 24 27 26 21 14 8 2 Nightly lows (°C) -7 -6 -2 4 10 15 18 18 14 7 2 -3 Precipitation (mm) 61 51 66 70 73 72 68 80 83 65 76 71 See the Toronto 7 day forecast at Environment Canada

Toronto's climate on the whole is on the cool side and variable conditions can be expected. Downtown temperatures average -3.8°C (25°F) in January, but the extreme cold experienced further north typically lasts less than a week at a time. Despite this, come prepared. Winters are still cold and mostly cloudy, at some times snowy and uncomfortably windy and at other times, damp. At times, severe storms can impact flights into and out of the city, as well as slow down transportation and activities in the city for a day or two.

The city experiences warm and humid summers with an average high of 27°C (80°F) and a low of 18°C (65°F) in July/August, with many muggy evenings, but rarely extreme heat. The historical annual average of the temperature exceeding 30°C (86°F) is 12 days, but this number has roughly doubled over the last decade. The sun shines more often than not in the summer, but brief thunderstorms occur from time to time, usually lasting less than an hour and bringing heavy rains.

The best times to visit for the weather are late spring/early summer or early fall, with comfortably cool nights and less crowds. Mid-summer is the peak tourist season, but visitors will find that Toronto's vibrancy extends throughout the winter with outdoor ice rinks and bundled up clubgoers. Air conditioning and heating are standard in Toronto's public buildings.

Visitor information [ edit ]

Sports teams & arenas [ edit ]

Toronto has several major league sports teams:

Toronto Argonauts [62] - Canadian Football League, play at BMO Field.

Toronto Blue Jays [63] - Major League Baseball, play at Rogers Centre (originally called SkyDome).

Toronto Maple Leafs [64] - National Hockey League, play at the Scotiabank Arena (originally called Air Canada Centre).

Toronto Raptors [65] - National Basketball Association, play at the Scotiabank Arena (originally called Air Canada Centre).

Toronto Rock [66] - National Lacrosse League, play at the Scotiabank Arena (originally called Air Canada Centre).

Toronto FC [67] - Major League Soccer, play at BMO Field.

Toronto Wolfpack [68] - Rugby League team. Play at Lamport Stadium in the top division of the European Super League.

Toronto Marlies [69] - American Hockey League (Toronto Maple Leafs farm team). Play at the Ricoh Coliseum.

Ontario Blues [70] - Canadian Rugby Championship. Play at Fletcher's Fields.

The Scotiabank Arena, previously named Air Canada Centre, 40 Bay St, [71]. Most local signage has not yet been changed to reflect the new name.

The Rogers Centre, 1 Blue Jays Way, [72]). Often referred to by its original "SkyDome" name by locals, and on signage throughout the city.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ]

Airline Terminal Guide Terminal Airlines 1 Air Canada (incl. Express & Rouge), Austrian, Avianca, Brussels, Copa, EgyptAir, Emirates, Ethiopian, Etihad, EVA Air, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Sunwing, TAP Portugal, TUI Netherlands, Turkish, United (incl. Express) 3 Aer Lingus, Aeromexico, Air France, Air Transat, Alitalia, American (incl. Eagle), British Airways, Caribbean, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, Condor, Cubana, Delta (incl. Connection), El Al, Finnair, Fly Jamaica, Hainan, Iberia, Icelandair, KLM, Korean Air, Miami Air, Pakistan International, Philippine Airlines, Qantas, SATA International, Saudia, WestJet (incl. Encore)

Toronto Pearson International Airport (IATA: YYZ) [73] is located 28km (17 miles) northwest of downtown and is served by most major airlines. This is Canada’s largest and busiest airport and is the main hub for Air Canada and WestJet. There are two terminals: Terminal 1 hosts Air Canada and other Star Alliance airlines, along with Emirates, as the terminal is the only one with facilities for the A380 it operates. Terminal 3 hosts SkyTeam and Oneworld alliance airlines, along with WestJet, Air Transat, and other unaffiliated airlines. Free WiFi internet access is available throughout both terminals.

There is a free Terminal LINK monorail that runs 24/7 which connects you to Terminal 1, Terminal 3 (incl. the Sheraton Gateway Hotel), and Viscount Station (incl. the Value Park garage, Value Park lot, and the ALT hotel). In Terminal 1, it is located on level 5 of the parking garage. In Terminal 3, it is located in the pedestrian bridge.

Once you’ve arrived, your ground transportation options include car rentals (all the majors), public transit (UP Express, TTC, Brampton Transit, MiWay, Go Transit), out-of-town van services, taxis, limousines, and ride hailing services by Uber and Lyft. See below for ground transportation details:

UP (Union Pearson) Express, [74] is a modern express train that takes you to downtown Toronto in 25 minutes, every 15 minutes. It runs from 5:30am to 1:00am daily and is picked up at Terminal 1 next to the Terminal LINK train. Seats are not assigned and are available on a first come first serve basis. Amenities include power outlets, luggage racks, and WiFi. Stops along the route are the Weston GO station (Weston), Bloor GO station (Dovercourt-Wallace Emerson-Junction), and downtown's Union station (Canada's busiest rail hub). This train connects with other public transit systems in Toronto. You can access GO Transit. Weston has direct access to TTC buses as no TTC subway or streetcar route go near it. Bloor and Union have direct access to TTC subways, buses, and streetcars. UP Express tickets are not valid on GO Transit or TTC services. Fare varies depending on your travel distance and age and is lower with a prepaid Presto (transit) card. Tickets can be purchased online, on your mobile device, and at vending machines or service counters at the station. eTickets will be emailed to you, which you can then print to present on the train or display it on your mobile device. Tickets purchased on the train cost an extra C$2.00 (credit card only). Tickets can be used any day until they expire. Visit the UP Express website for operating times and route maps.

TTC (Toronto Transit Commission), [75] is the main local public transit system in Toronto and operates three bus routes from Terminals 1 and 3. The 192 Airport Rocket bus offers express service to Kipling station (Bloor-Danforth subway line 2) in Toronto's west end. Luggage racks are available. Transit time is approx. 25 minutes. The 52A Lawrence West bus drives east to Lawrence West station (Yonge-University subway line 1), and continues east to Lawrence station (Yonge-University subway line 1), stopping at bus stops along the route. Transit time is approx. 55 minutes to Lawrence West station and 1hr 5min. to Lawrence Station. The 300A Bloor-Danforth bus provides overnight service southbound to Burnhamthorpe Road (at Hwy 427), then east along Bloor Street West and Danforth Avenue until Warden Avenue, stopping at bus stops along the route. Transit time to Bloor Street West & Yonge Street (Yonge-University subway line 1) is approx. 45 minutes. C$3.25 (C$2.90 with a prepaid Presto card) for adults. Seniors and students pay C$2.00 (C$1.95 with a prepaid Presto card). Children under 12 ride free. Fare is paid in the bus. If connecting onto another TTC bus, streetcar, or the subway, ask the driver for a paper transfer so you don't pay the fare again at the transfer point. The transfer is valid at transfer points on the day of issue for a one way, continuous trip. Visit the TTC website for operating times and route maps.

GO Transit, [76] is the main interregional bus service in Ontario and operates two bus routes from Terminal 1. Route 34 travels east to the Finch GO bus terminal in North York; transit time is approx. 30 minutes. Bus stops include the Yorkdale bus terminal and the North York bus stop (Sheppard Ave at Yonge Street). Route 40 travels east to the Richmond Hill Centre bus terminal in Richmond Hill; transit time is approx. 25 minutes, and west to the Hamilton GO Centre train and bus station in Hamilton; transit time is approx 1hr. Bus stops include Square One (Mississauga) and Trafalgar Road at Hwy 407 (Oakville). Fare varies depending on your travel distance and age and is paid to the driver in cash or by using a prepaid Presto (transit) card, which lowers the fare. The bus connects with the Toronto, Mississauga, and Hamilton public transit systems, however you'll have to pay extra to ride them. Visit the GO Transit website for operating times and route maps.

MiWay [77] is the main local public transit system in Mississauga and operates three bus routes from the airport. Route 7 - Airport departs from Terminal 1 (ground level). Heading north, its final stop is the Westwood Mall bus terminal; transit time is approx. 25 minutes. Heading south then west, its final stop is the City Centre bus terminal (Square One); transit time is approx. 35 minutes. Route 107 - Malton Express departs from the Viscount monorail station. Heading north, its final stop is the Humber College North Campus; transit time is approx. 25 minutes. Heading south then west, its final stop is the City Centre bus terminal (Square One); transit time is approx. 25 minutes. Route 24 - Northwest departs from the Viscount monorail station. Heading north, its final stop is the Westwood Mall bus terminal; transit time is approx. 25 minutes. Heading south, its final stop is the Skymark Hub; transit time is approx. 10 minutes. C$3.50 (C$1.65 - C$2.90 depending on your age with a prepaid Presto card) for adults, students, and children. Seniors pay C$1.00 (C$1.90 with a prepaid Presto card). Fare is paid in the bus. If connecting onto another MiWay, TTC, Brampton Transit, York Region Transit (VIVA), Oakville Transit, Burlington Transit, or Hamilton Street Railway bus, ask the driver for a paper transfer so you don't pay the fare again at the transfer point. The transfer is valid at transfer points for 2hrs for a one way, continuous trip. Visit the MiWay website for operating times and route maps.

