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| City Guide - Toronto - Getting Around | ||
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Getting Around Public Transport For a North American city, Toronto has a well-developed public transport system, operated by two companies. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC; tel: (416) 393 4636; web site: www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/index.htm) operates subway, tram, rapid transit and bus routes. Two subway lines service the city centre, operating Monday to Saturday 0600-0130 and Sunday 0900-0130. The Bloor-Danforth Line connects Etobicoke in the west with Scarborough in the east. The U-shaped Yonge-University-Spadina Line connects Union Station in the south with Finch and Downsview to the north. The east-west Shepherd Line is currently under construction. The rapid transit services (0600-0130) operate within the suburb of Scarborough only. Trams and buses, including night buses, operate throughout the city centre. All TTC adult ticket fares cost C$2 and a day pass costs C$7. Transfers are available for switching between subway, bus and tram. GO Transit (tel: (416) 869 3200; web site: www.gotransit.com) operates rail services from Union Station to suburban destinations to the east and west, as well as GO buses throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Tickets are available from GO Train stations, GO bus terminals, GO Transit ticket agencies and GO Bus drivers. Ticket prices vary depending on distance travelled. Day passes are available. Taxis: The City of Toronto licenses thousands of taxis. A few individual licensees operate privately. Most, however, operate as part of one of Toronto's major dispatching companies, whose taxis can be seen in bright livery patrolling the streets and avenues. Within the city centre, taxis can be hailed at almost any time. It is also possible to phone a taxi service, for example, Diamond Taxi (tel: (416) 366 6868) and Crown Taxi (tel: (416) 750 7878). An initial charge of C$2.50 applies, and rises according to time and distance travelled. A five- to ten-minute trip should not cost more than C$10. Drivers are commonly tipped around 10-15% of the fare. Limousines : For longer journeys, itineraries that require travelling to many different locations, or formal nights on the town, limousine service can be preferable to hiring multiple taxis. Chauffeur and limousine services are available from a number of firms, most notably: A Diplomatic Limousine Service (tel: (416) 214 1951; C$50 per hour); Dynasty Limousine Service (tel: (416) 493 5579; C$40 per hour). Driving in the City: Traffic is heaviest during rush hour (0730-0930 and 1630-1930), particularly on the major motorways leading in and out of the city, which can make driving to the airport a longer-than-expected ordeal. Toronto is laid out on an easy-to-follow grid system, with a few notable exceptions. Yonge Street, allegedly the longest street in the world, is the city's main thoroughfare, bisecting in the city centre with Bloor Street to form the city's most major and central intersection. Although there is a lot of street parking available, it is notoriously difficult to find a spot, and many drivers opt for the simpler, although slightly more expensive, option of parking in a private car park. Car parks in the city centre typically charge around C$3 per hour with a daily maximum of C$15 and evening flat rates of C$5. Canpark (tel: (416) 482 2203) operates a number of 24-hour locations in the city centre. Car Hire: All major North American car hire firms are represented in Toronto, along with a few local ones, at numerous locations throughout the city. Those with the most central locations that accept international reservations are: Budget, 1319 Bay Street (tel: (416) 961 3932); Discount, 20 Bloore Street East (tel: (416) 921 1212); Hertz, 128 Richmond Street East (tel: (416) 363 9022); Thrifty Car Rental, 187 Parliament Street (tel: (416) 868 0350); and Tilden at Union Station (tel: (416) 364 4191). Hire charges are about C$40 per day and C$230 per week not including insurance. Drivers must be at least twenty-three years old. North American and European visitors may use national licences. Visitors from other countries are often required to have an International Driving Permit. Insurance is available from the car hire firm. Bicycle Hire: Bicycle rentals in Toronto can be arranged through Cyclepath (tel: (416) 487 1717; C$30 per day) and Wheel Excitement Inc (tel: (416) 260 9000; C$24 per day). Riding a bicycle in the winter may not be a good idea due to possible icy road conditions (not to mention the cold). |
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