After I booked my flight, I asked myself many times what was the cheapest way to get from Toronto Pearson Airport to downtown. You see, my flight was due to land at midnight, but in reality, it landed at 2 am. Before my trip, I searched all the different options to get into the city at that time of the night, taking into consideration that the fast express train stops running at 11:30 pm. In the end, I booked an airport hotel, because I knew I was going to be too tired to deal with transfers at that time of the morning. And I was right, I barely had the patience to wait for the hotel shuttle to arrive. But the research was still done, so in this article, I want to tell you how I’ve travelled from Toronto Pearson Airport to downtown for just over 3 dollars. Taking into consideration that the Up Express train costs 12,35 dollars, if you are on a budget, stick around and continue reading.
Cheapest Way to Get from Toronto Pearson Airport to Downtown
The cheapest way to get from Toronto Pearson Airport to Downtown includes a combination of bus and metro. Firstly, you will have to take the 900 Express bus from the airport to Kipling station, which is the end of the 2 Bloor-Danforth metro line. Line 2 meets Line 1 at Spadina, where you can change if your hotel is downtown. You can also change at any time to any streetcars going to your final destination. My hotel was in Kensington Market, so I got off at Bathurst and took the 511 streetcar for a couple of stops, to get there.
The 3,35$ Presto Ticket
You may wonder, how can you travel with three different ways of public transport and only pay 3,35 dollars for the entire ride? Simple! The Toronto Pearson Airport is included in the metropolitan area covered by the Presto public transport system.
The Presto tickets cost 3,35$ for a single journey, but they are valid for 2 hours after they have been activated. This includes entering and exiting the TTC and transferring on other buses or metro lines as many times as you want during two hours.
Children under 12 ride for free as well.
Where to Buy Tickets for The Express Bus
You can buy the Presto ticket in the arrivals hall, just before exiting Terminal 3. There are a couple of machines that sell the tickets, where you can pay by card. I was told that there is a new system which was implemented a few months ago, that allows you to pay by card directly on the bus, but that didn’t work for me when I tried it on the streetcar, on a different day. I thought I paid, the machine said my card was accepted, but no money was taken from my account. So, to be safe, buy a ticket directly from the machine.
If you are staying for longer in Toronto you can opt to buy a Presto card, which works similarly to a bus pass. You can load it with money and pay as you go, without having to worry about buying a ticket. I found it very hard to find ticket machines around Toronto, and the ones available on streetcars didn’t always work. So a Presto Card is a good idea. However, if you only plan to use public transport from Toronto Pearson Airport to downtown, then a single ticket would suffice.
How Long Does It Take to Get From Toronto Pearson Airport to Downtown by Bus
The total travel time from Toronto Pearson Airport to Downtown, using public transit, was less than one hour. As a comparison, the Up Express takes 25 minutes to reach Union Station. From there you will have to buy a new ticket and change to the metro or the streetcars, depending on where your hotel is located, which can add another half an hour to your journey.
Advantages and Disadvantages
There are two other options to travel from Toronto Pearson airport to downtown, one of them being the Up Express train, and the other being a private transfer. I have looked into both but decided against, due to spending quite a hefty amount on the airport hotel. I wanted my transit into the city to be as smooth as possible. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to using each transfer option.
Firstly, the cheap way to get from Toronto Pearson Airport to downtown is suitable for travellers without heavy luggage, and who don’t mind navigating the transport system of a new city they don’t know. I had no issues finding my way into Downtown Toronto using the TTC. The Express bus stop is in front of the arrivals hall, impossible to miss. The last stop is Kipling, from where all I had to do was descend onto the platform. As it’s the end of the line, no matter which train arrives on the platform, it will go in the right direction. The streetcar was also very easy to use, leaving from across the street from the metro station at Bathurst.
If you are not a very confident traveller, then the Up Express train might be the best solution for you, to get downtown. The final stop of the train is Union Station, which is centrally located in the financial district of Toronto. Keep in mind though that your hotel might be in a different area and you might need to take a further metro or street car for which you have to buy a separate ticket. You can buy the ticket for the Up Express train in advance by clicking here.
The last option would be best for people who travel with children, a larger family or friends, or a lot of luggage. A transfer from Toronto Pearson Airport to a hotel downtown costs between 50$-85$. You can click here to see your options.
Conclusion
It is more than possible to travel cheaply from Toronto Pearson Airport to Downtown. 3,35$ cheap, to be more precise. If you are on a budget and are not in a rush, this is a great option to get into central Toronto without spending too much money.
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I visited Toronto last summer and took the UP Express from Union station to the airport — was really easy!
Getting from the airport to where you need to be can be a really stressful time for someone. Loved the detail in your post!