Brampton Transit [78] is the main local public transit system in Brampton and operates one bus route from the airport. Route 115 - Airport Express departs from Terminal 1 (ground level). Heading north, its final stop is the Bramalea bus terminal; transit time is approx. 25 minutes. C$3.75 (C$2.50 - C$2.80 depending on your age with a prepaid Presto card) for adults, students, and children. Seniors pay C$1.00 (C$1.55 with a prepaid Presto card). Fare is paid in the bus. If connecting onto another Brampton Transit, MiWay, York Region Transit (VIVA), Oakville Transit, Burlington Transit, Hamilton Street Railway, or Durham Region Transit bus, ask the driver for a paper transfer so you don't pay the fare again at the transfer point. The transfer is valid at transfer points for 2hrs for a one way, continuous trip. Visit the Brampton Transit website for operating times and route maps.

Taxis and Airport Limousines [79] can take you wherever you want to go. You can pick them up on the arrivals level of any terminal. To be safe, avoid hiring drivers soliciting inside the terminals or asking you to follow them to the parking garage or any other location. All vehicles are fully licensed to ensure they meet specific safety requirements and that you are charged fair and consistent rates. Within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), rates are predetermined based on the time and distance to your destination. Fares to destinations outside the GTA cost more. C$53 for a taxi to downtown. C$58 for a limousine to downtown. You can pay in cash or with a credit/debit card. Visit the airport's website for current taxi and limo tariff maps. Any area that is not listed on the map will be charged C$1.45/km for taxis, or C$1.55/km for limos. You should ask the driver to confirm the fare from the tariff chart before leaving the terminal.

Uber or Lyft can both take you to anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area. You need to have their apps installed on your phone and accounts set up to use their services, and if you don't have cellphone data, you can connect to Pearson Airport's free wifi. All their car types are available at the airport, meaning if you use their lowest-priced option (e.g. Uber X), you can get to downtown Toronto for much less than a taxi. According to their websites, Uber can get you to downtown starting at $33, while Lyft can get you downtown starting $45. Follow the instructions within their apps to get to the meet up location with your driver.



Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport, (IATA: YTZ), [80], (commonly known as "The Island Airport" by locals), handles short-haul regional flights only. Its main tenant is Porter Airlines [81], a low-cost carrier that operates flights using turboprop planes to many cities in eastern Canada (Halifax, Moncton, Mont Tremblant, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Sault Ste. Marie, St. John's, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Windsor) and the northeast United States (Boston, Burlington, Chicago/Midway, Myrtle Beach, New York/Newark, Pittsburgh, Washington/Dulles). Air Canada [82] provides service to Montreal. One of the main benefits of flying into this airport is its proximity to the downtown core. Upon landing, you can be downtown within ten minutes.

An accessible pedestrian tunnel connects the airport terminal to the mainland. Ferry service is also available. It is just 121 m (397 ft) and the world's shortest regularly-scheduled ferry route. It operates between TCCA and the mainland every 15 minutes, 6:45AM-10:07PM. Don't worry, you don't have to buy tickets or anything, you just look for the line (there are separate pedestrian and car lines) and board when directed to do so. If you are renting a vehicle at YTZ, National and Avis are on the mainland, while Hertz is actually on the island meaning you will get to experience driving on and off the ferry. Once on the mainland, a free shuttle bus connects the terminal with the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, across the street from Union Station.

TTC Streetcars are available a short walk north from the mainland ferry terminal. Route 511 Bathurst provides service north along Bathurst, to Bathurst subway station. Route 509 Harbourfront travels east along the waterfront (Queen's Quay) to Union Station. Both routes end a short distance to the west at Exhibition Place. However, the most convenient connection to TTC Subway and GO Transit services are via the free shuttle to Union Station.

Hamilton International Airport, (IATA: YHM), [83], located about 80 km from downtown Toronto and Niagara Falls, is served by WestJet and CanJet. This airport is served by the ((Hamilton Street Railway)) from the the Hamilton GO Station (36 Hunter Street East) where you can catch a GO commuter bus to Union Station in downtown Toronto ($9.50 one-way). Buses run every 30 minutes. A taxi from downtown Hamilton to the airport is about $25.

For frugal travellers coming from the United States, Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, (IATA: BUF), [84], is another option. Flights to Buffalo tend to be significantly cheaper than to Pearson. Megabus, [85], has varying prices and requires early booking. They run from the Buffalo Airport to Toronto. The trip takes 3 hours, including the border crossing. Rental cars are available at the airport if you prefer to do the drive yourself. Buffalo Airport Limo [86] offers a flat rate of $175 to downtown Toronto from BUF.

Private aviation [ edit ]

Most private flights will utilize Toronto City Airport (YTZ) for its proximity to downtown Toronto, and Pearson has five private FBO terminals (Maxwell Aerospace, Signature Flight Support, SkyCharter, SkyService, The Aerospace Centre) and Customs & Immigration services for international travelers. In addition to these airports, Buttonville Municipal Airport (IATA: YKZ) [87] and Burlington Executive Airpark (ICAO: CZBA) [88] offer two additional options for air taxi and general aviation. Air charter companies like Jet Charter Canada arrange aircraft rentals at each airport in the Greater Toronto Area, with planes ranging from single & twin engine Cessna's to business jets and luxury Gulfstreams.

By bus [ edit ]

Intercity bus [ edit ]

The main bus terminal in Toronto, the Toronto Coach Terminal (also known as Bay Street Terminal or the Metro Toronto Coach Terminal), is used for intercity coach travel and is served by Greyhound, Coach Canada, New York Trailways, and Ontario Northland.

The bus terminal's main entrance is on Bay Street immediately north of Dundas and the terminal's departures building takes up the northern half of the block bounded by Bay Street, Dundas Street, Edward Street, and Elizabeth Street; the arrivals building is located immediately across Elizabeth Street from the departures building. The departures building is connected by the underground PATH walkway system to Dundas subway station on the Yonge line via the Atrium on Bay shopping centre. The terminal is also several blocks east of St Patrick subway station on the University-Spadina line. Unlike Union Station, the bus terminal has lockers in which people may store luggage. The cost is $5 for 24 hours and you must get a token from one of the token machines located next to the lockers. The lockers are located in the hallway connecting the departures building with the arrivals building. Storing items in lockers overnight is not advisable as break-ins are common at night. Certain items too large to fit in a locker may be stored in the information booth at an extra cost.

The bus terminal in Toronto is very poorly designed, forcing passengers to queue in a space that is little more than a shed with walls on two sides, as a result passengers queueing are forced to inhale the diesel exhaust fumes from the coaches as well as endure the cold winters and hot summers. In addition, there are often queues so long for the commuter coaches that they block other coaches from reaching their platforms. Platforms are also poorly marked, and it is not difficult to queue up for the wrong bus. Do not hesitate to ask anyone for help. Most people in the terminal have plenty of experience with it and understand how difficult it is to navigate. Arrive at the terminal at least 30 minutes before your coach is scheduled to depart. You can avoid the hassle of having to purchase tickets at the terminal; it is generally faster to buy tickets online if possible. If you must purchase tickets at the terminal, be wary of peak travel periods, as the line can take up to 20 minutes. But be aware that Greyhound tickets purchased at the terminal can be used at any time (although they may have blackout periods) while tickets purchased online force you to reserve on a certain bus.

Greyhound Quicklink, [90], is a subsidiary of Greyhound that provides commuter services between Toronto and cities immediately outside the range of GO transit. Services run to Kitchener, Guelph, Barrie, Peterborough, St. Catharines, and Niagara Falls.

Ontario Northland, [91], provides service from the northern parts of Ontario.

Shuttle, [92], transports groups of people throughout all Ontario as well as Buffalo and Montreal.

Coach Canada buses to Montreal and Greyhound buses to Peterborough and Ottawa also stop at the Scarborough Centre bus station to the east of central Toronto, this station lies on the Scarborough RT mass transit line. Greyhound buses to Kitchener, Guelph, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Buffalo, and New York and Coach Canada buses to Buffalo and New York also stop near Union Station, either in front of the York Street entrance to the Royal York Hotel or on University Avenue north of Wellington Street. Two new, heavily-discounted services between Toronto and New York City now operate from the sidewalk in front of the Royal York Hotel, across the street from Union Station. Both advertise electrical connections at each seat, wi-fi, movies, and more legroom than traditional buses. If purchased far enough in advance, tickets can be found for $1 although in reality, most seats range from $15 to $50.

Megabus, [94], provides service from New York City, Buffalo, Buffalo-Niagara Airport, Philadelphia, Syracuse and Rochester to the sidewalk in front of the Royal York Hotel. Megabus runs two buses a day from the Royal York, as well as two buses a day from the bus terminal, buses from the bus terminal run to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, while buses from the Royal York run to Penn Station in New York. Megabus also provides service twice daily from Washington, D.C.

Ne-On, [95], is a service operated jointly by Greyhound USA and New York Trailways that runs two buses a day from the Royal York Hotel to the New Yorker Hotel in New York.

Commuter bus [ edit ]

GO Transit, [96], runs the commuter transit network in the Greater Toronto Area. Their bus services are designed to supplement their commuter trains, most of which run only during rush hour. When the trains are not running, GO runs buses on the same route. Most GO buses run to the Union Station Bus Terminal, adjacent to Union Railway Station. GO Transit also operates services to bus stations at several subway stations, including: Yorkdale Mall, Finch, York Mills and Scarborough Centre.

By train [ edit ]

All scheduled passenger trains in Toronto run into and out of Union Station [97], which is located at 65 Front Street, between Bay and York Streets. Opened in 1927, Toronto's Union Station is generally considered to be one of the grandest, most impressive train stations in North America; with an enormous great hall, the ceiling rising to a height equivalent to seven stories. Despite this impressive hall, most of the activity in the station takes place in the underground concourses which link the commuter rail platforms with the subway station. The great hall is still used for purchasing intercity rail tickets with a row of ticket booths and several ticket machines. The train station is served by a subway station with the same name, accessible from the GO concourse. The main intercity concourse is accessed from the great hall, but all commuter rail platforms are accessed from the underground GO Transit concourse, as is the Union Station Bus Terminal across the street. The GO Transit concourse is accessed by taking any one of the three large staircases in the great hall or directly from the subway.

