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Best Airport transfer services options for you
Toronto is served by two airports, Billy Bishop and Pearson International. Arriving from outside Canada and the US you probably will have to use Pearson.
Billy Bishop airport is closer to the city (and can be reached by free pedestrian ferry!), but public transport to Pearson International is quick and not expensive. We summarise here all you need to know about arriving and departing from either airport.
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Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport |
Toronto Pearson International Airport |
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| Airport Maps | Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Map | Toronto Pearson International Airport Map | |
| Transportation options from the Toronto airports | |||
| Distance to the center of Toronto | The airport is located on the island next to the city center. Besides public transport, you can get to downtown Toronto by using a tunnel with escalators that connects the island to the city. | 26 km = 16 miles | |
| Public transport general operating hours | 5 a.m. - 1:35 a.m. Ferry services: 5:15 a.m. - 12:07 a.m.; Airport Shuttle: 5 a.m. - 12:07 a.m. (8:45 p.m. on Saturdays); TTC: 5:25 a.m. - 1:35 a.m. | 24/7; TTC daytime service: 5:30 a.m. - 2 a.m. (lines 52A and 192); TTC night-time service (lines 300 and 307): 2 a.m. - 5 a.m.; Go Transit: 5 a.m. - 2 a.m.; Union Pearson Express: 5:30 a.m. - 1 a.m. | |
| Ferry services | The ferry service takes passengers from the airport to the beginning of the Bathurst Street. The journey lasts 2 minutes (a 121-meter ride). Departing frequency - 15 minutes. Fares: free for pedestrians, C$11 for vehicles. | N/A | |
| Billy Bishop Airport Shuttle bus | The Airport Shuttle buses run between the airport's mainland ferry terminal and the Union Station. Travel times vary depending on traffic, but are approximately 15 minutes. Departing frequency - 15 minutes. Fares: shuttles are free both for passengers and non-passengers. Note: from the Union Station you can catch a connection in various directions in Toronto. | N/A | |
| TTC (Toronto Transit Commision) | Buses of the TTC system depart from the Bathurst Street/Fleet Street station to the Union Station (line 509) and the Bathurst subway station (line 511). Travel times are around 10 minutes to the Union Station and up to 20 minutes to the Bathurst station. Departing frequency - up to 5 minutes during peak and around 10 minutes during off-peak hours. Fares: C$3.25 single journey; C$43.75 Weekly Pass; C$146.25 Monthly Pass. | Buses of the TTC system depart from both terminals (T1 and T3). Line 52A Lawrence West operates to the Lawrence and Lawrence West subway stations, from where you can catch further connections to the city center. Travel times are generally between 70 and 90 minutes. Departing frequency - up to 10 minutes during peak and up to 20 minutes during off-peak hours. Line 192 Airport Rocket (express line) operates to the Kipling Station, from where you can catch further connections. Travel times are 20, 25 minutes. Departing frequency - 10 minutes. Fares: C$3.25 single journey; C$43.75 Weekly Pass; C$146.25 Monthly Pass. | |
| TTC nighttime service | N/A | Line 300 runs to Bloor-Danforth corridor. Travel times are approximately 45 minutes. Departing frequency - 20 minutes on workdays and 30 minutes on weekends. Line 332 operates to Eglinton West. Travel times are around 45 minutes. Departing frequency - 30 minutes. Fares: C$3.25 single journey; C$43.75 Weekly Pass; C$146.25 Monthly Pass. | |
| Go Transit | N/A | Line 34 operates to the Finch Bus Terminal in North York. Further connections are available from there. Travel times are up to 30 minutes. Departing frequency - 30 minutes during peak and an hour during off-peak hours and on weekends. Fares: up to C$6.4 single ride (to the Finch Bus Terminal), C$12.8 Day Pass. Line 40 operates to the Richmond Hill Centre in North York. Further connections are available from there. Travel times are around 20 minutes. Departing frequency - 30 minutes during peak and an hour during off-peak hours and on weekends. Fares: C$9.7 single ride (to the Richmond Hill Go Station), C$19.4 day pass. | |
| Union Pearson Express rail | UPE trains run between Pearson Airport and the Union Station in downtown Toronto, with stops at Weston and Bloor stations. Travel times are up to 25 minutes (the Union Station). Departing frequency - 15 minutes. Fares: C$12 (to the Union Station) one-way trip, C$24 return trip. | ||
| Limo services | N/A | Approximate fares to downtown Toronto are C$60 + tips. | |
| Taxi / Cab Services | Taxi station is located next to the mainland's ferry terminal. Minimum charged fares for short trips are C$10 (+ tips). Some usual fares are: C$10 to the Union Station, up to C$13 to the Financial District, up to C$15 to the Toronto University and around C$60 to the Toronto Pearson Airport. Note: initial charge is C$4.25 and rate per kilometre is C$1.75. | Taxi fares from the Pearson Airport to downtown Toronto range between C$50 and C$60 + tips. Note: initial charge is C$4.25 and rate per kilometre is C$1.75. | |
