Pearson International (YYZ)

Pearson is the main airport with flights from all major international destinations. There are two ​terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. It is located in a suburb of Toronto, about 30-45 minutes by ​car or 1 hour by public transit. Taxis to/from Pearson will cost a minimum of $50 each way. Uber ​and Lyft are usually around the same price.

Arriving to Pearson: You can submit an Advance Declaration for Canadian customs and ​immigration via the ArriveCAN app to expedite the arrivals process.

Departing from Pearson to the USA: Pearson offers US Preclearance, meaning you will clear US ​customs and immigration in Toronto before boarding the return flight. This can be a VERY lengthy ​process. It is recommended to arrive to Pearson 3-4 hours before your flight if travelling during ​peak times. Allow extra time if you also need to check baggage. You can expedite the process ​somewhat by downloading the Mobile Passport Control app and completing a mobile declaration ​for US immigration.

Billy Bishop Toronto City (YTZ)

Billy Bishop is located in downtown Toronto and is accessible via public transit, car, or taxi. There is ​a free shuttle that goes from the airport to Union Station, which is on the TTC subway Line 1. This ​airport primarily services domestic Canadian flights and limited flights to/from the USA. As Billy ​Bishop is much closer to downtown Toronto, taxi/Uber/Lyft is usually around $15-20, but the ​prices can vary during busy periods.

An Island Airport: Billy Bishop is located on an island just offshore in Lake Ontario. To get to the ​city, you have a choice between the world’s shortest ferry ride or a pedestrian tunnel with moving ​walkways. The free ferry gives you a great view of downtown Toronto, so we highly recommend ​the e​xperience!

Public Transit

Toronto’s public transit system, the TTC, uses a network of subways, streetcars, and buses. The ​subway has two major lines: Line 1 (denoted in yellow on TTC maps) runs north-south via Union ​Station and Line 2 (denoted in green on TTC maps) runs east-west via Bloor/Yonge. S​treetcars run along major streets and are denoted by numbers beginning with 500. Street cars u​sually stop at street level, but some do also stop inside subway stations (e.g. 510 Spadina and 511 B​athurst). Buses cover all areas not served by the subway and streetcars.

Payment

All TTC trips cost $3.30 and are payable using contactless (“tap”) credit card or Presto card. It is ​sometimes possible to pay with cash, but it is not accepted at all stops and drivers cannot give ​change. TTC fares paid with contactless or Presto are valid for unlimited transfers within a two-​hour period.

Transit Tracking a​nd Maps

The app “Transit” with the green and white logo is the most reliable way to track buses and ​streetcars. Google Maps and Citymapper are helpful for planning transit routes and navigating ​Toronto in general.

Ai​rport Express Train

UP Express runs between Pearson airport and Union Station with a couple of stops along the way. ​If paying with contactless credit card or Presto card, the one-way fare is $9.35. If purchasing a ​traditional ticket at a kiosk, the one-way fare is $12.35. Presto cards can be purchased and loaded ​with fare at kiosks located inside the UP Express station at Pearson.

Driving in Toronto

Dr​iving in Canada is similar to driving in the US, with a few quirks detailed below.

Di​stracted Driving

Ontario is quite serious about drivers using handheld devices. Fines range from $615–1000, with 3 ​demerit points and possible 3-day license suspension. Can they get you if you have a non-​Canadian license? We’re not sure, but why risk it?

Sp​eed Limits

Speed limit signs are all in metric. Highway speeds of 100–110 km/hr = approximately 62–68 mph. ​Many city streets are 40–50 km/hr, which is 25–30 mph.

Stopping for Streetcars

With a few exceptions, Toronto streetcars ​run down the middle of the street. When the ​streetcar stops for passengers to get on or ​off and flashes its side lights, cars must stop ​behind the streetcar to allow passengers to ​cross between the streetcar door and the ​sidewalk. (Similar to school bus rules, but ​traffic coming the other way doesn’t have to ​stop.) If the streetcar stops at a pedestrian ​island (most of the Spadina stops), you do ​not have to stop.

Yellow Pedestrian Crossing Lights

These are sort of “on-demand” walk lights in places ​where it doesn’t make sense to have a full traffic ​light. When the yellow lights are flashing, cars must ​stop both ways to allow pedestrians to cross. Once ​they have finished crossing, cars can continue, even ​if the light is still blinking.

Ga​s Prices

Gas prices are given per litre. 3.78 litres = 1 gallon, and currently $1 CAD ≅ .73 USD. So 1.60 ​CAD/litre ≅ $4.41 USD/gal.