Union Station is undergoing a significant renovation and heritage restoration, scheduled to conclude in 2017. While work is in progress, some areas may be inacessible. Detours are in effect between the subway station and the concourses. Follow posted signs or ask a fellow traveller for directions.

Most intercity rail travel in Canada is provided by VIA Rail, [98]. Union Station is one of VIA Rail's main hubs and connects several of their lines. Railway lines operated by VIA Rail out of Union Station include:

Corridor—This is VIA's busiest line running from Windsor and Sarnia in the southwest to Quebec City in the northeast. Regular trains run from Toronto directly to Montreal, Ottawa, London, Kingston, Windsor, and Sarnia as well as stations in between. The lines between Montreal and Toronto and Ottawa and Toronto are VIA's busiest and most frequent, they also have the largest discounts if booked well in advance. There are two classes of service, business and economy. Business class includes meals and alcoholic beverages.

Maple Leaf—This service is run jointly by VIA and U.S. passenger rail company, Amtrak, [99]. Trains on this line run between Toronto and New York City once a day in each direction stopping at Albany and Buffalo as well as many smaller stations. Trains between Toronto and New York are extremely slow and very expensive, the coach services listed above generally take several hours less and cost several times less than the train. There are also more frequent trains that run on this line from Toronto to Niagara Falls.

The Canadian—Trains on this line run the transcontinental route from Toronto to Vancouver three times a week each way, stopping at a large number of smaller stations on the way. Cities that this train passes through include: Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper and Kamloops. The full journey takes about three days. This is one of the most expensive rail journeys in North America and is many times more expensive than flying. However, Via rail runs 'express deals' 2-3 weeks before travel that can reduce the price on this route by 75 percent. The trains contain both sleeper berths and cabins, as well as reclining economy seating. Three meals per day are cooked in the train's dining car. These are included in sleeper fares and are available for purchase for economy passengers.

Commuter train—Services in the Greater Toronto Area are operated exclusively by GO Transit [100], who run all of their trains from Union Station. Their trains serve mainly the sprawling suburbs around the city and most of the train lines run only during rush hour; at other times of the day, they are replaced by bus services. Most of these buses originate from Union Station Bus Terminal across Bay Street from the railway station; there is an overhead walkway from the GO Train concourse to the bus terminal.

Travel times Ottawa 3hrs 57min Montreal 4hrs 37min Winnipeg 34hrs Saskatoon 46hrs Edmonton 56hrs Vancouver 83hrs



By car [ edit ]

Major highways leading into Toronto are the QEW, the 404, the 401, the 400, and the 427. Toronto is in the enviable position of being the largest city in Canada, so it's relatively easy to find a sign pointing you in the right direction. Be advised that traffic on incoming highways can be extremely heavy. In the downtown core there are many turn restrictions, particularly from main thoroughfares to other main thoroughfares (e.g. Yonge to Dundas Streets).

The main streets in Toronto are laid out in a grid pattern that makes it one of the easiest cities to get around in by car. Getting from point to point anywhere in the city can be achieved with only a few turns. Parking in the downtown core can be expensive and hard to find, but is plentiful and inexpensive or free throughout the rest of the city.

Canada drives on the right.

Transit bylaws [ edit ]

Toronto follows some bylaws related to the transit system that often confuse or surprise visiting drivers:

If a bus is signalling intent to merge into traffic from a stop, you must yield to the bus.

If a streetcar in front of you and travelling in your direction has its doors open, you cannot pass the open doors. However, if a traffic island (it'll look like a raised median with a transit shelter on top) separates the streetcar from your lane, you may pass with caution.



Occasionally the rightmost travel lane on certain streets (most notably on Bay Street between Front and Bloor Sts.) is reserved from 7AM-7PM for transit vehicles, taxis and bicycles only; you can enter these lanes only to make a right turn at the next cross street. If you do decide to travel as through-traffic in these lanes, you may be liable to a fine (an often hefty one).

Additionally, drivers are advised that Torontonians generally take their obligation to give a wide berth to emergency vehicles quite seriously: if you hear sirens or see lights, pull over to the side of the road safely but quickly.

By ferry [ edit ]

The trip to the Toronto Islands from the downtown core (Bay St and Queen's Quay) is a pleasant 15 minute ferry ride, with frequent summer service and the best views of the Toronto skyline.

There are also guided sailing vessels that take tours of the inner/outer harbour and circumvent Toronto Island

Ferry tickets can be purchased online in advance to skip the long lines at the ferry terminal entrance.

Get around [ edit ]

Toronto is huge, and most roads run for very long distances. Streetcar rail, subway rail, and intercity rail services are clean and efficient but overcrowded, yet it's entirely possible to get around Toronto without a car, especially downtown. You may find it quicker and easier to drive, but be aware that traffic congestion is severe at almost any time of day, especially during rush hour. Toronto has plentiful parking garages downtown, most of which can be identified by the prominent green P signs, but they are very expensive, particularly on weekdays. Toronto is at an angle to geographic north, but most maps are drawn with respect to the shoreline. This is sometimes called Toronto North.

Transit [ edit ]

A streetcar during a rainy day downtown.

Toronto has a very large transit system, the third most heavily used in North America (after New York City and Mexico City). It consists of buses, streetcars, subway lines, and the quasi-subway Scarborough Rapid Transit line. Buses and streetcars are prone to get caught in Toronto's notorious traffic during rush-hours, though some streetcar lines have dedicated lanes.

Toronto's long streetcar lines, coupled with more than a decade of service cuts, have resulted in chronic "bunching", where one might wait for thirty minutes at a stop, and then 4 streetcars will arrive bunched together.

In contrast to this, the subway system is quite fast and efficient; the subway lines extend well into the suburbs and have spurred a great deal of high-density, high-rise development in far-flung neighbourhoods that would not otherwise have had any large-scale development. A prime example of this is the neighbourhood of North York, filled with high-rise development right on top of three subway stations. As a result, the subway is the easiest, fastest and most efficient way to get around the city. Unlike many cities, Toronto's subway lines have extremely frequent service, even late at night. Trains come every five minutes or better from 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. every day of the week except Sunday, when service starts at 8 a.m.

The TTC operates a comprehensive network of overnight bus and streetcar routes called the Blue Night Network. Service runs at 30-minute intervals from 1:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Night routes are numbered starting from 300, and stops with all-night service have a blue 24hr badge at the top.

The primary fare media used on the TTC is the Presto Card, which is also usable on many surrounding transit systems, on UP Express between Pearson Airport and downtown, and on GO Transit which provides regional rail and bus service (including service to Niagara Falls). Presto cards may be purchased at many TTC subway stations, at any staffed GO Transit station, from the UP Express station at Pearson Airport, or from hundreds of other vendors throughout the region. The card costs $6.00, and can be loaded with any desired amount of money. To use the card, tap it on the green reader when entering a subway station bus or streetcar. A green light and a beep will confirm acceptance. If multiple TTC vehicles (including buses, streetcars and subways) are used to complete a one-way journey under two hours from your intital tap-on, only a single fare will be charged (currently $3.00, $0.25 less than paying with cash). Separate fares apply on other transit systems.

Until the end of 2017, older fare media will still be accepted. Cash fare for adults is $3.25 (discounted if you buy several tokens at a time). Student and senior fare is $2.00 and children under the age of 12 are free. Be aware that some token vending machines are out of service, but do not have signs on them to indicate that. It is therefore safer to use manned ticket booths whenever possible.

A day pass is available for $12.50. This pass allows unlimited travel on all TTC services within the City of Toronto, except for Downtown Express buses. For one person, it allows unlimited one-day travel on any day of the week, from the beginning of service until 5:30 a.m. the next morning. On Saturday and Sunday, and statutory holidays, day passes function as a group pass. On these days, two passengers over 19 years old and up to four passengers 19 or under can travel with one TTC Day Pass. The day pass does not have to be purchased on the day of use.

A weekly pass costs $43.25. It allows unlimited travel from 5:30 a.m. Monday morning, to 5:30 a.m. the following Monday. The weekly pass is transferable, meaning it can be used by more than one person but only one person may be travelling under that pass at any given time.

A monthly pass, termed the Metropass, costs $146.25. This pass is also transferable, with no pass-backs.

Passes are gradually being adapted for use on Presto cards. See the TTC website for the latest updates on this.

Tokens as well as daily and weekly passes are available at subway stations, variety stores and newsstands throughout the city. Most businesses that sell passes and tokens have a TTC sticker on their front door.

Subway and Rapid Transit [ edit ]

Toronto Subway and RT Map.

Entrance to a subway station

There are three subway lines and one Rapid Transit (RT) line:

The Line-1 Yonge-University-Spadina line runs in a U formation, travelling north-south along Yonge Street, bending at Union Station, then travelling north-south along University Avenue, Spadina Avenue, and Allen Road. It meets the Sheppard line at Sheppard-Yonge station and the Bloor-Danforth line at Bloor-Yonge, St. George, and Spadina stations.

The Line-2 Bloor-Danforth line runs east-west along Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue. It meets the Yonge-University line at Bloor-Yonge, St. George, and Spadina stations, and meets the Scarborough RT line at Kennedy station. This line runs through a large number of neighbourhoods, Kennedy Station is on Eglinton in working-class Scarborough and is surrounded by large apartment blocks, it is a major transit hub for TTC buses in Scarborough and also connects with GO Transit commuter trains. The line leaves Scarborough after Warden station and the next nine stations serve a number of densely packed, ethnic neighbourhoods along the Danforth. After Broadview Station, the line crosses the Don River and the following station, Castle Frank, serves the extremely exclusive neighbourhood of Rosedale. After this, the line crosses the Rosedale ravine and enters Downtown Toronto, the next four stations serve the expensive shopping district of Bloor-Yorkville. Following this, the line serves many small ethnic neighbourhoods centred around Bloor Street. Lansdowne and Dundas West stations serve working class neighbourhoods and Dundas West connects with GO Transit commuter trains. The next two stations serve High Park, a large park on the west side of the city and Runnymede and Jane stations serve the pleasant and relatively affluent neighbourhood of Bloor West Village. The next three stations serve the mostly middle class suburb of Etobicoke.