| On demand taxis | Uber on demand; estimated fares to the University of Toronto:
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Uber on demand; estimated fares to the CN Tower in downtown Toronto:
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Which airport is most suitable for me? |
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| How close to Toronto and the city's main tourist attractions? | The Billy Bishop International Airport is located in the vicinity of Toronto city core. The city center is merely minutes away and most top tourist attractions can be reached in half an hour (CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium, Art Gallery of Ontario) or slightly more (Casa Loma) from the airport. | The Pearson Airport is further away from downtown Toronto, but it features convenient and efficient transportation options to any part of the city. The city center and its major points of interest can be reached between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the chosen transfer option. | |
| Cost factor | The Billy Bishop Airport is the better option in regard to the proximity to downtown Toronto. The airport mostly handles flights between North American destinations and flight fares of common destinations aren't significantly different from the Pearson Airport's. On the other hand, hotel and car hire rates tend to be pretty higher than at the Pearson Airport. | The Pearson Airport is the main Toronto's airport, handling national and international flights. Flight fares between the North American destinations are similar to the Billy Bishop Airport, while fares from European destinations are generally lower. The Pearson Airport is also a more affordable option than the other airport if you intend to book a hotel room and rent a car. | |
| Airport delays | Delay indexes for the Billy Bishop Airport are very low, in general. | No significant delays are related to the Pearson Airport. | |
| Flight fares Prices taken for April 2018 (searched on 1.2.17.). | From C$216-Boston, C$230-Washington, D.C., C$239-New York, C$266-Chicago, C$292-Miami, C$514-Minneapolis, C$784-Istanbul. | From C$95-Amsterdam, C$102-Paris, C$103-Barcelona, C$104-London, C$108-Berlin, C$114-Rome, C$135-Madrid, C$158-Montreal, C$165-Frankfurt, C$213-Boston, C$229-Washington, D.C., C$239 New York, C$257-Chicago, C$292-Miami, C$346-Varadero, C$516-Minneapolis. | |
| Car hire |
Prices taken for the 1-4-2018 to 7-4-2018 Economy cars (Kia Rio, Mazda 2): US$253-US$370. Intermediate cars (Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Sonata): US$296-US$428. |
Prices taken for the 1-4-2018 to 7-4-2018 period (searched on 1.2.17.) Budget cars (Chevrolet Spark, Fiat 500): US$261-US$286. Intermediate cars (Vw Jetta, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Sonata): US$181-US$413. |
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| companies | Hertz and Enterprise. | Terminal 1: Alamo, Budget, National, Avis, Enterprise, Dollar. Terminal 3: Budget, Thrifty. | |
| Online car hire Deals? |  |
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| Hotel costs per night | from 1-4-2018 to 2-4-2018 (searched on 1-2-2018.) 3-star The Novotel Toronto Centre - C$169. 4-star Radisson Admiral Toronto Harbourfront - C$209. | 3-star Best Western Plus Toronto Airport Hotel- C$99. 4-star Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suits - C$109. Hotel accommodation tends to be up to 50% cheaper at the Pearson Airport compared to the Billy Bishop Airport. | |
| Airport facilities | |||
| Shopping | Duty Free Store is located in the Departures terminal. | Terminal 1: 7-Eleven, Aveda, Burberry, Bulgari, Coach, Duty Free Store, Goodlife Fitness, Gucci, iStore, Longines, MAC Cosmetics, Metalsmiths Sterling, Michael Kors, Montblanc, Relay, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Omega, Salvatore Ferragamo, Samsonite, Swarovski, Travelers Box, Tumi, Victoria's Secret, Skyhealth Express. Terminal 3: Bally, Bulgari, Discover Canada, iStore, Metalsmiths Sterling, Relay, Samsonite, Skyhealth Express Kiosk, Duty Free Store, The Source, Travel Store, Travelers Box. | |
| Eating & drinking | Aroma Espresso Bar, Billy Bishop Cafe. | Terminal 1: A&W, Apropos, Bento Sushi, Booster Juice, Caffe di Calabria, Caplansky's Snack Bar, Escape to the Caribbean, Farmers Market, Heirloom Bakery Cafe, Marathi, Mill Street Brewery, Starbucks, Subway, Thai Express, Tim Hortons, Upper Crust, Vinifera, Wahlburgers. Terminal 3: Beerhive, Booster Juice, Caplansky's Deli, Corso, DAVIDsTEA, Eurobar, Freshii, Heirloom Bakery Cafe, Ice Bar, Paramount Fine Foods, Smashburger, Shanghai 360, Starbucks, Subway, Tim Hortons, Urban Crave, Vinifera, Wendy's. | |