Directions from Pearson Airport to Kimpton St. George Hotel

via UP Express and TTC Line 2

• Follow signs to UP Express station, located in Pearson Terminal 1. If you arrive at Terminal 3, ​you will need to take the Terminal Link train to reach Terminal 1.
  
• Take the UP Express to Bloor station (2 stops – about 20 minutes).
  
• Exit the station by following signs for Dundas West TTC station.
  
• Turn right out of the UP Express station and walk down Bloor St. West until the next ​intersection. Cross the street and turn right onto Dundas St. West. You will see the TTC station ​ahead on your left. It is connected to a McDonald’s.
  
• Take the subway Line 2 Bloor-Danforth east to St. George Station (10 stops – about 12 min).
  
• St. George Station has two exits (St. George Street or Bedford Road). The St. George Street ​exit is closest to the hotel, but there are no elevators at this exit (there is an escalator). Taking ​the Bedford Rd. exit adds about an additional 4 minutes of walk time.
  
• After taking either exit, turn right onto Bloor St. West. The hotel is about a 1 minute walk from ​the St. George Street exit of the station.
  

Directions from Pearson Airport to Sheraton Hotel

via UP Express and TTC Line 1

• Follow signs to UP Express station, located in Pearson Terminal 1. If you arrive at Terminal 3, ​you will need to take the Terminal Link train to reach Terminal 1.
  
• Take the UP Express to Union station (3 stops – about 25 minutes).
  
• Follow signs for the TTC station, which is located inside the Union Station complex.
  
• Take the subway Line 1 Yonge-University north to Osgoode Station (2 stops – about 3 min). ​NOTE: From Union, Line 1 has two non-intersecting northbound routes, so ensure you locate ​the platform for the University side of the line towards Vaughan.
  
• From Osgoode Station, the best exit to take is the south side of Queen St. West (Four Seasons ​Centre for the Performing Arts). Exit the building and turn right onto Queen St. W. The hotel is ​about a 3 minute walk.
  
• If you prefer to walk from Union Station, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the hotel, north via York ​Street or Bay Street.
  

Directions from Pearson Airport to New College Residence

via UP Express and TTC Line 2

• Follow signs to UP Express station, located in Pearson Terminal 1. If you arrive at Terminal 3, ​you will need to take the Terminal Link train to reach Terminal 1.
  
• Take the UP Express to Bloor station (2 stops – about 20 minutes).
  
• Exit the station by following signs for Dundas West TTC station.
  
• Turn right out of the UP Express station and walk down Bloor St. West until the next ​intersection. Cross the street and turn right onto Dundas St. West. You will see the TTC station ​ahead on your left. It is connected to a McDonald’s.
  
• Take the subway Line 2 Bloor-Danforth east to Spadina Station (9 stops – about 10 min).
  
• Exit the station and turn left, going south on Spadina Avenue. New College is about a ten ​minute walk from the station.
  
• For a shorter walk, take the 510 streetcar from Spadina Station south to Willcocks Street. From ​this stop, it is about a 1 minute walk to New College.
  

Directions from Pearson Airport via TTC only

Cheapest option!

The most affordable option to get into the city is to skip the UP Express altogether and take a bus ​from the airport to the closest subway station. With this route, the entire trip costs $3.30.

Presto cards and tickets can be purchased inside the airport. In Terminal 1, the vending machine is ​located on the Ground Level by Door R. In Terminal 3, the vending machine is located on the ​Arrivals Level by Door B.

From Terminal 1, the TTC bus stop is located on the Ground Level at column R4. From Terminal 3, ​the stop is located on the Arrivals Level between Columns C8 to C12. There are maps available on ​the Pearson website.

The 900 Airport Express bus goes to Kipling Station (15-20 minute ride). This is the terminal ​station of subway Line 2 Bloor-Danforth. From this station you can travel eastbound into the city. If ​you are travelling to the Kimpton Hotel or New College, both Spadina Station and St. George ​Station are along this route (see the directions above). To get to the Sheraton Hotel, change to ​Line 1 southbound at St. George Station and travel to Osgoode Station.