The Line-3 Scarborough RT runs from the eastern end of the Bloor-Danforth line at Kennedy Station, through central Scarborough to McCowan Station. As its name suggests, this line serves the mainly working-class suburb of Scarborough. This line's main draw for visitors is that it serves Scarborough Town Centre, one of the city's enormous regional shopping centres, at its Scarborough Centre station; this station is also a major regional transit hub and is served by a large number of TTC buses, several GO Transit commuter buses, and is a stop on Greyhound coach routes to Peterborough, Ottawa, and Coach Canada routes to Montreal and Kingston.

The Line-4 Sheppard line runs in an east-west direction along Sheppard Avenue. It meets the Yonge line at Sheppard-Yonge station and terminates at Don Mills Station in the east.

Other TTC services are provided by buses, streetcars, the Scarborough RT line, and Wheel-Trans vans (for people with disabilities). There are also a number of Downtown Express buses that run during rush hour, for which additional fare must be paid.

The subway hours of operation on weekdays and Saturdays are approximately 6 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., and Sundays/Public holidays approximately 8 a.m. to 1:30 am.

Streetcars [ edit ]

A TTC Streetcar.

Toronto is one of the very few cities in North America (and the only city in Canada) to retain its streetcars. Most routes still run with older, inaccessible vehicles, but new low-floor vehicles with wheelchair ramps, air conditioning, and more doors are starting to arrive, as of 2017 running only on the 509, 510 and 514 routes. [101]

All streetcar routes operate on proof-of-payment rules, meaning that passengers must always keep their transfer, Presto card or pass for inspection. Fare inspectors do regular patrols, and "failure to surrender fare media" carries a fine of $425. When in doubt, always ask the driver for a transfer if paying by cash or token. If using a Presto card, simply tap as you board and present the card as proof of payment. More information is available on the TTC's proof-of-payment page. [102]

501 runs along Queen Street for most of its route, from the eastern end of the Beaches neighbourhood, through Leslieville, the Financial District, the Queen West shopping district, Parkdale, then along the Queensway and Lake Shore Blvd through Long Branch in Etobicoke to the Long Branch GO Train station.

502 and 503 run from Kingston Road in the Beaches to the Financial District. 502 runs along Queen Street through downtown and 503 (rush hour only) runs along King Street.

504 and 514 run along King Street. 504 runs from Broadview subway station on the Bloor-Danforth line to Dundas West subway station on the Bloor-Danforth line. 514 runs from Cherry Street to Dufferin Gate Loop/Exhibition Place. Both routes pass through the Financial District and the Theatre District.

505 runs along Dundas Street from Broadview subway station to Dundas West subway station. It runs through Chinatown.

506 runs along Gerrard, Carlton and College Streets, it runs from Main Street subway station on the Bloor-Danforth line to High Park in West Toronto. It passes through Cabbagetown, Downtown, the University of Toronto, Kensington Market and Little Italy.

509 and 510 run from Union subway station on the Yonge-University-Spadina line in a tunnel under Bay Street to Queen's Quay, they run aboveground on Queen's Quay, through the Harbourfront to Spadina Avenue. The 509 continues on Queen's Quay from Spadina to Exhibition Place. The 510 runs north along Spadina to Spadina subway station on the Bloor-Danforth line, the 510 passes through the Theatre District, the Queen West shopping district, Chinatown, Kensington Market and the Annex. Both 509 and 510 run within their own rights-of-way in the centre lanes of the streets and stop less frequently than regular routes.

511 runs along Bathurst for nearly all of its route, from Exhibition Place to Bathurst subway station on the Bloor-Danforth line.

512 runs along St Clair Avenue from St Clair subway station on the Yonge line to a streetcar loop just past Keele Street. 512 runs within its own right of way in the centre of St. Clair Avenue from Yonge Street to Gunns Loop, just west of Keele Street, passing through St Clair West subway station on the University-Spadina line. This route serves the neighbourhood of Deer Park.

514 runs along King Street. The western terminus is immediately adjacent to the west end of the Canadian National Exhibition grounds at Dufferin Street, and the east end is at Cherry Street in Toronto's Distillery District.



Caution: When getting on and off streetcars, make sure that the traffic is stopped in the lane next to the streetcar. While drivers are required by law to stop behind open streetcar doors, some drivers don't. This does not apply when there is a safety island between you and the traffic lane(s). Pickpocketing on the TTC is rare, but stay aware of your surroundings in crowded rush hour situations and avoid keeping valuables in outside pockets.

2607:FEA8:E20:34B:F4C6:57C2:385C:ED8 13:39, 1 October 2018 (EDT)==== Transfers ====

All but two (Routes 99 and 171) of the TTC's bus and streetcar routes have a subway station somewhere on the loop, and while many routes will take you into the station and beyond the ticket barrier, some of them (especially downtown) will take you only to the outside of the station. In this case, you can enter the station by presenting a valid transfer. If you don't have one, you need to pay another cash fare.

Transfers are free, but should be obtained at the first vehicle or station you enter on your journey. If your journey starts on a bus or streetcar, ask for one as you pay your fare (simply saying "Transfer, please" to the operator will suffice). If you start at a subway station, look for a red machine just beyond the ticket booth with a digital time clock on its face. Press the gold button and collect your transfer. If using a Presto card, the transfer is automatically written on the card, unlike paper transfers which is only valid for a one-way continuous trip, Presto users have the ability to hop on or off the TTC repeatedly as many times as they like or change direction within the two hour transfer window. You must tap your Presto card each vehicle you board (except for those boarded within fare-paid areas of subway stations.) as long as its within the two hour window from the initial tap-on, you will not be charged another fare.

A transfer may also be used to pass from a bus or streetcar to another bus or streetcar moving in a perpendicular direction - for example, from a northbound bus to an eastbound streetcar. But in doing so, make sure to transfer at the first intersection possible (i.e. do not get out at an intersection, walk east for a block, and transfer there).

Connecting public transit services [ edit ]

The areas that surround Toronto—Mississauga, Brampton, York Region, Durham Region, Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Hamilton—have their own transit systems. There are no free transfer privileges between the TTC and these other transit systems. To use both the TTC and another system, two fares must usually be paid (though see GTA Pass below). In many places, these networks do overlap, so you can transfer easily. Prices are similar to prices for the TTC. Generally bus services outside Toronto city limits are fairly infrequent, except for a few busy routes (e.g. Mississauga Transit route 1, 19, 26, Brampton 501, 502, 511 or Viva Blue, Purple).

A weekly GTA Pass (Greater Toronto Area Pass) is available for $54. It is valid on the TTC and the transit systems in Mississauga, Brampton, York Region, but not Durham Region or Halton Region. This pass is also transferable, although only one rider may use it at a time. If you are travelling through the fare-zone boundary in York Region with a GTA pass, you will have to pay an additional $1.

The regional transportation agency, 'Metrolinx', operates the PRESTO [103] farecard system which allow users to pay transit fares throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Although fares and transfer rules are set individually by each transit operator, using the card generally provides a discount from the cash fare and discounted or free transfers between certain systems. Cards cost $6 and are not refundable, but visitors making significant use of GO Transit, or several GTA transit systems might find some cost savings and convenience over using cash or tickets.

GO Transit [ edit ]

A system of regional trains and buses, GO Transit [104], connects Toronto to its surrounding areas. The majority of these services, especially trains, are oriented to weekday commuters travelling to and from downtown Toronto. GO Transit charges fares by distance. Trains are large and comfortable, and the vast majority run only during rush hours. The main exception is on the Lakeshore Line between Aldershot and Oshawa, via Union Station, which runs every 30 minutes during off peak times (Midday, Evening and Weekends).Midday, there are trains to Mt. Pleasant in the west and Unionville in the north every hour, with weekend service to Barrie and summer weekend service to Niagara Falls. The GO bus network is much more extensive and fills in for trains in the off-peak hours, but beware that buses may get delayed due to traffic congestion. The vast majority of tourist destinations are reachable by TTC, although you might want to use the GO to get to the Zoo, or to the homes of family members or friends in the Greater Toronto Area.

GO Transit provides service between Toronto and Niagara Falls, approximately hourly, using a combination of train and bus. Trains run between Toronto and Burlington, where passengers can transfer to a bus for the journey to Niagara Falls. During summer weekends a special train operates all the way to Niagara Falls, providing one trip on Fridays, and 4 trips per day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Discounts on the fares for some connecting transit services are available under certain conditions, if you are travelling to or from a GO Transit rail station, although no discount is available when connecting with the TTC. The GTA Pass is not valid on GO Transit.

NOTE: in many cases, a GO bus will not stop unless the passengers-to-be indicate waiting to be picked up, even if they are standing at a designated stop. Users must flag the bus down, usually just by raising their hand or ticket in the air as the bus approaches. That is because GO stops often share stops with other municipal transit systems.

All GO Trains operate on the Proof-of-Payment system; passengers must possess a valid ticket for the entire length of their journey when riding. Bus drivers will sell tickets to passengers boarding at locations where there is no ticket office, however tickets cannot be purchased on board GO Trains. Major train stations have ticket offices, and smaller stations have machines which sell tickets. GO Transit enforcement officers conduct random inspections of tickets, issuing expensive fines to anyone without the correct fare.