| Lounges | The Departures area is a big lounge. | Terminals 1 and 3: Plaza Premium Lounges. Terminal 1: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges, American Express Lounge. Terminal 3: American Airlines Admirals Club, Air France/KLM Crown Lounge. | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi is free at the Billy Bishop Airport. | Wi-Fi is free at the Pearson Airport. | |
| Terminal information. How many? How to transfer? Minimum connection time. | Billy Bishop Airport has one terminal. | Toronto Pearson Airport has 2 terminals - T1 and T3. The Terminal Link trains connect the terminals; trains run every 4 (peak) and 8 (off-peak) minutes. Transfer times between terminals are usually between an hour and 1:30. | |
| Currency exchange & cash points | ATMs and cash points can be found around the Departures and at the mainland ferry terminal; the currency exchange kiosk is located in front of the check-in counter. | ATMs and cash points are available throughout both terminals. International Currency Exchange offices are located throughout both terminals. CIBC Banking Centre's points are available throughout Terminal 1 and in Departures section of Terminal 3. | |
| Important phone numbers | Lost and found: 1 844 559 5721. | General information: 1 866 207 1690; Police: 905 453 33 11; Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute: 416 776 5997. | |
| Major airlines and destinations | |||
| Major operating airlines | Air Canada and Porter. | Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Alitalia, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore Airlines, United. | |
| Major destinations | Boston, Montreal, New York, Chicago, Ottawa, Washington, D.C., Thunder Bay, Pittsburgh. | Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Delhi, Frankfurt, Geneva, Havana, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, Sao Paolo, Shanghai, Seoul, Sydney, Varadero, Tokyo, Vienna, Warsaw, Zurich. | |
| Additional information | |||
| Tourist Info Centers | The most convenient Tourist Info Center is located next to the Union Station (Ontario Travel Information Centre). | Information desks are available on the Arrivals levels in both terminals. | |
| Official airport website | https://www.portstoronto.com/airport.aspx | https://www.torontopearson.com/index.aspx# | |
Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Private Arrival Transfer: Toronto Pearson International Airport to Hotel
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Private Toronto Arrival Transfer - Pearson Airport to Hotel/Accommodations
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Billy Bishopairport is the closest toToronto's city centre, it is just 2.2 miles to central Toronto. Pearson International airport is the furthest from central Torontolocated 16 miles away.
Compare airport distances and transfer times to the center of Toronto by public transport below.
Distance to Central Toronto:
Billy Bishop Airport: 2.2 miles / 3.7 km
Pearson International Airport: 16 miles / 26 km
Billy Bishop Airport to the Central Toronto Journey Times:
By Ferry: 2 minutes
By Bus: 15 - 20 minutes
By Taxi: 5 minutes
Pearson International Airport to Central Toronto Journey Times:
By Bus: 35 minutes
By Train: 25 minutes
By Taxi: 23 minutes
Deciding which airport is best to fly greatly depends on the destination and airport you are departing from, including airlines you are using. These factors determine which airport you will arrive in when flying into Toronto.
Billy Bishop is the closest airport to the central Toronto and all the top attractions within and around the city. It is also an international airport that handles mostly international flights from North America and within Canada, Air Canada and Porter are the only airlines serving the airport. Flight fares to common destinations from both Billy Bishop and Pearson airports are not so different. This airport is best to fly into Toronto because it is just 2 minutes by ferry, 15-20 minutes by bus, and closer to the city's top attractions including CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum, BMO Field, The Royal Conservatory of Music, Nathan Phillips Square, Air Canada Centre, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Union Station, and many more. There are ferries that transfer passengers from the airport island to Bathurst Street in two minutes, passengers can also use the tunnel connecting the island to the city with escalators. Ferries are free for pedestrians while vehicles pay a fee (C$11). It will take you about 30 minutes from the airport to see these attractions. As a smaller airport, Billy Bishop is faster and sees less crowd, queues and less flight delays than the Pearson International airport. It is ideal for business travellers or travellers who are on a limited time, the airport also benefits from good public transport links that are convenient for travellers with a lot of luggage and young kids on a trip.