Walking Directions from Bahen Centre to Hart House

(10 minutes)

From front entrance of Bahen, turn left and walk north up St. George St. (CN Tower at your ​back). Cross to the other side of St. George at the next convenient light or crosswalk. Turn ​right onto the walkway between Morrison Hall (Reznikoff Cafe) and the University College ​Union and walk east toward the fields. When you get to the fields, make a slight jog to the ​right to the pedestrian walkway along the south side of the fields. You will see a gray stone ​building with a red sign saying Art Museum. Just as you get there, make another jog to get ​around a ridiculously large lamppost. Go up the stone ramp and take the right-hand entrance ​(the left would take you to the art museum). Follow the corridor all the way around the L-​shaped building, past the reception desk, and down the long corridor to get to the Great Hall.

Walking Directions from Bahen Centre to Faculty Club

(8 minutes)

Turn left and head north on St. George Street. Just past Lash Miller Labs and before Sidney Smith ​Hall, there is a pedestrian walkway. Turn left onto the walkway and continue across Huron Street ​onto Willcocks Street. The Faculty Club is on the left before you get to Spadina Avenue.

The Annex Neighborhood

Next to the University of Toronto, the Annex neighborhood is home to an eclectic mix of students and professors and an ​equally eclectic mix of shops and restaurants. Some highlights include BMV Books (a multilevel used book store), Future ​Bistro (diner-style food with a huge patio and tons of cakes), Eva’s Original Chimneys (Hungarian-inspired desserts), ​Juxtapose Cards and Gifts (a fun shop to browse), and Sushi on Bloor (a great lunch menu).

Kensington Market

Just west of Spadina is Kensington Market, a multicultural neighborhood packed with vintage stores, vegan bakeries, ​specialty grocery stores, and casual restaurants featuring all kinds of cuisines. For interesting browsing, check out Global ​Cheese Shoppe, Blue Banana Market, Kid Icarus, and Bungalow.

Ph​ilosopher’s Walk

A meandering path in beautiful landscaped surroundings, the Philosopher’s Walk is a peaceful spot to take a break ​from the conference and tour the ground of the university. The northern gate is west of the Royal Ontario Museum on ​Bloor Street West and the southern gate is on Hoskin Avenue, just before reaching Queen’s Park Cr​escent.

Museums

There are several museums located close to the UofT campus. The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a classic natural ​history museum and is great for kids. The Art Gallery of Ontario features a wide array of North American and European ​art, including a large collection by the Group of Seven (early twentieth century Canadian landscape paintings). There ​are also several specialty museums nearby, including the Gardiner Museum, a museum dedicated to the history ad art ​of ceramics, and the Bata Shoe Museum, featuring over 4,000 years of footwear history.

Food/Drink Nearby

St. George Street is always lined with food trucks and hot dog stands! Eat on the large patio of Sidney Smith Hall; ​there are even more seats on the Huron Street side of the building.

L’Espresso Bar Mercurio, an upscale Italian café near St. George Station, is a regular meeting place for UofT faculty ​and students. L’Espresso serves a variety of hot meals in addition to sandwiches, coffee, and pastries.

Pubs near campus include the Duke of York, Harbord House, and Prenup Pub. Graduate students may enjoy ​checking out our campus grad haunt, the GSU Pub (only a 7 minute walk from the Bahen Centre). Note that the GSU ​Pub does not serve food.

South of College Street all along Spadina Avenue, you will find Chinatown, a neighborhood with plentiful dining ​options. A few of the more popular spots are Pho Hung, Mother’s Dumplings, and Rol San, but feel free to explore ​everything the neighborhood has to offer.

Fork York National Historic Site

The city recently made all Toronto history museums free of charge. This includes Fort York National Historic Site, where you can ​explore Toronto's military history and learn about the role Fort York played in the War of 1812. Fort York will also host the ​Indigenous Arts Festival on June 15 and 16.

Toronto Outdoors

Escape the city and explore the parks and beaches on the Toronto Islands. Don’t miss the stunning views of the Toronto skyline. ​If you prefer to stay on dry land, check out the city’s numerous parks, including Trinity Bellwoods, in the hip Queen West area, ​and High Park, which features a free zoo with capybaras, llamas, emus, and more.

Evergreen Brickworks, located on the site of a former brick works and quarry, is a vibrant park and community hub connected to ​Toronto’s large network of ravine trails and parks. There are often markets and other special events, so be sure to check out ​what’s on before planning your trip.

St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery District

Experience Toronto's culinary scene at St. Lawrence Market. Browse stalls selling fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, and gourmet ​meats. From there, it is only a 15-minute walk to reach the Distillery District. This neighborhood once housed a nineteenth ​century whiskey distillery and is now home to shops, galleries, and restaurants.