If using a Presto card on the GO bus or train, be sure to tap your card both at the beginning and end of your trip. Card readers are located near the entrances to train station platform areas, or next to the driver on buses. If transferring between train and bus, tap as you leave the first vehicle/station, then again as you enter the next. Fares will be adjusted for the continuous journey. If you fail to tap your card at the end of your journey, you will be charged a fare to the end of that vehicle's route.

Each GO train runs with a three-person crew. There are two engineers, who are responsible for operations, as well as the Customer Service Ambassador, who is responsible for passenger service (opening/closing doors, making station announcements, answering questions, dealing with emergencies, etc.) The CSA is stationed in the Accessibility car (the 5th car behind the locomotive), and introduces him/herself during his/her opening spiel. If you are unfamiliar with the system, it is recommended that you remain close to them.

Taxis [ edit ]

Taxis are plentiful and safe, but not cheap. As with most big cities, driving a car downtown can be annoying; parking is often hard to find and expensive, and traffic along certain streets can make vehicle travel slower than mass transit. However, travelling longer distances, when not close to subway lines is often significantly faster by car or taxi.

By bicycle [ edit ]

There are many casual cyclists out all the time and cycling is fast: door to door, in all of downtown Toronto, a bike beats a car or transit nearly every time.

There is a lack of clear understanding about regulations regarding bicycles and as a result, there can be hostility between automobiles and cyclists. Generally speaking, if you are on the road, you are expected to obey the same laws as cars, and you are not allowed to ride on the sidewalk. In reality, cyclists have all sorts of driving styles; expect the unexpected.

The city is predominantly flat, aside from a general climb away from Lake Ontario and the deeply indented, forested Don Valley and Humber River Valley, and post-and-ring locking posts are present throughout the city. There are many bike-only lanes on major roads and threading through various neighbourhoods and parks. The city publishes a cycling map, available on the city website [105].

Bike Share Toronto [106] provides a public bike system with upwards of 3,000 bikes available at 360 stations throughout much of the central city. The service is continually expanding and the service area is growing year to year. Subscriptions start at $7 for 24 hours and allow you to use a bike for 30 minutes or less at one time, as many times as you like (usage fees apply for trips longer than 30 minutes but can be avoided by simply docking and unlocking or switching to a different bike before the 30 minutes expires). Bike Share Toronto operates 24 hours a day, all year long (but see the warning below about winter biking). Several businesses also offer rentals [107].

It is a provincial law that cyclists under 18 must wear a helmet, and all riders must have a bike with reflectors and a bell. This tends to only be enforced when the police go on their annual "cycling blitz".

The TTC has taken measures to be welcoming of bicycles. All TTC buses have easy to use bike racks, and bicycles are allowed onto the subway during off-peak hours. This allows you to be able to take your bike almost anywhere in the city.

Some dangers:

Beware of parked cars - often accidents are not caused by moving cars, but rather by careless drivers or passengers who unexpectedly open their driver's side door. However, by and large Toronto is about as safe for bikers as most European cities, and certainly safer than most U.S. cities. Here, at least, cyclists are often expected and respected by drivers.

Be cautious of streetcar tracks as bike wheels can be easily caught and cause a spill. Streetcar tracks are extremely slippery when the road is wet. Always try to cross the tracks at right angles.

Although you will certainly see large numbers of locals riding the streets year-round, be warned that biking in the winter months is enjoyable only with proper equipment and reasonable skills; winter weather does get cold, it can be quite windy, and snow removal is often imperfect.

Some recommended cycling routes:

By far one of the most popular bike paths is the Martin Goodman Trail, the east-west route that hugs Lake Ontario, spanning the city from Etobicoke to the eastern ends of the city. This path is also often used by pedestrians and rollerbladers.

The Don River trail system begins at the lake (near Queen and Broadview) and travels very far North and East. During or after heavy rains, avoid lower sections of the trails.

A special treat for bikers of all levels is a tour out to the Leslie Street Spit lighthouse and bird sanctuaries (no cars!). Start at Queen and Leslie and head south.

The Kay Gardiner Beltline Trail is a pleasant, leafy ride through the heart of Midtown Toronto. Access is available from Yonge Street near Davisville Station and many points to the northwest.

Though out of the way, the Humber River trail is nicely paved, long, and scenic. It spans from the Martin Goodman Trail to Humber College and links up to several parks in North Toronto.

A visit to Toronto Islands from the ferry docks at the southern end of Bay Street is a great way to spend a bike-friendly, relaxed afternoon by bike. There are no cars to speak of on the Toronto Islands.

Driving [ edit ]

As Toronto is a very large city and many areas of the city are inadequately served by the public transit system, the car is the most commonly used method of transportation in the Greater Toronto Area. The road system (except for Highway 407 ETR) suffers from traffic congestion at almost all times of day, 7 days a week, and severe traffic congestion occurs during rush hour (approximately 6:30am-10am and 3pm-8pm Monday-Friday. Even Highway 401, with 9 lanes in each direction (making it the world's second largest freeway, after Katy Freeway in Texas) and bypassing Downtown by almost 8 miles North, can experience some slowing during off-peak hours and is jammed like any other freeway. Stay in the local lanes if you are not familiar with the local-express system. Avoid driving during rush hour, and avoid driving in severe weather. Traffic information is available on Google Maps (maps.google.ca, click on the traffic button), 680 News (radio station, AM 680, every 10 minutes on :01, :11, :21, :31, :41, :51 of each hour) and CP24 (television station). Highway 407 ETR [www.407etr.com] is almost never congested, but is a very expensive toll road, also it is strongly recommended that you rent a transponder if you use this highway regularly due to high video toll charges if you do not have a transponder.

Road closures [ edit ]

Roads in Toronto (including major roads like the Gardiner Expressway, Don Valley Parkway and Lake Shore Boulevard) are frequently closed on weekends for construction or special events, which causes major traffic problems on parallel roads in other parts of the city. Every year there is the "Ride for Heart" which closes both the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway on a Sunday morning in late May or early June, causing severe traffic congestion on parallel roads. There are also two marathons per year on Sunday which cause extensive road closures, the "Honda Indy" which closes Lake Shore Boulevard near Exhibition Place, the Pride Toronto parade, the Santa Claus Parade, the St. Patrick's Day Parade and many other events which close major roads practically every weekend from March to November. Furthermore there is an annual weekend closure of the DVP, Gardiner and Allen Road on different weekends for construction.

Eglinton LRT [ edit ]

Eglinton Avenue is under construction between Black Creek Drive and Don Mills Road for the "Eglinton-Crosstown LRT" (partially underground light rail) and construction between Don Mills and Kennedy Road will start in 2016. It is strongly recommended that you avoid this area.

Panoramic view of Blue Jays game with open roof.

The Art Gallery of Ontario

The Royal Ontario Museum

Casa Loma

Toronto City Hall at night

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Entrance

CN Tower as viewed from Rogers Centre.

Toronto is a huge city, so all individual listings should be moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should contain a brief overview. Please help to move listings if you are familiar with this city.

Individual listings can be found in Toronto's district articles





Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) [108]— Annual agricultural exhibition that is Canada's largest fair and the fifth largest in North America, with an average annual attendance of 1.3 million. Runs mid-August through early September.

CN Tower [109]— The tallest free standing structure in North America, at over 500 metres tall. There is a glass elevator to the top. The view is incredible and there is a glass floor, which for some is very scary to walk on. There is also a revolving restaurant, which offers spectacular views as the sun sets over the city.

Spadina House - A historic mansion dating from the 1860s, the grounds contain a beautiful garden, which is free to walk around in. If you want to view the historic interior, you need to pay.

Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art [110]— Dedicated to ceramics in an exquisite contemporary building right across from the Royal Ontario Museum - from Ancient to Contemporary with an extraordinary European collection.

Hockey Hall of Fame [111]— Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It is housed in the historic Bank of Montreal building and dates from the 1880s.

Toronto City Hall. Two buildings forming an apparent semi-circle (though in fact from overhead the circle hemispheres can be see to be asymmetrically oblate) overlooking Nathan Phillips square, which has a very popular skating rink in the winter. Architecturally stunning, it is one of those few examples of 1960s-era ultramodernism that manages not to look dated decades down the line. Next door to Old City Hall (currently the court house) which has a more classical architecture. As a side-note, images of Toronto City Hall have played stand-in for many science fiction film and television locales, including consistently being used to represent Star Trek's Federation Headquarters ever since the original Star Trek series.

Toronto Zoo, [112]. A world-class facility, the Toronto Zoo is best accessed by car or GO Transit + TTC bus as a day-trip as it is located at the eastern reaches of the city. The zoo is divided into zones (such as Africa, South America and North America) and features both indoor and outdoor displays. Open daily except for Christmas Day, and worth a visit in both the winter and summer months.

Rogers Centre, [113]. Rogers Centre, formerly known as SkyDome, is a multi-purpose stadium, situated next to the CN Tower near the shores of Lake Ontario. Originally opened in 1989, it is home to the American League's Toronto Blue Jays, the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts, the site of the annual International Bowl American college football bowl game, and as of 2008, the National Football League's Buffalo Bills' second playing venue in the Bills Toronto Series. While it is primarily a sports venue, it also hosts other large-scale events such as conventions, trade fairs, concerts, funfairs, and monster truck shows. The stadium was renamed "Rogers Centre" following the purchase of the stadium by Rogers Communications in 2005.

The venue was noted for being the first stadium to have a fully-retractable motorized roof, as well as for the 348 room hotel attached to it, with 70 rooms overlooking the field. It is also the most recent North American major-league stadium built to accommodate both football, as well as baseball, although some of the newer baseball parks have been known to host the occasional college football game, such as AT&T Park, Chase Field, and Safeco Field.