Pearson International Airport is the main international airport serving Toronto and its environs, it is a bigger airport so therefore, it handles more flights and serves more airlines compared to Billy Bishop airport. Airlines that operate from this airport with both short haul and long haul flights include Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Alitalia, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore Airlines, United and many more. As a larger airport, Pearson International has more facilities than Billy Bishop airport, it is also served by good public transport links to central Toronto, the fastest public transport (UP Express) takes around 25 minutes while buses take 35 minutes or more depending on traffic conditions en-route. This airport is best for people flying from further destinations like Africa, Europe, Asia and more into Toronto. Due to good public transport links from the airport, travellers who are not on a limited time can use this airport as well as tourists on a sightseeing adventure.
Based on closeness to the city centre, top attractions, and shorter transfer times to the city centre; Billy Bishop airport can be considered better than Pearson International airport. The airport is smaller and served by few airlines with limited destinations within Canada and to North America so it sees less crowd, fewer queues and low flight delays. The airport enjoys fast public transport links like ferries, trams, buses and taxis to the city centre, top attractions and other places near Toronto. It takes 2 minutes by ferry and 15-20 minutes by bus. This is the ideal airport for travellers who wouldn't want to waste a lot of time on transfers to the city centre, and most business travellers will likely use the airport.
CN Tower is situated downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a communications tower which was built on former Railway Lands, it has a 360 Restaurant which rotates giving visitors a 360o view of the city. The tower is just 11 minutes (1.8 km) by tram and costs C$3. Taxis are faster and charge C$7-C$9 for the 2 minutes trip. Other attractions to see from this airport include Skylon Tower Niagara Falls, Royal Ontario Museum, BMO Field, The Royal Conservatory of Music, Nathan Phillips Square, Air Canada Centre, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Union Station, Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto Islands, Exhibition Place, Hart House (University of Toronto), Massey Hall, Old City Hall, Chinatown and many more.
From Billy Bishop Airport by:
Ferry: Free for pedestrians / C$11 for vehicles - https://www.portstoronto.com/airport/passenger-information/to-from/ferry-schedule.aspx Ferry runs every 15 minutes daily.
Bus (TTC):C$3.25 single - http://www.ttc.ca/ Bus runs every 5-10 minutes from 5:25 a.m. - 1:35 a.m.
Taxi:C$10 - C$13-http://www.co-opcabs.com/Available 24/7.
Uber:C$10-C$13 - https://www.uber.com/global/en/price-estimate//Available on demand.
But Private taxes are cheaper than Airport taxis, here to Book at
From Pearson Airport by:
Train (UP Express): C$24 return - https://www.upexpress.com/ Train runs every hour from 5:30 a.m. - 1 a.m.
Bus (TTC lines 52A and 192):C$3.25 single-http://www.ttc.ca/Bus runs every 4 hours from 5:30 a.m. - 2 a.m.
Taxi: C$50 - C$60 + tips -http://www.co-opcabs.com/Available 24/7.
Uber: C$71-C$94https://www.uber.com/en/gb/ Available on demand.
But Private taxes are cheaper than Airport taxis, here to Book at
Hotel prices can vary greatly depending on how far in advance you book, the demand for rooms, and which hotel you book but the prices below will give you a rough idea and you can do further research and hotel booking at https://www.tripindicator.com/hotel.html Billy Bishop Airport Hotels:From C$169 per night. Pearson International Airport Hotels: From C$99per night
All of the airports mentioned offer competitive prices and a range of cars to suit your needs. Prices are based on the type of car, driver age, length of hire, and demand but you can get a rough idea for each airport below.
Billy Bishop Airport Car Rental:
Economy cars (Kia Rio, Mazda 2): US$253per week
Intermediate cars (Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Sonata): US$296 per week
Compare prices here -
https://www.tripindicator.com/car-rental.html
Pearson Airport Car Rental:
Budget cars (Chevrolet Spark, Fiat 500): US$261per week
Intermediate cars (Vw Jetta, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Sonata): US$181per week
Compare Prices here -
https://www.tripindicator.com/car-rental.html
For Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/ytz-billy-bishop-toronto-city-airport-terminal-map.html
For Toronto Pearson International Airport Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/yyz-pirson-toronto-terminal-map.html