Soon after its opening, the stadium became a popular venue for large scale rock concerts and is the largest indoor concert venue in Toronto; it has hosted many international acts including Metallica, Madonna, U2, Depeche Mode, The Rolling Stones, The Three Tenors, Radiohead, Simon & Garfunkel, Garth Brooks, Backstreet Boys, Roger Waters, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Limp Bizkit, Eminem, Janet Jackson, Avril Lavigne, Jonas Brothers and Cher.

The stadium was the centrepiece of the 2015 Pan American Games as the site of the opening and closing ceremonies.





Individual listings can be found in Toronto's district articles

Just walk. Toronto has so many eclectic neighbourhoods that a random walk is fascinating in its own right. You might start in the Downtown area and then try other neighbourhoods around the city. You will also find that Toronto is "the city within a park", with miles and miles of parkland following the streams and rivers that flow through the city. Edwards Gardens and the Toronto Botanical Gardens in the neighbourhood of North York might just be the place to start exploring this natural environment.[114]. Also the City of Toronto has designated various Discovery Walks [115] which highlight both the natural and human history of the region. These can be found with brown circular signs along the route and highlight other regions such as the Belt Line, Garrison Creek and the Humber River as well as the downtown core. Toronto also has its famous PATH "underground walkway," which connects the Toronto Financial District, Union Station, and now allows walking indoors from the waterfront up to the Eaton Centre. The PATH pedestrian network has more than 1200 shops, more than the West Edmonton Mall.

Participate in a Toronto food tour with Tasty Tours Toronto [116]. You can enjoy VIP treatment, tour-exclusive dishes and more on a Kensington Market Sweet & Savoury Food Tour [117] or Toronto's Ultimate Chocolate Tour [118].

Discover and taste Kensington Market & Chinatown, Toronto's most culturally diverse neighbourhoods on a food walking tour with 7+ exciting food stops with Local Toronto Food Tours.

Take a free walking tour with Tour Guys [119] to explore the downtown core, or any of the other specialty tours they offer.

Try Lokafy [120] which connects you with a local who is passionate about exploring the hidden gems in and around the city. It's just like having a friend show you around the city.

Go on a Toronto Urban Adventures [121] walking tour to experience "Multicultural Kensington Market & Chinatown", or learn about Toronto's history and Canadian beer on a "Beer Makes History Better" tour.

Beaches. Toronto has three main sections of beach along Lake Ontario. The most popular of these is in the aptly-named Beaches neighbourhood. A less popular alternative is the beaches in the western end of the city in the Parkdale neighbourhood; this was once Toronto's Coney Island, with an amusement park and numerous beach-style attractions; however in the 1950s the city built the Gardiner Expressway along the lakeshore, effectively separating the beaches from the city and causing the demolition of the amusement park; over the years attempts have been made to re-energize this area, but the Gardiner remains a major barrier, as well as a source of noise and pollution to keep away would-be beach-goers. On the plus side, the beaches are largely empty most of the time, providing solitude for those who seek it. The third major beach area in the city runs along the south shore of the Toronto Islands. This area is pleasantly secluded, with most of the islands covered with parkland and a small amusement park. Hanlan's Point Beach on the western shore of the islands is the City of Toronto's only officially recognized clothing optional beach, and a popular gay hangout. Despite these options, many Torontonians prefer to leave the city for beach trips; the most popular beaches are those in the Georgian Bay area north of Toronto, Wasaga Beach in particular is very popular during the summer.

The Distillery District, [122]. The former Gooderham & Worts distillery lands have been rejuvenated into a pedestrian-only village dedicated to the arts and entertainment. It has fantastic restaurants, festivals, and art galleries.

The Lakefront and Harbourfront, in the downtown core . Biking and walking trails, with an excellent view of the Toronto skyline. The Harbourfront Centre [123] is situated right by the lake, and is home to numerous cultural events of which most are free or relatively inexpensive. Take in some of the worlds most critically acclaimed performing arts productions, or enjoy one of the many world festivals that take place every weekend.

The Toronto Islands. A short inexpensive ferry ride from the foot of Bay St. and you leave the bustle of the city behind. Visually, the views of the skyline from the islands is stunning, and for cycling, walking, picnics or just relaxing, the Toronto Islands are hard to beat. There is even a small amusement park for kids, Centreville. On hot summer days, temperatures here will often be about 2-3C less than the mainland providing relief. By mid-summer the water is warm enough to swim at Hanlan's Point or for the more adventurous, a nude beach is located nearby.

Comedy, [124]. World renowned Second City [125] comedy/improv theatre has a location in Toronto. See great improv and situation comedy performed live with audience participation over dinner and drinks in the heart of the club district of downtown Toronto.

Theatre. Toronto has a great theatre scene for every taste and budget. Check out the big theatres on Yonge Street for the big splashy shows, such as. Small theatres in the Annex and elsewhere offer smaller productions that range from original Canadian works, avant-garde, experimental theatre, small budget musicals to British murder mysteries. A variety of theatre festivals such as the New Ideas, Rhubarb and Fringe festivals are the seed for many commercial success such as The Drowsy Chaperone. Also try to check out the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, the new home of the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada. The Toronto Symphony plays in the recently acoustically renovated Roy Thomson Hall. TO Tix [126], located in Yonge-Dundas Square, is the best place to get both full-price advance and day-of discounts on shows across Toronto. They also offer theatre and dining packages, partnering Toronto’s theatre, dance and opera companies with local downtown restaurants and cultural attractions.

Film. Toronto has a very important film scene. Every September Toronto hosts the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), one of the most important film festivals in the world. It is also home to a wide variety of independent and cultural important cinemas. The TIFF Lightbox on King street hosts most premiers for the festival but also has year round programming including screenings of independent movies, historically important films, and director and artist talks. Other important venues include the Bloor Hot Docs cinema, which hosts Toronto's international documentary film festival, Hot Docs, every spring. Like the TIFF Lightbox, the Bloor cinema screens films year round that would not be found in most commercial cinemas. Additionally there are historic repertoire cinemas located around the city that screen second run and independent movies. These include The Revue and The Royal in West Toronto and The Fox in East Toronto.

Music. Like many large cities Toronto has a huge and culturally important music scene. There are thousands of venues around the city to see a show, from small intimate bars to large concert halls. Some more well known venues include Lee's Palace (indie rock), The Horseshoe Tavern (harder rock), The Danforth Music Hall (pop and indie), The Dakota Tavern (country and folk), and Massey Hall (established, older acts), among many, many others.

Canada's Wonderland, [127]. A big theme park located in Vaughan, 30 kilometres north of downtown Toronto. It is considered one of North America's premier amusement parks, with more than 200 attractions. The park is open seasonally from May to October.

Little Italy/Portugal Village. Centred at College and Grace, this is the spot to get a sense of the Western Mediterranean. Sit at one of the many coffee shops and watch the world go by on the weekends. A great time to visit is during the men's FIFA World Cup competition (in football / soccer), regardless of where in the World it is actually being held as both communities face off and rivalries reach a fever pitch. Recently the rivalries have begun to infect adjacent communities and it is now getting to the point that the entire city is being draped in a mind numbing variety of flags once every four years.

Pedestrian streets in Koreatown.

Chinatown, is an ethnic enclave in Downtown Toronto with a high concentration of ethnic Chinese residents and businesses extending along Dundas Street West and Spadina Avenue. First developed in the late 19th century, it is now one of the largest Chinatowns in North America and one of several major Chinese-Canadian communities in the Greater Toronto Area.

Little India, on Gerrard Street between Greenwood and Coxwell. If you want to get a sense of Toronto's vibrant South Asian community, this is where you want to be.

The Danforth, also known as Greek Town, is a collection of Greek restaurants and Mediterranean shops located on Bloor Street between Pape and Broadview. Every year in August, one of Toronto's largest festivals, the Taste of the Danforth, is held celebrating Greek culture, cuisine, and life. Easily accessible via Subway Line 2.

Koreatown, is composed of the retail businesses and restaurants along Bloor Street between Christie and Bathurst Streets in the Seaton Village section of The Annex.

Since the early 1990s, a Koreatown has also emerged in North York along Yonge Street between Sheppard Avenue and just north of Steeles Avenue. The area comprises parts of North York, Ontario (Willowdale, Toronto and Newtonbrook) and Thornhill, Ontario (Vaughan, Ontario and Markham, Ontario).

The new Koreatown has many retail stores, Korean grocery stores (some quite large), karaoke bars and family restaurants catering to younger Koreans and those living in the north part of the City of Toronto and York Region. A larger proportion of this neighbourhood are recent immigrants or visa students from South Korea.

Watch Sports. Toronto is home to many rich franchises, such as the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB), Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), Toronto Raptors (NBA) and Toronto FC (MLS). Spend an afternoon at the beautiful Rogers Centre to see some exciting baseball action, or head over to the Air Canada Centre, which always has an energized crowd, to see the Toronto Maple Leafs, or the Toronto Raptors play. Drake sometimes shows up to the raptors game! Every year in August, the CNE takes place at Exhibition Place. Spend a day at the CNE, and then head on over to BMO Field, which is located right beside the CNE, to watch an exciting match of soccer as Toronto FC plays home games there! If you're looking for sports, Toronto is the place to be!

Crowds along Chinatown, on Spadina.

Interior view of the Toronto Eaton Centre.

Shopping along Bloor St in Korea Town.

Toronto has ample opportunities for shopping, and nearly any section of the city has unique places to shop:

Yonge Street, is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest street in the world. It runs from the edge of the lake to about 1896 km north of the city, and the Yonge subway line runs right under the Street from King Street North to Finch Avenue. You can drive along this street if you want (give up trying to find parking), but the smart way to explore Yonge is on foot, with a subway day pass to whisk you between the spots you want to see.

South of Queen St. to the lake , is mostly the financial district, with very little for tourists. If you want to have a good look at the skyscrapers of the financial district, walk west from the King subway station to the corner of King and Bay. This is the financial heart of the country; Canada's equivalent to New York's Wall Street.

, is mostly the financial district, with very little for tourists. If you want to have a good look at the skyscrapers of the financial district, walk west from the King subway station to the corner of King and Bay. This is the financial heart of the country; Canada's equivalent to New York's Wall Street. From Queen St. to Bloor St. is the busiest stretch. While some locals will hang out and shop here (mostly younger folks), many of the stores are limited to souvenirs or lower budget shopping. This is a pretty exciting place to be, and most visitors find this part of the city an interesting experience, even if the most refined shopping is found elsewhere.

Toronto Eaton Centre , [128] A massive shopping mall on the West side of Yonge between Queen and Dundas Streets, The Eaton Centre is a Toronto landmark. Because of its downtown location and accessibility by subway, the mall tends to have a less-antiseptic feel than more remote suburban centres. This place is generally packed with people, an exciting mix of locals and visitors. The bottom level houses an impressive fountain, which is a nice place to take a rest and make a wish. If you're coming from a warm country during winter, a popular store with locals that work outdoors where you might find fairly-priced winter clothes is Mark's [129] inside the mall.

, [128] A massive shopping mall on the West side of Yonge between Queen and Dundas Streets, The Eaton Centre is a Toronto landmark. Because of its downtown location and accessibility by subway, the mall tends to have a less-antiseptic feel than more remote suburban centres. This place is generally packed with people, an exciting mix of locals and visitors. The bottom level houses an impressive fountain, which is a nice place to take a rest and make a wish. If you're coming from a warm country during winter, a popular store with locals that work outdoors where you might find fairly-priced winter clothes is Mark's [129] inside the mall. Bloor St . If you head West from the corner of Yonge and Bloor, you are in the most upscale of Toronto's shopping districts, Yorkville (see below). While not strictly on Yonge street, this area is easily accessible from the Yonge-Bloor subway station (you can also go to Bay station on the Bloor-Danforth subway line).

. If you head West from the corner of Yonge and Bloor, you are in the most upscale of Toronto's shopping districts, Yorkville (see below). While not strictly on Yonge street, this area is easily accessible from the Yonge-Bloor subway station (you can also go to Bay station on the Bloor-Danforth subway line). Bloor St. to Eglinton . A bit sleepier than other parts of Yonge, and a long walk without too much shopping, but for those who want a proper urban hike (4 km), there's no reason to skip this stretch. The shopping is not as vibrant, but that's not to say there aren't sights to see. Of particular interest is the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, roughly halfway between St. Clair and Davisville subway stations. The subway route between Bloor and Eglinton is interesting as well, as much of it runs outside, and the view out the window of the train is enjoyable, so if it's shopping you want, take the train to Eglinton from Bloor.

. A bit sleepier than other parts of Yonge, and a long walk without too much shopping, but for those who want a proper urban hike (4 km), there's no reason to skip this stretch. The shopping is not as vibrant, but that's not to say there aren't sights to see. Of particular interest is the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, roughly halfway between St. Clair and Davisville subway stations. The subway route between Bloor and Eglinton is interesting as well, as much of it runs outside, and the view out the window of the train is enjoyable, so if it's shopping you want, take the train to Eglinton from Bloor. Eglinton to Lawrence. This stretch of Yonge is not as well known by tourists, and consequently more popular with locals. Surrounded by upper middle class and wealthier neighbourhoods, this is where you want to go to experience the energy of Yonge street, without the tourist traps. Take the subway to Eglinton station, and walk North. It is a 2 km walk (1.3 miles) from Eglinton to Lawrence, and there are hundreds of stores and restaurants on both sides of the street. If you can handle a 4 km walk, you can walk up to Lawrence on one side of the street, and then cross over and walk back. There's even a half kilometre North of Lawrence that you can cover, for a total of 5 km of continuous shops. Bring comfortable shoes!

Yorkville. The high-end shopping district of Toronto. Once a haven for Toronto's hippie population, it is located just north of Bloor and Bay Streets and is now home to many designer boutiques. During the annual Toronto Film Festival the area is "ground-zero" for celebrity watching.

Located a short walk West of the Eaton Centre is the city's fashion district along Queen Street West, an area usually bustling with locals looking for the latest fashion in a variety of trendy stores. The stretch between University Ave and Spadina tends to be much more mainstream with an ever increasing number of chain stores, but it is still well worth the look. More offbeat choices can be found west of Spadina Ave stretching all the way into Parkdale (at least 2 km/ 1.4 miles). Take the University subway to Osgoode station and walk West.



Pacific Mall, at Steeles and Kennedy in Markham, [130]. The largest Chinese indoor mall in North America, and definitely worth a visit if you are interested in Asian-Canadian culture. Take any 53 bus from Finch subway station (it's a long bus ride!). About 45 minutes from downtown by car, well over an hour by transit. Also located close to Milliken GO station.

Chinatown. Centred at Dundas and Spadina, Toronto's Chinatown is a great way to sample a tiny bit of cities like Hong Kong, without spending the airfare. Vast crowds crush the sidewalks as vendors sell authentic Chinese and Vietnamese food, and not-so-authentic knock-offs. It is one of North America's largest Chinatowns, and with many shops aimed at tourists, it is a good place to pick up some unusual and inexpensive souvenirs. The area is also home to a growing number of Korean and Vietnamese shops and restaurants. Toronto's multicultural mosaic never stops evolving. For a complete tour, travel along Spadina (North/South) starting at College Street in the north or Queen Street in the south.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre, [131] A shopping centre located in the north of the city, accessible from Yorkdale subway station. This is a full-service, upscale mall with hundreds of stores, a mid-sized movie theatre, and a huge and recently upgraded food court containing everything from fast food to sit-down restaurants to sushi and espresso bars, as well as a glass-enclosed sunlit dining area with sofas and fireplaces and a walk-out, unenclosed balcony. Be advised that because of the quality of the shopping, it is always extremely busy, and is a popular hangout destination for the local youth scenes, ensuring that this is not ideal for a quiet, unhurried shopping excursion. Make use of the subway if possible on weekends, as locals pack the parking areas to capacity.

The 'PATH' System, [132]. Stretches from the Eaton Centre south to Union Station, an underground shopping mall has been created for all the commuters to get from Union Station to their offices and back without ever going outside. In a city of Toronto's summer heat and winter cold, this is essential.

Scarborough. Kennedy Avenue from Lawrence Avenue East to Ellesmere Avenue is a commercial district featuring dozens of independent furniture, electronic, houseware and computer businesses that all share some of the best deals the city has to offer, together with a couple of large electronic chains. It is often very congested on weekends by automobile, and many merchants lack adequate parking, but it is within walking distance of the Scarborough RT and there is bus service from the Kennedy subway station on the Danforth line. This is not really a destination for tourists, and it's quite a drive from the city centre, but if you're in the area, and want to do some discount shopping, there may be something here to suit your needs.

Vaughan Mills, [133]. Big new shopping mall 6 km North of City of Toronto. It includes attractions such as LEGOLAND Discovery Center[134] and Lucky Strike Lanes[135].

Microbrews are ubiquitous across Ontario. These can be purchased at the brewery, Beer Store, LCBO, and many large grocery stores. They are also enjoyed at brewpubs.

Money [ edit ]

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Most Canadians don't carry large amounts of cash for everyday use, relying on their credit cards, ATMs and direct debit cards. Personal checks are rarely accepted. Also, many places in Toronto accept US Dollars for small transactions- with a rough 1:1 exchange rate.

ATM

Interbank ATM exchange rates usually beat traveller's checks or exchanging foreign currency. Canadian ATM fees are low ($1.50 to $2 per transaction), but your home bank may charge another fee on top of that.

Credit Cards

Visa, MasterCard, American Express and JCB cards are widely accepted in Canada. Credit cards can get you cash advances at bank ATMs, generally for a 3% surcharge. Beware: many US-based credit cards now convert foreign charges using highly unfavorable exchange rates and fees.

Changing Money

Always change your money at a recognized bank or financial institution. Some hotels, souvenir shops and tourist offices exchange money, but their rates won't put a smile on your dial.

American Express (905-474-0870, 800-869-3016; www.americanexpress.com/canada) branches in Toronto only function as travel agencies and don't handle financial transactions. Instead, tackle the banks, or try Money Mart (416-920-4146; www.moneymart.ca; Yonge Street Strip, 617 Yonge St; 24hr; Wellesley).

Affiliated with Marlin Travel (www.marlintravel.ca), Thomas Cook (www.thomascook.ca) branches include the following:

Bloor-Yorkville (416-975-9940, 800-267-8891; 1168 Bay St; 9am-5:30pm Mon-Fri; Bloor-Yonge)

(416-975-9940, 800-267-8891; 1168 Bay St; 9am-5:30pm Mon-Fri; Bloor-Yonge) Financial District (416-366-1961; 10 King St E; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri; King)

(416-366-1961; 10 King St E; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri; King) Travelex (www.travelex.com/ca) has branches:

(www.travelex.com/ca) has branches: Financial District (416-304-6130; First Canadian Place, Bank of Montréal, 100 King St W; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri)

(416-304-6130; First Canadian Place, Bank of Montréal, 100 King St W; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri) Pearson International Airport Terminal 3 Arrivals (905-673-7042; 8:30am-midnight)

(905-673-7042; 8:30am-midnight) Pearson International Airport Terminal 3 Departures (905-673-7461; 3:30am-10pm)

Another organization, Calforex Currency Services (290 Queen St West) give good rates for cash, buying and selling GBP, USD, EUR; on substantial sums can be as little as 1% from interbank rates.

Toronto is generally considered to be one of North America's top food cities. As one of the most (if not the single most) multicultural cities in the world, Toronto has authentic cuisine from most of the world's cultural and ethnic groups. It is easy to eat out in Toronto and have a superb meal for cheap, while even the more distant neighbourhoods in the city frequently contain one or more ethnic grocers' with both local stock and freshly imported products and brands from all over the world. Since Toronto is a city of a wide variety of distinct neighbourhoods, there are excellent restaurants scattered across the city. Many of the trendiest and hottest restaurants in Toronto are located outside of the downtown core and visitors should be prepared to travel a short drive or transit trip to visit them.

As a visitor is quickly bound to notice, Torontonians virtually subsist upon coffee and tea, and the city contains an extremely high density of cafés of all types, from affordable franchise locations, to classy bars, to trendy independently owned locales with idiosyncratic brews. An unguided walk through literally any part of the city will take one past many shops selling hot beverages, snacks, and light meals, oftentimes at a rate of several per city block. This makes it exceptionally convenient to fuel a long day of walking, shopping, and sightseeing, as a traveller is certain to be no more than a few minutes travel from a seat, a meal, and a hot drink.

Farmer's markets [ edit ]

Surrounded by the extensive fertile farmlands of Southern Ontario, Toronto has an abundance of farmer's markets - one is happening, in season, almost every day. Several markets are year round, while others are seasonal, generally running from May to October.

St. Lawrence Market, [136]. Has been bringing the freshest foods into the city for Torontonians and visitors alike since 1901. Located at Jarvis and Front, the St. Lawrence Market stretches over 2 buildings, the 'North Market' and the 'South Market' - and often over the section of Front street between them! The North Market is home to a Farmer's Market, open Saturdays year round. It features fresh vegetables in season, preserves, spices and herbs, and direct from the source foods, such as honey direct from the beekeeper or maple syrup from the people who tapped and boiled it, as well as quality Ontario wines. The South Market has over 50 specialty vendors, with a large seafood section, a dozen butchers, several bakeries, and three very extensive cheese shops. In the basement, there is also a specialty area for handcrafters, and an extensive foodcourt, with merchants often cooking food that they bought fresh that morning from upstairs. The South Market is open year round, Tue-Thu 8AM-6PM, Fri 8AM-7PM, Sat 5AM-5PM.

Riverdale Farm, 201 Winchester Street, (three blocks east of Parliament Street), [137]. A year-round producing farm owned by the City of Toronto as part of its extensive park system, open daily for tours, education, and more 9AM-5PM. The Friends of Riverdale Farm operate an onsite store and restaurant, Shop at the Farm and Farm Kitchen, in Simpson House (daily 10AM-4PM), and a weekly Farmer's Market (Tuesdays, May 10 - Oct. 25, 2005, 3:30PM-7PM. Riverdale farm is a working farm, with barns and outdoor paddocks, and animals of all types. In an attempt to provide education about farming, the staff is approachable, and will discuss chores as they go through the daily tasks of keeping a farm running. Tours are available, or you can wander the 7.5 acres freely.

Other farmer's markets in Toronto:

City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street West. Wednesdays, 1 June-5 October, 10AM-2:30PM (except June 29 due to Jazz Festival).

East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Avenue. Tuesdays, 24 May-25 October, 9AM-2PM.

Etobicoke Civic Centre, 399 The West Mall. Saturdays, 4 June-29 October, 8AM-2PM.

North York Civic Centre, Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St. Thursdays, 16 June-20 October, 8AM-2PM.

Scarborough Civic Centre, Albert Campbell Square, 150 Borough Drive. Fridays, 3 June-14 October noon-5PM.

The Dufferin Grove Farmer's Market, [138], 875 Dufferin St. (across from the Dufferin Mall). Thursdays, year round (outdoors around the rinkhouse in summer and in the rinkhouse in winter) 3:30PM-7PM.

Green Barn Market, [139], 601 Christie St. Saturdays 8AM-12PM (located within the restored Artscape Wychwood Barns).

Interesting food districts [ edit ]

'Cabbagetown,' is a designated Historic District in the eastern half of the downtown core.

Baldwin Village, small section of Baldwin Street (east of Spadina, north of Dundas) has many small outdoor cafes ideal for summer lunches.

Chinatown, now features many Vietnamese and Thai restaurants.

Hakka Food, is a style of Chinese food that originated in India with the migrant Chinese of Kolkata. Also known as India-Style Chinese food, outside of India and certain Southeast Asian countries, Toronto is the only city in the world to have such a variety of Hakka Restaurants.

King Street between University Avenue and Spadina Avenue has many restaurants appealing to theatre goers.

Queen Street East between Empire and Leslie has a number of casual, trendy restaurants that match the vibe of Leslieville.

College Street to the east of Bathurst has a cheaper set of eclectic restaurants popular with university students from nearby University of Toronto.

Bayview Avenue south of Eglinton, is the location of some of Toronto's best French pastry shops.

Bloor Street to the west of Spadina in the Annex has a similar set of restaurants to College, with a particularly heavy concentration of budget-friendly Japanese restaurants. Most restaurants here tend to be very laid back. Continuing west on Bloor, past Bathurst, one heads into Koreatown which has a number of Korean restaurants.

Yorkville, it's more about being seen than actually eating but there are a few hidden gems, and this area is famous for sightseeing celebrities. Restaurants often charges premium for otherwise mediocre meals. Mere 1 subway stop away from Yorkville, a meal of similar size and quality can be purchased for nearly half the price.

The city's largest newspaper, the Toronto Star, once chose the Downsview Park Flea Market food court as the best in the city. Although it is open only on weekends and rather remote, it offers a variety of authentic food from Afghan to Trinidadian and lacks the chain restaurants that dominate the city's food courts. It is located north of downtown, but is accessible from the Downsview subway station on the Spadina line and shares space with over 400 independent retailers.

Cafés [ edit ]

Toronto is a huge city, so all individual listings should be moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should contain a brief overview. Please help to move listings if you are familiar with this city.





Vegetarian [ edit ]

Toronto is a huge city, so all individual listings should be moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should contain a brief overview. Please help to move listings if you are familiar with this city.

See district articles for further information

Fresh, The Annex & Richmond Street West. This is a local vegetarian chain with four locations in Toronto. Good for a sit down dinner and lunch.

Simon's Wok, Gerrard & Logan. Vegetarian Chinese cuisine served in communal manner.

The majority of nightlife in Toronto is centred on the appropriately named Clubland and in the fashion district on Queen Street West. Nearly everywhere is packed to the brim with pubs and bars, but none so much as Adelaide and Queen Street in those districts. Clubs tend to operate on Richmond and Adelaide streets (both run east-west, 1 block apart); names change frequently, but the district keeps on going. Four other clubs of note outside this district: The mega club/ultra lounge Muzik Nightclub (by Exhibition Place), The (long-lasting) Phoenix (on Sherbourne), and the Docks (literally operating on part of Toronto's commercial port, but this place has an outstanding view of the city on warm summer nights, and boasts an extensive entertainment complex).

Some of Toronto's newest and hottest nightclubs have opened up in the King Street West / Liberty Village area. This area tends to attract a more mature (25+ years old) crowd; however this comes at a cost as drinks and admission into the venues are typically a bit more expensive here than in Clubland. For underground electronic music there's some several nightclubs bringing international DJ's such as Ryze, CODA and Populous.

Hip art and music oriented crowds tend to gravitate on the West side of the city, in neighbourhoods such as Queen West, Parkdale and the Junction. The hipsters hangout in the wide array of bars, galleries and clubs that dot the area - in particular Stones Place (mostly Indians and sometimes gay crowds),and the Drake and its poor cousin Gladstone Hotels. The same folks also frequent the Annex / Kensington Market Area of the city at night for club nights, casual drinks and art / music events. One of the main "corsos" of the city is Little Italy: College Street, between Bathurst and Ossington flows over with music, sidewalk cafes and excellent food and a crowd that enjoys the summer heat and the offerings. College Street, east of Bathurst, is home to many student hangouts, including Sneaky Dee's which is famous among locals for its nachos. The legal minimum drinking age is 19.

Toronto is also home to a number of microbreweries. These include Mill Street, Steam Whistle Pilsner, Cool, Amsterdam, Great Lakes, Junction Craft Brewing, Indie Ale House and Bellwoods Brewery. The breweries offer free samples and some have restaurants and/or are brewpubs. Although a tour of the Steam Whistle Brewery costs $10, it includes a gift.

Individual listings can be found in Toronto's district articles

Most hotels and hostels are situated directly outside the downtown core. Prices for rooms generally range from $150+ for a standard hotel, $60-80 for a motel, and $20-40 for a bed in a hostel.

Hotels [ edit ]

Toronto has a wide variety of hotels that can suit every budget.

Hostels [ edit ]

Toronto has several youth hostels, including ones in the downtown area.

Bed & Breakfast [ edit ]

Another popular alternative for over nighters are bed & breakfasts, of which Toronto has hundreds, many of them in the downtown core. Prices range from $60 to several hundred dollars depending on the house and amenities offered.

Homestays [ edit ]

Homestays are an ideal option for mid-term stays of a few months, or for newcomers who need a few months of accommodation while searching for a place to rent. Homestays are very popular for ESL students, often coming from South Korea, Japan, China, and Brazil. It's estimated that there are hundreds of homestays in Toronto, usually in the price range of $750 to $900 per month, and including home-cooked meals. Payments are typically made in cash. Homestays are often listed in online indexes, presented in a manner much like selecting a hotel.

Learn [ edit ]

International students often prefer to study in Toronto because of its safety, proximity 